Welcome to another edition of Kickin' it with Kristen — your midweek motivation every Wednesday!

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💡Aha! Moment

Let me share an aha moment about setting goals and making them known—it all comes down to clarity and specificity!

During my Virtual Diet Coke conversations (my fun spin on networking calls), I always ask three powerful questions:

1️⃣ What lights you up at work? (Instead of the standard “What do you do?” this invites people to share what really matters to them.)
2️⃣ What’s your biggest challenge right now? (This creates space for vulnerability and real conversations.)
3️⃣ How can I support you? (This shifts the focus from what you might get from the connection to what you can give.)

But here’s where the magic happens—in how people answer that last question.

Too often, we’re vague about what we need. Let me give you a real example from my own business:

🔹 Vague Version:"My ideal client is anyone who needs a hotel for an event—send them my way!"

🔹 Clear Version:"I'm focused on building my association business because they host regular conferences and regional events. If you know anyone who serves on an association board, I'd love an introduction!"

See the difference? The first version is so broad, it’s almost impossible for someone to act on. Their brain has to work too hard to connect the dots. But the second version? It gives people specific ‘hooks’ to mentally scan their network.

💡 It’s like the difference between asking someone to find a book in a library versus giving them the exact shelf number and title.

The clearer you are about what you need, the easier it is for others to help you find it.

I’m practicing what I preach right here—one of my goals for 2025 is to triple my hotel sourcing business, specifically in the association sector. There, I said it out loud! Now, who do you know on an association board? 😉

But here’s the deeper reason specificity is so powerful: It doesn’t just make life easier for those trying to help you—it helps you align your own actions with your goals. When you know exactly what you're aiming for, you can create a roadmap, track progress, and open doors to collaborations you might never have considered.

So, here’s my challenge to you: Take one of your current goals and give it the "specificity makeover." Share it with someone this week and watch the magic unfold.

Let’s turn those big dreams into real, tangible wins—one clear conversation at a time! 🚀 #GoalSetting #Networking #Leadership #IntentionalGrowth

1️⃣One Thing I...

🏫 Learned - I’m learning how to self-publish! 🎉 I’ve been taking a class with Kyra and Todd Schaefer, and let me tell you—it’s been eye-opening. Kyra has been an amazing coach for me while I write my book, and when she launched a class on Feb 6th, I knew I had to jump in.

Even though I’ve only had a couple of sessions, I’m loving it! We’re covering everything from book formatting to marketing strategies, and the best part? The supportive community of fellow writers. It’s incredible to see how self-publishing can open doors for authors, allowing them to share their stories on their own terms.

This journey is teaching me so much about persistence, creativity, and the business side of writing. If you’ve ever thought about publishing a book—this might be your sign to go for it!

📖 Read - This week, I started listening to the audiobook of The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins because I have a book club discussion coming up—and let me tell you, I’m already hooked. I’m only about three chapters in, but I love it.

And I did something I’ve never done before… I actually stopped the audiobook and bought the physical book. That’s how much it resonated with me!

There’s something about Mel Robbins’ perspective that just clicks—it’s like she’s giving you permission to release the things you can’t control and focus on what truly matters. I can already tell this one’s going to lead to some big aha moments.

Have you read it yet? Or had a book impact you so much that you needed both the audio and the hard copy?

👀 Watched - I ran across this reel on Facebook of a little girl worried about math, and it stuck with me. The message? Don’t worry about the grade you get in math—worry about the effort you put into the work. Because when it’s hard, it’s good.

That perspective is so powerful. Struggle isn’t failure—it’s proof that you’re growing. Whether it’s math, business, or any challenge in life, the real measure of success isn’t perfection, it’s persistence.

It was such a simple but profound reminder that effort matters more than immediate results. What’s something you’ve pushed through recently, even when it felt tough? 🚀

✔️ Accomplished - Remember when I shared I was writing a book? Well, I'm finally sharing the title!

📣 Drumroll, please… My first book...

"The Cost of Staying: Find Your Courage, Choose Yourself, and Discover What Awaits in Life and Career,"

... is coming this April! And I’m equal parts terrified and excited (mostly excited… okay, maybe 50/50 😅).

After 31 years navigating corporate leadership (with plenty of Diet Cokes and late-night PowerPoint "emergencies" along the way), I’m pulling back the curtain on something we don’t talk about enough: what it really costs when we stay in environments that slowly chip away at our authenticity.

This isn’t just another “how to succeed in business” book. It’s a real, unfiltered conversation about:

🗣️ The whispers we ignore
🪴 The relationships we outgrow
💪🏼 The moments that force us to choose ourselves
🎨 And yes, even the messy parts of transformation

Want to be first in line when it launches? Join the waitlist today for exclusive updates and behind-the-scenes insights!

Now, I’d love to hear from you—does this title speak to you? Drop your thoughts below! ⬇️

🤔Insight for the Week

❓Ask Kristen

Thanks to everyone who sent in questions. This one came from the state of Texas!

Q: Kristen, what made you want to write a book?

A: Honestly? It started as a whisper—one of those nagging thoughts that wouldn’t go away.

As a leader in an organization, I spent years focused on employee retention—how to keep people engaged, supported, and growing. And don’t get me wrong, retention matters. But what I realized over time is that sometimes, the best thing we can do as leaders isn’t keeping someone—it’s helping them leave.

I saw so many talented people stay in roles that no longer fit them—out of loyalty, fear, or simply because it felt easier than making a change. And I’ve been there too. I know how hard it is to recognize when a situation, a job, or even a relationship is no longer serving you. But I also know this:

🚪 Leaving isn’t failure—it’s growth.​
💡 Staying out of fear comes at a cost.​
💪 Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is walk away.

That’s why I wrote The Cost of Staying. Not to tell people to quit their jobs or make drastic changes, but to help them ask the hard questions: Is this still right for me? Am I choosing this, or am I just afraid of what’s next?

This book is about finding your courage, trusting yourself, and making the choices that align with who you are now—not who you were five years ago. It’s the book I wish I had at certain points in my career, and my hope is that it helps others see their own path more clearly.

Want to be the first to hear about special presale opportunities?

Have you ever had to make the tough decision to leave something behind? What helped you take that step? Let’s talk about it below! ⬇️ #TheCostOfStaying #Leadership #CareerGrowth #CourageToChange

I'd love to hear from you! If you have a question or topic you'd like to see covered in a future edition, just hit reply and let me know.

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