Yesterday, I witnessed something that reminded me of a truth I’ve known for years—but perhaps am only now beginning to fully live.
It only takes one.
Doug and I were enjoying live music by one of our favorite bands. It was one of those afternoons that reminds you why live music is so special. Good music, good people, and the freedom to simply enjoy being there.
Then I noticed her.
An older woman was dancing in her chair, moving to the music and clearly enjoying herself.
I smiled and motioned for her to come up and dance with me on the dancefloor.
She got up, grabbed her cane, and joined me!
A few minutes later, another woman came. And then another.
I looked over and noticed a group of women who had been swaying to the music in the back so I motioned for them to join us and they did!
Before long, a space that had been mostly empty was filled with women dancing, laughing, and celebrating the moment together.
I wish you could have felt the energy as I did in that moment. My heart was filled with such joy and all I could do was smile as I saw each woman get up from her chair and join us on the dancefloor!
But here’s what struck me most: I didn’t organize this. I didn’t plan it. I didn’t ask anyone for permission.
I simply went first.
And that one small invitation changed the experience for everyone who joined us.
How often do we wait for someone else to go first?
We wait for someone to invite us. We wait until we feel more confident.
We wait until we have the right title, the right plan, the right circumstances, or the reassurance that we won’t look foolish.
We watch other people doing the things we wish we could do, convincing ourselves that maybe someday we’ll be ready.
And sometimes, all we really need is to see someone else do it first.
Someone who says, without saying a word, It’s okay. You can come out here, too.
That’s what happened on that dance floor.
Those women didn’t need me to teach them how to dance. They didn’t need a strategy or a five-step framework.
They needed an opening.
A little encouragement.
Permission to participate.
And once that permission was visible, they gave themselves permission, too.
Maybe leadership is simpler than we think.
Throughout my career, I’ve spent years building connections, bringing people together, helping organizations find their relevance, and creating opportunities for people and ideas to move forward.
I’ve sat in the meetings, developed the strategies, built the plans, and worked to make things happen.
And I believe deeply in that work.
But yesterday, I was reminded that leadership doesn’t always look like being the person at the front of the room.
Sometimes it looks like noticing the person everyone else overlooks.
Sometimes it looks like extending a hand.
Sometimes it looks like being willing to look a little silly because the possibility of bringing someone else joy matters more than what anyone might think of you.
And sometimes, leadership looks like dancing with a woman you’ve never met, then watching her become part of something bigger than either of you.
You don’t always have to tell people they belong. Sometimes you can create a moment where they feel that they do.
The timing wasn’t lost on me.
If you have been following along, I have been thinking deeply about time and how I am spending it. Thinking about today vs someday and giving myself permission to live life now!
I want to spend my time doing work that energizes me, connecting with people who inspire me, creating things that matter, and making room for more of the experiences that make me feel fully alive.
I want to live what I’ve been talking about.
So when I found myself on that dance floor, watching one woman after another join in, I felt something I can’t quite describe.
Pride. Joy. Momentum.
And a quiet recognition that this is the kind of energy I want to create more of.
Not because a dance floor is a business strategy.
But because the feeling of bringing people together, helping them step forward, and watching them discover their own joy is something I know to be true about myself.
It felt like a beautiful reminder of what becomes possible when we make room for what matters.
I can’t tell you exactly what my next chapter will look like.
But I know I want more moments like this.
More connection.
More courage.
More joy.
More women realizing they don’t have to stand on the sidelines of their own lives.
This is what Living a HigherRelevance™ Life means to me.
For me, relevance has never been just about keeping up, staying visible, or proving that you still have something to contribute.
It’s about remembering who you are.
It’s about aligning your choices with what matters to you.
And it’s about having the courage to rise into what’s next—even when you can’t see the entire path ahead.
Remember. Align. Rise.
Yesterday, that looked like an invitation to dance.
In another moment, it might look like starting a business, changing careers, speaking up, making a new friend, trying something that scares you, or finally releasing something you’ve outgrown.
The action itself may be small.
But the impact can be much bigger than we imagine.
One woman gets up.
Another sees her and follows.
Then another.
And before you know it, the whole room feels different.
That’s the power of a small shift.
That’s the power of going first.
And that’s the kind of movement I want to be part of creating.
Not a movement where women follow me.
A movement where women see what’s possible, give themselves permission, and bring other women along with them.
Because the goal isn’t to have everyone watching you dance.
It’s to create a world where more women feel free to get on the dance floor.
And maybe that starts with one of us being brave enough to go first.
Now it’s your turn for reflection.
Where in your life are you standing on the sidelines, waiting for permission?
What might happen if you went first? And who might follow when you do?
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You don’t need to know who’s coming with you.
You don’t even need to know all the steps.
Sometimes, you just need to hear the music, extend a hand, and take that first step.
It only takes one.
And today, it could be you.
Remember. Align. Rise.
Small Shifts. Big Impact.
Comment below what small shift you will do today…. Not someday! You hereby have permission to do so!
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