🪷 This one’s a little different this week— and it's personal

Most of you know me for my bold, witty posts on LinkedIn.
Or maybe for the red high heel emojis.
And my infamous hash tag #ThinkBeyondTheConfig 👠
(it isn’t twitter, IDK why I even do it)

But very few know why I started on LinkedIn.

I took this photo as a reminder of the day I was sitting next to Rosalyn (my cute cat who has a human name and didn’t want to partake in the photo). It was the day I came up with an idea that turned into a HUGE blessing.

BUT let’s rewind as to how I got there.

When I first started writing on LinkedIn, people jokingly asked who I was because I came out of nowhere.
I used to be incredibly shy. I would rarely speak up in meetings.
Probably because I was always the youngest in the room and others made sure I knew that.

Heck, I was actually nonverbal until I was 3 years old! So being bold certainly didn’t come easily.

The funny thing is, I’m a complete introvert. If you’ve met me in person, you’d think I’m lying.
Some days it seems like I can’t stop talking.
Other days, I put my head down and keep headphones in.

This past year, something shifted.
I became a Director. Ahh yes, the big title.
I was excited — for about a week.
Then it hit me: I’d been chasing that title because someone once told me I wasn’t “strategic” enough. Yes, I was actually told this.

Turns out, titles wear off pretty fast.

At the same time, my personal life went through a hurricane.
Everything around me was changing, and I was rebuilding from the ground up — trying to find my purpose again.

One day I called my mentor and said,

“What if I wrote on LinkedIn? Maybe I could help other people.”

He asked, “Help them with what?”
And I said, “Not sure yet,” lol.

I had eight years of crammed knowledge I knew might help someone else in their career — especially those carrying too much weight like I once was. Let’s be honest, Corporate America can be a lonely place.

And then DMs started flooding in.

Can you help me on this problem? How do I get budget for a tech team?

“My boss might fire me, I need your help.”

And that was the catalyst.

I’m not sure what I was thinking the day I stopped to take a selfie with my cat to “remember this.” But I’m sure glad I did.

So this note is just a thank-you.

Thank you to this community I wanted to give back to — because you ended up filling my cup instead.

I have so much gratitude for you all. 🪷