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WELCOME TO THE METTĀ VIEW

The Mettā View weaves together stories, lessons, and reflections from the varied areas of my work—business development, conscious communication, coaching, mindfulness, and strategy—while offering a mindful lens that invites new perspectives and insights. It’s a gift from my heart-mind to you, dear reader. May it bring you inspiration and invite moments of reflection and connection. ✨

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I teach storytelling. I still fumbled my own introduction last night.

Last night, after creating the opening and closing container for an event on career navigation — guiding participants to breathe, shake out their bodies, set intentions, and integrate what they'd heard — someone approached me with a question I hear often: "So, what do you do exactly?"

I get it. When people see me at events doing this part of my work, there's often curiosity mixed with confusion. Who is this woman asking us to notice our breath and feel into our bodies at a professional networking event?

Despite having just led embodiment practices, mindfulness exercises, and storytelling integration, I fumbled. I gave one of those squiggly answers — "Well, I used to do this, then I began doing that, and now I've pivoted to..."

I could see the confusion on his face. His energy was a ‘leaning-in’ type of curious. I got the sense I was not giving him the right information.

It's funny because this echoes something my friend Libby Stockstill said on The Mettā Interview in our latest episode: when you work for a well-known company with a clear title, introductions are easy. The title and brand convey everything. But when you're navigating career change, building something new, doing something "squiggly"— especially as an entrepreneur or freelancer — suddenly the words don't flow.

The irony? I literally teach this

Just weeks ago, I hosted a dozen women at Soho House Berlin for one of my Story of You workshops. I LOVE this work. We had such a wonderful two hours. There were tears, a-ha moments, plenty of strong connection between the participants. And what did I tell them? That the most important thing for communicating your value and values is to work on your story — and then repeat it, rehearse it, practice it until it becomes second nature.

I even have this line I use about "teaching with strong recall." My dog Nand taught me this. In dog training, recall means teaching your dog to come back when called. It's not easy — depending on stress levels, surroundings, or novelty, the dog might not listen. So you practice again and again, in mixed settings, rewarding them richly each time until it becomes automatic.

I joke regularly that I teach what I need to learn. It’s not a ha ha joke, more like a funny truth.

Having stepped away from a career where I went from being unknown to having a title that "said it all," (Global head of communications, Christian Louboutin, Group companies) I constantly have to revisit, re-explain, and reframe how to talk about myself in ways that feel clear and resonate with whoever's in front of me.

The pivot

Thankfully, because I really do this work (on myself!) regularly, I caught myself. Responding to my interlocutor's body language — imagine question-mark-shaped eyes — I pivoted: "You know those people who don't know how to talk about themselves? Who fumble their words? Who need help sharing their brilliance, their value, their values with the world? I help those people tell better stories—resonant stories that connect with the people they care about and leave a lasting impression."

I watched the resolution land. "Oh, I get it now," he said. Sigh of relief all round.

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As mentioned, this week's episode of The Mettā Interview features my brilliant friend, Libby Stockstill, founder of Some Days and former Chief Legal Officer of Vuori. Libby was actually my original inspiration for creating this podcast — and she captures this struggle perfectly. When I asked her to introduce herself, here's what she said:

​Listen to the full conversation here​

The work that AI can't touch

Remember that moment when my conversation partner's face shifted from confusion to clarity? "Oh, I get it now."

Here's what made that moment work — and it wasn't just the story I told (though that helped). I was reading my conversation partner. Staying present. Noticing his response while feeling my own excitement. I first went the way the evening's speakers had gone, sharing squiggly career stories. But I could see it wasn't landing. So I pivoted mid-explanation, responding to what I sensed in real time, opting for simplicity.

I was embodied — present and aware enough to adapt.

This is why I blend mindfulness with coaching, storytelling, and communication. Because a resonant story isn't just about the words you choose — it's about being present enough to read the room and respond. That's the power of a resonant story — one that's rooted in your unique values and experiences, AND delivered with presence and awareness.

And here's what makes this work matter more than ever: it's AI-proof. ChatGPT can write a bio. It can generate a pitch. But it can't read a room. It can't sense when to pivot. It can't feel the energy shift and respond in real time. Your resonant, values-based stories, delivered with embodied presence, are your proof of life. They're what make you unmistakably YOU, they are what connects US, in this increasingly automated world.

If you're ready to move from fumbling introductions to stories that create instant recognition and genuine connection:

…Join me weekly for Story Alchemy, where we explore how to craft stories that make your brilliance unmistakable.

Or work with me one-on-one to find your resonant story and practice it until it lands every time (strong recall, remember?).

Drop me a message or book a call — because in a world of AI-generated everything, your authentic story and your presence are your competitive advantage.

Thank you so much for reading me, as always.

Have a good one, until next time.

Much love,

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How do we make the world bet... Sep 18 · The Metta Interview 73:25   ​

Powerhouse Writers Paulette Perhach Learn how I created a writing life that's included multiple million-reader viral essays and industry awards. From the author of one of Poets & Writers' Best Books for Writers: Welcome to the Writer's Life. Subscribe and join more than 8,000 newsletter readers to learn about creating a writer's life you love. Subscribe​