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Hi Reader

How have you been? I'm about to embark on the second half of the second semester of my MBA, and I had a fantastic break! No, not a summer break, just a one-week break 😅 That summer is on hold as an MBA student at Vancouver Island University 😏
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In the past few weeks, a topic that came up repeatedly was the need to start making connections! But you know what, as kids, we’re told not to talk to strangers.

Don’t trust them. Don’t follow them. And definitely don’t tell them your secrets.

And then boom, adulthood.

Now we’re expected to show up to job interviews and confidently tell a complete stranger where we see ourselves in five years.

Or walk into networking events, smile, and shake hands with twenty people we’ve never met before.

Or (if you’re me) become a coach, and invite people to pour out their deepest fears and dreams… to someone they don’t know. Haha, trust me when I was writing this I was shaking my head and laughing 😆

Strange, right?

But here’s the thing no one tells you:

Sometimes the scariest stranger is the one staring back at you in the mirror.

The one who dares to move to a new country.

The one who goes for that next-level certification. Oh yes, I did a thing, 📣 I’m officially a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation.

The one who keeps showing up, even when she’s not 100% sure where this wild ride will lead.

So, no, I’m not tripling my coaching fees now that I’ve reached PCC status, yet 😉

This wasn’t a sudden leap. It’s been a slow and steady journey of growing into the kind of coach I’ve wanted to be!

And what I’ve realized, through every conversation, every challenge, and every moment of doubt, is that this work is built on one thing: connection.

With ourselves. With others. Even with complete strangers.

Which brings me to something new I’m excited to share with you.

This new Backyard Gossip series is called “Don’t Talk to Strangers!”

Because we’re flipping the script on that childhood warning.

Over the next 8 weeks, we’ll explore why reaching out, especially when it feels awkward, vulnerable, or uncertain, can be one of the most transformative things you can do in life, business, and leadership.

And it starts with reconnecting to yourself.

Even if she feels like a stranger right now.

So let me know...

🫶 Have you ever had a moment where you looked at your life, or yourself, and thought: Who even is this person?

Hit reply. I’d love to hear your story. Sometimes the best conversations start with a stranger.

Sending you love from Canada 🇨🇦

Peggy
xo