𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐊𝐧𝐞𝐰 — 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞

“𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑒ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑑… 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑣𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑙𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛, 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑑𝑜 — 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑠𝑎𝑣𝑒.” — Mary Oliver, The Journey

That line above from the great Mary Oliver lands differently today than when I first encountered it on a Jesuit retreat several years ago.

In my earlier seasons of life, I listened to a chorus of voices, many which were genuinely noble. Mentors who pushed me to succeed on Wall Street and who challenged me to grow professionally. And of course, those inner and outer voices always calling me to provide first and foremost for my family. I am grateful for all of them.

But in the transition to those second and third quarters of life, those

well-intentioned voices got crowded out by others like the fear of failure; my ego; comparing myself to others; an incessant need for approval; and old narratives that no longer aligned with the person I was trying to become.

Oliver’s poem names this dilemma precisely. “Mend my life, each voice cried.” and for years, I tried to comply.

I realize now that I cannot fix every relationship, repair every misunderstanding, or rescue every person I love and there is real grief in finally having to accept that.

But Ignatian discernment has taught me to pay more attention to the interior movements of the heart and those feelings of consolation and desolation.

And to ask with greater openness and intention — What is God whispering to me in the silence? What burdens and disordered attachments can He help me release?

St. Ignatius called that “interior freedom” — the ability to choose what leads to deeper love and to walk more truthfully, rather than what simply preserves my image, my sense of control, or my comfort.

I have sat with enough people in grief to know that their deepest regret is rarely what they failed to accomplish — it is the life they never fully lived.

Each of us is entrusted with one precious life and saving that life may mean saying no more often, loving more intentionally, and listening more carefully to the quiet voice of God’s spirit within us.

And, as Oliver reminds us, our journey continues until God calls each of us home.

𝐒𝐨 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮?

→ Which voices no longer feel aligned with who you are becoming?

→ What attachment or old script might God be gently inviting you to let go of?

→ What would it look like to live your next chapter with greater intention?

Wishing you God’s abundant grace to hear whatever He is calling you toward, Dr. K ❤️🙏😎

#executivecoaching #careercoaching #spiritualcoaching #griefcoaching