A Dachshund, a Truth Bomb, and the Magic of Becoming You.

I used to think self-discovery was a one-and-done event — like a dog claiming its favorite spot on the couch. But life moves, cushions deflate, and suddenly you’re relocating again. Turns out, it’s more like updating your iPhone: constant, slightly chaotic, and somehow necessary if you want anything to function properly.

Of course, no one mentioned this back when I was in college, so I did what most of us do at that age: I winged it. Picked a major, followed the opportunities in front of me, and crossed my fingers that it would somehow become a meaningful life.

Winging It Through College—and Beyond

Back then, I had zero plan. No roadmap. No spreadsheet mapping careers to my values, interests, or aptitudes (which is hilarious, considering what I do now). I took detours, followed instincts, and built a career I liked… but deep down, I wished I’d had something more concrete to guide me.

Maybe that’s why I care so much about giving my own kids and my students something better than guesswork. I want them to have science-backed tools, real frameworks, and validated methodologies that help them understand who they are before they choose what to do. The kind of clarity I would have loved at their age.

Enter: Becoming You (and Suzy Welch’s Truth Bomb)

Last week, I started the Becoming You Labs Certification Program led by Suzy Welch, and it marked the start of something bigger than I expected.

One moment I’ll never forget - Suzy looked at our cohort and said:

“It’s so much better to be the author of your life than the editor.”

It landed like a truth bomb I’d been carrying but never named. So many of us shrink, revise, or over-edit ourselves into versions that feel “reasonable,” until the life we’re living doesn’t resemble the one we imagined.

Stop Editing. Start Painting.

Suzy reminded us that Becoming You is a designated space to stop editing and start painting — a self-portrait of who you are, what you want, and who you’re becoming.

She teaches that living a life by design (one where you're the author of your own story) is fundamentally different and more fulfilling than living reactively or second-guessing yourself (editing after the fact). I couldn't agree more. 

The Fangirl Moment at Suzy’s Home

And speaking of moments… I had a full-body fangirl reaction walking into Suzy’s gorgeous home, where I met Pierre, her dachshund-influencer, cruising around like he was checking on his guests and we’d better behave.

She welcomed us with the kind of warmth that made me think, “Wait… she’s this invested in all of us coaches?”

Answer: She truly is.

Suzy and the entire Becoming You Labs team are building validated, research-backed tools designed to help anyone — individuals, institutions, businesses — move from drift to purpose, from “I guess this is my life” to “this feels like me.”

The Power of Real-Life Connection (AKA: My Favorite Part of the Week)

As incredible as the Becoming You curriculum was, one of my absolute favorite parts of the training had nothing to do with tools, frameworks, or truth bombs (even though those were A+). It was the people.

I was in complete awe of the purpose-driven practitioners I was surrounded by — truly accomplished humans with backgrounds in business, law, medicine, teaching, psychology, marketing, leadership development, and more. It felt like being in a room where every single person had a story worth writing a book about.

But what I loved most? Putting my phone away and having the kind of deep, unhurried conversations you can only have when you’re fully present. No notifications. No multitasking. No dread of an inbox creeping up behind you. Just rich, engaging dialogue with people from every corner of the world.

One of my favorite NYC moments was going to a play with a few new friends and being guided around the city by our classmate from Japan, who somehow knew how to maneuver the NYC subway system better than any of us. (A level of competence I aspire to.)

There’s something powerful about meeting people you might never have crossed paths with otherwise — about learning through their stories, their cultures, their courage, their lived experiences.

And honestly? No matter how advanced AI becomes, nothing will ever top the power of real human relationships. Especially when it comes to purpose, career direction, or becoming the person you want to be.

Investing in yourself is great. But investing in connection, in people who expand you, challenge you, and walk alongside you, that’s transformational.

Purpose, Backed by Data and Research

Our cohort came from everywhere: Ireland, Japan, Singapore, France, Canada, Ecuador, and across the U.S. A room full of teachers, coaches, and purpose-seekers, each there with the same mission: to learn this methodology and bring it back to our communities.

And as someone who is professionally data-driven but personally intuitive, I left NYU Stern | Initiative on Purpose and Flourishing with something I wasn’t expecting: proof.

→ Proof that the Becoming You methodology works. 

→ Proof that the research with the NYU Stern Initiative on Purpose and Flourishing is groundbreaking. 

→ Proof that this work can genuinely change lives for the better.

What I’m Bringing Back to My Students

When Suzy signed my book, something clicked. It wasn’t just her message — it was the way she’s building this work with conviction and heart. You can feel her mission in the room: helping people uncover a life that actually feels like theirs — one with purpose, joy, and a clarity that makes sense from the inside out.

For me, this marks the start of a new stage in my work with getCAREERcurious. Not about helping people pick a major or apply for a job, but guiding them through a process that brings them back to themselves — to what lights them up, what grounds them, and what gives their days meaning.

Getting Career Curious (For Real This Time)

If I’m being honest, I almost didn’t sign up for this certification. I was fascinated by it, obsessed with it, quietly stalking it… but also doing that thing where you second-guess investing in yourself. Classic.

When I told my sister Pattijean McCahill about it, she didn’t even let me finish the sentence before saying, “Do it!” No gentle encouragement. No pro/con list. Just: Do it.

So I took a dose of my own medicine, got career curious, and leapt.

And I’m so glad I did.

Because now I get to bring this work back to my friends, my classroom, and my community — and help more people understand the thing I’ve always believed to my core: When you know your values, aptitudes, and interests, you can build a life that actually feels like you. One with more joy. More purpose. More alignment. Which is, quite literally, the entire point of the getCAREERcurious community.

Here’s to following that little spark of curiosity — even when it scares you, even when you’re “too busy,” even when you’re not sure yet what it will become.

Sometimes all it takes is one small leap.

⭐ If you’re feeling a little career curious yourself, you might also like the conversations happening on the getCAREERcurious podcast. We feature people walking their own purpose-filled paths—messy, honest, and inspiring. Come listen if you feel called: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.