I have spent a lot of my life underwater. For the better part of a decade, I was underwater for hours every single day. Over my years as a swimmer, I began to use this time to get deeply into my thoughts. In high school and college, it was how I studied, taking color coded notes that I could visualize, and then quizzing myself as the lap count increased over the hours. It was also a place I could ruminate over interactions, playing and replaying conversations in my head. The upside - I could refine and build confidence around something that otherwise felt tricky.

About Lauren

On a quick calculation, from year to year, I spent more than 7,200 hours underwater. Here are some things I learned that make-up the fiber of who I am as a person:

Practice is essential, but doesn’t make perfect.

Cross-training feels hard, but building new muscles helps you use your existing ones even better.

Visualization matters - You need to see your dreams coming true.

A sense of community, a good dose of laughter, and a warm shower always help you recover from a tough day.

What I also know to be true, is that even after all of the practice, I could never be at my personal best without my Coach. My Coach was there to make sure that I pushed myself even when things felt uncomfortable, to see a vision of success for me beyond what I could envision for myself, and to believe in my wildest dreams.

Sometimes, we all need a Coach to believe in us, to hold us accountable, and to make sure that we have a wild dream (one that is as scary as it is exciting).

We aren’t meant to do this alone.

My leap into leadership coaching follows more than two decades of service in public education leadership roles. Within the field, my career pathway hasn’t been a typical one. Rather, it’s been the result of being open, saying yes, taking chances, and trying new things.

At times, I’ve felt deeply fulfilled and joyful in this work, the kind of days where you think to yourself, wow, how did I get here? And the opposite is also true. I have had times of significant struggle, the kind of days where you think to yourself, how did I get here?

Through the highs and the lows, I’ve grown and stretched and learned in ways I could have never imagined. I’ve built upon the lessons I took from my first career as an athlete, and the following ideas added to my fiber:

Kindness doesn’t cost anything - and can brighten your day

Don’t take yourself too seriously

If you don’t prioritize yourself, no one else will

You can be hard on the problem without being hard on people

Whether or not it happened underwater, you can probably recall a time that someone helped you achieve something greater than what you imagined possible for yourself.

The first dive into the pool always requires courage, and a deep breath. You’re as ready as you’re ever going to be, the time to go all in is now!