🌱 The Tiny Shift That Changes Everything

A few weeks ago, on a quiet afternoon tram ride through Hong Kong, I noticed the woman sitting next to me.

She was traveling alone, enjoying a rare moment to herself, her attention fixed on her phone. Her husband had just sent her a short video: their son at home, having breakfast — hair unbrushed, squirming in his seat — one of those perfectly imperfect little family moments.

I couldn’t help but notice the message she began to type back.Something like: "Why isn’t his hair brushed? He’s not even sitting properly at the table…"

And then — she stopped.She paused.And slowly, she erased her words.

A few moments later, she sent something completely different: "Oh that looks great — yum!"

That tiny shift in her response stayed with me.

We don’t know what kind of day someone else is having.We don’t even always know what kind of day we are having.And it’s so easy — too easy — to react on autopilot, especially when we’re stretched thin, or feeling disconnected.

But that choice to pause? To notice? To respond with connection instead of criticism?That changes everything.

It reminded me of what I love most about coaching. In so many ways, that’s what we practice in coaching too:

✨ Noticing what we’re about to say or do

✨ Questioning whether it aligns with who we really want to be

✨ Choosing differently — even if just a little bit

Whether you’re leading a team, raising a family, or simply trying to show up more fully for yourself, those tiny shifts add up over time.

This week, what might it look like for you to pause — and choose connection?

🌱

If you’d like to explore how coaching can help you practice those shifts, I’d be happy to hear from you.