In this episode of Courage is Built Here, Justine opens Pathway Three, Be Fully You, with a powerful conversation about authenticity, vulnerability, and trusting yourself enough to show up as who you really are. She invites her longtime client and friend, Chel’Lee Whitten, assistant superintendent at Bayless School District, to talk about what it means to stop playing small and step into the spaces where you already belong.
Chel’Lee shares her journey of stepping into a major leadership role while still battling the old stories of being too much or not enough. She talks about the years of feeling like an outlier and how hearing the words “You were hired to be you” slowly shifted something inside her. Through a challenging school year, personal growth, and staying grounded in her core values of love and knowledge, she began to trust that she truly belonged in the spaces she leads.
Together, Justine and Chel’Lee explore what it looks like to keep promises to yourself, practice consistency, and reclaim self-worth through small daily actions. They talk about showing up for yourself so you can show up well for others, rewriting stories spoken over you, leading with presence and curiosity, and allowing silence to be an act of courage instead of something you rush to fill. Throughout the episode, they return to themes of authenticity, values, self-trust, and how being fully you creates room for others to grow too.
Key Takeaways
- Pathway Three, Be Fully You, asks you to bring your whole self into the spaces you move through, even when you feel the pressure to shrink.
- Old stories like “you are a lot” or “you do not belong” can follow you into adulthood unless you name them and rewrite them.
- Leadership becomes more grounded when you stay rooted in your values and show up with presence, curiosity, honesty, and accountability.
- Keeping promises to yourself builds confidence and self-trust, which strengthens your ability to show up authentically.
- Silence can be an act of courage when you no longer feel the need to fill every space to prove yourself.
- Authenticity in leadership allows others to access your strengths and learn from you, which grows the community as a whole.
- Rewriting negative narratives from childhood or past environments is essential when claiming your worth and stepping into who you are.
- Practicing the pause, resting, and honoring your limits helps prevent burnout and supports long term impact.
- You cannot love others well if you are not loving yourself well first.
About the guest
Chel’Lee Whitten is the assistant superintendent at Bayless School District in St. Louis. She is a thoughtful, values driven leader who centers love, curiosity, and growth in her work with staff, students, and the wider community. Chel’Lee is passionate about helping others step into their gifts and believes deeply in the power of authenticity, presence, and courageous leadership.
