Dec. 3, 2025 - Building Your Expedition Team for “What’s Next”

We all have goals that matter - dreams that pull at us even when life feels busy, overwhelming, or heavy.

But when we try to carry everything alone, progress becomes slower, heavier… and lonelier.

Sometimes what unlocks movement isn’t more effort - it’s a shift in perspective, a few gentle reflections. a metaphor that opens a new door.

In this article, I’ll guide you through the reflective process I use in my Coaching-Infused Conversations - calm, imaginative, and quietly powerful.

Each reflection is an invitation: pause for a moment, breathe, let your mind wander... 🌿

By the end, you’ll have one small action you can take today (and then repeat the process!), and a clearer sense of the support system that can help you move forward.

Ready? Let’s begin!

🏔️ If Your Goal Was an Expedition… What Would It Look Like?

Take a moment. Breathe.

Think of a challenge or goal you’re struggling with - something important, something you care about deeply.

Now let your mind paint it as an expedition:

climbing a peak
uncovering a hidden treasure
crossing a forest
mapping underground caves

There’s no “correct” metaphor.

Whatever comes first is enough - metaphors help your mind see new angles.

✨ Pause and reflect: If your goal were an expedition, what image appears for you? And why might that image matter?

🧭 Imagine You’ve Completed the Expedition: Who Would You Thank?

Close your eyes for a moment.

Picture yourself at the end of your expedition: accomplished, relieved, proud.

You’ve made it!

Now reflect: Who would you thank for helping you get there?

Not perfect answers - just your first instinct.

Notice who appears:

A guide
A strategist
A companion
A cheerleader
A problem-solver
Someone who helps you see what’s hidden
Someone who steadies you when you wobble

✨ Pause and reflect: Who would stand beside you at the “summit” of your goal? And what role would they play?

My own reflection: When I do this exercise with my goal (expanding and refining my workshops), I imagine thanking:

A Map Drawer - an expert helping me shape the flow.
A Guide - someone helping me see beyond my blind spots.
A Companion - a friend who simply walks with me.

🌄 Who Is Already Part of Your Expedition Team?

Come back to the present.

Look around your real life: Who (or what!) is already supporting you?

Your team might include:

your friends
colleagues who believe in you
mentors
writers, podcasters or speakers
fictional characters who give you courage
technology (including AI) that helps you think, plan, or gain perspective

✨ Pause and reflect: Who is already part of your support system, even quietly? And how do you feel about your current team?

When I look at my own life, I see:

supportive friends
coaches who help me think differently
a lot of “theory” about workshops (articles, podcasts, mini-courses)

And yet… I realized I’d reached a plateau. Helpful, yes - but not enough for where I want to go next.

What about you?

🧩 Who Is the One Member You Want to Add Next?

Now that you’ve explored future and present, turn toward possibility.

Who is one person or role you’d like to add (or replace) in your support system?

Choose based on attraction, ease, urgency, alignment…

Just make sure it's your choice - not what others say you “should” need!

✨ Pause and reflect: Who is the single next teammate you’d want beside you on your expedition?

For me, it was clear: I needed an expert, not more theory - someone who could help deepen and strengthen the flow of my workshops.

🌱 What Three Actions Could Bring This Person Into Your Life?

This part is playful brainstorming: possibility, not pressure!

What three actions could you take (now or later) to bring this support into your life?

Think wide:

sending a message
researching someone
asking for a referral
joining a group or community
exploring training
using AI to clarify your needs

✨ Pause and reflect: What are three actions you could take - even if you’re not ready for them yet?

When I did this myself, I came up with:

Get a consultant to help design workshop flow
Take specialized training
Use AI to explore best practices while keeping my personal voice

✨ Choose One Action to Explore First

You don’t need all three.

Just one.

Choose the one that feels right: the easiest, the most energizing, the one calling your name…

✨ Pause and reflect: Which action feels like the right doorway to open first?

I chose using AI - a gentle, approachable place to begin.

☕ And Now… What Can You Do Today?

This is where quiet reflection becomes self-leadership.

Look at your chosen action and ask:

“What is one thing I can do today to begin?”

Not a big leap - just a small, doable step with what you already have.

Examples:

spend 10 minutes exploring
draft a message
research one resource
schedule time in your calendar
set a reminder

✨ Pause and reflect: What tiny step could you take today - before life sweeps you back up?

Small is powerful.

Small builds momentum.

Small is how your expedition truly begins.

🔭 Imagine Both Futures

Reflect on this gently: If you take today’s small step - how might you feel?

For many people, it’s like a door opening slightly. A little light. A little space.

Now imagine:

taking one step each week
building a bit more support
feeling less alone and more resourced

Where might you be in three months? Six?

And now the other side: Imagine doing nothing.

You look up months later… and nothing has changed.

✨ Pause and reflect: Which version of yourself do you want to choose?

The Quiet Power of Reflection, Perspective, and Self-Leadership

These reflections are simple - but they open something profound.

A sense of clarity.

A sense of possibility.

A reminder that support is not a luxury - it’s part of every meaningful journey!

And although you can walk alone, you don’t have to.

Working with someone - a coach, a companion, an expert - gives structure, momentum, and accountability that accelerate your progress.

That’s the heart of self-leadership:

You choose the direction.
You take the step.
You build the team that carries you forward.

🌿 Want to Keep Moving? Stay Connected!

If these reflections helped you see your challenge differently, here are a few ways to continue:

📬 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: for practical coaching insights and reflection prompts.

🍳 Join an upcoming event: to explore topics like this in an interactive setting.

🤝 Or let’s go deeper together - book a free 30-minute call with me to explore how I could support you on your next steps

I’m Christelle Soto-Suarez, Self-Leadership Awakener and founder of Pistachio-Cassis Coaching.

I help thoughtful mid-level professionals move from feeling quietly stuck to leading their life and career with clarity, confidence, and calm - one small step at a time.