I’ve been thinking about a moment from my first pregnancy. My due date had passed, and everyone told me to wait. But after experiencing a loss before, waiting didn’t feel right to me. So I chose a C-section. What stayed with me wasn’t just the decision, but the idea that there was a “right way” to do things; a stronger way, a better way. But in that moment, I wasn’t thinking about expectations. I was thinking about safety. Mine and my baby’s. And that choice gave me both. It

You might think you need a title, a corner office, or all the authority to create change. The truth? Leadership starts right where you are, with the actions you take and the courage to speak up. Whether at home, at work, or in your community, your influence is already there, waiting for you to claim it. I used to tell myself that I couldn’t make change because of the level I held. I wasn’t a CEO, I wasn’t in the executive suite, and I didn’t wield all the power in the world.

Many years ago, I came home from work and saw my baby boy reach out, not for me, but for our nanny. My heart sank. He had been with her since I returned to work when he was four months old. My first son had gone to childcare even earlier. It wasn’t new; but this time, it hurt more. I was juggling a full-time job I didn’t enjoy, commuting, pretending to be okay, and quietly questioning everything: my choices, my motherhood, my worth. We had moved across the country for my husb