What does it really mean to become unshakable when life starts testing you before you can even put words to what you are feeling?

In this deeply personal episode of the Becoming Unshakable podcast, I sit down with my daughter, Gabriela, for a conversation I have long wanted to record. As her mom, I have watched her journey from the very beginning, through medical uncertainty, learning challenges, therapy rooms, and moments that could have easily shaken her sense of self. As a listener, you get to hear Gabriela tell her story in her own words, with honesty, reflection, and a quiet strength that continues to move me.

Gabriela shares what becoming unshakable means to her, not as a destination, but as a grounded sense of peace, confidence, and presence. We talk openly about growing up with heart conditions, speech therapy, sensory processing differences, IEP support, and the emotional weight of feeling different at school. She reflects on how those early experiences shaped her resilience, empathy, and, eventually, her voice. There is a powerful moment when she talks about winning a speech competition in middle school, a full-circle reminder that growth does not always follow a straight line.

Our conversation also looks forward. Gabriela offers thoughtful insight into Gen Z, what helps her generation feel valued at work, and why compassion, flexibility, and genuine care matter more than stereotypes. We explore self-leadership, boundaries, rest, and the importance of unlearning people-pleasing. She also reflects on her current role as a missionary at UC Berkeley, supporting others as they find community, meaning, and confidence in unfamiliar seasons of life.

This episode is a reminder that unshakability is often built quietly, through perseverance, support, and learning how to care for yourself along the way. I hope Gabriela's story encourages you, especially if you are navigating change, doubt, or a season that feels heavier than expected. As you listen, I would love to know, what part of her journey resonated most with you, and where are you finding your own strength right now?

What happens when two podcasters decide to slow down, join forces, and have the kind of conversation many leaders are quietly craving right now?

This week, I am doing something I have never done before. I am collaborating with my friend and colleague, Dr. Robyne Hanley Dafoe, on a shared episode that will be available on both our podcasts. This is not an interview swap or a highlight reel. It is a real, unscripted conversation between two women who care deeply about leadership, resilience, and what it actually takes to stay grounded in a world that feels loud, divided, and emotionally exhausted.

We talk openly about why self-leadership feels harder right now, why so many capable people feel stuck waiting for permission, and why caring leadership cannot stop at the edges of our organizations. Together, Dr. Robyne and I explore the connection between values, self-worth, perfectionism, and hope. We explain why hope is often dismissed as unrealistic, even though science suggests it may be one of the most practical tools we have. We also reflect on what it means to lead when you are tired, under-resourced, and still figuring things out yourself.

You will hear us wrestle with real questions leaders face every day. How do you stay steady without pretending you are fine? How do you care for others without abandoning yourself? How do you build resilience without turning it into another performance metric? And how do hope, compassion, and self-leadership actually show up in daily choices rather than big statements?

This conversation is personal, reflective, and deeply human. It is for leaders, caregivers, parents, and professionals who are trying to do good work without burning out. If you have ever felt pulled between responsibility and self-preservation, or wondered how to stay unshakable without becoming hardened, this episode is for you.

I look forward to your listening, reflection, and sharing what resonates most with you.

What does it actually take to spot the leadership gaps that matter, especially when life and work keep speeding up?

In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, I sit down with Erik Dodier, an entrepreneur who describes his career as a "30-year overnight success." Erik takes us from his early love of business and entrepreneurship to building a company through decades of pivots, pressure, growth, and change. What stood out to me right away was his willingness to discuss the pause that comes after the grind, that moment when you stop running and finally have enough space to reflect on who you became while you were building.

Erik's definition of becoming unshakable is refreshingly grounded. It is the quiet confidence that comes from surviving hundreds of hard moments and realizing you are still standing. He shares a simple line that stuck with me, "Of all my bad days, I'm undefeated." And from there, we discuss pattern recognition as wisdom, how experience helps you respond with greater calm, and how looking back can help you face what is next with a little more air in your lungs.

We also get into the real weight of leadership as teams grow. Erik opens up about a pivotal season in 2014, when his company had to narrow its focus and make a painful shift that changed people's careers. He describes doing it as humanely as possible, giving people time to retrain, find their path, or lean into the new direction. That conversation led us into something many leaders wrestle with: how to show care and compassion for others while you are privately carrying your own stress, doubt, and exhaustion.

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is Erik's honesty about what kept him steady. He talks about books, biographies, and even motivational YouTube videos as tools to reset his mindset on hard days. He also shares how his leadership evolved from feeling he had to have every answer to recognizing that his real job was building the right team, removing obstacles, and focusing everyone on the problems that truly moved the business forward.

We close with a powerful reminder for anyone who feels stuck right now. Erik's advice is to take the smallest step back in the right direction, because the shift you need might be closer than you think. As we step into 2026, he shares how he is using more time, greater intention, and AI tools as a sounding board to keep growing, personally and professionally.

As you listen, I would love you to reflect on what is one leadership belief you have outgrown, and what is the smallest step you can take this week to steady yourself again? Share your thoughts with me. I really want to hear what this brings up for you.