💌 You want flexibility. Great! What does that actually mean?

Hi friend!

I want to share an exercise with you to gain clarity on what it is you want.

I was thinking of a past client and how we cleared a path through the stifling fog to something that felt warm, supportive, and invigorating.

And then I thought - “woah I need to share this with others!”

So here I am, impromptu sitting at a coffee shop with my (decaf) latte, typing furiously.

Here are the most common things clients say they want:

Flexibility.

Freedom.

Trust.

Creativity.

Collaboration.

Impact.

And these are great words. Stupendous, wonderful words which feel great and encompass so much.

And that’s the thing.

They encompass SO much that it’s hard to know what you actually mean.

When I talked to Allison, she’s been in tech for 4 years working as a product manager.

She tells me about her ideal life.

She doesn’t know if it’s finding a good-fitting job or creating her own business.

But she knows one thing.

Flexibility. She wants flexibility.

But what does that actually mean when we look under the hood?

We mapped it out and found flexibility meant this:

• being able to treat myself

• feeling energized

• seeing my loved ones

• space to pursue movement and what matters to me

• not chained to a desk

• rest

• ability to say no. or yes!

And maybe you want these things too! Or some combo of these words.

Flexibility.

Freedom.

Trust.

Creativity.

Collaboration.

Impact.

If you’ve been thinking something else is out there for you and you’re drawn to these big, wonderful words, spend some time getting curious about how they will show up in your life. Map it out like Allison and I did.

You’ll be one step closer to making it happen.

🏸 Other happenings:

This week the 10 Friend Challenge is underway!

I created this out of a genuine interest to expand our world. To brush the dust off of our networks and see if we can add a little magic to the way we connect.

25+ strangers have gathered in a cozy little Slack community to take part in daily challenges. We’ve shared our fave pics of friendship, make a list of people we want to friend, and today — reaching out to these people!

I’m thinking of running this at least one other time. If you’re interested, you can sign up here.

Here is a picture of my good friends Ryan, Romaric, and Carolyn. It was the ol' quarantine of 2021 and I was cooped up at my parents' house for Thanksgiving with COVID. In Love Actually style, they stood outside my window with large white cards and we played tic-tac-toe from afar. This, to me, is incredible, sweet friendship. We're still pals and reunited last weekend to do our new year's resolutions.

Send me a picture of your friendship!

Rooting for you,

❤️ Sarah

Loving:

😄 Have you listened to The Handsome Podcast yet? 3 of my fave comedians - Tig Notaro, Mae Martin, and Fortune Feimster are so wholesome and witty. I often find myself smiling and laughing along to this podcast while I grandma-hobby (I’m doing a puzzle right now).

🎵 This super catchy song by NewJeans, which makes me want to eat all the sugar and hype myself up.

Start With Hello is a letter of quips, tips, and stories for the always curious. It’s written by Sarah, a coach, founder, and Sushi Go aficionado. I offer 1:1 coaching for women in tech and if you’re in a rut, I’ve got you - book a consultation. Please pass this along to a friend if they’d find it interesting AND have a brilliant day⚡️.