Uncover The Greatness Within

Make it an amazing week!

May 7, 2025

Hello friends…I know, It’s been a hot minute since we last chatted. I have missed you and I hope you are having a REALLY good week!

Well, We did a thing!

Hey Fabulous Friends!

Guess what? YOUR podcast (yes, I'm calling it yours because without you, I'd just be talking to myself in a closet) has been nominated for the 2025 Women in Podcasting Award in the Personal Development category! 🎉 After somehow snagging the Best Mindset Podcast award in 2024 (still pinching myself about that one), this nomination has me doing happy dances in my kitchen.

And yes, my teenagers are mortified.

Can I be super real for a hot second? 

This nomination isn't about me getting a shiny trophy (though I won't lie, it would look pretty cute next to last year's). It's about amplifying this message so it reaches more people who need it. If a single episode has ever made you think "huh, that was actually helpful" or gave you a little nudge to be braver, could I pretty please with cherries on top borrow 30 seconds of your time for a vote? I promise it's faster than making your morning coffee:

Vote for your girl here (REMINDER: you click Voting form → then scroll to Personal Development Category → Then scroll down to vote for Evoke Greatness)

That Time Zion Almost Broke Me (But Didn't)

So this past weekend, I had the opportunity to go with a phenomenal group of women to Zion National Park. "It'll be fun!" I said. "How hard could it be?" I said. Insert narrator voice: It was, in fact, very, very hard.

The trail started off manageable – you know, the kind where you're taking selfies and thinking "I thought this would be harder!" But halfway through? Sweet baby pickles…we hit a section so steep that my thighs were sending me hate mail and several hikers around us were straight-up abandoning ship.

Standing there, trying not to sound like Darth Vader breathing, I had this lightbulb moment about leadership:

The juiciest, most life-changing journeys ALWAYS include a "what was I thinking?!" section.

Our little hiking squad became this beautiful example of what teams can be. We took turns being the strong one. Someone would lead us with wise words, another would spot the next resting point and enthusiastically ask: "How much farther?!?" We shared snacks and stories, and kept shuffling upward – sometimes literally one tiny step every ten seconds.

When we finally dragged ourselves to the summit? HOLY MOLY. The view literally snatched my breath (what little I had left). The canyon exploded with colors, the vastness made our problems seem deliciously small, and in that moment, I'd have climbed it twice.

Here's the leadership tea I'm spilling from this adventure:

1. The steepest climbs show you who your real MVPs are. When everything's burning down, you discover who brings the water, who finds humor in chaos, and who's secretly been training for this moment their whole career.

2. Baby steps still count as steps, y'all. Sometimes leadership isn't about making those Instagram-worthy leaps but just ensuring everyone takes one more tiny step forward without face-planting. Progress is progress!

3. The view hits different when you earned it. That team that struggled up the physical (or metaphorical) mountain together? They're now bonded for life. Susan from accounting will literally take a bullet for Marco in sales. That kind of loyalty can't be built at a corporate happy hour.

4. You'll never be the same after the climb, and that's the point. The person who reaches the top isn't the same one who started – they're stronger, wiser, and probably has much better calves. Growth is rarely comfortable, but always worth it.

Listen, as you tackle your own leadership mountains this week, remember that those moments when you're thinking "this is too hard" aren't the universe telling you to quit. They're your invitation to discover just how capable you really are. (And also maybe a sign you should have done more cardio, but that's beside the point.)

The first shot is part of the way up and the second is a shot from the ground looking up to where we hiked to…the white portion at the top.

Most challenging, but best hike so far!

A quote that I've been sitting with this week:

Evoke Greatness Podcast: Latest Episode

🎧 Episode 163: Lead Beyond Limits: Thriving with a Hidden Disability with Jennifer Koster (Part 1)

Y'all. If you haven't listened to this week's episode with Jennifer Koster yet, grab a cup of coffee and clear your schedule. This woman just shared her gut-wrenching, inspiring 30-year journey living with a hidden disability that wasn't even diagnosed until 2022. I'm talking about some real "Lead Beyond Limits: Thriving with a Hidden Disability" magic here.

Jennifer has HEDS (Hypermobility Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome), a connective tissue disorder that basically means her body produces faulty collagen. From star college athlete to disability advocate, this woman's story will knock you sideways and leave you better for it. The episode is absolutely packed with leadership gold that applies whether you're dealing with your own challenges or leading folks who are.

Here's the treasure trove she dropped on us:

• How getting a diagnosis can actually be EMPOWERING (plot twist, right?)

• Why she calls people with EDS "zebras" and how it completely shifted her perspective

• The art of grieving while still showing up to lead (this part got me)

• How to build your personal "tribe" when you feel completely alone

• Crushing internalized ableism and the shame spiral (essential listening for ALL leaders)

• Leading with curiosity instead of judgment (game changer!)

My favorite moment? When she said, "I don't use that language anymore. I didn't hurt myself. I became injured because of my condition." The power of intentional language, people! And her mantra "I'm empowered for independence" has me doing victory laps.

This episode wasn't just about disability – it's a masterclass in resilience, authenticity, and building teams that actually work. Plus, she dropped practical frameworks I've already stolen for my own leadership toolkit.

LISTEN NOW-link below

Before I Let You Go...

Here's the truth bomb I want to leave you with: The most meaningful journeys aren't about finding the escalator, they're about choosing mountains worth climbing, even when your quads are screaming bloody murder.

Just like that moment on the trail when I was questioning all my life choices (and possibly drafting my will), your leadership journey will hit those same "why am I doing this again?" points. That's not your exit sign…that's your growth invitation.

And speaking of invitations... I'd be over-the-moon grateful if you'd take 30 seconds to vote for our little podcast baby in the 2025 Women in Podcasting Awards. Your support is literally how we climb higher and reach more people who need this message. No pressure, but also... pretty please? 🥺

VOTE FOR US! IT'S PAINLESS!

Until next week, keep taking those baby steps up your mountain. The view is worth it, I promise.

With a full and grateful heart,

Sonnie

P.S. What's been YOUR most challenging "leadership hike" lately? Hit reply and spill the tea…I actually read every single message. Your stories fuel this podcast!