You Matter: A Reminder We All Need

This week, I had a coaching session with a client who came to me feeling worn down, unseen, and questioning her value. As she spoke, I could feel the weight she was carrying, the belief that somehow, she didn’t matter.

And it reminded me of a powerful TEDx talk by Matt Emerzian, where he shares a simple but life-changing truth: you matter.

When We Forget We Matter

My client’s experience is not unusual. So many of us go through seasons where we feel invisible, overwhelmed by responsibility, yet underappreciated. From the outside, life can look fine, but on the inside, it can feel like we’re running on empty.

Matt Emerzian himself once lived that reality. On paper, he had it all, success, career, opportunity, but inside, he was falling apart. Everything changed when someone told him that life isn’t about me, it’s about we. His purpose shifted from chasing status to embracing impact, and that shift made all the difference.

The Ripple Effect of Knowing You Matter

When we forget that we matter, we shrink. We doubt our voice. We live smaller than we were meant to.

But when we remember that we matter, the opposite happens. We come alive. We see that every word, every action, every small kindness has the potential to ripple out and touch others in ways we can’t always measure.

Think about it: a kind word at the right moment, an encouraging text, a simple act of listening, it can change someone’s day, even their life.

Redefining Success

Our culture often tells us that success is about money, power, or recognition. But what if true success is about impact? What if it’s measured by the people we lift up, the hope we spread, and the love we share?

That’s what I reminded my client: her worth is not defined by what she produces, but by who she is. The world is better because she’s in it. And the same is true for you.

My Reminder to You

Maybe you’re reading this and you also need to hear it today: You matter.

Not because of what you do or how perfectly you perform, but because of who you are. Your presence, your kindness, your contributions, they ripple out farther than you know.

So here’s my challenge to you: carry this truth with you into your week. And just as importantly, remind someone else that they matter, too.

Because sometimes the most powerful gift we can give is a simple reminder of what’s already true.

You matter,

-srt

P.S. If you haven't seen You Matter on TedxSanDiego, here is the link:  https://youtu.be/xAcHp0WBbBQ?feature=shared

P.S.S. If you love the TedxSanDiego talk, read Matt Emerzian's book Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference.

Kotter’s 8 Steps: A Proven Framework for Leading Change

Change is constant, but successful change is not. Many organizations struggle to implement new initiatives, align their teams, or sustain transformation over time. Dr. John Kotter, a leading authority on leadership and change at Harvard Business School, developed a practical and widely used framework to address this: 

Kotter’s 8 Step Process for Leading Change.

This model helps leaders move from vision to execution, building momentum and engagement throughout the change journey.

What Is Kotter’s 8 Step Model?

Kotter’s model provides a structured, people centered roadmap for implementing change. Unlike traditional change management processes that focus on systems and structure, Kotter’s approach emphasizes leadership, communication, and cultural alignment.

Here are the eight steps:

1. Create a Sense of Urgency
   Help people see why change is necessary. Use data, trends, or customer feedback to highlight the risks of inaction and the opportunities ahead.

2. Build a Guiding Coalition
   Assemble a group of influential leaders and change champions who can drive momentum and overcome resistance.

3. Form a Strategic Vision and Initiatives
   Craft a clear, inspiring vision for the future and identify actionable steps that will move the organization toward it.

4. Enlist a Volunteer Army
   Communicate the vision broadly and invite others to participate. Engagement and buy in grow when people feel part of the movement.

5. Enable Action by Removing Barriers
   Identify and address obstacles, whether structural, procedural, or cultural, that slow down progress.

6. Generate Short Term Wins
   Celebrate early successes to build confidence and show that the change is working.

7. Sustain Acceleration
   Use the momentum from early wins to tackle bigger challenges. Keep pushing forward and avoid declaring victory too early.

8. Institute Change
   Anchor the new behaviors and processes into the organizational culture so the change sticks over time.

When and Where to Use Kotter’s Model

Kotter’s framework is ideal for any organizational transformation that requires alignment, engagement, and cultural shift. It works particularly well in

• Business transformations such as mergers, restructuring, or digital initiatives

• Leadership transitions or new strategy rollouts

• Culture or behavior change programs

• Team or departmental realignments

• Nonprofit or community-based initiatives that require broad collaboration

Essentially, if your change effort involves people rather than only processes, Kotter’s model offers a roadmap to build commitment and momentum.

How to Apply Kotter’s 8 Steps

Implementing Kotter’s model involves both structure and flexibility. Here is how to bring it to life:

1. Diagnose the Current State: Understand the internal and external pressures driving change. Gather insights to build urgency.

2. Form Your Coalition: Identify credible, committed leaders who can influence others.

3. Co Create the Vision: Collaborate with your team to define what success looks like and why it matters.

4. Communicate Relentlessly: Share stories, updates, and results frequently through multiple channels and conversations.

5. Empower Teams: Remove red tape, clarify roles, and provide resources to make change easier.

6. Track and Celebrate Wins: Recognize progress early and often to reinforce commitment.

7. Scale and Sustain: Expand successful practices and embed them into hiring, training, and leadership development.

8. Anchor in Culture: Reinforce new norms through shared values, systems, and leadership behaviors.

Final Thoughts

Kotter’s 8 Step Model reminds us that successful change is not about control, it is about connection. Change takes root when people believe in it, understand their role, and see real results.

As leaders, our job is to guide others through uncertainty with clarity, empathy, and consistency, transforming not just what we do, but how we think and collaborate along the way.

Happy Thursday lovelies,

-srt

Reference

Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

You Are Allowed to Be Proud of Yourself

 

Somewhere along the way, many of us learned to downplay our wins.

We learned to say “It was nothing” instead of “I worked hard for this.”
We learned to keep moving instead of pausing.
We learned that pride could look like arrogance, and that humility meant shrinking.

Let this be your reminder: you are allowed to be proud of yourself.

Pride Is Not Arrogance

Being proud of yourself doesn’t mean you think you’re better than others. It means you recognize your effort, your growth, and your resilience. It means you acknowledge what it took to get here ... the late nights, the 80-hour workweeks, the uncomfortable conversations, the moments you wanted to quit but didn’t.

Healthy pride is grounded.
It’s honest.
It’s earned.

Growth Deserves Recognition

So often, we only celebrate big milestones: the promotion, the finished goal, the visible success. But growth usually happens quietly.

It happens when:

• You set a boundary you used to avoid

• You chose rest instead of burnout

• You spoke kindly to yourself on a hard day

• You tried again after failing

Those moments matter. They count. And they deserve recognition ... especially from you.

You Don’t Need Permission (But Here It Is Anyway)

If no one has told you lately, let this be the moment you hear it:

• You don’t need to wait until everything is perfect.
• You don’t need to minimize your progress because someone else is further along.
• You don’t need external validation to honor your journey.

You are allowed to be proud of who you are becoming, not just what you’ve achieved.

A Simple Practice

Today, pause and ask yourself:

• What have I done recently that took courage?

• Where have I grown, even if it was uncomfortable?

• What am I proud of that I haven’t acknowledged yet?

Write it down. Say it out loud. Let it land.

Because pride, when rooted in self-respect, fuels confidence ... not complacency.

Final Reminder

You are allowed to be proud of yourself.
Not someday.
Not when you’ve done “more.”
Right Now.

And sometimes, that reminder is exactly what keeps us going.

Keep going lovelies, you got this. 

-srt