Desiree Briel Rodi Consulting and Coaching

10/16/2026

Beyond the Finish Line: Who Am I Becoming?

After months of training, I crossed the finish line of the Chicago Marathon.

Much of what running has given me happened long before race day. Running on dark mornings, in the rain, on days when I felt strong and days when I needed to adjust my expectations - those repeated choices helped me practice perseverance, adaptability, and trust in myself. These are qualities I carry into parenting, teaching, coaching, and navigating uncertainty.

Reading James Clear’s Atomic Habits during this training season brought a question into focus:

Who am I becoming through the habits I repeat?

We often set goals around what we want to accomplish. I’m finding it equally valuable to consider who I am practicing to become along the way.

What is one habit that has shaped you beyond its original purpose?

More reflections in October’s Three Thoughts for Thursday:

https://brielrodiconsulting.com/2026/10/16/shaping-your-identity-three-thoughts-for-thursday-october-2026/

Small habits. Evolving stories. Who are you becoming through the choices you make each day?

09/22/2026

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05/21/2026

Growing Pains & Shedding Old Skin~

Lately, I’ve been thinking about growing pains, not just the physical kind we remember from childhood, but the emotional and internal kind that come with becoming.

During a recent trip to Costa Rica, I was reminded that snakes shed their skin as a part of their process for growth. What struck me was learning that the process can actually be painful.

Human growth feels similar sometimes.

Growth often asks us to release old beliefs, loosen our grip on familiar identities, outgrow coping patterns that once protected us, and/or make space for something new.

That process can feel uncomfortable, even painful, before it feels freeing.

I keep returning to this question:
What am I still gripping too tightly?

Sometimes we hold onto certainty, perfectionism, expectations, resentment, or outdated versions of ourselves simply because they feel familiar.

Letting go is not the same as giving up. It is creating room.

Maybe growth is less about becoming someone entirely new and more about clearing away what obscures who we already are, shedding the dead skin to reveal the glow beneath.

What might become possible if you loosened your grip just enough to let something new grow?


https://mailchi.mp/ccb4f41c8e89/growing-pains-three-thoughts-for-thursday-may-2026

05/13/2026

04/25/2026

Anxiety Isn’t Always the Problem

We often treat anxiety like something to eliminate. But what if it’s actually… information?

Anxiety tends to show up when we’re trying to see too far ahead, when the future feels uncertain and our brain tries to fill in the gaps.

The challenge isn’t always the feeling. It’s how quickly we move to control it.

Shift:
From “How do I get rid of this?”
To “What is this trying to tell me?”

~ Weeding, Watering, and the Gift of the Fog ~ I’ve been continuing to reflect on what needs to be weeded out to make room for what I want to intentionally grow. April is often thought of as a mont…

03/26/2026

If you missed my March Three Thoughts for Thursday last week, here it is!

Spring is here! Our emotions can give us a lot of insight into our beliefs, including our limiting beliefs, and our fears, or the weeds we need to remove before we can plant something new. What needs to be cleared from your thoughts and beliefs to allow you to grow and thrive?



https://mailchi.mp/596b7336761f/weeding-season-three-thoughts-for-thursday-march-2026

02/20/2026

It is time for February's Three Thoughts for Thursday! Remember, to receive the content on the third Thursday, subscribe to the newsletter using the link included at the bottom of this edition.

Happy month of love! What might you wish to create if you look through the lens of love and joy? What beauty might you observe?
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https://mailchi.mp/e91d762ba466/through-the-lens-of-love-and-joy-three-thoughts-for-thursday-february-2026