Challenge is an invitation, not a failure

Welcome to Wisdom Wednesdays from Owl & Key

Each week, enjoy a quick guided reflection to help you unlock what's next and bring your Strategic Plan for Life into reality. 

Let's dive in!

What if we don’t walk away from the challenge?

What if, instead, we look it in the eye and dare to stay with it—not to fight it, not to resist it, but to intentionally work with it?

Challenge isn’t a sign of failure. It’s an invitation.

To go deeper.
To get stronger.
To come out different.

I once heard Abby Wambach and Glennon Doyle say something along the lines of:

“Conflict in a relationship isn’t a bad thing. In fact, the relationship strengthens when you lean into it together.”

I’ve never forgotten that.

This is as true for a personal challenge as it is for a relationship challenge.

Here’s what I know from living it:
You can design your life.
You can prioritize what matters.
You can be in nature all day.
And spend time with the people you love most.
You can meditate, exercise, hydrate, and build the most aligned vision you can imagine.

And challenges will still come.

What you do then is what determines the real outcome.

Expansion because of the hard stuff

In my own marriage with my partner, Phil, we’ve intentionally chosen a path of deep, intentional alignment—but that path has come with real challenges.

We’ve:

• Built businesses together.

• Raised two young boys through pandemic chaos.

• Custom-built a home at the same time.

• Navigated seasons of burnout, tension, and identity loss.

And we’ve wanted to walk away before.
But instead—we turned toward the tension.
We made the choice to say, “Let’s figure this out together.”

That doesn’t make the challenge disappear.
It transforms it.

This year, we’ve faced one of the hardest yet. But because of the foundation we’ve built—rooted in presence, honesty, and shared vision—we came through stronger than ever. Not just surviving… expanding.

This isn’t just about marriage.

It's about you.
It’s about work.
It’s about friendship.
It’s about teams.
It’s about us—as a society.

There are forces trying to pull us apart individually and collectively all the time.
But the greatest power we have is to stay open.
To pause the fight.
To choose listening, curiosity, and collaboration.

Because it’s not about what the other person - or the world - is doing.
It’s about how you choose to show up.

Your Reflection

• Where are you currently facing a challenge that you could approach with more openness and willingness?

• What might shift if you leaned in with someone or something rather than bracing against them/it?

Take one small action today that reflects who you want to be in that challenge and moves you forward, together.

💬 Final Thought

Conflict isn’t the end.
It’s a doorway.

You don’t have to walk through it alone. The Guides at Owl & Key specialize in coaching you to lean into the doorways that feel impossible to move through. We walk alongside you as you make intentional choices rooted in your own clarity

Because we've walked through them ourselves, and we KNOW the power of structure, support and community when navigating any conflict.

Let’s figure this out—together.

With warmth,

Krista

P.S. We're hosting a retreat in January for partners (couples, business partnerships, life-journey friendships, etc.) to boost alignment, deepen connection, create shared vision and fill our cups with lots of joy, collectively.

Want to join us?

Spots are limited, interest is high, and I want to keep those who want to join (and are meant to be there) in the loop. Respond to this email and let me know you want more details, and I'll send them your way when ready.

If you already let me know on LinkedIn, in-person or via email, I've got you down already. Be on the look out for more details here shortly. 💛

How we can walk alongside you...

If you're a leader trying to be more intentional with your family, your team, your time and priorities in 2026...

• Connect with our founder Krista ([email protected]) to explore a 1:1 Strategic Partnership, Retreats, Programs and Workshops.

If you're a Community Member or in a current Strategic Planning for Life Class...

• Bring your reflections from this email to the next Community Call or Class session to share with your Guide or a friend.

If you or someone you love is interested in entrepreneurship and want to make 2026 the year of an intentional leap...

• Join us for this upcoming live program - kicking off January 22!

If you're a DIYer and just want to dip your toe into being more intentional going into 2026...

• 📕 Buy the book
•  ⭐️ Schedule a 1:1 session
• 🖤 Join us in the UNLOCKED Community.