Since the beginning of 2026, I have had a sense that I should not make any sudden moves before June 30. I am so eager to move forward in my life, but I am willing to trust the whispers, as I can sense my life is aligning, and I don’t need to disrupt the process. Moving too quickly and being impatient will lead to even more delay. I’ve made it this long; I can wait a bit longer to have my life in alignment.

Yes to Training

The answer is the training

This month, Arnold Schwarzenegger gave an assignment that makes perfect sense. If you’re struggling, trying to figure out what’s next, or looking for answers, the answer is to show up and work out.

If you’re facing major hardship, this advice may seem simplistic and reductive

I just got laid off

My partner just broke up with me

I’m in debt up to my eyeballs and not sure how I will pay my bills

Is your answer to my problems to work out? Are you kidding me?

I can imagine that’s what most people would think if they heard this advice, but it makes sense: when you show up for the workout, something comes alive, and you start to realize you can get through hard times.

Six days after my mother passed away, I did my first Peloton class. I didn’t think I would make it through, but as the workout went along, I sang and clapped along to Bon Jovi’s ”Livin’ on a Prayer”. It reminded me that I was still alive and that I could keep going.

Right now, I am in the midst of a life transition, but I don’t know where I am transitioning to. The answer is not to try to figure everything out or attempt to force a transition. The answer is to keep showing up at the gym before 6 AM on some days and to stay committed to my 5AM home workouts, because I can almost guarantee the answer lies somewhere in that discipline and structure.We commit, prepare, and then the opportunities begin to appear.

Look for the Opportunities

At the beginning of 2026, I said that I needed to be out in the world if I wanted new opportunities.  Staying at home or wasting time in environments with little to no opportunity was not going to be the move in 2026.

Yes to attending a political event for Scott Wiener

I was invited to a political event for State Senator Scott Wiener, who is running for Nancy Pelosi’s seat in the House of Representatives. That week, I couldn’t stop thinking about the invitation, and I wrote in my five-minute journal that this was an opportunity. I did have questions about housing, AI regulation, and AI safety. I am glad that I went. I even got pulled aside for an interview about the election.

I enjoyed talking to Scott Wiener and having my questions answered. It got my wheels turning about my future involvement in local politics. There is a local political candidate I am passionate about, and I have a strong suspicion he will run for President in 2028. I can totally see myself joining his volunteer team.

As I left the event, I smiled to myself because that interview gave me an opportunity to practice my on-camera skills, which have fallen by the wayside.  I thought, “I am on my way back.” LOL.

Later that day, I reflected that the last ten years have been about building my grit, confidence, and resilience, which I will need in this era of my life. I am confident that I can make it through hard times. I also know that I can do more, and I don’t need to settle for the short stick.

This summer, I plan to look for more opportunities to join a great team and meet new people, which involves leaving the house. Soon, it may even involve getting dressed up and looking presentable.

I’m ready. 

More Reconnecting

Yes, to re-establishing contact with peers and friends

I said yes to meeting up with a friend at the San Francisco Presidio Tunnel Tops Park. It was my first time going out there since they developed it. It was beautiful, and who can beat an hour walk to the Golden Gate Bridge! Shout out to Speaker Emeritus of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, for making all of this possible.

We saw this beautiful bird with a silver beak. My friend knew it was an egret, but I am clueless about birds.

One of my clients is a Master Birder, and so I texted him to find out what kind of bird it was. The bird was a Great Heron. This is far better than the last time I asked a question about birds that I thought were part of a science experiment. It turns out these birds were red-winged blackbirds.  He got a good laugh at that one.  Hopefully, I redeemed myself with this question.

What I really enjoyed was talking to a friend who is in a similar spot to me. She is in the midst of a career transition.  I got so much useful information and useful tips from her.

One point that my friend made that really resonated with me, and I never had the language to articulate this so clearly. She said, “I don’t want to work alone again.” I don’t either. Since COVID, I have basically worked alone in training, and it has been unmotivating, isolating, and boring. I didn’t have peers to learn from, connect with, and exchange energy with.

Reconnecting with my friend emphasized why I want to join a great team

My top priority in a career transition is to join a great team. I feel that I have regressed so much, both professionally and developmentally, because I am not part of a team. Spending time with my friend reminded me of why it is vital to be in the right environment with great people.

Our environment is critical to opportunity, growth, and I can definitely say that being in a misaligned environment can hinder our growth and development. Recently, I have started following fitness influencers on YouTube, and I am motivated to make fitness a true hobby again. I’ve outgrown training as a full-time career, but I’m still interested in health, wellness, and fitness.

Spending the day with my friend reminded me that there was a time when my work life was more integrated into my real life, and while I do have strong boundaries around that. I know that I am definitely open to that with my next era. Sometimes work is work, and sometimes it is not.

When I asked everyone what makes a great team, it was clear that a great team is integrated into our real lives.  I think it’s so awesome that many of the people who worked on great teams are still friends and make it a priority to see one another, sometimes thirty and forty years later!

Each time I have one of these reconnection meetings, another piece of myself comes alive. I love how my friends aren’t performative, aren’t trying to appear morally superior, and aren’t self-righteous. They don’t have to do that because they are authentically great people who are principled and ethical. They also know how to enjoy life. It’s refreshing!!

It’s looking like a Hot Girl Summer

Now I am just talking, but I do think life is going to start heating up this summer, and then we’re on the good foot for the Fall. I have some ideas and plans swirling around, but as I said, I am allowing life to align. No forcing, striving, or trying to make anything happen.

All I have to do is say yes!