Every year, I set one simple but powerful personal goal:
Read my age.

That means this year, at 47, I’ll read 47 books.

It’s a challenge, a ritual, and a reflection of who I am — a learner, a leader, and a coach who believes growth never stops.

Whether I’m speaking at conferences, coaching women one-on-one, or recording an episode of Women In…, one question always comes up: “How do I build confidence in myself?”

Here’s the short answer — and maybe the best-kept secret: Confidence isn’t built by thinking differently. It’s built by doing differently.

Confidence isn’t something you wait to feel before you act. It’s the result of taking small, consistent actions that build evidence that you can trust yourself.

If you want to feel more confident, stop trying to think your way there — and start doing your way there.

Every once in a while, we get hit with a spark — that really good idea that you just know could make a difference. Maybe it would streamline a process, create a better experience for customers or fans, or just fix something that’s been bugging everyone for ages.

But here’s the thing: having the idea is the easy part. The real magic happens when you bring it forward, get leadership buy-in, and see it through to the finish line.

This topic came alive during a recent Women In… podcast conversation with Kaleigh O’Brien, who shared some excellent insights about stepping up inside your organization. I walked away from that conversation thinking, we need to talk more about how to actually do this.

Here are five practical steps to take your idea from “I’ve been thinking…” to “Wow, look what we accomplished.”

Boundaries aren’t about keeping people out—they’re about keeping yourself whole. In a recent episode of the Women In… podcast, communication coach and boundary expert Amy Green Smith broke down what she calls “the anatomy of a boundary” into three clear stages: Decide, Deliver, and Enforce.

In the latest Women In... bonus episode, Libby DeLucien offered two standout leadership tools that hit hard—and practical. First, she introduced DITLO (“Day In The Life Of”) as a creative window into maximizing employee engagement. By mapping a typical day for team members—every task, touchpoint, and challenge—leaders can better align roles to individual strengths, identify hidden gaps, and ensure each person thrives in their optimal environment.