This past week my grandmother - Bubby Rita - passed away.  

She was 101 years old and one of the strongest women, both physically and emotionally, I'd ever met. She was a modern woman ahead of her time, building a successful business with my grandfather while raising three sons, dedicated to her own self-care, and the matriarchal heart and soul of the family. She was bright, inspirational and extremely efficient at everything she did - but she was terribly uncomfortable about any attention paid to her. Even at Passover dinners with her sons and seven granddaughters sitting around the table, when we'd call on her to share her wisdom about the holidays, she was tight-lipped, pushing away the spotlight.

Bubby Rita was one of my greatest champions. She would look at me with such loving eyes, always telling me how beautiful, bright and special I was. When I was the lead in high school musicals and, when I worked as a CBC journalist and she heard my voice on CBC Radio's Metro Morning with Andy Barrie, she beamed with nachas. For Bubby, I think, I was able to step into the spotlight that she felt she couldn't.

I was on my way to pick up my sons from daycare when I received the message that Bubby Rita had died. Once home, my husband upstairs with the boys, I headed to the basement and did what I do when I can't make sense of my emotions. I wrote. I wrote and wrote and ended up with a eulogy which I read at Bubby Rita's funeral.  

The night before the funeral, I made a decision: I would honour Bubby Rita in her eulogy not only with my words but with my poise.  She would be so proud of me and I would own my full potential, in ways that she herself felt she couldn't. 

I share all of this because I see so many women, so many mothers especially, shy away from stepping into their full potential.  I too have done this in my own way for many years.  But the freedom and fullness I felt that morning when I spoke from my heart, holding nothing back, forced me to wake up to my own calling as leader. Many of those in attendance approached me afterwards, telling me how deeply moved they were by how I spoke. By honouring my own gifts, I was of service to them! 

I have a message to share with other mothers who feel they want to step into more of their potential but don't know how: start with what inspires you, start with what you feel most drawn to.

Here are 3 tips to step into your potential as a leader:

1. Get honest about what you want. Stop living small and own your wants. It's time.

2. Find a community of support to get you there. To get beyond our set-point of thinking and acting, we need to hear how others are doing it and see change happening in ways that we can't help but try in our own life.

3. Get into action. Start to sign yourself up for stuff that excites and scares you! I know, it feels scary. But, if you're not moving towards what you want, then what are you doing with your life? What kind of living are you doing?

Read this now!

If you're a mom, or know of one who is ready to step into their potential, then it's time they joined The MoMentum. The MoMentum is a powerful 12-week mindful group coaching experience for mothers who want to create the results in life + work that they LOVE. This program is practical and portable for the busy mom.  Everything happens over the phone and online. There's still time to sign up for the next round of The MoMentum.

We get started on Monday August 27th. If you are excited reading about The MoMentum, contact me here, or book a complimentary coaching call here. I want to hear from you! in touch NOW and let's get you started!

My Weekend Reading Recommendation

It's no accident that the final lesson of The MoMentum program is inspired by the message of this book.  

In, Give and Take, New York Times bestseller Adam Grant makes the case that being of service to others or, "the helper's high," helps us get beyond our own self-limiting beliefs when it comes to stepping into our full potential.  

Grant lives and breathes his own philosophy around giving and inspires us to stop living small by shifting into a service mindset.