Leadership Lessons from the Marine Corps

Angie leaning against a wall in her military uniform

“We’re going to break it down, Barney Style.”  This was what our Marine Corps instructors would say when the School of Hard Knox was in session. And, like the adorable purple dinosaur teaching toddlers step-by-step lessons, our instructors would painstakingly review easy-to-implement guidance on a range of skills, like: Yes, that last one!! Leadership can seem … Read more

Discovering Your Self-Worth

Woman hugging herself and smiling up at thee sky

Say this with me: “I’m a good person who deserves to be treated with respect.” This is a solid statement of self-worth. If your self-worth is strong, then you never: As you reflect against these expectations, how’d you do? If you saw room for improvement, no worries. That’s why I’m writing this. Self-worth is one of the most … Read more

When Important People Don’t Support You.

Women linking their arms together

I Googled “Show me your network…” and here’s what popped up to complete the sentence: …I’ll show you your potential …I’ll show you your future …I’ll show you your net worth Clearly, the internet knows a lot about something we’ve always intuited: the people we surround ourselves with impact our ambitions, aspirations, and confidence.   What … Read more

Motivate Yourself to Success

People running in a race

I started training for the Chattanooga Ironman this month. It’s energizing to sign up for the race, buy new gear, and get all your training devices sync’d up. It’s also cool to say “I’m training for an Ironman.” What’s not energizing? The work. Like this morning. I woke up at 5:00, hit the pool, and then followed that up with a run…and … Read more

5 Ways to Honor Women’s History Month

Women holding hands in the air while standing on a beach facing the water

We celebrate Women’s History Month by acknowledging the significant accomplishments women have made throughout time. But if you know me, acknowledging is not enough – it’s a head nod, a thumbs up. It’s a “You go, girl.” In other words, it’s a passive activity. It doesn’t build on a legacy. You’re a part of the legacy. I believe in … Read more

Prevent Regret by Taking Risks

Man standing on a small ledge on the side of a mountain overlooking a mountain range

“I wish I would’ve…” No one wants to mutter this on their deathbed. That’s the type of statement that screams “regret.” Having regret isn’t bad, necessarily. Like, I regret not studying abroad in college. I regret not having learned how to surf when I lived in Hawaii. Now, my life is great despite not having these experiences, but … Read more

How to Be a President

Angie Witkowski speaking at an event on stage

I spent a few moments reflecting on what it’d be like to be the President of the United States and being, arguably, the most powerful person in the world. It wasn’t intoxicating, I promise you. I was in awe of the responsibility. I thought about… –   The intelligent people I’d want surrounding me to shore up … Read more

The Teacher is the Student

Two empty glasses of wine sitting on a coffee table next to an unopened bottle of wine

One of the “glories” of being a mom to two teenagers is that they’re quick to point out my inconsistencies. It’s like I’ve got the hypocrite police on my back all the time. The value of this is that I’m always asking myself – am I modeling the behaviors I expect them to demonstrate? Or, am … Read more

Reinvent Your Life

Woman doing crunches on a mat at the gym

Do you feel stuck? In these situations, it’s easy to blame externalities: Do you know what’s hard? Sitting quiet with your thoughts and admitting you’re the one who created the situation…and you’re the only one who can lead yourself out of it. Absolute accountability is painful. It’s the only way to a better place. Accountability is … Read more

Changing Your Career

road sign in the desert saying there is a winding road ahead

Did you take a career aptitude test in high school? The one where you get a scantron sheet, a #2 pencil, and a series of questions asking you to list your preferences and interests? I remember this experience, as well as reviewing my results in my small high school classroom (think: Footloose). I felt like … Read more