
When Showing Up as Yourself Is the Only Requirement
The Pressure to Meet Expectations There’s a quiet pressure many of us carry into rooms we enter…boardrooms, meetings, networking events, presentations, leadership roles, even our
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Fuel for the Journey is a blog designed to empower professionals and leaders with the insights, tools, and inspiration they need to thrive in their personal and professional lives. It offers practical strategies, thought-provoking reflections, and real-world wisdom to keep you moving forward. With a focus on intentional growth, resilience, and authentic leadership, Fuel for the Journey is your companion for meaningful progress and lasting success.

The Pressure to Meet Expectations There’s a quiet pressure many of us carry into rooms we enter…boardrooms, meetings, networking events, presentations, leadership roles, even our

Why is it so hard to remember our value and significant contributions to a task, goal or grand plan when we need it the most?
When we’re passed over for a promotion. When the job hunt stretches on far longer than we imagined. When we receive tough feedback—even the constructive kind.
In those moments, it’s like our accomplishments evaporate. The wins blur. The impact we’ve made feels distant, or worse—irrelevant.

Many times after a coaching session, usually the first, my clients will say, “Wow, I feel like I just had a therapy session,” when in reality we talked about their goals, identified their fears and explored their willingness to shape what’s next in their personal or professional journey.
In personal and professional growth, many people often wonder: Should I seek a coach or a therapist? The truth is, both are valuable, but I make sure to communicate the distinction between the two.

Have you ever been driving, only to realize you passed a stop sign but can’t recall if you actually stopped? Or walked into a room to grab something, got distracted, and left without it?
Barring any cognitive issues, this is what some call being on autopilot. And let’s be honest—it happens more often than we’d like.

Any given day, at any given time…my head is filled with political, professional, personal and private things that either serve or sabotage my soul. They move around in my thoughts. More like collide at rapid speeds. One crashing into the other. Taking up space. Impacting my emotions. Sometimes even making me change my game plan. When I let them…

A young, highly intelligent Black professional I was coaching the other day expressed concerns about sharing their perspective and suggesting new methods of approaching tasks, fearing that recent DEI changes might lead to their expertise being undervalued and ignored.
“Growth often requires stepping outside your comfort zone and embracing discomfort. Change happens when you lean into the unknown, because that’s where perspectives shift, and transformation begins.”
~ Nicole Poole-McGill