In this episode, I’m checking in halfway through the Fire Horse year and reflecting on the intentions I set back in February: to speak more and move my body more. Six months later, I can see those intentions have unfolded in ways I never expected—from speaking at Google and being invited back to Harvard, to growing The Connect, hosting my first retreat, and becoming stronger both physically and emotionally.

I also share what I’ve been seeing with my clients—women stepping into dream opportunities, leaving rooms that no longer fit, taking time to rest, and building something new. This episode is really an invitation to pause and take inventory: What has changed in your life since February that you never could have predicted? Sometimes the next right step is all we need to take before life starts surprising us.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Your Intentions May Be Bigger Than You Think

• Lori reflects on how her two simple intentions, speaking more and moving her body more, ended up representing something much deeper.
• Speaking became about sharing her truth and years of hard earned wisdom, while movement became about moving energy and becoming stronger emotionally and physically.
• Audience follow-up → Go back to the intentions you set earlier this year. What might they actually be asking of you now?

You Don't Need Ten Priorities

• Lori revisits the idea that a high energy year requires focus, not an endless list of goals.
• Her approach was to choose two priorities and stay intentional about taking the next step.
• Audience follow-up → If you could only focus on two things for the rest of the year, what would they be?

Sometimes You Need to Rest Before You Sprint

• One of Lori's clients took an entire year away from work and is now choosing between two dream senior level opportunities.
• Another accelerated her corporate exit and moved into consulting while building a business of her own.
• Audience follow-up → Where might rest, space, or a pause actually be preparing you for your next move?

The Room You're In Shapes What You Believe Is Possible (revised header)

• Lori shares the story of a client who left a larger company for a smaller organization where her creativity, diversity, and thinking are truly valued.
• Another client finally declared that it was time to leave, and that decision expanded what she believed was possible.
• Audience follow-up → Are you in a room that recognizes and values what you bring?

Pay Attention to What Has Changed

• Six months can create an enormous amount of movement when you consistently take the next right step.
• Lori encourages you to look beyond the goals you remember and notice the unexpected ways your intentions may already be showing up.
• Audience follow-up → What has changed in your life since February that you couldn't have predicted?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

• The Fire Horse Year – Lori’s reflection on the rare energy and intensity associated with this lunar year.
• Speaking More & Moving More – Lori’s two personal intentions for the year and how they evolved beyond their original meaning.
• The Connect – Lori’s community for women, which has grown largely through referrals.
• The Connect Retreat – Lori’s Hudson Valley retreat and the powerful response from the women who attended.
• The Next Right Step – Lori’s reminder that intentional action doesn't require knowing exactly where everything will lead.

✨ Reflection Prompts:

• What intentions did you set at the beginning of the year?
• What has happened since then that you never could have predicted?
• Where are you stronger than you were six months ago?
• Do you need to sprint right now—or do you need to rest?
• Are you currently in a room that values what you bring?
• What would happen if you trusted your next right step?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

• Ambitious women reflecting on their goals and direction
• Leaders navigating a season of change or transition
• Women who feel like they’ve lost sight of their original intentions
• High-achievers who need permission to slow down and reassess
• Anyone looking for more joy, movement, and possibility in the second half of the year

📩 Want to Go Deeper?

Follow Lori on LinkedIn or Instagram to continue the conversation.

• Explore Lori’s coaching, retreats, and community at loripine.com
• Consider joining Lori’s upcoming Hudson Valley retreat, October 14–16, for women ready to think differently about leadership and bring more joy into how they lead.

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

⭐️ Leave a five-star review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

📲 Share this episode with someone who needs a reminder to pause, take inventory, and trust what’s unfolding