It's Been One Year of Dancing Through Change
It's Been One Year of Dancing Through Change
This week marks the first anniversary of this Substack adventure, and I'm sitting here in awe of how much has happened since that first post.
Hello, my friend
This week marks the first anniversary of this Substack adventure, and I'm sitting here in awe of how much has happened since that first post.
First and foremost, thank you.
For being here, for reading, for engaging, for allowing me to show up regularly and talk through ideas with you.
Your presence has turned what could have been a solitary journey into a dialogue about leading change creatively.
When I started this newsletter, I was a recent corporate dropout, still figuring out my own path and filtering through several decades’ worth of insights from coaching, leading and creating meaningful change.
Writing has helped me find my own voice, my own thoughts (well, I’m still doing that). I was surprised to discover that I have much to say!
You've been with me through that process of unlearning and relearning, of finding joy and insight in unexpected places.
This past year has been challenging, and writing has helped me keep my sanity. I’ve often been consumed with self-doubt. (What am I doing, mixing my dance hobby with my business? Nobody cares!). Despite being out of the rat race, I still set unrealistic expectations regarding how fast I’ll see results. I still start way too many projects at once and struggle to finish them. Sales and marketing continue to be an occult skill that everyone else seems to master. The bureaucracy of filing taxes in two countries continues to confound me. And by the way, why do I still feel like an alien living in my country of origin?!
But then you would come along and encourage me to keep going. Getting messages like these helped me realize I do have impact, at my own pace, one person at a time.
Once again Ana, you simply said it THE BEST [in Common, Stable Language:How Leaders Can Cut Through the Jargon and Connect]! As I get older, I simply can not stand the word salad leaders use in most companies (not all) to say and do exactly the same thing. When I was a young grasshopper in the corporate world, I used to get super excited about all the new terminology only to realize in my later years, the package was different but what is inside the box was always the same. Thank you for your beautiful insights. I always look forward to your blogs. ~ Batu
I admire your courage in leaving Genentech and embracing the flamenco experience and combining it with consulting and leadership development. I am learning so much from your experience! Please keep up this inspiring work. ~ Ronald
I genuinely love your writing - you inspire me to find my own natural style of writing. ~ Rahul
Generally the business consulting stuff puts me to sleep and is so cliche’. I like your angle of being an artist. I’m most happy when I feel that my job is art. ~Leonard
I want to let you know how much I enjoy reading your blogs. Your heart is so open and your mind is so beautifully navigating terrain that matters to us humans. I always take away new insights and a deepening of perspective. ~ Sindri
You have a way of bringing the invisible things we do to protect and keep ourselves safe…. And creating a space to have a conversation about it. ~ Mide
Your responses to the posts have been a constant reminder of why I do this work: to bring light to dark places, to make the challenging journey of change a bit more human, a bit more joyous.
As we step into year two, I’ll continue to explore what it looks like to “dance ugly” as a human and a leader. I’ve been hard at work shaping ideas around artistry, creativity, embodied leadership, change, and how we make these things happen in the real world.
I do believe that we can learn so much from the art that infuses our lives outside of work, and that these principles -when applied in organizations by people like you - can make our wold kinder, more beautiful and sustainable.
So here's to another year of learning, unlearning, growing — and dancing! — together.
And, if you’re willing and able to help me in this upcoming year – please share my work with someone who might benefit from it.
With gratitude for what's to come,
Ana Lucia
P.S. If you have any topics you'd love to see covered in the coming year, reply and let me know. Your input shapes this journey!