Life at Hidden Creek Estates
“The Great Chicken Rescue”
This month has been a little crazy here at Hidden Creek Estates.
Over the 4th of July, while most people were enjoying hot dogs and fireworks, I was out in the yard with my son-in-law chasing chickens through the trees.
It all started with our neighbors’ love for fireworks. Impressive, loud, and apparently terrifying to chickens. At dusk, I got a call from my son-in-law:
“Um… are the chickens supposed to be up in all these trees?”
No. No, they are not.
By that time of night, they’re usually tucked safely into their coop. But every time a firework went off, they panicked and flew higher, farther, scrambling for safety they already had. We spent the next hour running around like lunatics trying to coax terrified birds out of tree branches, all while they kept launching themselves into new “danger zones.”
Real Life Lesson
It hit me later how much we’re like those chickens sometimes.
How often do we panic in noise, react to fear, and fly in the wrong direction when safety, stability, and peace are right there if we could just breathe and return to center?
Confidence isn’t always about charging forward. Sometimes it’s about recognizing safety when we see it, and having the discipline to stay grounded in it.
If life feels loud right now, ask yourself:
- Am I chasing calm or running from fear?
- Is safety already available if I just stop and look for it?
Here’s to not getting stuck in the trees. Again.
Confidence & Leadership: A Full Circle Moment
About a month ago, I got a call from a former employee. She started with: “First, I need to apologize for my behavior and thank you for not giving up on me.”
She explained how back when we worked together, she thought she was a great leader. I just didn’t see it. In reality, she was constantly defensive, overanalyzing every email, and spiraling over tone and intent.
I’d send a quick note: “The order didn’t arrive, please follow up.” And she’d spend the day wondering if I was mad at her.
She wasn’t leading, she was stuck in her own head. Paralysis by analysis.
Now that she’s managing her own team, she’s facing the same challenge from another employee. It made her realize the growth she’s gone through and what it took to get there.
She asked, “How did you know whether to let me go or keep investing in me?”
And I told her:
“There were days I didn’t know. But every time I was about to give up, I saw one small sign of growth. That’s what I held onto. And now look at you.”
She said it changed not just her career, but her life.
What Real Confidence Looks Like
Confidence isn’t ego.
It’s emotional stability in motion.
It’s the ability to receive feedback without spiraling. To lead without controlling.
To believe you are still growing even when you’re not perfect yet.
And when you’re a leader, you have to decide:
Is this person resisting or simply afraid? Are they growing, even just a little?
Sometimes, that small shift is everything.
Your Challenge This Month
Ask yourself:
- What’s toxic in your life right now? If it drains you constantly, it’s not just annoying, it’s toxic. And toxicity leaks into everything you care about. Start taking steps, even small ones, to protect your peace.
- Are you a good leader? The work of building confidence isn’t always glamorous. The work of building confidence isn’t always glamorous. But it is the foundation for peace, purpose, and real progress.