Hello,
The last week and a half has been unexpected.
A video I posted about my experience at Cornell reached over 9 million people. And more importantly, over 17,000 people commented, many sharing similar experiences. It led to conversations with friends, my kids, major media outlets and fellow alumni.
My words weren’t new: it’s a story I’ve told many times before. But instead of telling campus police, or friends, I said it publicly and vulnerably. It was raw and unpolished. I spoke from the scar, a thick and visible scar, and not the wound.
I did one take and put it out in the world. I was scared about blowback, but I was more scared to stay silent and let this culture continue. And then something beautiful happened, people received it with kindness and support. They felt safe enough to share their own stories, and angry enough to mobilize for change.
I’ve been thinking about why this resonated with so many people. We know what it’s like to see something that isn’t right and struggle with what to do about it. And since change is the center of the work I do (the work we do), I couldn’t help but connect the dots to our coaching work: In our personal lives often know when something isn’t right long before we’re ready to do something about it.
We realize our career no longer fits, but we’re afraid of giving up the life we’ve worked so hard to build. We stay in familiar relationships, roles, and routines because we know how to navigate them, even when something inside us is telling us it’s not working for us anymore.
Knowing is one thing. Doing something about it is another.
Change doesn’t have to mean blowing everything up or leaps of faith. It doesn’t mean you have all the answers or know where you’ll land.
It starts with telling yourself the truth. This is where coaching can help. A good coach holds up a mirror so you can see what’s really going on, including the things you might be minimizing, avoiding, or explaining away.
Sometimes this takes time. Sometimes one really solid session can help you see something differently. After this, take a minute or two to process this authentic truth, then you can get curious about what you want.
And of course course there will be action, but gentle action: one small step toward a life that feels more like your own.
That’s the work I love: helping people navigate change, figure out what comes next, and turn that into meaningful action.
You don’t have to wait until you can’t stand it anymore to do something different.
If you’re at a crossroads in your life or career, I’d love to talk.
And if someone comes to mind who could use that conversation, please feel free to pass this along. I am taking on 6 new clients for in-depth coaching programs this fall, so let’s get this party started.
Allison
PS: I’m keeping the conversation going on social media, so please come visit me on Instagram or LinkedIn.
