My Coral Bedspread
The other morning (I’m not an early bird), I walked into my bedroom and immediately stopped in my tracks. For a second, I wasn’t sure I was in the right place. The whole space looked… unfamiliar… Warmer. Brighter.
But nothing had changed—except the lighting (thank you, daylight savings) and one very uncharacteristic decision on my part: I had put a bright coral bedspread on the bed. Coral, you know that peach-pink looking color. I own nothing at all with that color.
Now, let me be clear—I am a purple and turquoise person.
According to Sherman Williams, my room is a “high-light room.” So, we didn’t need to paint with colors like yellow or white. Instead, we chose calm, grayish shades throughout the house. My whole color scheme is composed, classic, and chill.
My bedding is historically responsible, tasteful, and respectful. But my husband often changes the bedspread because he gets bored with it! So this coral bedspread is loud, warm, borderline tropical, and definitely off-brand. But I was trying to make some new pillows work and thought, “Why not?”
So I clicked “add to cart.” I put it on the bed. I didn’t hate it, but everything shifted when the morning light hit it. Remember, it’s a high-light room! It’s the same room, with the same walls and furniture.
But the light changed—with it, the entire feel of the space. The coral bedspread, bathed in the morning light, turned my room into something brighter and more alive, with a warmth I didn’t expect. And I couldn’t help but think that another lesson was unfolding in front of me: This is precisely what leadership is like.
A Reflection on Leadership from My Bedroom
Most of the time, nothing external really shifts. We’re in the same job, with the same demands, leading the same people. But when we shift—when our emotional presence deepens, when we lead from alignment with our character and values—everything around us starts to feel different. We don’t just lead with intention; we lead with presence.
Remember, emotions and character of the soul of our leadership.
We are the high-light, no matter what room we’re in. Especially now, in the fourth quarter—when the pressure is high, the days are long, tempers are short, and children are ready for summer and not pressed about testing like we are—that internal light matters more than ever.
You know what I’m talking about: The emails are coming in fast and unfiltered. You have to click UNDO a million times a day because you cannot say such things that come out of your brain in an email!
The finish line is close enough to see, but somehow, it is still far away. Everyone’s tired—and you might be, too. This is the stretch of the year where emotional steadiness and character get tested every day. Your internal light can flicker out or shine steadily through the chaos.
This isn’t the time for toxic positivity or polished performances that mask the real emotions of leadership. It’s a time for character and telling the truth about what it really takes to lead with heart . It’s the time to check in with your SOUL at your CORE.
Therefore, what people remember at the end of the year isn’t how perfect you were; they WILL remember how present you were, how you made them feel, and whether your leadership felt like something trustworthy, steady, and real.
As I think more about my own leadership journey, I’m not measuring impact by the number of tasks completed but by the emotional imprint I’m leaving behind—not just what I’ve done but how I’ve led. I hope it’s a good one.
Reflection Questions for the 4th Quarter
What emotions are showing up for me—and how am I tending to them?
How am I showing up when things get hard or uncomfortable?
What parts of my character are being tested—and protected—right now?
What emotional tone do I want others to feel in my presence?
How am I keeping my internal light on, even when my energy runs low?
Call to Action:
You don’t need a whole new room. Sometimes, you just need a new light.
Let your emotions inform—not control—you. Let your character anchor you. And lead with that inner light turned all the way up. Because when the year ends, what people carry with them isn’t just what you did—
It’s how you made them feel. (nod to Rita F. Pierson❤️)
