Learning to lead at work made her reflect on how to lead her life. What does it mean to be a leader in life? It has to be more than what you do for an employer or what we expect from politicians, business, and spiritual leaders. This question forced her to examine how she made choices, why she held herself back, and the obstacles that humbled and strengthened her. She looked at how she communicated, the importance of being silent, and the gift of listening. But what made her step into transforming her life is the silent mantra of discontent in how she experienced daily life.

The other shift in her mindset was when she experienced significant losses within a short period. Her two best friends died separately and unexpectedly. Her sweet pug crossed the rainbow bridge, her husband’s decades-long mystery illness finally had a name, and she became ill, healed, and got sick again. Death and illness have a way of waking you up.

Deborah grew tired of living small, so on her 38th birthday, she decided to go trapeze flying to kickstart her new path and vision of herself. Her adventurous spirit grew so big that she has since jumped out of planes, walked on fire, sat in the revealing heat of a sweat lodge ceremony, found wisdom through a vision quest, traipsed through Ecuador looking for frogs, and redefined what it means to live this life as a human…being human. 

During the pandemic, she looked at her life, what she’s accomplished, and what she wanted to achieve and experience in the future. From this reflection, she took a leap of faith, betting on herself, her potential, and her possibilities.

With the changing face of work, Deborah decided to use what she’s learned to help new, emerging, and existing leaders find their way to confidence and establish who they are as leaders.

Coming from a healthcare background, Deborah watched firsthand the crisis experienced by our healthcare workers–societies healers–and she chose to step into a space to help those transitioning from clinicians to physician & nurse leaders. To help them rise as the leaders the healthcare system and its patients desperately need in this evolving and complex world.

Lastly, I believe in personal leadership. Understanding who you are, what you want and need, clarifying your vision, and developing self-discipline through goal setting and being accountable for achieving them takes time. No matter what goal or aspiration you have, attaining them takes identifying your values, strengths, challenges, principles, and breaking through fears.

Giving yourself the gift of delving into yourself can help you take charge of your life, responsibilities, and desires.

This is the source of personal transformation.