Dear Reader,

Recently, I was asked to introduce myself to a group of managers I'd be coaching through an "I am" poem. An "I am" poem is reflective of who you are and what you believe, often built around statements that begin with I am, I see, or I hear.

My client wanted the coaches to describe our work and our approach. I started there. But as I kept writing, revising, and reworking, I realized I wasn't just describing who I am — I was describing what roots me.

This is the poem that emerged:

I am a Cypress Tree By Lisa Lee Being centered and grounded is my daily practice. I feel strongest when I am creative and in Self-energy. At the start of my day, I remind myself to be present and grateful. I root in my identity as a Korean woman born on American soil. The strong coastal winds of experience have shaped me. I am a mother, meditator, writer, and facilitator, A marketer, strategist, coach, and teacher. I grow, like branches, from the seeds of others' wisdom. I am resilient, even under the force of gale winds. My branches show the scars of my past. I find solace in healing and learn to lean into vulnerability. I speak and write my truth even when it's difficult. Under the canopy of dark skies, I ponder these questions: What would happen if everyone lived authentic lives? How can I show up more in my essential Self, even in bad weather? Are others, like me, yearning for more spaces of belonging? As the sun rises, I am in awe of nature's inherent existence. I marvel at the collaboration and care in its life force. I am impatient and I yearn for my own path to rewilding. I need to pause and appreciate the beauty of this present moment.

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I took my inspiration from the the natural beauty around me. Spring came early this year in Portland. The azaleas, magnolias, and cherry blossoms are already on their way out, while peonies, dogwood, and roses are in full bloom. There is an explosion of color everywhere I look, and it feels good to walk in nature right outside my door.

My invitation to you: pause and appreciate the beauty of this present moment. Take in the growth all around us. Look up at the trees above. Feel the grass at your feet. Smell the roses.

ON MY BLOG

Speaking of trees....one grounding exercise I return to again and again is imagining myself as a tree with roots. In my latest blog post called How to Stay Grounded and Present, I share five simple grounding techniques to help you come back to the present moment and reconnect with yourself.

When stress takes over, our nervous system shifts into fight-or-flight mode, making it even harder to handle what's in front of us. Grounding interrupts that cycle — calming the body and bringing you back to a place where you can think clearly, respond intentionally, and access your best self. From deep breathing to a simple sensory scan, these are practices I use regularly with my coaching clients — and they work.

INSPIRED THINKING

In his book Magic Words, Jonah Berger recalls a study in which scientists wanted to learn how to encourage kids to help. They asked 4 and 5-year-olds at a learning center to clean up a room by putting toys away and picking up overturned crayons. The request came while the kids were already engaged in another activity.

The setup was the same for both groups: helping is good, here's why it matters. But the ask was different. One group was asked "to help." The other was asked "to be a helper." That single shift — from verb to noun — increased helping by two-thirds.

When we turn actions into identities, something changes at the core. If you call yourself a runner rather than someone who runs, you're more motivated to lace up. If you call yourself a writer rather than someone who writes, you're more committed to sitting down and doing it.

Identities are central to who we are. So when you're struggling to follow through on something, try claiming the identity instead. Be an entrepreneur, a healthy eater, a storyteller, a leader. When you own that identity, the actions are more likely to follow.

CREATIVE MUSINGS

As it is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I've been reflecting on a recent trip to Los Angeles, where my sister and I went to see Kim's Convenience during its run at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown. The play, written by Ins Choi, was the inspiration for the Netflix hit comedy.

So much was running through my head during the performance — which, in my opinion, was even better than the sitcom. The play captured what it truly feels like to be an immigrant in a foreign land. The funny lines landed precisely because they were so familiar. The thirty-something Janet, still unmarried. The demanding, opinionated father. The deeply religious mother trying to connect with her son.

There was a moment when the son, Jung, hands a pricing gun to his father, first with one hand and then with two hands, a gesture of respect to an elder. I'm not sure how that landed for anyone who isn't Korean, but I cried at the weight of meaning in that simple act.

None of these cultural nuances were explained to the audience. You either got them or you didn't. That was the beauty of it. The play spoke to me, as a Korean American, in ways it probably didn't for others.

It got me thinking about how many times I've had to explain myself — to friends, to colleagues — about the cultural differences I've navigated my whole life. Like when friends complained about taking their shoes off at my front door. Or the difficulty I had finding mentors at work, because in my culture, elders weren't always approachable. These are things I've spent a lifetime translating for others.

So it was grounding to simply witness the normalcy of this Korean Canadian family — one that echoed what so many Korean immigrants have felt in America. My parents never ran a convenience store, but watching a Korean family move through struggle felt completely natural. And normal felt good.

REFLECTION

Try writing an "I am" poem. There are no rules, but the most traditional structure touches on the basics of who you are, your inner world, and your beliefs and dreams. It typically uses a repeating structure built around phrases like: I am, I wonder, I hear, I see, I want, I worry.

Another approach is to riff more freely, using these prompts as a starting point:

• How would others describe you?
• What are your values? What matters most to you?
• What do you appreciate deeply?
• What do you love doing?
• What do you absolutely hate?
• What keeps you up at night?
• What do you dream about?

There are many templates and examples online; search "I am poem" for inspiration.

CLOSING NOTE

As you move through this season of growth and bloom, I hope something in this newsletter stays with you. If you're feeling called to explore your own identity, or curious about what coaching could look like for you, I'd love to connect. Reach me at lisa@lisaslee.com, and find me on LinkedIn.

With appreciation,

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