G=Goals O=Outlook A=Authentic T=Truth (#coateisaGOAT)
Last night, I found myself in one of those conversations that stays with you long after it ends. The kind that doesn’t feel dramatic in the moment, yet somehow keeps echoing in your thoughts. I was talking with my friend Jenn about a beautiful job opportunity she’s stepping into — one she’s genuinely excited about and deeply grateful for. We talked about the people who helped open doors for her, the unexpected turns, and how timing so often only makes sense when we look back instead of forward.
Jenn has a saying she lives by:
“Trust God and do good.”-Jenn
Simple. Grounded. Steady. And as she talked, I realized how much that phrase carries the heart of who she is — and how much it stirred reflection in me. Somewhere in that conversation, my mind drifted back. Back to my early twenties. Back to Washington, DC. Back to a season of my life that still feels vivid when I revisit it.
I had the privilege of working as a legislative correspondent and legislative assistant, and for a brief time off the Hill as well. Without question, it was an incredible opportunity. The kind many people only imagine having. The energy, the pace, the sense that you were standing close to decisions shaping the country — it was intoxicating in its own way.
But if I’m honest — and Coate Mindset has always been about honesty — that season also held moments that didn’t bring out the best in me.
Not because DC is bad. Not because politics is wrong. But because certain environments amplify certain parts of you. Some good. Some… not so good.
Somewhere in that whirlwind of ambition, pressure, and possibility, I realized something that would shape my life more than any title ever could: I had a choice.
A choice about the life I wanted.A choice about the pace I could sustain. A choice about the person I was becoming.
Because let’s be real — staying in Washington, DC could have aligned me with a very different version of success. On the outside, it might have looked impressive. Prestigious. Maybe even enviable.
But deep down, I sensed subtle tensions. Whispers of compromise. Tiny nudges against my peace. A quiet, persistent knowing that while it was a good opportunity, it might not have been the right life for me.
Nothing dramatic. Nothing scandalous. Just that internal whisper: This may be a good path… but is it yours?
Looking back now, I see something I couldn’t fully see then. There were ways the Lord stepped in — ways He redirected, protected, and gently closed doors I might have stubbornly forced open.
Not because He was withholding something better. But because He was preserving something deeper. My peace. My integrity. My character.
There are moments when I genuinely wonder who I would be today if I had stayed. Would I have slowly normalized things that once unsettled me? Would ambition have edged out authenticity? Would I have become someone I didn’t entirely recognize?
I don’t know.
But I do know this: I like the person I am now. And that statement carries more weight than it used to. Like many people, I’ve had moments — honest, human moments — where frustration creeps in.
“How did I wind up here?”
“Why doesn’t my life look like I imagined?”
“Shouldn’t things feel further along by now?”
But reflection has a way of softening those questions. Because when I truly step back and examine the path, I see something undeniable: My choices carried me here. Choices made with intention. Choices made to preserve peace. Choices made to stay aligned with who I believed I was meant to be.
Do I regret anything? No. Were there hard seasons? Absolutely. Heartbreak. Disappointment. Detours I never would have chosen. But even those became shaping tools in the hands of a faithful God.
And maybe that’s why Jenn’s words resonated so deeply with me. “Trust God and do good.” There’s something beautifully aligned about that mindset. It isn’t frantic striving. It isn’t chasing titles for validation. It’s faithfulness. Integrity. Showing up with purpose wherever God has planted you.
From the outside, success often looks loud — titles, status, recognition, perfectly curated lives. But real life, the kind that unfolds in the everyday, is quieter and infinitely richer.
It’s meaningful work. It’s relationships that matter. It’s knowing you’re making a difference, even when no one’s applauding. It’s loving the people around you. It’s being present. It’s sleeping at night with a clear conscience.
And for me, that version of success feels sacred.
This year, the word that keeps rising in my heart is stewardship. Not just financially — though that’s certainly part of it — but stewardship of my time, my energy, my relationships, my resources, my thoughts, and my calling.
If I’m being transparent (because that’s what we do here), I’ve recognized I have a layered relationship with money and finances. Not irresponsible… just shaped by mindset, emotion, and old narratives I’m still unpacking. And maybe that’s growth too — recognizing the places where God is still refining, still teaching, still inviting me deeper.
The older I get, the more I treasure something simple: Gratitude for where I am. Gratitude for the people in my life. Gratitude for family still here. Gratitude for opportunities I’ve had — even the ones I chose to walk away from.
Because every season, every choice, every redirection has contributed to this present reality.
And despite the imperfections…I’m proud of who I am. I’m thankful for where I stand. I’m hopeful for what’s still to come.
If there’s one thing I’m continually learning, it’s this: God’s story for our lives is rarely linear — but it is always intentional. There is still so much yet to come. Still growth ahead. Still blessings unseen.
And my prayer in this season is simple: “Lord, help me stay open to Your will. Help me trust Your direction. Help me continue becoming who You created me to be.”
Because at the end of the day…Success isn’t just about where you land. It’s about who you become along the way.
And I, for one, am deeply grateful for the gift of choice — and for a God who lovingly guides us through every single one. ✨
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