I used to place everyone else in front of me. There came a day when I got tired. I had to choose me.

I had a conversation with myself years ago about my happiness. I knew I had to step out of my comfort zone and take chances no matter the outcome. Those choices led me forward each time.

I learned that leadership sometimes means standing alone. I refused to break the trust of the people I represented, even when it cost me my position. That moment showed me that my values were worth more than my title.

The conversation that changed my life was the one where I realized that saying "no" to what was draining me made room for the "yes" that changed everything. Boundaries didn't limit my life, they gave it direction. One of my favorite quotes is "Decide what kind of life you really want...and then say no to everything that isn't that."

Speaking my truth and setting boundaries became the beginning of my healing. I learned that the hardest conversations don't just change relationships. They redefine the relationship you have with yourself.

I used to think great leaders protected people from hard conversations. Now I believe great leaders invite people into them. The day I clearly communicated what was happening, what I needed (& what I didn't), and how we'd move forward was the day I realized clarity builds trust far better than comfort ever could.

One conversation can change a career. I've learned that the conversations we avoid are often the very ones that unlock growth, strengthen relationships, and remind us of our worth.

Concluding my 20-year journey in the military represented the closing of one of the most pivotal chapters in my life, yet it also unlocked a world of endless possibilities. What once felt like an ending soon revealed itself as the start of my new beginnings.

It is important to lead with clarity, empathy and purpose. Set the right tone, address the issue, and ensure understanding and accountability.

Uncover what's been covered. Speak the truth. Heal the ache in your jaw, ease the pain in your chest, and let the tears finally fall.

A few years back, I needed to confront my boss about some discriminatory stuff that had happened to me. It took months of planning, and doing it in spite of, and in the midst of, real fear. I sought support from a senior colleague, and went into the room, shaking, but confident in the rightness of my cause. When I walked out of that room, having said what I needed to say, I was shaking with anxiety and adrenaline…but so glad I'd done it. I ended up leaving the job and reinventing myself…Today, I look back with gratitude that I did it afraid, but did it anyway. It opened the door for me to reconnect with my purpose and be in a more fulfilling professional space.

How do I do it? By failing forward. Failure forces me to evaluate my actions and behaviors, making those difficult boundaries and conversations a lot easier to handle so I can give 100% to being the best professional, mom, and woman I can proudly be.