One Small Concrete Step

In July of 2023, my mom passed away quietly in her sleep, and my beloved, oldest brother Tony was dying of cancer. 

I was bereft. And, deeply present. Every moment mattered. 

I wanted to carry that sense of presence forward, even after the sharp edge of grief softened. So, I started by naming what I knew to be immutably true.

The problem was, I only knew one thing for certain. 

I wrote it on a sticky note and placed it where I’d see it every day. It stayed there for over a year, by itself, corners curling with age:

I am my best self when I’m in Ely. 

Straightforward? Yes. Daunting? Absolutely.

Honoring that truth meant facing decisions that brought up paralyzing feelings of grief and fear:

• Move 4 1/2 hours away from our son and so many friends?

• Sell our beloved Minneapolis home?

• Leap into a career that wasn’t yet defined?

I stayed with the discomfort and focused on being present. Slowly, more truths emerged, they weren’t universal truths; they were what was true for me at this moment in my life.  

To understand how those truths might shape my future, I began testing ideas in small ways. 

In my coaching work, I use an approach from Designing Your Work Life called the Minimal Action Plan: the smallest, concrete next step you can take to learn more about a path you're considering. It helps you gather information, test assumptions, and reduce uncertainty—all through action, not just thinking.

One opportunity that came my way was to work as a baker in Ely. I love baking, though I had never considered it professionally. I tested it out. I loved the people, work, and the early morning hours, but it was too much for my gluten allergy. 

A small action. Valuable information. 

I continued experimenting and was fortunate to have people around me who fueled my courage and offered loving, sometimes fierce, feedback.  

The leadership and executive coaching practice that now supports my life in Ely began as another Minimal Action Plan. As a nonprofit executive, I loved developing team members, helping them refine roles and supporting them as they moved toward work that felt more purpose-filled. I wondered: Could helping people find purpose and joy in their lives be my next path? 

To test the idea, I took on three coaching clients with very different challenges, all at no charge. I walked alongside them, witnessing, supporting, and holding them accountable. 

I was on fire! I had found my path forward. 

Change doesn’t have to be big. Framing an action as a test can make it feel less risky. The key, as I found, is simply to begin. 

One small, concrete step at a time.