The Value-Aligned Spotlight with Melissa LaVine

Sip of the Week: In my final conversation of Leading Lady Energy month, Melissa and I explore what it truly means to be the star of your own life while recognizing that not every scene requires you to be center stage. True leading lady energy starts with self-awareness – knowing who you are, what you value, and where you're headed. With this clarity, you can make intentional choices about when to step into the spotlight and when to champion others. As Melissa points out, "Leaders sometimes lead from the back, not always from the front." This wisdom isn't about diminishing your role but rather about being strategic and authentic with your energy and talents. Listen now!

Let It Brew: The journey to becoming the leading lady of your life isn't about constantly being center stage—it's about knowing when to step into the spotlight and when to champion others from the wings. As education leader Melissa shared in our conversation, true leading lady energy begins with deep self-awareness: understanding your unique strengths, recognizing your growth areas, and aligning your actions with your core values. This clarity becomes your compass for navigating when to take the lead and when to strategically step back. We've been conditioned to believe in a scarcity mindset where one woman's shine diminishes another's, but as Melissa reminds us, "There's enough for everyone." Just as mountain peaks offer space for many climbers, our journeys allow for multiple success stories to unfold simultaneously. Perhaps most powerfully, Melissa emphasizes that this self-awareness doesn't emerge overnight—it requires intentional work, much like building any muscle. We often abandon this internal work before seeing results because the initial discomfort feels overwhelming. Yet pushing through this discomfort is precisely how we develop the emotional intelligence that ultimately allows us to command our story instead of being swept along by others' narratives for our lives.

Post-Tea Pursuits: IDENTIFY YOUR CORE VALUES this week.

Following Melissa's advice, take 20 minutes to discover your three core values using the values exercise linked below:

• Look through the values list and initially select 10 that strongly resonate with you
• Narrow those 10 down to 5, then finally to your top 3 core values
• For each core value, write down how it currently shows up (or doesn't) in your daily life

Commit to one action this week that aligns with your core values but perhaps pushes you into slight discomfort. Maybe it's speaking up in a meeting if authenticity is your value, or setting a boundary if freedom matters to you. Remember: the path to greater self-awareness might feel uncomfortable at first, but as Melissa reminds us, "We stop before we get to the good stuff because it's uncomfortable." WRITE DOWN how it feels to make choices that truly align with your values!

Access the Values List Here!