Your Dose of Mana – Page 4 – Mana Advisory Group

The real reason I share personal stories

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Amy

Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with:1 real story1 leadership insight1 practical takeaway1 dose of art The Real Reason I Share Personal Stories 1 Real StoryYou may wonder why I share tidbits from my personal world here.Moments. Experiences. Struggles. Small wins. It’s not because I’m trying to blur boundaries for the sake of it.It’s because I don’t believe you can truly separate who you are at work from who you are everywhere else. You can’t bifurcate your… […]

The Key to Good Feedback I Learned in Dance Class

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Amy

Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with:1 real story1 leadership insight1 practical takeaway1 dose of art Why being seen matters more than being repositioned 1 Real Story One night at my Tuesday night West Coast Swing class, something magical happened. Steve Wilder, a U.S. Open champion, taught what he called his “magic trick” for great social dancing.It wasn’t about technique or timing.It was about connection. He asked everyone to start by simply saying to each… […]

Let’s put some Oy in Joy

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Amy

Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with:1 real story1 leadership insight1 practical takeaway1 dose of art Joy needs more Oy! 1 Real Story I use the word joy a lot.– Job joy.– More joy, less friction.– Go to the joy. But the truth is… when I use the word joy, I feel like it has branding problem. For many people, it feels sappy. Seasonal. A little too tied to December and Christmas cards. It can sound light and fleeting, when what I’m talking about is grounded ,deep,… […]

Happy New Year!

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Amy

Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with:1 real story1 leadership insight1 practical takeaway1 dose of art Do More. 1 Real Story Over the holidays, my boyfriend and I were talking about the year ahead. Not resolutions. Not reinventions. Not the annual fantasy list of “new habits we’ll definitely abandon by February.” We talked about what we want more of. More experiences.More dancing, meditation, and movement.More presence and less distraction.More meaningful… […]

Is your 2025 Wrapped?

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Amy

Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with:1 real story1 leadership insight1 practical takeaway1 dose of art Wrapped 2025 isn’t just for Spotify. 1 Real Story A LinkedIn friend suggested trying a ChatGPT Wrapped 2025. So I did.Mostly out of curiosity. And wouldn’t you know it — Chatty (yes, that’s what I call my AI) impressed me. Instead of her usual snarky self, she was surprisingly reflective.She saw me in a way I never would have, even if I held up a mirror. It… […]

Did you miss me?

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Amy

Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with:1 real story1 leadership insight1 practical takeaway1 dose of art I missed you! 1 Real StoryI know. I didn’t send Your Dose of Mana. And while I could point to travel, timing, or workload, that wouldn’t be the full story. It’s true I was in Seattle, present with my boyfriend and my daughter. It’s also true that I was grieving the loss of a close friend of 25 years, wrestling with how I showed up for her before she died — and… […]

Bring on 61. Today.

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Amy

Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with:1 real story1 leadership insight1 practical takeaway1 dose of art Bring on 61. Today 1 Real Story60 was a surprise. Not the birthday, obviously– the year. I won’t remember it for fireworks or a professional milestone, or some cinematic turning point. Well… the jury may still be out on that last one. 60 showed up quietly, then—one situation after another—it kept handing me what I lovingly (cue: strong insider eye roll from… […]

Thanksgiving Edition

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Amy

Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with: 1 real story1 leadership insight1 practical takeaway1 dose of art Thanksgiving Edition 1 Real StoryThanksgiving used to be my favorite holiday. Full house, multiple tables, and every possible permutation of “family”: in-laws, outlaws, steps, halves, neighbors, stray friends — all of it. After my dad died, Thanksgiving shifted to my brother’s place, and the wonderful chaos kept going. The whole thing felt anchored. Then, over… […]

Be Bold, Not Planned

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Amy

Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with: 1 real story1 leadership insight1 practical takeaway1 dose of art Be Bold, Not Planned 1 Real StorySomeone once gave me feedback that made me take a beat:“You had the self-awareness to see the opportunities.” It hit harder than I expected because my career has been… well, more twisty than a DC traffic circle. I used to envy the people who chose a lane at 22 and never looked back. But that one comment reframed everything. My… […]

What’s nimmering you ask?

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Amy

Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with: 1 leadership insight 1 practical takeaway 1 dose of art How to nimmer 1 Real StoryIn early 2020, I met Kathy Nimmer through a writing project she ran for her English students. She paired them with guide-dog puppy raisers, and I volunteered. A few months later, while working toward my coaching certification, I needed a few “practice clients.” Kathy—then designing a mentorship program for new teachers in her Indiana school… […]