I think the biggest shift for me, has been dispelling this belief that I had to do, know, or have a certain title to be a leader. I believed that I had to be - a master communicator and expert in all things tech.What I now know is that I have always been a leader and exhibited leadership behaviors. In every role I have had, I have always been focused on creating and articulating a bold visions, people/relations, and values.

One of my principal strengths as a leader has been creating a vision of her success, communicating that vision and being resolute in its execution. I have always been a future focused, always dreaming up new ideas and imagining what is possible. In addition to having an abundance of enthusiasm, I genuinely care about others, and good at understanding what other people are feeling. This helps me to not only craft visions and goals, but communicate to my team with clarity and inspire them to help me bring the vision into reality.

Focusing on my own leadership has given me the space and courage to dream big; establish a leadership style that prioritizes people, vision and values; and to trust my intuition. It has allowed me to be open to new experiences. It has allowed me to build mentor relationships with industry experts. It has taught me to really value people - on my team, that I serve and my personal board of directors.

Self-care is critical and extremely important. I have learned that I cannot effectively lead from an place of emptiness. I need to prioritize replenishing my soul, body and mind. Self-care can take many forms and shift over time for me. It has shown up for me as - a prayer and meditation routine, someone to clean my home, time with my family, quiet walks in the woods, breakfast/brunch with my girlfriends, a massage, visiting a museum, a concert in another city, book and blanket on a Sunday afternoon, or a vacation to a beach. After each, I am recharged and energized to keep moving forward and thinking bigger and becoming better - pushing myself to higher heights.