Sheena Lance-Nold, Work/Life Synergy Coach

Happy Mother’s Day 💐🩵

On this day two years ago, I hit send on my research scholarship application after spending six months working through the process with my faculty advisors.

At the time, I remember feeling equal parts excited, terrified, and very ready to stop editing citations. 😂

What I didn’t know then? Just a couple weeks later, I’d find out I was pregnant with Bella.

Looking back now, that season feels so symbolic of the chapter that followed: stretching into a new version of myself professionally, academically, and personally all at the same time. Building dreams while also building a human is…an experience.

That application represented so much more than research. It was proof that I could keep showing up for myself and my goals, even in seasons of uncertainty and transition.

A good reminder that sometimes the moments that quietly change your life don’t feel huge when they’re happening.

Sometimes they just look like hitting “submit” on a random weekday and hoping for the best. 🤞🍀

I recently completed the ICF Comprehensive PCC Marker Assessor training — and I have a whole new appreciation for the depth (and let’s be honest… intensity) behind credentialing.

Like… this is not casual listening.

And it also put words to something I see all the time in coaching:
Coaches trying really hard to “get it right.” They’re following the model, asking the “perfect” question, mentally flipping through competencies like, “Is this 6? This feels like a 6… maybe a 5?”

Meanwhile, their actual voice is sitting there like… cool cool, I’ll just wait.

Because when you’re that focused on doing it “right,” it’s really easy to lose the nuance. The presence. The human part of the conversation. The part that actually creates movement.

This training reinforced that strong coaching isn’t about sounding polished or textbook-perfect. It’s about being attuned. Listening deeply. Trusting what you’re hearing and how you respond.

That’s where mentor coaching matters.
It’s the space where you can practice, get real feedback, and figure out how to bring your voice into the work — while still holding the standard. It’s bringing your personal magic into the coaching experience.

This experience stretched me (in the best way), and it’s already shaping how I listen, assess, and support other coaches.

And I’m excited to put it into practice — I’ll be opening a mentor coaching cohort soon. I also offer a limited number of pay-what-you-can scholarships, because this kind of growth should be accessible to the coaches who are ready for it.

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck between “Am I doing this right?” and “This doesn’t quite feel like me,” you’re not alone.

And also… you don’t have to stay there.

I find myself thinking a lot about the lessons our kids are learning right now — and how those lessons are going to show up later in their lives.

Savannah had a week: six softball games, plus a day at work with Jason Nold for Take Your Kid to Work Day. (Because apparently we don’t do “light schedules” over here.)

On the way to one of her games, my 11-year-old son hit me with:
“Why do I even have to study and get good grades?”

Honestly… fair question.

I told him that life is full of moments where you have to put time and energy into things you don’t necessarily enjoy — not because they’re fun, but because they matter. Because they build something over time: opportunities, confidence, relationships… a life you actually want.

You can’t always do whatever you want.

But you can learn how to show up anyway.

And I see this playing out in real time through softball.
Early practices. Long, hot game days. Missed hits. Tough losses. And then… doing it all over again the next day.
No one’s out there like, “You know what sounds fun? Failing at the plate today.”

And yet — they keep showing up.

Homework is the same thing. It’s not just about the subject — it’s about learning how to do something even when you don’t feel like it.

And that doesn’t go away as adults.

In leadership. In work. In relationships.

As a coach, I see it all the time — people want the outcome, but the real work is building the capacity to show up when it’s inconvenient, uncomfortable, or just… not your favorite.

That’s the stuff that actually changes things.

So yeah, we’ll keep doing homework. And softball. And all the unglamorous reps in between.

Because those are the moments doing more than we give them credit for.

Last Friday was my birthday. To celebrate, I attended a writing retreat.

My intention for the retreat was to finalize my second draft of my book. I didn’t accomplish this goal, but what I did get out of it was so much more expansive.

I fell in love with writing again. I haven’t written for fun since high school. My favorite class in high school was English-Language Arts.

New, fresh ideas emerged that will make the book so much more impactful.

I met the most incredible women who shared their experiences openly and honestly.

And I’m embracing who I’m becoming through the process of writing.

It’s tax season, so let’s talk about what I call “misalignment tax.”

It’s not financial (though burnout is expensive).
It’s the exhaustion that no amount of sleep fixes.
The Sunday night dread even though you “love your job.”

The moment you realize you hit the goal you’ve been chasing for years... and you feel nothing.

And here’s what it costs:
🔸 Your presence (you’re physically there but mentally elsewhere)
🔸 Your joy (success feels hollow when it’s not rooted in your values)
🔸 Your relationships (you’re giving scraps to the people who matter most)
🔸 Your health (your body keeps the score even when you ignore the signs)

The worst part?

You look successful on the outside. So everyone thinks you’re fine.

But inside? You’re wondering if this is all there is.

This is what happens when you spend years optimizing for other people’s definitions of success.

The goals you “should” want.
The pace you “should” keep.
The version of leadership you “should” embody.

Alignment isn’t about doing less.

It’s about doing what actually matters—to YOU.
And that starts with naming the cost of living misaligned.

What’s the misalignment tax costing you right now? You don’t have to share specifics, but I’m curious if this lands for anyone else.