Can We Talk?

I’ve been quiet for a while. The truth is, I haven’t been feeling my best and have been in a bit of a slump.

“But you’re a coach. You’re supposed to be positive and have it all together!” you say.

News alert: there isn’t a single coach, therapist, or spiritual leader who doesn’t hit a slump now and then. Isn’t it refreshing to remember we’re all walking the same road being human?  Life is always happening and we’re always learning from it. 

Slumps are important. They’re periods of transition. A wise person uses them to move forward.  

Emotional Intelligence: From “Nice to Have” to Non-Negotiable

You don’t need me to tell you people are stressed — by economic uncertainty, political division, and job insecurity. Even everyday conversations can feel charged.

We’re living in an era of us vs. them, and tensions are high.

The CDC reports that many adults experience frequent loneliness and low emotional support — both tied to worsening health. The Survey Center on American Life found that Americans have fewer close friends than in past decades, with a sharp drop since 1990.

Politics has only widened the cracks. Pew Research says 45% of adults have stopped talking politics with someone because of something that person said. And a YouGov poll found that 38% of U.S. adults are estranged from a close relative — often over politics.

It’s easy to judge or withdraw.
It’s harder — but far more courageous — to stay open, listen, and stay connected.

When we disconnect and armor up, we deepen the divide. Under stress, people become reactive and defensive. They focus on what’s wrong rather than what’s right, take things personally, and cling to rigid positions.

It’s easy to blame.
Much harder to own.

Yet if each of us owned our part and kept trying to cultivate connection, we’d live in a very different world. And because energy is contagious, every one of us matters.

The Golden Rule — “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” — is emotional intelligence in action.

Developing mental and emotional fitness helps us shift, in moments of stress, to the part of the brain that’s curious, empathic, and creative. That’s where we focus on what’s right, not what’s wrong.

When we stay in judgment — relationships break down, trust erodes, and teams splinter.
Short-term wins turn into long-term losses. We win the battle but lose the war.

The False Economy of Cutting “Soft Skills”

When budgets tighten, “soft skills” are often the first to go.

But emotional intelligence, collaboration, and healthy communication aren’t luxuries — they’re multipliers.

We need to relearn how to talk to each other.  Whenever two people are together conflict is both inevitable and essential for growth — but progress requires emotional and mental fitness, empathy, and true listening.

To do this we’ll need to:
• Create the pause.
• Stay open and listen more.
• Ask better questions.
• Practice empathy.
• Stay connected to the big picture.
• Play the long game.

Easy? No.
Impossible? Absolutely not.

We must believe and actively cultivate what is possible.

Live in Possibility

That’s why I’m so committed to Positive Intelligence® and think it’s needed more than ever. There’s nothing “soft” about it. It’s root-level work that strengthens relationships, well-being, and performance. It’s changed my life — and the lives of many clients.  It is serious work for a fractured world.  

Soft skills aren’t optional. They’re a core business strategy.

If you’ve ever led a meeting where no one speaks up...
Or watched a team splinter over positions instead of goals...
You already know the cost.

We can choose a better path — one where disagreement isn’t disconnection.  Where differences and setbacks become opportunities to repair, reconnect, and grow.

That’s how healthy people, teams, and societies thrive.

Imagine If You Could…

• Cultivate healthy conflict and collaboration tools at work.
  
  
• Be a more active part of the solution to societal fractures.
  
  
• Enjoy the holiday table this year with those you love (but might not always like 😉).
  
  

If you’d like to learn more, let's talk.

[Get in touch to learn more.]