Cultivate You Coaching

08/05/2026

08/04/2026

There was a season in my career when I was convinced I'd failed.

Nothing had actually been said to me. No one told me I wasn't valuable. But in the absence of information, I wrote my own story.

For months, I carried that story with me. It shaped how I showed up, how I interpreted conversations, and how I felt about myself. Looking back, I can see there was a difference between what happened and what I believed it meant.

That realization changed not only how I navigated that experience, but how I coach others today.

In my latest LinkedIn article, I share the story of the phone call that changed everything and the lesson I almost missed. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/i-thought-had-failed-lisa-cole-miller-acc-cpc-and-eli-mp--bfhwc/

Have you ever looked back on a situation and realized the story you told yourself wasn't the only story that could have been true?

I'd love to hear your experience.

07/30/2026

The best leaders learn how to stay in tune with themselves.

Not just with deadlines, performance metrics, and expectations.
But with their own energy.

When they’re overwhelmed.
When they’re reacting instead of responding.
When they need rest.
When something feels misaligned.
When they’ve drifted too far from themselves trying to meet everyone else’s needs.

I think this is especially important for emerging leaders.

Many are so focused on proving themselves that they stop listening to themselves entirely.

But sustainable leadership requires awareness.
Noticing your patterns.
Understanding your emotional state.
Recognizing the energy you bring into conversations, meetings, and relationships.

I recently put together a playlist inspired by the 7 levels of energy leadership, one song representing each energetic state and perspective.

It’s part reflection, part nostalgia, and part reminder that growth and self-awareness don’t always have to be so serious.

Curious which song or energy level resonates most with you right now.

https://cultivateyoucoach.substack.com/p/the-frequency-of-becoming

07/28/2026

What if your next step matters more than the "perfect" plan?

I think a lot of thoughtful people get stuck waiting for certainty.

The perfect timing.
The perfect strategy.
The perfect version of themselves before they begin.

Overthinking can feel productive because it creates the illusion that we’re still moving. But sometimes all it really does is keep us safely disconnected from the discomfort of action.

Especially for emerging leaders.

Many are deeply self-aware, intelligent, and capable, yet still hesitate to speak up, make the decision, have the conversation, or trust themselves enough to move forward before they feel fully ready.

But growth rarely happens through thinking alone.

Confidence is often built after the step is taken, not before.

I wrote more about this tension between reflection and action in a recent Substack article, “Why Thinking Isn’t Enough.”

If this resonates, I’d love for you to read it.
https://cultivateyoucoach.substack.com/p/why-thinking-isnt-enough

07/22/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions about emerging leaders is that confidence comes first.

In my experience, it usually comes after practice.

After difficult conversations.
After navigating uncertainty.
After realizing they can handle more than they thought.

Most emerging leaders don’t need someone to hand them all the answers.

They need support while they build trust in their own voice.

If you’re an emerging leader navigating the space between doing great work and learning how to lead people, know this: you do not have to figure it all out alone.

And if you’re a manager watching someone step into greater responsibility, your support in this season matters more than you may realize.

This is the work I care deeply about helping people navigate — building confidence, communication, self-awareness, and trust in their own leadership voice.

If this resonated with you, I’d love to have you join me over on Substack where I share reflections, tools, and conversations about growth, leadership, and becoming more intentional in how we lead ourselves and others.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-190339680

07/20/2026

One of the most valuable leadership skills is self-awareness.

Because when leaders can recognize when they’re overwhelmed, reactive, defensive, or operating from fear, they create the opportunity to choose a different response.

That shift changes conversations.
Teams.
Relationships.
Culture.

Awareness creates choice.

If you’re an emerging leader, learning how to navigate stress and respond with intention is one of the most important skills you can develop — not just for your career, but for your relationships and well-being too.

And if you’re managing emerging leaders, creating space for reflection, emotional awareness, and growth is often what helps good employees become grounded leaders.

These are the kinds of conversations I care deeply about through coaching, workshops, and writing. If this resonated with you, I’d love to have you subscribe and follow along.

https://cultivateyoucoach.substack.com/p/moving-from-reaction-to-action

07/17/2026

Yes you heard me, not knowing is part of growth.

People grow faster when they feel safe enough to learn out loud instead of perform certainty.

Not having all the answers yet.
Not feeling fully confident yet.
Not having difficult conversations mastered yet.

The leaders I’ve seen grow the most aren’t the ones pretending to know everything.

They’re the ones willing to stay curious.

If you’re an emerging leader navigating uncertainty right now, you are not behind.

Leadership growth rarely happens because someone suddenly feels fully ready. More often, it happens through practice, reflection, support, and the willingness to keep showing up before you feel like an expert.

And if you’re a manager supporting someone in this transition, your encouragement and guidance can make an enormous difference in how confidently they grow into their role.

These are the kinds of conversations I explore regularly through my coaching and writing. If this resonated with you, I’d love to have you subscribe and follow along.

https://cultivateyoucoach.substack.com/p/the-advantage-of-not-knowing-the

07/14/2026

Why do we keep thinking instead of doing?

I think a lot of thoughtful people get stuck here.

We read (oh so many) the books, listen to the podcasts and try to reflect deeply. Analyzing ourselves from every angle.

And while self-awareness matters, at some point growth asks something more uncomfortable from us:
Action.

Not perfect action.
Not fully confident action.
Just movement.

I’ve noticed this especially with emerging leaders. Many are incredibly insightful, but still hesitate to speak up, trust themselves, have the difficult conversation, or take the next step because they’re waiting to feel fully ready first.

But confidence is rarely built through thinking alone, it’s built through practice, experimentation, to put it simply: trying.
Then giving yourself space to adjust and trying again.

I wrote more about this tension between reflection and action in a recent Substack article, “Why Thinking Isn’t Enough.”

If this resonates, I’d love for you to give it a read.
https://cultivateyoucoach.substack.com/p/why-thinking-isnt-enough

07/09/2026

Is everyone else figuring this out faster than me?

I think a lot of emerging leaders quietly carry this fear.

What I’ve learned is that many of the people we perceive as “naturally confident” are also navigating uncertainty behind the scenes. They’ve just learned how to keep moving while they figure it out.

Growth rarely feels linear when you’re inside of it.

And leadership development isn’t about becoming perfect as quickly as possible.
It’s about building trust with yourself over time.

I think emerging leaders need more spaces where they can be honest about that process instead of feeling pressured to perform certainty all the time.

If this resonates, coaching can be a powerful space to process, reflect, and develop your own way through leadership and growth, without feeling like you have to have it all figured out first.

https://cultivateyoucoach.substack.com/p/what-happens-in-a-coaching-session