Issue 53: Endings, Beginnings, and the People Who Carry Us

ISSUE 53

20 AUGUST 2025 | READ ONLINE

Hello Reader,

This week has been all about relationships.

I had the joy of interviewing five extraordinary podcast guests. Each one reminded me that the right question, asked with presence, can open whole new worlds. And in a few days, I’ll be in San Diego, dropping my youngest off at college: a chapter ending, a new one beginning.

It struck me that relationships, whether a brief conversation on a podcast or decades of parenting, are more than connections. They’re mirrors that show us who we are becoming. They’re anchors that hold us steady when the ground shifts. They’re invitations to grow, even when growth means letting go.

What I’ve Been Learning

This week reminded me that relationships aren’t just about connection. But they are often about courage.

Courage to ask the unpolished question in an interview, instead of the safe one.
Courage to release my grip as a parent, trusting that my child is ready for the next step.
Courage to show up fully, even when I don’t have the answers neatly packaged.

I've come to realize that I sometimes rush past relationships, treating them like checkpoints on the way to a bigger goal. But the truth? The relationship is the work. It’s where trust is built. It’s where meaning is found.

And more often than not, it’s the thing we remember long after the strategy slides and milestones fade.

This Week, Try This

Ask the braver question. In your next meeting, conversation, or interview, skip the polished script and ask the thing you’re really wondering about.
Practice letting go. Notice where you’re holding on too tightly, whether it's at work, at home, or with yourself. Try loosening your grip, just a little.
Stay with the silence. When someone answers, don’t rush to fill the space. Let their words breathe. You might hear something you’ve been missing.

Sometimes the boldest leadership move isn’t having the perfect answer. It’s showing up fully human and letting others do the same.

More to Explore

🎥 My conversation about the intersection of psychosocial safety and human sustainability was released on the Psych Health and Safety podcast. Watch here.

🎙️ On the Headline Podcast, which I co-host with Andreza Araujo, we shared our conversation with Lisa Fain, about mentoring. Listen here.

And Here’s Some Exciting News

My new book Clarity in Chaos: Lead with Purpose in Disruptive Times is now available with 25% off if you order through Routledge. Just use code ClarCha25 at checkout.

👉 Order here (valid until November 18, 2025)

See you next week,

Megan

P.S. Every ending carries a beginning. This week, choose one relationship that deserves your full presence, and show up for it.