As I celebrate the release of my book Spiraling Up, I find myself living its principles in real-time. With a demanding 9-week travel and leadership training schedule, it took a Colorado snowstorm and my wife's gentle reminder to recognize that I needed rest. A few sharp comments revealed that fatigue of my own pace and external factors from all happening around me was setting in, and negativity surfaced around those closest to me—time for a pause, self-reflection, and self-leadership after a good nap.

My experience reinforces one of the book's core insights: we often don't realize how much negativity we've absorbed until it surfaces unexpectedly. I'm thankful for the feedback that keeps me accountable to the leadership I strive to embody at home and work.

Negativity is subtle. It accumulates quietly and can impact us exponentially. If you're wrestling with its effects in your professional life, Spiraling Up offers a pathway toward positive transformation. I invite you to engage with the book, reflect on your own experiences with negativity, and join me in this journey toward shaping a positive culture around you. After all, I'm not just the author—I'm also a practitioner learning alongside you.