01/08/2026
๐ 41.
Yesterday I turned 41, and because my birthday lands at the start of the year, itโs become a moment of reflection โ not just on whatโs happened, but on whatโs actually mattered.
I earned my MCC โ the highest designation in coaching.
I said yes to firsts that stretched me in ways I couldnโt have predicted.
Like any real year, it came with learning.
Not all of it gentle.
Not all of it easy.
What I know now:
Itโs not the moments that define us โ itโs how we navigate them.
How we listen.
What we choose to carry forward.
So instead of listing accomplishments, I want to share a few things Iโve learned โ in case any of them meet you where you are.
I do best when I listen more than I speak.
There is wisdom trying to reach us โ from within and around us โ and life is very good at drowning it out. When I make space to truly listen โ whether you call that God, intuition, or inner knowing โ the path becomes clearer.
The same is true in my work with others. Often, being deeply listened to is far more powerful than being advised.
Success comes faster when I let go.
Thereโs a real difference between momentum and force. My 20s were fueled by push. My late 30s โ and now 40s โโhave taught me that sustainable momentum usually follows rest, not pressure.
Forcing things burns me out. Allowing them to unfold โ while staying engaged โ changes everything.
Balance isnโt optional.
I can get hooked on achievement and being useful โ but when I donโt tend to myself first, even meaningful success feels hollow. Quiet time. Honest reflection. Time with people I love. These arenโt luxuries โ theyโre requirements.
Iโm very good at being the helper โ and still learning how to receive.
Iโve built a life around supporting others, and Iโm proud of that.
But we all need places where we get to lean.
The human nervous system regulates best in the safety of others โ and that includes me, too.
Learning to ask for support isnโt weakness. Itโs wisdom.
As I step into 41, my commitment is simple:
To keep listening, keep choosing steadiness over speed, and keep creating spaces where people can come home to themselves.
Hereโs to learning, listening, and whatโs next. ๐ฅ
With love,
Rachel ๐