My new main character identity is a successful business owner, that consistently partners with collaborative clients on impactful projects.

I recorded a 60-second video of myself talking about last week and what’s new with my work. I could definitely work on my eye contact and the ums. Slowing down, looking away and even closing eyes can help with speaking clearly but then it doesn’t come across as confident in my opinion. If I were prepping for something formal or professional speaking, I would write out my script in advance. Even if I veer away from the script, I prefer thinking through what I want to say in advance. Otherwise, I tend to be longwinded and rambly. I think this comes from processing what I want to say in real time as I’m trying to express myself articulately.

Where have I been an NPC? I’d say waking up and letting the flow of the day carry me without being thoughtful about taking my time. I get into the rush even though I know that slower, more deliberate and intentional actions will make me more effective. It’s partially I think about working as a way of avoiding… I can be more thoughtful about my time and how I can be of service to others as I move throughout my daily routine.

One moment today when I found myself trying to hold attention was during a call for my organization, Gender Amplified. I was presenting and had my slides prepared, but I noticed a familiar tension come up. I often toggle between feeling like I am saying too much and trying to explain everything in a pitch. In those moments, I forget that clarity often comes from simplicity. I tend to rely on slides / graphics with lots of bullet points and ideas, which can create pressure and make me feel like I have to get through everything instead of actually connecting. In my body, I felt slightly anxious. There was a sense of urgency, like I needed to rush and move quickly through what I was saying. That feeling caused me to speed up my delivery, which made it harder to stay grounded and present. Reflecting on it, I can see how less really could be more, not just in what I say, but in how I allow space for the message to land.

My main character moment came in January 2022, when my cardiologist said five of the most terrifying words I’ve ever heard: "you need a heart transplant." I broke down in his office, alone and unprepared for how my life had just changed. When I got home, I cried in my wife's arms as the fear of what was to come, including the fear of missing our boys grow up, sunk in. For the next year and a half, I told only those closest to me and moved through life as if little had changed, which was something I had done most of my life living with a congenital heart defect. On July 19, 2023, I received THE call stating they found a donor heart match! Now, almost three years post‑transplant, I can appreciate the strength it took to survive that chapter and cherish the beauty in the one I'm living.