Friends—

Last month I got an unexpected update email from a former coaching client.

Melissa Stephenson is an incredible author, athlete, partner, and parent.

Last fall, she took the first iteration of my “Breakthrough to Brave” workshop.

Six months later, she had this to share.

***

Some of the obvious good things that have happened since/starting with last fall, wrote Melissa:

• Scored the new job, which is my favorite (and highest-paying) day job so far.

• Finished a book draft, and am 1/3 of the way through the edit.

• Came back to couples counseling (which we’d been doing for a year) after a holiday hiatus with new thoughts of asking for what I want that made our counselor ask whatever class I'd taken because it had jumped me up to where she hoped I'd be in a year or so.

Focusing on what I want and being clear and direct about that also healed my relationship.

On Valentine's Day, my partner surprise-proposed—something I never thought would happen to me but very much wanted.

It felt as great as I'd imagined, and now we're planning our wedding.

• I helped both my kids using ideas from the workshop:

My daughter applied to a study abroad program for a third time and finally got an interview, then a finalist weekend in New Mexico, and is now waiting to hear if she got in.

We talked a lot about how important it is to keep after things you want, and how that's a victory already.

My son was tired and sad and dealing with some post-holiday depression and did not want to go back to college.

We went out for coffee on New Year's Day, each took 30 minutes to write about what we hope our lives look like in one year, read aloud to each other, and we talked through what it will take for him to get there.

He recognized that he WANTED to go back to design school even though he missed home because he chooses to (and loves to) study design, and that pursuing that goal is important for his future.

And now he's been back, working for two long months, to turn in a large portfolio project that is his application to be a design major.

Those are just a few highlights that come to mind, but the shift is real.

***

I wrote back to Melissa:

“Wow wow wow wow.”

And I asked her permission to share the above here.

If you’ve never done one, you might wonder what happens in a coaching workshop.

That’s a good question.

But even more important is what happens after.

Envision the work you do being a dream come true for you.

What’s possible?

What would you like to create?

For inspiration, know that Melissa is already writing her own next chapter:

I want to plan a wedding, aim for a marathon personal record, get through my book edit, and rock my day job.

***

Check out the website for “Breakthrough to Brave” to read more past participants’ stories.

And watch this brief interview I just filmed with Melissa to hear more about what happens before and during the retreat, too.

Either way, let’s talk if you’re interested in joining the group May 30 & 31 in Missoula.

The workshop is limited to 16 seats, but each one can fit countless stories.

Make my day.

Let the next unexpected update email be from you.

Corresponding—

Jeremy