When we numb ourselves to survive, we lose more than pain—we lose presence. This is a story of how emotional suppression became my default… and how I’m learning to return to feeling, one flicker at a time.

Leading sideways? Discover how emotional intelligence can deepen your influence without hierarchy. In this edition, we explore feedback, trust, and the adult state — at work and at home — to help you lead with clarity, compassion, and quiet authority.

When leadership feels heavy, this mindset shift offers relief. Explore how understanding “the map is not the territory” can transform pressure into presence, and move you from judgement to compassion — for yourself and those you lead.

What Does 'The Map Is Not the Territory' Really Mean? At first glance, the map is not the territory  sounds like the kind of...

The new school year begins with best intentions — but many leaders are quietly carrying last year’s exhaustion. This post invites you to pause, reconnect, and lead from your inner compass.

I’d set the Screen Time passcode to protect my daughter’s focus — and then promptly forgot it myself! But in trying to force my way to the answer, something unexpected happened. This is a short story about memory, control, and what we remember when we finally let go.

Letting go can feel like loss — but it can also be a deep act of wisdom. In this reflective piece, Nadine explores the power of releasing with intention, choosing presence over pressure, and trusting that surrender creates space for what matters most.