When I started working with Kathy, I was lacking direction. I knew I wanted to lead bigger teams and become a mentor for the younger generation, but how do I break out and set myself apart? This was something that was not clear to me. Ultimately, I want to make an impact. I want to be a leader who shows strength and bravery with their actions. Encouraging others to be their best self. But, I was not able to sit down for 1 minute to quiet the thoughts. I constantly had lists going for all of the various aspects of life. I was very anxious and definitely suffered from depression. Always thinking that I wasn’t good enough.

I spent some time researching executive coaches that could help me build the necessary tools and when I met Kathy I instantly knew that she would be able to do it. Her approach was different. She didn’t go straight to the skills, but rather approached it holistically. The idea is when you are living your life to its full potential in all aspects then it will bleed into work and how you lead. All based on mindfulness.

Now I feel calmer and I’m responding versus reacting. I have cultivated the ability to sit quietly with my thoughts and have better focus. I’ve also been able to be more clear about what I want in terms of my advancement in my career.

Most important is that I now have tools to deal with negative self talk and anxiety. I use it to be a better listener and to pause before responding. I’ve noticed a change in how I react when dealing with difficult personalities in my life. Family was a big one. There are a lot of triggering things when it comes to my family, but I’ve been able to mitigate that by setting boundaries and being more mindful about others intentions. I also see a change when dealing with friends who are triggering. I’ve also, for the first time, started thinking about myself as the #1 priority. That has put things into perspective.

Testimonial from Lan, Director of Product Management