By David Cicerchi There's a particular feeling that many of my clients know well. You want to move forward. You want to transform, grow, show up fully in your relationships, your work, your life. And yet — you keep falling back into the same pattern. A trigger hits, and suddenly you're in shame, contraction, fear, anxiety. The spiral begins again. This is the false self at work. What Is the False Self? Before I explain the false self, let me say something about what it's obsc

Sensemaking, self, and transformation in a time of unraveling by David Cicerchi As I discussed in Part 1 of this series , we are living in a time of fragmentation. In the external world, we see polarization, disconnection, burnout, and isolation. In our internal world, many feel a constant sense of not-enoughness, a persistent fear of being unseen, unloved, or irrelevant. This is not merely a collection of individual issues—it’s a civilizational condition. It’s what Dr. Mar

A Leadership Aperture Coaching series for HR leaders navigating the current leadership context If you’re an HR leader watching your managers and directors strain under the pace of change—more volatility, more ambiguity, more pressure—you’re not imagining it. Many leaders are trying to meet a “new world” with an “old operating system.” And that gap is showing up everywhere: slower decisions, brittle cultures, rising conflict avoidance, and a growing sense that leaders are “in

Leadership, love, and meaning in a time of unraveling by David Cicerchi Okay, here I go. I'm doing this blog post because with the complexity and pace of change, it's sometimes easier for me to talk—or type— things through in order to make sense of them—especially things that matter. My intention for this writing is to make sense of the question of "Who am I?" in a world that’s unraveling, where we don't collectively know who we are. And the truth is, we are  unraveling. As a

By David Cicerchi, Leadership Aperture Coach Have you ever had a team member who is absolutely brilliant at the details—executing flawlessly, hitting deadlines, pushing projects forward—but who also criticizes people when things don’t go well? Someone who takes credit for everything that goes right and blames others when it doesn’t? Someone who creates a kind of toxic team culture without even realizing it? You might look at this person and think: He’s not a team player… but

By David Cicerchi, Certified Leadership Aperture Coach We all hit a wall, when we simply can't move forward. What we do next is everything. Do you ever hit a wall? When your brain simply refuses to function, your body slows to a stop, and your usual drive just… disappears? I had one of those days recently. I was trying to create a piece of content—something I do regularly and usually love. But no matter how hard I pushed, I couldn’t focus. My creativity dried up. My mind jus

By David Cicerchi Certified Leadership Aperture Coach See www.leadershipaperture.com As leaders in the typical organization, we’re taught to control our emotions. Be composed. Stay calm under pressure. But what if that approach—while often necessary—is only part of the picture? In times of complexity and volatility, emotional regulation isn’t just about keeping it together. It’s about tuning your emotional aperture to fit the needs of moment. That’s the power of the Leadershi

We live in a world of contraction. Look around. We're constantly seduced—consciously or unconsciously—by a culture of separation, lack,...

By David Cicerchi, Certified Leadership Maturity Coach   Today, I want to talk with you about something most people experience—but few...

By David Cicerchi, Certified Leadership Maturity Coach Today I’m excited to share a new chapter in my work as a leadership maturity...

Most people think leadership coaching is about helping someone change their behaviors or beliefs. And that’s part of it. But the primary...

There comes a time when the way you've been doing things—your strategies, your goals, even your sense of identity—just don't feel as...

This is an interesting topic, that keeps coming up in conversations I’m having and in the world around me. It’s about waking up  and...

David Cicerchi What does it mean to be a leader? Many define leadership through concepts like influence, vision, or effective...

We live in a world filled with pain and uncertainty. Anxiety, overwhelm, loss, illness, financial instability, and political...

How do we face a world that seems to have gone a little mad? There is so much disruption, so much uncertainty, and so much change. The...

Have you ever felt stuck in your relationships—like something is off, but you can't quite put your finger on it? Maybe you feel unseen,...

Discovering a New Story for Humanity: Embracing the Unique Self How did you get to be this way? Why are so many people around you in...

Unlock New Possibilities for Your Unique Life in a Bit More One Hour Have you ever felt held back by the stories you tell yourself? The...

Why Stories Matter I have a story to tell.  It’s about toothpaste.  I have a story that I must get more toothpaste when the tube runs...