Lead Anew With Kim

Month: July 2025

  • Quick Win Monday

    It’s Monday — and here’s your reminder:A “win” doesn’t have to be loud, big, or Insta-worthy. Sometimes a win is…☑ Showing up when you didn’t feel like it.☑ Speaking kindly to yourself when you could have spiraled.☑ Finally checking that one task off your list that’s been glaring at you for a week. Today, my quick win…

  • This Life I’m Grateful For

    Some days I pause and realize… I’m living a life I once only dreamed of.Not a perfect life, but one I’m deeply grateful for.A life built through hard work, hard lessons, and a lot of grace along the way.I’m grateful for:The opportunities I’ve pursued (and the doors that closed, redirecting me).The relationships that sustain me…

  • Gold Stars and Grown-Up Goals

    In this edition of Lead Anew: Insights and Growth, I revisit the allure of gold stars and explore how the pursuit of them has evolved with age, experience, and a healthy appreciation for elastic waistbands. This edition is for anyone who has transcended the superficial pursuit of glitz and glamour, embracing a more meaningful and…

  • 🌿🍅 Slow Down Saturday

    Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is… pause.Not rush, not finish one more task, not squeeze one more thing into the day. Just breathe.Rest.Notice.Water the garden tomatoes. This week was a full one: Second summer session classes kicked off at Western Carolina on July 7th, I was wrapping up a project for my director with…

  • Flawed and Fierce Friday

    Sometimes being fierce isn’t about charging ahead, it’s about staying steady when nothing goes smoothly. This week? It tested my patience, my plans, and honestly, my sense of humor. But here’s what I’m learning: Being “flawed” isn’t a weakness to fix; it’s a reminder that I’m human. The fierce part? That’s choosing to keep showing up, keep…

  • Truth In Leadership Thursday

    Here’s a truth we don’t talk about enough:Great leaders aren’t the ones with all the answers.They’re the ones with the courage to say, “I don’t know, but I’m willing to find out.” In my earlier leadership days, I thought “I don’t know” was a weakness.Now? It’s a signal of strength. It tells your team you’re not…

  • 🌿 Mindful Midweek (a.k.a. “Where Did Monday Go?”)

    Somewhere between “just five more emails” and “why is there a fork in my purse?”, I realized I might need a minute. So today, I tried something wild.I paused. For five whole minutes. No scrolling. No multitasking. Just me, my coffee, and one very judgmental Cat. And in that quiet?I remembered I still have a brain under…

  • Better Me, Better World 🌍 #NSLS Tuesday

    You can’t pour from an empty cup, but what if your cup is also a compass? Every time I take even one step toward alignment, whether it’s setting a boundary, asking for help, or simply saying no without guilt, it ripples outward. Not in grand gestures, but in subtle shifts that change the culture around me.…

  • I Brought Snacks, Highlighters, a Cat, and a 401(k), Let’s Go

    In this edition of Lead Anew: Insights and Growth, I share my experiences of returning to college after 26 years away from the traditional classroom setting. This time, the classroom is on a screen. As a full-time distance learner, I study from my kitchen table, often with Zeus perched on my notebooks. I attend lectures…

  • Slow Down Saturday

    Some days are made for catching up.Others are made for catching your breath. Today, I’m choosing the second one. I’m setting down the to-do list, letting the laundry wait, and giving myself permission to pause. The world moves fast enough without me sprinting through my own life. Rest is not a reward.It’s part of the…