As my youngest daughter wraps up Grade 8, I find myself at the edge of an emotional threshold — the same kind we often encounter in leadership: when change calls us to pause, realign, and lead with heart.

This month marks the end of an era in our family: the final elementary school sports tournament, the last-minute grad dress fittings, the bittersweet moments of watching my daughter grow into the young woman I’ve been raising her to be — strong, independent, kind, and resilient.

It’s a deeply personal transition, but one that mirrors the very journey I often coach leaders through. Whether in parenting or leadership, growth is not just about milestones — it’s about letting go of one chapter to step into the unknown of the next.

And that next chapter? It often begins with grief.

Yes — grief. Even in leadership.

Time is one of a leader’s most valuable and limited resources. Yet, in the midst of back-to-back meetings, shifting priorities, and the constant pull to “do more,” time can start to feel like something that happens to us, rather than something we lead through.

But what if we flipped the script? What if time became less about urgency and more about intention?

Effective leaders don’t just manage their schedules—they lead with time in mind. They align their minutes with their mission, their days with their values. When we use time purposefully, we unlock greater impact, clarity, and presence.

Recently, I had one of those A-ha moments—the kind that makes you pause in your tracks and question something that’s been running silently in the background of your life.

I realized that almost everything I do has a purpose. A goal. An outcome.

Even when I think I’m doing something for me—like going to the gym or walking the dog—it’s often tied to a broader objective. Health. Productivity. Routine. Performance.

And while those are noble pursuits, I found myself asking: When was the last time I did something just for the joy of it?

I received word from the International Coaches Federation (ICF) that I successfully passed all components of my Master Certified Coach (MCC) designation credentialing with a score of over 90 per cent.

I am honored to join the ranks of only the Top 3 percent of Executive Coaches globally who hold the highest level coaching designation. It was important to me that I pursue this educational path to be my very best and ensure that I can provide you and your organization's leaders with exceptional coaching to help them be their best!

When I Executive Coach a Leader, we need to define in the beginning exactly what they are trying to achieve. We need to be clear on our goals and make sure we are both moving in the same direction.

So, I would like to take a moment at the beginning of our journey together through this blog series to define what my blogs overarching theme of Leading and Living with Purpose really means.

What does it look like to lead and live with purpose?