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When the Ground Shifts
Last Updated January 12, 2026 /
Even Stars Need Coaches!
Become a leader that you'd be proud to follow. Reach out today for a complimentary Wayfinders Discovery call to learn how.
Navigating Lifequakes with Courage and Clarity
“Lifequakes” are significant and unexpected shifts in the trajectory of your life moments that initially feel devastating but, in hindsight, become catalysts for transformation. Although when you’re living through one, it rarely feels poetic. In 2018, I was a partner at an AmLaw 100 firm. From the outside, my life looked perfect: a successful career, loving family, and CV I was proud of. But inside, I didn’t feel fulfilled. Something felt missing.
Lifequake: I became a foster parent.
On a bitter January night, two-year-old twins arrived at my home with nothing but clothes on their backs—and turned my world upside down. They smelled so bad that after three baths, I was still gagging. Still, on the worst night of their lives, they laughed joyfully at our dogs. That sound gave me courage and hope.
That first month, I cried myself to sleep, bruised from holding them as they rode the monsters and worked through trauma. My perfectly curated life evaporated, and my imperfections were fully visible. I wasn’t sure if I was enough, could do enough, could love enough.
Spoiler: I was. I did. I can.
The twins broke me open and showed me what I’m capable of. For that, I am forever grateful.
When they were abruptly taken from our home, I was gutted. Returning to my law practice, I was different. A career that once fit perfectly, now felt like a dress two sizes too small. I didn’t know what came next, but I couldn’t spend the next 20 years practicing law. I only knew I still wanted to collaborate with brilliant colleagues, solve hard problems, and serve as a trusted advisor.
Lifequake: I quit my job and founded Wayfinders, LLC— an executive coaching firm.
To reframe that decision from “crazy” to “brave,” I reminded myself that I already had the hard skills: managing a P&L, marketing, networking, synthesizing information. I also had the soft skills: courage, curiosity, perseverance, presence. Everything I’d learned so far, I’d use as a coach entrepreneur. In February 2020, I completed my training and achieved a full client roster.
Lifequake: The pandemic.
Suddenly, I was many things at once: mother, teacher, IT, cook, and business owner. Five clients canceled their contracts. I wasn’t sure my business would survive; I contemplated going back to law.
Spoiler: I have to pinch myself. I have a thriving business. I love my life.
I’ve experienced at least three lifequakes since 2020, because reinvention rarely follows a straight path. These explosive turning points have forged me like iron in the fire. Some were years in the making. Some came without warning. But each one brought me closer to the person I want to be.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
- Reflective practices anchor you in the storm. Meditation, journaling, gratitude, walking—whatever quiets your mind and increases self-awareness. These tools ground you during volatility.
- The middle is always messy. If you are used to being in control, this can feel unbearable. Every moment is preparing you for what comes next.
- Change happens slowly, then all at once. The origins of change often reveal themselves only in hindsight, which is why history (and your own story) is worth studying.
- Action begets clarity. Intelligent people fall into analysis paralysis. Take the next right step, even if you don’t know where it leads.
- There’s no perfect moment to make a bold change. But
sometimes, the life you’re craving only reveals itself after a shakeup. - If you’re starting to sense the tremors of a lifequake—even if it feels disruptive or “crazy”—trust it. You are braver than you think. And the end result may be better than your wildest dreams.
Even Stars Need Coaches!
Become a leader that you'd be proud to follow. Reach out today for a complimentary Wayfinders Discovery call to learn how.
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