On January 30, 2025, my life changed.

The weeks leading up to that day looked successful on paper. I had just helped lead a major workforce development event after months of planning. Earlier that month, I presented a report to city council members highlighting the impact of our work—feedback that later followed me into public spaces through praise and affirmation. My performance was never in question. I was seen as a high performer who remained steady under pressure.

And yet, that same day, I walked out of the building without a job.

What followed was not just a career transition, but a deeper reckoning. The disruption forced me to confront how much strain I had normalized in the name of leadership, and how endurance had quietly replaced alignment. This essay explores the hidden costs of staying too long in environments that reward performance while eroding well-being—and how disruption, when examined honestly, can become the doorway to clarity and renewal.

In this op-ed, I share the personal story behind welcome to today and introduce the four pillars that guide our work: trauma-informed coaching, mentorship for the overlooked, creative expression as healing, and reclaiming the sacredness of now. Whether you are in transition, tired of pretending, or simply longing for something more aligned—this space is for you.