The Sanctum

Cue the sparkles? “Cue the Sparkles? I Don’t Think So.”Reflections from someone who's played the game—and chose a different one. This week I read a paragraph that made me pause.It was from a women’s business awards announcement.On the surface, it sounded empowering. Celebratory. Inspiring. But then I read this line: “These are the businesswomen we are inspired by, the women we want to seek out after a networking evening, the women we want in our corner and the women we wish to support and to...

The mountain A while ago, I shared a visual with a peer in my coaching community- to help her see what was really going on in her world.I’ve been seeing the story doing the rounds in a community we’re both in, and it made me realise how powerful it can be to reflect something back in a way that sticks. So I thought I’d share it here too....because maybe it’ll meet you where you are: Imagine your wider community- your friends, your family, your peers.You’re all at a party at the bottom of a...

Today, I built an assessment ... and it’s got teeth. The Lifestyle Entrepreneur Alignment Assessment It’s for entrepreneurs, business owners and thought leaders who want to create freedom-focused momentum in their business and their lives. This isn’t some fluffy little quiz to figure out your spirit animal or what kind of croissant you are in business. It’s a mirror. One that shows you exactly what’s working, what’s wobbling, and where your next-level edge is hiding. Not the filtered version....

The only reason I’m successful? It’s not because I’m the smartest.Or the most strategic.Or because I had some perfect 5-year plan. It’s this:I do things before I’m ready. If I’d waited until I was “ready”…I’d still be waiting. There are things I did 30 years ago that I had no business doing on paper.But I did them.And I learned.And I moved.And I evolved. Not because I had it figured out—But because I was willing to take the risk and figure it out along the way. And the more I coach, the more...

The Altitude Matrix I've been thinking a lot about altitude lately. Not actual flying ...I mean the altitude we bring to our business. The big-picture, pattern-spotting, decision-making kind.The part where you rise above the weeds and see what really matters. But here’s the catch:Most of us are still trying to fly the helicopter and crawl through the weeds at the same time. I was chatting with a client recently about this exact thing.She’s smart, capable, visionary.And like so many of us,...

Ye what now?? It’s been a couple of weeks since I hit send here... and I could write a whole debrief of insights from the past month! At the last minute, I said yes to an opportunity I’d previously turned down- one of those full-body “this is too good to miss” moments. And off I went to New Mexico to be part of the leadership team for the Rich Litvin Intensive: a private coaching experience for high-level leaders and change-makers from around the world. It was big.Stretching.Beautifully...

You don’t climb the second mountain the way you climbed the first. The first was built on hustle. Grit. Tenacity. You proved yourself to yourself. And to everyone else. But the second? The second is different. It doesn’t shout—it pulls. It doesn’t require more hours—it demands more precision. It doesn’t reward busyness—it rewards alignment. And the truth is? Most people never answer the call. They stay too long on the first peak, looking down at what they’ve built, afraid to lose it. Afraid...

There’s a moment in nearly every Vision Casting Call where I see it happen. The eyes widen. The body leans forward. The energy shifts. It’s the moment when you stop looking for the next tactic—and start seeing who you really are. It’s not magic. It’s precision. I pull the golden threads of your story—the ones you can’t see because you’ve been too close to them—and I reflect them back with clarity so sharp it feels like coming home. It’s what happened when Lorraine told me, breathless, "You...

The shortcut hiding in plain sight... Here’s something I know.... You don’t build your next level by doing more. You build it by stripping back ruthlessly and moving forward with laser focused precision. The build starts by being seen—clearly. I remember sitting in a coaching session, frazzled and chaotic. My coach stopped me mid-ramble and said: "Mary, the problem isn’t what you think it is.You’re allergic to messiness.You need speed, focus, momentum—and chaos drags you down." It took a...

The Golden Cage When you reach the top, it’s supposed to feel like freedom. I had it all: The recognition. The business. The income. The accolades. But something no one tells when you've hit all your goals? It can start to feel like a prison. For me, it was like being a well-trained elephant. The ankle bracelet was off. The door was wide open. But I wasn't walking out. Why? Because success can be a trap. It’s easy to stay busy with what you can do ... even when your soul is screaming for what...