I tell myself that I love a good challenge--and this is true if it's in an area where I feel either competent or excited about or both! But is it less true if those factors don't exist? Maybe. How much of a challenge is it really if it's still kind of in my comfort zone? Many people wait to feel ready before they take on something difficult. But readiness is usually the reward we get after doing the hard thing, not before. Challenges stretch our minds, expand our emotional bandwidth, and reshape our brains for the better. 🧠 Here comes the nerdy stuff!! I love it so much though: What's at work? 1. Prefrontal Cortex: This part of the brain supports planning, decision making and emotional regulation. Hard tasks strengthen this region, improving self control and long term thinking. Executive functioning skills here we come! 2. Anterior mid Cingulate Cortex: This region is activated when we face conflict, discomfort or uncertainty. It helps ups with building cognitive flexibility and grit. It helps us survive! 3. Hippocampus: Challenges promote neuroplasticity which supports learning, memory and resilience. Pushing your limits in manageable doses helps this area 4. Dopamine System: Completing difficult tasks triggers reward pathways. This builds confidence, motivation and a sense of mastery. It reinforces the message that you can do hard things and survive. And who doesn't want a little dopamine hit here and there? Taking on challenges creates internal shifts like learning we can handle discomfort, our ability to tolerate uncertainty increases, we build a sense of self trust, we start believing that we are capable, we become less reactive under pressure and stress becomes more like information rather than danger. ⚡ Why It Matters A life without challenge feels safe, but it also keeps us small and not growing. A life with challenge feels uncomfortable but we end up growing and helping ourselves down the line. We do not grow by staying within the edges of what you already know, but rather by stepping into a level of difficulty that activates your brain, stretches your identity and builds capacity you did not know you had. :) Pretty cool stuff, right? :) :)

If you could choose five people to sit on the board inside your mind, who would they be? This question can help towards increased self awareness, decision making, and value clarification. Think of your inner board as the council that helps guide your choices, shape your mindset, and keep you aligned with the person you want to become. These people can be alive, deceased, mentors, authors, characters or maybe even future versions of yourself. Here are some potential considerations: -The Visionary/Idealist/Inspired/Passionate: someone who pulls you toward possibility -The Truth Teller/The Open minded one: someone who gives clarity, honesty and grounded feedback; someone who may call you out on your b.s.(hopefully in kindness!); someone who may offer different perspectives -The Compassionate One: someone who offers steadiness, emotion regulation, -The Strategist/Problem solver: someone who helps you think long term and make wise decisions -The Courage Catalyst/Motivator/Cheerleader: someone who reminds you to stretch past fear or take action even when others around may say otherwise. -The Moral Compass/The Grateful: someone who reminds you of values, of other types of considerations; someone who is grounded in what is Your choices help identify what you value, what you aspire to, and what qualities you want more of in your daily life. (The video and infographic below is in relation to the people that we surround ourselves with and the significance of that) Question for you: Who deserves a seat on the board in your mind and who has been sitting there rent free that needs to be replaced?

Spotlight on @Steve Webb this week! Check out his community here: 30daychallengers (a community that aims to help with personal improvement in different domains of life through 30 day challenges!) This has EASILY become one of my favorite spaces to be in skool. The community is solid and encouraging, the challenges are fun/engaging and also meaningful! Opportunities for growth are there and ready for the taking! And Steve is not so bad himself. Jk, he's great! :)

@Lisa Vanderveen has been part of my journey since the beginning stages of this skool community. Her gentle (not to be confused with weakness!) approach is grounding. Here are the two groups she has: identity -For Kingdom Focused business women ready to break performance driven cycles, have peace in their home and build the business God has assigned them. (i like this space for grounding in faith) network-for community builders on skool.

Greetings fellow empowered beings!! :) As we're approaching this last month, let's take a look at the past year (things we've achieved, lessons we've learned, things we've left behind and added) and let's use that to mobilize us in this next month. Let's use this last month of the year to build momentum and get a running start into 2026. We don't have to wait.... We treat January like it has magical powers when really it is just a month with better PR. Psychologically speaking, December is prime time for momentum building. It is the month where the brain naturally shifts into reflection mode, which means insight is already simmering and it might make it the perfect time to launch! A lot of people experience SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) in the winter months--- so I think that it's really really important to look at the habits that we engage in and how this either contributes, reinforces or helps ease this effect. (side note--with my clients in Michigan, I start having conversations about this in September because the weather here along with the habits really influence people's experiences for 6 months at a time!! We can't control the weather, BUT we can do things differently). *****So, how are you using December and what are your intentions? *****How will you use this past year as a way to move into the next? Here are some questions to consider as you look back on your past year (questions are part of an AAR (After Action Review). 1. What did we intend to accomplish (what was our strategy)? 2. What did we do (how did we execute relative to our strategy)? 3. Why did it happen that way (why was there a difference between strategy and execution)? 4. What will we do to adapt our strategy or refine our execution for a better outcome OR how do we repeat our success?