Hi, this form is a starting point for all speaking requests.
Please don't hesitate to reach out about your event or request and let me know what you have in mind.
Email me directly at speaking@nancylyons.com with other requests like writing for your publication or joining you on your podcast.
Also, email me if you want to say hi. I like that, too.
The Hard Part About Change: Why Transitions Gut Us
I’ve been thinking a lot about transitions lately. Not because I’m writing about them. Because I’m living one. Or, more accurately, I’m living several.
My father is fading. His health is declining. His world is shrinking. I just visited him to help him transition into an increased level of assisted living, and it was clear he’s not thriving. He’s hanging on, but barely. And even though we’re trying everything to make it better, I know what this really is. He’s transitioning. Into what, exactly? We all know. But we don’t say it.
At the same time, my son is preparing to leave for Tanzania for the first leg of his gap year. He's excited, nervous, a little closed off. Probably because he doesn't know how to talk about all of it. And I don’t blame him. Neither do I. As his parent, I feel proud, anxious, and wildly sentimental. He used to cling to my legs, and now he’s flying across the world. And I keep thinking, How did that happen so fast?
This is all happening while the world feels like it’s fraying at the edges. We’re still living in a time of deep political division. People are feeling isolated. Burned out. Scared. We’re being told, directly and indirectly, that the “good old days” were better. And maybe we should go back. But when were they? And who were they good for?
That’s the thing about transitions. Whether personal or societal, they pull us out of comfort and shove us into uncertainty. And as humans, we don’t like that. Like, at all. Our brains are built to love routine. Predictability. Control. We’ve evolved to fear the unknown because back in the day, the unknown could literally kill you. (And in some cases, it still can.)
So when change shows up: a job loss, a loss of a parent, a child moving out, the planet on fire, the rise of authoritarianism, our systems freak out. We resist. We try to fix it, avoid it, deny it. But transitions don’t care about your feelings. They show up anyway.
So Why Are Transitions So Hard?
It turns out, science backs up what we feel in our guts. Transitions, whether they're developmental milestones or major disruptions, disrupt our sense of identity, routine, community, and control. And there are many reasons for our struggles:
- We fear the unknown. Our brains interpret uncertainty as danger.
- We’re loss-averse. Even if the status quo is awful, we prefer it over the mystery box.
- We get attached. To routines, roles, and identities. Change can feel like death.
- We feel alone. Even though literally everyone goes through this stuff.
The fear is real. But here’s something else that’s real:
Transitions Are Where Growth Lives.
I know, I know. That sounds like something from a motivational coffee mug. But it’s true. The most powerful moments of our lives, the ones that change us, soften us, shape us, often come after we’ve been forced to let go.
I’ve seen it in my own life. I’ve seen it with people at work. I’ve seen it in the people I’ve led, and those who’ve led me. Transitions are uncomfortable. But they’re also rich. And we can move through them with intention.
Here’s How We Do It:
1. Feel your feelings. Don’t rush to “be okay.” Feel it all. Grief. Excitement. Fear. Ambivalence. There’s no badge for pretending.
2. Embrace the mess. Transitions are not tidy. Stop waiting for clarity. It won’t show up like a perfectly wrapped package. It shows up in chaos, snot, and growth spurts.
3. Be kind. To others, sure. But especially to yourself. Compassion is your best tool in the fog of change.
4. Stay present. Ground yourself. Breathe. Pay attention to what’s happening now instead of spinning about what might happen later.
5. Choose your mindset. You don’t have to love the transition, but you do get to decide how you move through it. Do you resist? Or do you adapt?
6. Get support. Talk to people. Let them in. Find community. Transitions feel lonelier than they are. You are not alone.
7. Take small steps. You don’t have to solve everything today. One step forward is enough.
What This Means for Work
This isn’t just personal. The workplace is going through transitions, too. AI is reshaping entire industries. Companies are replacing leaders. Economic instability has people worried. Workers are burned out. Teams are fractured. Expectations are changing. People don’t want the same things from work anymore. And for good reason.
But instead of fearing all that change, what if we expected it? What if we designed our workplaces and our lives around embracing change rather than resisting it? I talk about working like a boss all the time, and the thing is, working like a boss doesn’t mean you’re in charge of others. It means you take charge of you; of your mindset. You practice awareness, accountability, and agency, even when things are uncertain. Especially then.
You know this as well as I do - the only constant is change. We can’t avoid it. But we can decide how we show up for it. And, I don’t know about you, but I want to show up with honesty, humility, and hope. So if you’re in the middle of a transition right now, big or small, personal or professional, let me just say: I see you. You’re not broken. You’re becoming.
Let’s move forward together.
— Nancy
Forward this to a friendThis is America. And it's broken. My newsletter is a little late today. It was all ready to go on Tuesday. But then yesterday, in Minneapolis, children were shot during a school Mass. Two are dead. Others are hurt. Countless more are traumatized. Parents are grieving. Kids are scared. None of this should have happened. We can’t act like this is unthinkable. It keeps happening. And every time, we say “thoughts and prayers,” post a headline, and move on. We’ve grown numb. That numbness is killing people.Here’s the truth: guns are the problem. Our leaders know it. But they do nothing. They hide behind slogans. They protect guns more than children. That is not leadership. That is failure. And it’s not just guns. It’s everything. We are experiencing a dearth of real leadership. Politicians don’t stand for anything anymore. They don’t act. They perform. They posture. They optimize their soundbites while kids die. That’s abandonment.But here’s the part we don’t want to face: they only get away with it because we let them. We stay quiet. We stay numb. We don’t demand more. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We don’t have to accept mass shootings as the cost of life in America. We can demand better. We can call, push, show up, speak out, and refuse to let this fade. And if they won’t act, we can vote them out. Because silence is complicity. And if we stay silent, nothing changes. And more kids die. This is the line in the sand. Kids or guns. Humanity or chaos. What side are you on?Return to Office: The Short-Sighted Playbook
Another week, another CEO pounding the “return to office” drum. AT&T’s John Stankey is the latest, demanding employees come back to physical offices, even as reports say he’s rarely there himself. It’s a perfect snapshot of why this push feels so hollow.
Let’s be real: dragging people back to cubicles isn’t about collaboration or culture. It’s about control. And it ignores the bigger truth: work has already changed. Forcing outdated policies doesn’t rebuild trust, it erodes it. It sends the message that leadership is out of touch with the reality of modern work, where flexibility is no longer a perk, but a baseline expectation.
We’ve seen the data. Productivity hasn’t collapsed. People aren’t lazier at home. In fact, many are working more. What’s really collapsing is trust when leaders insist on butts in seats instead of outcomes and impact. Work isn’t about where you sit, it’s about how you show up, contribute, and connect.
Return-to-office mandates are short-sighted because they cling to a version of work that no longer exists. If leaders want engagement, they should stop measuring attendance and start modeling trust, empathy, and accountability. People will show up for that.
Amanda Brinkman is one of those rare people who make you believe business can be a force for real good. As CEO of Sunshine Studios and the creative mind behind the Emmy-nominated Small Business Revolution, she's proven how brands can do well by doing good, bringing heart, community, and art into work that actually moves people. She helps organizations and individuals uncover their small-p purpose; the everyday ways we show up that ripple outward and change everything.
I’m honored to emcee her live event, The Purpose Pursuit, on September 10 at the Luminary Arts Center. It’s an afternoon of illuminating conversation about purpose, belonging, and how we reclaim meaning in our work and lives. If you’ve ever wondered how to find clarity when you’re stuck, or how to lead with intent in uncertain times, this is for you. But heads up: it’s nearly sold out. Like literally, just a couple tickets left. Grab yours here: Get Tickets.
I’m back on the road this fall, and my 2025–2026 calendar is starting to fill up. I’m currently booking into 2026, but I still have availability in 2025 for organizations looking for a last-minute workshop or keynote. If you’ve been thinking about bringing me in, now’s the time. You can find me here!
And, here’s where I’ll be next month:
“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.”
– Henri Bergson
