A Transformative Experience That Led Me To Standing On New Ground
On May 8 and 9, I had the privilege of gathering with colleagues from around the world for the 9th Annual Americas Coaching Supervision Network Conference. The theme was Mosaic, and it turned out to be much more than a conference title. It became a transformative experience for me, as a person and, as you’ll see soon, in my business.
Mosaics speak to me because Italy, my birthplace, has some of the most beautiful mosaics in the world. It’s fascinating how artists can take millions of broken pieces of pottery to make a beautiful, cohesive piece of art. So immediately the word, Mosaic in the context of coaching spoke to me. But I didn’t realize what a transformative experience it would be!
Many women don’t actually know what rest feels like anymore. Even on vacation, the nervous system often stays in motion. We pack the schedule full, trying to make the most of every moment, or we collapse completely, using food, alcohol, scrolling, or sleep to recover from the pace we’ve been keeping for far too long. But neither busyness nor numbing truly restores us.
Many high-achieving women spend enormous amounts of energy caring for everyone and everything around them while quietly starving themselves of the very things that help them feel grounded, connected, and alive. We learn to survive on emotional depletion. But we can’t do that for long. 
We’re often told only half of the story. We know our bodies need nourishment to function well. Surviving on caffeine and sugar, or depriving the body of what it genuinely needs, makes us feel unwell. Energy drops. Mood shifts. Focus disappears. The body keeps the score. However, the other half of the story is that our inner life has similar needs! Just as you nourish your body, it’s important to nourish your inner life.
For a long time, I treated my body like something that needed to keep up with my life. Like many highly-motivated women, I pushed through exhaustion, ignored stress signals, skipped meals when I was busy, and reached for whatever was quick and comforting when my energy crashed. I told myself I was “fine” because I was functioning. Productive. Capable. Getting things done. But I have to admit I wasn’t experiencing optimal health and well-being.