It’s only been a week into 2020. How's your first week been? I’m energized and the creativity is flowing for all that I want to create before the Spring comes. I hope, like me, you feel the momentum of the new year and are using it to make changes in your life and dream new dreams. At the start of the new year and new decade, I feel the pull of this year and this time to set a foundation for our time ahead.

I recently heard the question, “If not now, when?” and the phrase “We are defined by what we tolerate.” These phrases have been working me! I decided that this is the year I want to take my curiosity for minimalism and simplicity and apply it to not just external things, but internally to the way I look at the world and what I decide to spend my time, energy, effort, and money on. A quickness and excitement have arisen, a simplicity of saying yes or no and compassion to sit with the stumbling blocks that are in the way. In the end, wanting to look at the reality of life with no expectations and simply decide what would delight me now.

I want to live as a leader who thrives, inspires, challenges and shows there is a different way to lead. I know we can do this together, thrive as leaders! Feel successful, fulfilled and accomplished; while thriving. Let’s make this year the year we start to live unapologetically. Befriending fear and doubt, taking courageous action and speaking courageously in our wake. Making this the norm. It’s time to flip the old stories that held us back on their head. Seeing conflict as healthy and stumbling stocks as the sharpening and refinement needed to become our stepping stones. Welcoming each challenge as a friend.

In the shamanistic study, there is an idea that in life we are called to dance two dances, the survival dance and the sacred dance. The survival dance is us figuring out how to survive in this world- the dance of belonging, finances, taxes, and laundry. Then there is the sacred dance; our dance of purpose, growth, and love. This is the dance of the soul, spirit, myth, and mystery. What if? What if, starting yesterday we dance these two dances with courage bringing forth the best within us. It’s not about doing more, doing better, doing enough, or knowing more. It’s about bringing forth our unique selves, thoughts, and ideas with more courage. In turn, doing the same for our teams, the organizations we lead and the people we come into contact with every day.

The moment we were born, we each became a leader. We are all leaders, leading ourselves and each other. We are influenced, inspired and challenged by life and the world we’ve created every day. In 2020 let’s dare to create a new team, organization, and world. One where we can thrive. Where the survival dance and sacred dance can dance together as one. What if we don’t have to just survive, but we could thrive?