As I sit here in the emergency room with my daughter waiting on the results of her CAT scan and reflecting on the scare we are having with her vision, I cannot help but think about how fragile our lives are, how important living in the present is, how blessed my family is to have each other and how fortunate I am to work for a company/team that supports me during these times. Looking around the waiting area, I see so much pain, uncertainty, despair and fear…people held hostage by their health, their age, their choices, and the medical system but more importantly by the meaning they are giving this “challenge”. Regardless of the adversity we each face, managing our mindset and choosing how we respond starts with our own vulnerability, our empathy for others, our gratitude towards our blessings and our intentional self-care(love). This directly influences our perception of our lives and its challenges as well as who we choose to “connect” with as a result…as parents, patients and leaders but most importantly as people during life’s ups and downs.

Today’s ER visit gives me pause and reminds me of a book I recently read by Brene Brown called “Dare to Lead” that dares us to be vulnerable, courageous, wholehearted, and empathetic with each other, thereby deepening the connection we form with other people and alleviating the shame we feel at times in our lives. She challenges us to shed the armor of self-protection, to be self-aware, and to live our values as a recipe for growth, connection and mindfulness. This in turn helps us be intentional leaders and people, building stronger connections with our teams, our customers, our families and ultimately with ourselves. I have attached the getabstract for your review but strongly recommend you download the audiobook at Audible.com and listen to the entire book as Brene’s personal examples and story telling style really resonated with me.

Therefore, as an outcome from Brene Brown’s book and this experience, I “Dare YOU To Lead”…