A good coach notices everything you’re doing wrong and everything you thought you were hiding, yet somehow still treats you like a person worth rooting for. It’s confusing. And effective. But confusing.

Coaching is a strange arrangement: you show up to be seen, fail a little in public—and leave better for it.

What’s something a coach pointed out that was technically true, wildly unflattering, and now lives rent-free in your head as motivation?

Tribute to a coach who transitioned this week. She had a rare kind of presence—the kind that noticed what wasn’t being said.

This post is for the coaches who make space, ask better questions, and help us human better.

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“Your nervous system doesn’t speak in motivational posters. It speaks in threat.”

I wrote a guide for professionals recovering from layoffs, identity loss, or policy whiplash. Neuroscience tools, not pep talks.
open.substack.com/pub/artofhol...

You don’t need a five-year plan. You need oxygen for your imagination.

Field notes from burnout and recovery.
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When the Job Search Depletes Dopamine, This Is What to Do
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This is what the money being added to Border Patrol will be used for.

I’m not writing advice. I’m also building a field guide while surfing the tidal wave. There are no pep talks, just practical tips from behavioral science.

For folks in the federal workforce navigating layoffs, transitions, or the collapse of their system.

Wrote a new post - how shame steals your power, and how you can take it back. Hope you enjoy…if it hits shares are ❤️ open.substack.com/pub/artofhol...

Overspending, hoarding beans, avoiding your bank account—you’re not ‘bad with money.’ Your nervous system is running a survival script. Here’s how to rewrite it. open.substack.com/pub/artofhol...

I was in that phase where even the sound of wind chimes made me feel like I was being mocked. I figured I just wasn’t cut out for peace.

New Substack’s up tomorrow. It’s a weird one. Might help. substack.com/@artofholdin...

Your nervous system isn’t broken. It’s doing exactly what it was built to do when your job is under attack.

If you’re navigating career upheaval, you don’t need noise. You need tools. I built a newsletter for that.

🔗 Strategic Pause
5-minute reads.
One challenge. One tool. One way forward.