We pack for our insecurities when facing life's transitions, but what we're really preparing for is liminality – those uncomfortable, transformative spaces between who we were and who we're becoming. Instead of packing for control, we need to cultivate curiosity over certainty, flexibility over fixed plans, and trust over total control. Guided by joy, flexibility, and generosity, these threshold spaces teach us to live the questions rather than rush to answers.

"We pack for our insecurities," my friend told me. And he's right – both literally and metaphorically.

As I prepare for this bi-coastal, van life adventure with Jared, I'm discovering that packing isn't just about socks and chargers (though I definitely overthought both). It's about the emotional baggage we carry when we leap into the unknown.

Eight pairs of socks, two dress shirts, endless tech chargers – each item represents a "what if" my brain has conjured up. But here's the edgeworklife insight: we need enough preparation to feel brave, not so much that we're paralyzed by every possible scenario.

The van is waiting. The adventure is calling. And sometimes the most important thing we pack is trust that we'll figure it out as we go.

What are you packing for your next leap?

After 40+ years in education and 20 years as a head of school, I'm standing on the edge of my biggest adventure yet. Retirement? Not quite. I'm calling it my gap year — launching my coaching and consulting practice while building a bi-coastal life between Seattle and Australia's Sunshine Coast with my partner Jared.

Edgework is about intentionally moving to the edge of our experience, knowledge, and confidence — because that's where all learning happens. Now I'm taking my own leap, guided by three touchstones: Joy, Flexibility, and Generosity.

From international school leadership to #vanlife adventures, from classroom teaching to life coaching — this is what edgeworklife looks like. The jump is scary, but the adventure is just beginning.

Ready to explore your own edge?

When we send our kids to school, we want to trust that the teachers and staff will aid in our child’s well-rounded development. Unlike test scores and grades, it can be hard for parents to evaluate how a school’s community, environment and curriculum support a student’s character growth.  

Here are three tips to consider this school year to nurture character development at home and in the classroom.

As a former head of school and an educator for over 40 years, and a parent myself, I've partnered with many parents, coached dozens of teachers, developed hundreds of school policies, mentored other school leaders and worked through countless challenging moments. I've learned a lot along the way! As we head into the summer, here are 11 things I want parents to know.

Saying farewell to 20 years as head of school and 40 years in education and HELLO to new adventures!

We are all in the process of growing and evolving. We all have our edgework. Read Weiwen’s story of finding a community and sense of belonging through running.

Storytelling aligns our work and personal lives in powerful and significant ways. You must own and tell your personal story if you are to live and lead authentically.

Creating your own mission statement is straightforward. But it is not an easy or quick process. It requires a commitment to dig deep and take the necessary time to get thoughts on paper, step away, reflect, and adjust. So, how to begin?

As school leaders we know storytelling brings to life our organization’s purpose and values, conveys a sense of history, and provides insight and inspiration into where we are heading. At the core of our stories is a clear mission that guides our daily decisions and aligns our strategic work. Most of us spend an enormous amount of time creating, articulating, and marketing that mission and telling our school’s stories. How many of us have invested that same amount of time in developing our own personal mission and telling our own story?

Dads on the Run! How fun! Photoshoot and interview with Brooks Running! Emma and I had so much fun on this photoshoot that celebrates dads on the run. For me, running has always been therapy - a way to stay fit, while puzzling through challenges and creating a vision for the future. I’ve been a runner since high school, but hit my stride in the last decade with several half and full marathons. Even more than the physical and emotional benefits, running is a social activity for me. I have met some of my best friends through running. I have my own children to thank for helping me see how I could connect a passion for running with a passion for people!

Many months ago I had the privilege of speaking with Jethro Jones of The Transformative Principal, In his series of podcasts each week, Jethro Jones interviews a principal or educational leader who is making a real difference in the life of his or her students. In our conversation, we did a deep dive into Edgework in his podcast “Living on the Edge.”

Today is #nationalcomingoutday. Each day, I strive to be more courageous than I was the day before. To be more authentic and, in that spirit, to show up more fully for my family, friends, and colleagues.

Edgework - the future of schools and organizations requires not only innovator’s mindset, it demands a new frame of mind.

“I care about you. You have value. You don’t have to do anything to prove it to me, and nothing’s going to change my mind.”

One year ago, I closed the school campus and moved all operations – the entire educational program and all business functions – to remote status, spread across 80+ employees’ homes. I said to anyone who would listen, “As hard as this decision is, the harder one will be reopening the school.”

This article, originally written in May, 2020, went unpublished. It is made available via this blog with the intent to provide an enduring framework to respond to school crises, but also to acknowledge a moment in time when all schools began to grapple with the implications of COVID-19. Today, as this blog is posted, we mark the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We categorize others based on perceived race. Over time, I have come to understand how nuanced our perceptions of race, but also our cultures and languages, really are.

I believe we are at risk as a nation, and I am reminded of the profound responsibilities that schools have in shaping our future. We are educating the next generation of voters. Now, more than ever, character matters. A basic understanding of the rights and responsibilities of being a U.S. citizen and resident matters. An understanding of basic human rights matters. And an understanding of leadership matters.

I suppose there is a fine line between aloneship – time spent in relationship with ourselves – and loneliness.