Who Are You Becoming Through Adversity?

Today’s episode is personal. On my son Joe’s birthday, I reflect on the question that’s shaped my life: Who are you becoming through adversity?

Adversity doesn’t wait for permission—it strips away everything except the truth of who we are. When I lost Joe, I was faced with that truth. And in the middle of heartbreak, I heard a quiet whisper: You’re not done.

In this episode, I share how love, leadership, and legacy are built in life’s hardest moments. If you’re walking through grief, transition, or challenge, this is for you. You’re not broken. You’re not alone. And you’re not finished.

In honor of Joe’s heart for serving others, you’ll find a link in the show notes if you’d like to support the Louisville Coalition for the Homeless, where he dedicated his work and compassion. Donate Here: https://louhomeless.org/how-you-can-help/makeagift/

Transcript

Click here to donate: https://louhomeless.org/how-you-can-help/makeagift/

🎙 Today’s episode is personal
It's not just another leadership lesson or mindset tool
It’s a moment of reflection
A moment of love ❤️
A moment of legacy 🌟

You see, today is my son Joe’s birthday 🎂

And if you’ve been with me for a while, you know Joe isn’t here physically anymore
But he’s everywhere in what I do
He’s in my leadership
He’s in my story
And he’s in this message I’m about to share with you

The title of today’s episode is: Who Are You Becoming Through Adversity

It’s a question that’s shaped me more than any job title, any success, or any certification ever could

Because adversity strips away everything that isn’t real

It doesn’t care about your résumé 📄
It doesn’t pause to ask if you’re ready
It doesn’t make a calendar appointment before it arrives 📅

And when it hits when it takes your breath, your plans, your people you’re left staring at the raw truth of who you are and who you’re becoming

For me, that moment came on December 21, 2021

The day Joe died of a sudden heart attack 💔

Nothing and I mean nothing could’ve prepared me for that level of loss

And yet, in the middle of that heartbreak, something inside me whispered you’re not done

Not because I was strong
Not because I was ready
But because love demanded a legacy

Joe lived his life with heart ❤️
With kindness 🙏
With service 🤝
And he didn’t need a stage or a spotlight to make an impact. He just showed up, again and again, for the people around him

And now, that’s who I want to be through adversity
Someone who shows up
Someone who leads with heart
Someone who turns pain into purpose

In Leadership ER, we talk about what it means to lead in the emergency room moments of life when pressure rises, when emotions run high, when decisions matter

But the truth is, some of the most important decisions we’ll ever make aren’t professional. They’re personal

They’re the decision to get back up
To speak life over yourself 🌱
To find hope in places where it feels like it’s been drained dry
To choose becoming over breaking

That’s the kind of leadership adversity demands

It doesn’t require perfection
It requires presence 🧡

It asks will you keep showing up, even when it hurts

Because here’s the thing. Adversity is not the enemy of your growth. It’s often the catalyst for it 🔥

There are still mornings I wake up and want to pull the covers over my head
Grief has no timeline
And healing isn’t linear

But every time I read a book 📖, I imagine reading it to Joe
Every time I speak 🎤, I picture him on the front row, cheering me on
Every time I get quiet enough to listen, I hear that same whisper you’re not done

That’s not just my message
That’s yours too

Whatever you’re facing a loss, a transition, a betrayal, a health scare ask yourself
Who am I becoming through this

Not how do I survive it
Not how do I get over it
But how can I grow from it

Because if adversity is going to come and it will then let’s make sure it doesn’t come in vain

Let it shape you into someone wiser
Someone softer
Someone stronger
Someone more grounded in grace than you’ve ever been

So here’s what I want you to do today in honor of Joe
Be kind to someone, quietly
Show up for a friend who’s struggling
Lead with heart, even if no one sees it

Because that’s how we change the world
Not with noise. But with becoming

And if you’re walking through adversity right now I want you to know this
You are not alone
You are not broken
And you are not finished

Let adversity do what it came to do not to destroy you, but to reveal the leader, the healer, the warrior within you 🛡️

And Joe this one’s for you. Happy birthday, son. Your light lives on 🎈

Joe didn’t just talk about kindness he lived it

He worked for the Louisville Coalition for the Homeless 🏠, serving those who are so often unseen
And it would mean the world to me on his birthday if you'd consider honoring his legacy with a donation to the coalition in his name

The link is in the show notes
No pressure. Just love ❤️
Because every act of generosity ripples further than we can imagine 🌊