Yes, I do.

I founded a radio station, I teach self-defense and combat fitness, and I lead several teams, training students at the station, coaching people at the gym, and mentoring youth in leadership programs. Leadership, to me, carries an ethical responsibility: to understand that leadership is not linear.
It is incredibly challenging. It requires walking the line between honoring your lived experience and sharing lessons from it, while being careful not to project your own mistakes or biases onto others.

People often seek leaders to guide them on paths they feel uncertain about, but they should also be reminded that choosing to follow that path was an act of self-leadership in itself. True leadership involves empowering others to see the steps they have taken on their own.

I deeply believe in finding the right fit in any leadership or mentorship relationship. I have experienced both ends, being a mentor who could not quite connect with someone, and being a mentee left discouraged by leadership that did not align with me. The right fit matters. A good leader listens deeply and never stops learning.

It is also crucial to know when to step back. If the connection is not there, it is not failure. It is an act of care to support someone’s journey even if it means they move forward without you. For example, during one of my fitness challenges, a woman came to me with very specific goals. We discussed them, and I realized they were outside my scope. I told her, “The good news is your goals are absolutely achievable. The bad news is that I am not the right person to guide you there.” We found another trainer who could, and she left feeling strong and validated.

Sometimes, it is knowing when not to lead that defines good leadership. True impact comes from supporting someone’s growth, not from needing to be the one who gets the credit.

So yes, I do see myself as a leader. But more importantly, I see myself as someone who will always keep learning, listening, growing, and passing what I learn on to others who are seeking their own path to leadership.

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5 Grit & Glow Leadership Tips

1. Lead with Curiosity, Not Ego
Stay open. Ask questions. Assume there is always something more to learn, even from those you lead.

2. Be the Anchor, Not the Spotlight
Provide stability when things get hard, but do not need to be the loudest voice in the room. Quiet strength speaks volumes.

3. Hold Space for Growth
Offer guidance, but also leave room for others to stumble, adapt, and discover their own way forward.

4. Model Resilience and Recovery
Show your team what grit looks like through effort, and what glow looks like through rest, reflection, and bounce-back.

5. Choose Impact Over Credit
Focus on the ripple effect of your actions, not the recognition. The best leaders create more leaders, not more followers.

Read that last one again. The best leaders create more leaders, not more followers! It is very important to create pathways and not roadblocks for people who seek you out in a leadership role or mentorship role.