Big Talk, Bold Truths, and the Stories That Shape Us

Ten years ago, when my coaching business began to soar, a friendly competitor dropped this little gem:

“Well, you have an advantage… you’re a writer. You just know what to say.”

Mmmkay.

He said it like I’d been gifted a third arm or some kind of high-tech gadget the rest of the coaching world didn’t have access to.

On the surface? A compliment.
Underneath? A backhand with a bow.

Because what he wasn’t saying was:
That I’m a damn good coach.
That I listen like it’s my superpower.
That I see patterns and pain points like a constellation coming into view.
That I’ve sat with thousands of stories and found the ones that matter most.

Instead? I was “just good with words.”

But listen. I don’t write to sound good.
I write to feel deeply.
To mirror truth.
To move something—maybe everything.

Because let me tell you: I don’t care much for small talk.

Don’t ask me about the weather.

Tell me about the owl that appeared mid-tear as you missed your father.
Tell me how your mom discovered weed comes in fancy apothecary jars now.
Tell me how your business partner’s feedback lit up your nervous system like a four-alarm fire.

But please… don’t tell me it’s hot outside.

Why are we so afraid of our emotions that we smother them in busy schedules, $2,000 handbags, and just-one-more-glass-of-wine nights?

I don’t want short cuts.
I want side roads.
Detours where a kid sells hand-painted rocks.
Where a girl teaches her brother how to land a kickflip.
Where a dog chases a deer with Olympic-level determination.

Because that’s where the good stuff lives.

Love is in the why behind the story.
Life is in the action of the story.
Leadership is in how we use the story.

Without the words, it’s just… stuff that happened.
Moments we forget.
Lessons we miss.

But when we dare to tell the big stories, we make bold choices.
And those bold choices?
They lead us home to a life we don’t want to run from.

Coming soon: The Life is Calling Podcast
Big Talk.
Brave Choices.
A Life You Don’t Need to Escape From.

What would you like to hear me discuss?

If you enjoyed this post, join my inner circle of people on a mission to design a life they don’t need to escape from!