Last night was the first night of what meteorologists are calling a “1-in-1000-year rain event.” A severe thunderstorm blew through my little city, and it was only the beginning. Over the next few days, we’re bracing for relentless waves of wind, rain, hail, and even tornadoes. Entire areas are expecting four months’ worth of rain in just a few hours. Firetruck sirens howled. Tornado warnings rolled in. The wind beat against the windows.
There was no visibility, not even a foot ahead.
And yet, I was inside.
Safe.
Still.
And I realized something:
This storm?
It’s the perfect metaphor for what happens in our lives, especially in leadership.
Because sometimes, a storm doesn’t just arrive outside.
It erupts inside of us.
In our careers.
In our relationships.
In our decision-making.
And sometimes? It’s a one-in-1000-year event in our lives.
A massive, soul-shaking, gut-wrenching moment that hits so hard, you can’t imagine ever coming back from it.
We say something we can’t take back.
We hurt someone we care about.
We fumble a judgment call.
We misread a moment, or a person.
We disappoint, and we get disappointed.
We lose trust, make a mess, miss the mark.
And suddenly, it feels irreparable.
Irredeemable.
The shame storms roll in.
You question your value.
You replay what went wrong over and over.
You convince yourself this is career-ending, relationship-ending, life-altering.
But let me say this to you clearly:
Storms don’t last forever.
And neither does shame.
Around 1AM last night, the storm calmed.
The hail stopped. The sirens quieted.
And I found rest.
I wasn’t rested because the forecast cleared, I was rested because I gave myself permission to pause. To go inward. To acknowledge what I couldn’t control. And to prepare for what’s ahead.
That’s what we must do in leadership, too.
Pause.
Reflect.
Apologize.
Repair.
Rebuild.
Because apologizing isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom.
Reflection isn’t indulgent, it’s essential.
And you are not the sum of your worst moment.
But let’s talk about what happens after the storm.
Sometimes the aftermath is devastation.
Torn limbs. Flooded foundations.
Broken trust. Burned bridges.
Mistakes that carry real consequences.
It’s okay to name it: It’s devastating.
But here’s the truth:
If you survived it, you can rebuild from it.
If you’re a physician and you made an error, there’s still a path forward.
If you’re a leader who caused harm, you can choose repair.
If you’re in a relationship that feels fractured,you can rebuild connection.
Things can be reworked.
Reimagined.
Repaired.
Rewritten.
And even renewed.
And sometimes?
Sometimes we come out of the rubble with greater wisdom.
We build in fail-safes.
We recognize early warning signs.
We learn how to course-correct before it all collapses again.
We build back better.
We lead with a new kind of courage.
We love with a new kind of grace.
We work with a new kind of clarity.
Storms may shake us—but they can also shape us.
You are not alone. You are not irredeemable. And you are not too far gone.
I help leaders, professionals, and everyday people navigate the hardest moments of their lives and careers, not with shame, but with strategy. With vision. With heart.
Let’s rebuild what matters most, one moment at a time.
With empathy, vision, and courage,
Jewel
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Quackenbush Coaching LLC 