Courage to Choose

There is a moment each morning, quiet, unclaimed, and full of possibility, that most of us rush past.

Before the emails. Before the expectations. Before the world begins telling us who we need to be for everyone else.

What if that moment became the most powerful leadership decision you make all day?

For a long time, I moved right through it. Like many professional women, I started my day in response mode, checking my phone, scanning for urgency, stepping immediately into responsibility. I was showing up, producing, contributing, and leading in the ways I was called to, but not always from a place that felt fully grounded.

That shifted when a friend sent me a song, one that, if you allow it, becomes an anthem. It was Morning Magic by Millionaire Muses. Simple. Rhythmic. But its message stayed with me: “I don’t check my phone, I check my soul. I don’t scroll, I take control.” What began as something I listened to became something I lived.

The lyrics are now part of my daily anchoring practice, a necessary opening to each day before I step into any role I hold, whether that is leadership by title or leadership through my work and contribution. And it did not stop there. Music became more than background. It became alignment.

One of the most powerful shifts I have made is protecting the first hour of my day and being intentional about what I allow into it. My mornings are anchored in three songs that ground me in who I am and how I move through the world. Morning Magic by Millionaire Muses reminds me to take ownership of my mindset before the world attempts to shape it. The Bones by Maren Morris speaks to something deeper for me. While the song centers on relationships, I apply it to my inner foundation, my upbringing, my values, and the belief that what I am made of is strong enough to carry me through anything. You’ve Got the Power by Third World reinforces what I never want to forget, that tenacity, empowerment, and self-belief already live within me.

This is more than a playlist. It is a practice. When I begin this way, I show up more grounded, more present, and more aligned with who I already am. Not someone different. Not someone performing. Simply more fully myself. Because the way you start your day does not just influence your mood. It shapes your presence, your decisions, and your impact.

We often think of courage as something required in big, visible moments. But courage shows up much earlier than that. It shows up in the quiet decision to believe in yourself before there is proof. To invest in your own vision before there is validation. To finally move forward with something you have placed on the back burner, not because you were not capable, but because fear kept asking you to wait.

For many women, that waiting becomes a pattern. Whether you are leading an organization, leading a team, building something of your own, or leading through your daily works and contribution, choosing to move forward anyway is a significant shift. It is a professional shift and, often, a personal one. You begin to trust yourself more deeply. You begin to give yourself permission. You begin to move with courage before certainty arrives.

Many women have been taught that their value is measured by how much they give. And we give, fully and consistently. But sustainable impact requires something more. It requires that we first pour into ourselves. For me, music is part of that. It is healing. It is grounding. It is a way to center my thoughts before the day begins unfolding. Coupled with consistent self-talk rooted in love and grace, it becomes a powerful foundation that allows me to lead and contribute from fullness instead of depletion.

Another part of my morning practice is intentional self-talk. Speaking to myself with care. With grace. With clarity. For many women, the internal voice can become crowded with questions, expectations, and second-guessing. But self-trust is built through consistency, through what you choose to affirm, especially in the quiet. What you say to yourself becomes what you stand on.

In a world that rewards constant access, choosing stillness can feel unnatural. But it is also powerful. Not reaching for your phone first. Not allowing external noise to set your internal tone. Creating space to ground yourself in who you already are before the day begins. Because when you lead from that place, instead of reacting to everything around you, you move with clarity instead of chaos.

If you are standing at the edge of something new, an idea, a vision, a next chapter, consider this your reminder: You do not need perfect timing. You do not need full certainty. You need a starting point. Sometimes that starting point is as simple and as powerful as how you begin your morning.

Kimberly McLaughlin-Smith is founder of Courage2Become Consulting LLC (courage2becomeconsulting.com). She also is creator, executive producer, and host of Reggae Redemption. 

To view more of photographer Logan Burke’s work, go to loganburkephoto.com.

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