 2025 was a year of transition in every sense of the word, new roles, family milestones, goodbyes, beginnings, and a lot of learning in between. Some of the most grounding moments were quiet and consistent. Like the monthly Zoom calls with my four sisters. We live in three different time zones, so these calls often happen late at night for me so I'm often tucked into bed at 9 pm, sometimes talking until nearly 11 pm. They’ve become an anchor: a space to laugh, catch up, support one another, and remember where I come from. I’m deeply grateful for that steady thread of connection.
Winter reminded me that movement is essential for my well-being. Vermont winters are long and cold, and my hands and feet don’t love it, but cross-country skiing changed how I experience the season. What started years ago became a real practice this winter: weekly ski dates with a friend, solo outings, sometimes three times a week. Fresh air. Learning to enjoy winter instead of just enduring it. One unforgettable night, I skied under a full moon and stars, falling a lot, yes, but never too far. I’m not the most coordinated human, and while I still fall, over time I’ve gotten a little better. That felt like a metaphor for the year. Travel also held meaning in different ways. Our annual trip to Florida with my in-laws, felt especially tender this year, knowing it will be our last together in the same way. My mother-in-law’s Alzheimer’s and my father-in-law being in a wheelchair now added layers of complexity, but there was also beauty: beach wheelchairs that made the ocean accessible, walks at sunset, and moments of shared presence that I’ll carry with me. Spring brought both external and internal shifts. As the weather warmed and signs of renewal appeared, I made the difficult but necessary decision to leave my job at Go Stowe. It was a moment of clarity, courage, and trust, welcoming spring not just outside, but within. Professionally, there were moments of pride and closure. Launching Go Stowe’s new website was a meaningful milestone, years of collaboration, care, and creativity coming together. In June, Go Stowe's Annual Meeting offered a chance to reflect and celebrate, followed by a restorative trip to Provincetown with my husband. Provincetown celebrates individuality, creativity, and freedom of expression. It’s a place that invites you to be exactly who you are. No matter the season, there’s always something unfolding, community, art, joy, and every visit offers a slightly different experience. It’s one of those places that reminds me how powerful it is to feel both grounded and free at the same time. Summer marked a turning point. In July, I said goodbye to Go Stowe and stepped into a retreat with my new HELM team, closing one chapter with gratitude and opening another with curiosity. August brought a family road trip out West, a rare gift of unplugged time, shared adventure, and deep connection. We spent time in Yosemite National Park, hiking and camping, standing in awe of Half Dome and El Capitan, and feeling both small and grounded in the presence of something so ancient and steady. Those towering cliffs, their scale, their quiet strength, stayed with me. There were fires on the beach, long conversations, and quality time with my sister and her family, including getting to see my sister’s art show, one of those moments that feels deeply personal and fills me with pride. We visited my husband’s brother in Boise, Idaho and spent time with friends in San Francisco. It was a trip filled with connection, laughter, and perspective. We still talk about how meaningful it was to slow down, be present, and simply be together. Fall was full of parallel beginnings. Starting a new job while my daughter began fifth grade reminded me how brave fresh starts can be, at any age. I also said yes to more music: concerts, singing, dancing, letting joy take up space again. Watching my daughter perform in her first band concert was a quiet but powerful reminder of growth, courage, and showing up. As 2025 winds down, December has invited me to pause. To reflect with gratitude for the transitions, relationships, and lessons that shaped this year. To reconnect with my creative side singing more, spending time with family, ice skating on the lake, watching the sunset. Simple moments that bring me back to myself. What I’m carrying forward is this: A life isn’t defined by productivity alone, but by the moments that ground us, stretch us, and remind us who we are. If you’re up for it, I invite you to reflect: What were the moments that shaped your year? Thank you for being part of this community. I’m grateful to be learning, growing, and evolving alongside you.
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Last month, I wrote about the power of resetting, not by doing more, but by being more present.
This month, the theme that keeps rising to the surface is boundaries. Recently, I asked in a poll: What’s harder for you as a leader right now? Here’s what people said:
The clear challenge? Saying no. There was a time when I thought being a good leader meant saying yes, yes to projects, yes to requests, yes to every opportunity that came my way. But here’s what I learned the hard way: every unexamined yes is also a hidden no.
The truth is, not every yes is created equal. Now, I remind myself: Saying no makes my yes stronger. When I say no to what drains or distracts me, my yes carries weight. It signals alignment, clarity, and presence. My yes becomes a powerful declaration of what truly matters. October Takeaway This month, try this practice: The next time you feel the urge to say yes automatically, pause and ask yourself: “If I say yes to this, what am I saying no to?” That one question has the power to change how you lead, and how you live. If you’re curious about how coaching could support you in strengthening your yes, with more clarity, presence, and less stress, I’d love to talk. Book a conversation with me. A September Reset is the natural pause that comes with the change of season.
Summer tends to be expansive, long days, looser routines, more play. September invites us back into focus and rhythm, school begins, work goals ramp up, and the light begins to shift. A reset isn’t about reinventing yourself. It’s about realigning, releasing what no longer serves you, recommitting to what matters, and bringing presence into the both/and of joy and challenge. Think of it as a gentle fresh start, a second New Year tucked into the calendar, reminding you that you get to begin again, right now. My September Reset This year, that reset feels especially tender. Life is asking me to hold a lot. On one hand, there is growth, new beginnings, and exciting transitions. On the other, there are heavier realities, supporting loved ones through life’s changes. I’m reminded that life is rarely either/or. More often, it’s the both/and: joy and grief, expansion and contraction, renewal and letting go. This month, I’ve felt that truth deeply:
At the wedding, I found myself moving and dancing, laughing until my cheeks hurt, surrounded by people I love. Those moments felt like pure renewal. They reminded me that joy lives in our bodies, not just in our minds. And in other moments, I’ve given myself permission to cry when I need to, to acknowledge the harder emotions instead of pushing them aside. Both the dancing and the tears are part of the reset, part of staying present to what is real. When I start to feel unsteady in the middle of it all, I return to one simple practice: Asking myself where my energy is leaking, and where it is being renewed. Sometimes renewal shows up in music, biking, or quiet laughter at home. Sometimes it’s in allowing myself to stop, breathe, and let the tears flow. Both are medicine. September ReflectionAs you step into this new season, I invite you to pause and ask yourself:
Brilliance in Action If you’re navigating a transition, balancing joy and challenge, or simply craving more alignment this season, coaching can help you create clarity and steadiness. Book a conversation with me to explore what support might look like. September is a reminder that beginnings and endings often arrive together. The real magic comes when we give ourselves permission to reset, not by doing more, but by being more present. Here’s to your reset, your presence, and your brilliance. At the end of July I did something I hadn’t done in years. Even when my daughter was born I was back to work two weeks later because I owned my own business, so stepping away from the constant pace felt new. This time I headed out west with my family. It wasn’t a working holiday; it was time to be fully present, to sleep past sunrise, hike until my legs ached and laugh around a campfire without worrying who might need me online. The result was a trip packed with adventure and reflection that reminded me how important it is to unplug and recharge. With her turning ten, I wanted quality focused time together and thought about my own childhood family trips and how formative they were. I loved hearing her laugh and tell me how much fun she was having. Lessons From the Road
This time away gave me space to rediscover parts of myself that get crowded out by daily responsibilities. I played music again, sketched in my journal and simply observed the world around me. It reminded me that my identity is not limited to my job title; many leaders struggle with this. The trip reinforced that we all have stories worth telling beyond our work. It also gave me the chance to deepen my roles as a mom, partner, sister, and friend. I spent unhurried days with my daughter, truly connecting and discovering more about who she is. I cherished precious time with my partner, my sister, my brother-in-law, and other family members. The distance from daily work made me appreciate even more the impact we create at Brilliance Unleashed and the community we’ve built. Stepping back refreshed my perspective and reignited my passion. I’m also excited to start a new role in September, while continuing my work at Brilliance Unleashed, and I look forward to sharing more as this new chapter unfolds. A Few Highlights It was impossible to choose favorites, but here are a few moments that capture the spirit of the trip:
What about you? Have you taken time off that reshaped how you see your work and life? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments. Thank you for being part of this community. I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead, to learn and to grow together. Until next time, stay present and keep unleashing your brilliance.   July has been a month of transitions, a time when I’ve been holding the weight of parenting, supporting aging parents, navigating career changes, and reflecting deeply on what truly matters.
After years of serving as Executive Director at Go Stowe, I recently stepped away. It’s bittersweet. This role shaped me deeply, professionally and personally, and I’m incredibly proud of the work we did together. But as I close this chapter, I’m reminded that every ending holds the foundation for what’s next. If you’ve ever found yourself balancing it all, work, family, identity shifts, then you know this middle space can feel overwhelming. However, I'm realizing it's also where the magic happens. If we are able to pause. Recalibrate. Realign with what we truly value. It’s where clarity begins to emerge… if we give ourselves permission to listen. Here’s what I’ve been learning:
In August, I’ll be sharing a new blog post about what this time away has taught me, on slowing down, shifting perspective, and finding clarity in unexpected places. I’m looking forward to bringing those reflections to you. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this:
The summer solstice arrives on June 19, bringing with it the longest stretch of daylight all year, it invites us to do the same, to linger a little longer in our joy, our growth, our voice. To stop downplaying our progress. To quit dimming our brilliance to make others comfortable. To stop waiting for permission to take up space.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been slowly reconnecting with the creative parts of myself that I used to keep front and center, singing, songwriting, even sketching silly little doodles in the margins of my journal. The kind of stuff that doesn’t need a plan or a purpose. It’s not for a portfolio or a performance. It’s just for me. And that makes it powerful. Because creativity is visibility. Every time I sit down to play guitar or belt out a song in the car, I feel myself coming back to life. Back to me. And the more I let that light out, the more I realize I don’t need to keep it hidden to make others comfortable. Turns out, joy is contagious. And so is authenticity. Brilliance Practice:
I used to think confidence meant always having the answer. That I needed to be the most prepared, the most articulate, the most composed.
But the truth is, my most powerful moments as a leader, coach, and mom haven’t come from having it all figured out. They’ve come from trusting myself when things were messy. Confidence, I’ve learned, isn’t loud. It’s not flashy. It’s quiet. Grounded. Present. It’s the voice inside that says: “I can handle this, even if it’s hard.” We don’t need to perform to be worthy. We just need to show up, with intention, courage, and a little breath at a time. Brilliance Practice: Reclaiming Confidence This month, try this: Think of a time when you didn’t feel ready—but you took the step anyway. Confidence doesn’t always look like certainty. Sometimes it looks like:
Bonus: My Confidence Playlist Here are three songs I return to when I want to feel grounded:
Let’s Stay in Motion Where are you being called to step forward with more confidence right now? Ready to share what’s unfolding? → Let's Connect As the days get longer and the earth starts to soften, spring reminds us that renewal isn’t just about doing more—it’s about doing what matters.
But here’s the truth: renewal doesn’t happen automatically. It requires intention. It requires awareness. And sometimes, it means facing where we’re depleted before we can truly bloom. I’ve felt this deeply myself. A few weeks ago, I found myself powering through—back-to-back meetings, late-night emails, juggling all the “shoulds.” On paper, everything looked fine. But inside? I felt disconnected from the very why that fuels me. It wasn’t burnout exactly. It was that subtle, sneaky misalignment that creeps in when we’re so focused on doing that we forget to be. One morning, I paused—just long enough to sit with a cup of coffee and a journal—and asked: Where is my energy actually going? And is it aligned with what I care about most? That simple moment of reflection gave me clarity. Not a full life overhaul, just a small shift: fewer yeses out of obligation, more space for quiet, for family, for creativity. And with that, my energy began to return—not from doing more, but from doing what mattered most to me. So often, we push through exhaustion, overwhelm, or misalignment because it feels easier to keep going than to pause and ask the hard questions. But sustainable growth starts by checking in—with ourselves, our energy, and what we actually want to carry into this season. 3 Ways to Reset Your Energy This Spring Notice the Leaks: Where is your energy going lately? Are you saying yes when you mean no? Are you overthinking, people-pleasing, or staying quiet when your truth wants to speak? Awareness is the first step to change. Shift the Story: Energy isn’t just physical—it’s emotional and mental. A limiting belief can drain you faster than a packed calendar. Try this reframe: “What’s the opportunity here for me to grow, learn, or let go?” Make One Powerful Shift: You don’t need a full reset—just one intentional pivot. That might mean taking something off your plate, asking for support, or returning to a habit that fuels you. This Month’s Challenge: Reclaim Your Energy Pick one area of your life—work, home, relationships, creativity—where your energy feels off. Then ask:
Now, take one small, intentional step. You don’t need to bloom overnight—just root into your truth and start there. Word of the Month: RENEWAL Renewal isn’t just about starting over—it’s about coming back to yourself.  As winter thaws into spring, we’re reminded that change isn’t always easy—it can be messy, uncomfortable, and even a little scary. But here’s the thing: discomfort is where growth lives.
So often, we hold ourselves back because it feels safer to stay where we are. But if you want to grow, evolve, and truly unleash your brilliance, you need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Think about it—every major life shift, every transformative moment, is marked by discomfort. The awkward first step. The uneasy in-between. The moments of doubt. But what lies on the other side? Strength. Confidence. Fulfillment. 💡 3 Ways to Embrace Discomfort & Grow Through It:
🌟 This Month’s Challenge: Get Uncomfortable.Pick one area of your life—personal, professional, or emotional—where you’ve been playing it safe. Then ask yourself:
This March, let discomfort be your greatest teacher. 🌱✨ Word of the Month: BRAVERY Bravery isn’t the absence of fear—it’s the decision to move forward despite it. In leadership, as in life, I’ve learned that the journey is just as important—if not more so—than the outcome. Outcomes can feel like milestones, but the real growth, the deeper connection, happens in the in-between: the challenges we navigate, the relationships we build, and the lessons we learn along the way.
My own leadership journey has been one of twists and turns, triumphs and challenges. I’ve had to stretch in ways I didn’t anticipate, pivot when things felt uncertain, and trust that each step was leading me toward something meaningful. Along the way, I’ve discovered that leading with heart—embracing authenticity, vulnerability, and purpose—has made all the difference. As I reflect on this journey, I feel immense gratitude for the people and experiences that have shaped it. Whether you're leading a team, building a dream, or navigating personal growth, I encourage you to embrace the journey, not just the destination. Ten years ago, I was fully immersed in my creative agency, New Ground Creative. It was a time of passion and dedication, where I poured my heart into every design, every client relationship, and every project. But in 2015, my world changed in the most beautiful way—I became a mother. Balancing a business I loved with the new journey of motherhood brought challenges and joys alike. Those early years taught me how following your heart fuels resilience and how embracing transitions can lead to deeper connections and a clearer purpose. Today, heart is at the core of everything I do. As Executive Director of Go Stowe, I share my love for Vermont—its breathtaking beauty, its authenticity, and its sense of belonging. Through Brilliance Unleashed, I help others reconnect with their heart—their passions, their potential, and their unique magic. These roles are more than jobs—they’re my way of creating meaningful connections and inspiring others to follow their path with heart. When I made the leap to Go Stowe in 2019, it was fueled by heart—a desire for growth, impact, and alignment with what truly matters. My daughter was four, and I wanted her to see her mom taking on new challenges and finding joy in meaningful work. The transition from agency life to nonprofit leadership stretched me in new ways. It was a chance to align my heart’s purpose with the work I do every day, contributing to a broader community and leaving a lasting impact. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is to lead with heart. Whether it’s creating space for others to shine, showing up with compassion, or staying true to your purpose, heart-centered leadership has the power to inspire and transform. I’ve come to believe that even the hardest transitions can offer opportunities to grow, connect, and create meaningful impact when approached with intention and heart. Word of the Month: Heart This February, let heart guide you. Put your heart into the work you love, the relationships you nurture, and the dreams you’re chasing. Heart-centered living isn’t about perfection; it’s about leading with care, authenticity, and the courage to follow what lights you up. 🎧 Listen In: I recently shared more about my journey and insights on leadership. Tune in here: Spotify Episode. |
Unleash the life and leadership that light you up. Carrie Simmons, helps leaders reset, realign, and rise with purpose through coaching, strategy, and a spark of brilliance. Let’s create magic.
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