Coaching Tools to Dance in the Rain
Editor’s Note (2026): This was originally written during an earlier global storm and is one of my most popular blog posts of all time. I’m resurfacing it because the lesson is timeless: we don’t get to control the weather, but we can train steadiness, clarity, and choice inside it.
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it is about learning to dance in the rain” is one of my favorite quotes.
And I’m especially grateful to be a coach in seasons like this—when life feels chaotic, uncertain, and out of our control.
In hard seasons, coaching tools are an antidote to:
overwhelm
the constant buzz of anxiety
mental noise
the urge to fix what can’t be fixed
the feeling that you’re carrying too much alone
Coaching makes a difference.
It helps physicians who are carrying heavy clinical responsibilities. It helps people navigate major life stressors and uncertainty. And it helps me.
A story from the ICU
I recently received an email from a physician client who works in the ICU.
She wrote to thank me for taking her from a place of helplessness to a place of feeling empowered—in just one hour.
That’s why I believe so deeply in this work. Not because it removes the storm. Because it changes how we meet it.
We’re all human in the storm
We’re all human.
And when life feels uncertain, it makes sense to feel anxiety, fear, stress, and a lack of control.
What helps is not pretending we’re fine.
What helps is practicing:
allowing anxious feelings without letting them drive the car
choosing thoughts on purpose
managing your mind with compassion and skill
These are not “positive thinking” tactics.
They are tools that help you access calm, agency, hope, and focus.
And when you tap into calm, empowered, and focused, you can show up as the best version of yourself:
for your loved ones
for your children
for your colleagues
for your patients
for your community
An invitation
I hope you choose to practice “dancing in the rain.”
Not by denying the storm.
By building the skills to stay present, grounded, and connected while it passes through.
If you want support building these skills in your real life, explore physician coaching.