Reclaiming Yourself In a World That Constantly Pulls You Away
Welcome. I’m Marilyn Gist
Helping thoughtful people remain themselves while staying deeply connected to others
Relational Courage: practices that make this possible
Relational courage is not loud.
It doesn’t require grand gestures or bravado.
It’s the everyday bravery of choosing presence over rushing,
truth over pretending,
boundaries over resentment,
repair over distance.
It is the skill set — and the heart set — that allows individuals and leaders to create relationships where people feel safe, respected, and seen.
This work is my life’s calling. It lives in my writing, my teaching, and my book on leader humility. And it’s woven into each conversation I have with the people I serve.
My Guiding principles
I believe courage can be quiet.
I believe tenderness is a form of strength.
I believe boundaries are acts of love.
I believe repair is possible — and necessary — in every human life.
And I believe our world is healed most through how we relate to one another, one moment at a time.
Begin Here: My Weekly Essays
Modern life pulls us in countless directions. It asks us to react quickly, carry more than we should, stay constantly informed, and meet competing demands at work, at home, and in public life. Over time, it becomes easy to lose perspective, lose proportion, and lose touch with ourselves.
Every Tuesday, I publish The Gist of It — short essays for thoughtful people seeking greater clarity, steadiness, and self-trust. Through stories, reflection, and practical wisdom, the essays explore how we remain fully ourselves while staying meaningfully connected to others.
Readers often tell me the essays help them find language for experiences they couldn't quite name, regain perspective during difficult seasons, and reconnect with what they already know but may have lost sight of.
Topics include relationships, boundaries, belonging, repair, leadership, discernment, and the challenges of staying human in complicated times.
If you’d like to receive them directly in your inbox, you can subscribe below.
Marilyn Gist
Award-winning author and educator
25 years leadership
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About Me
For more than 25 years, I’ve taught and coached leaders at major companies and institutions, including the University of Washington, Seattle University, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Across thousands of conversations, I’ve come to see that many capable people struggle not with skill, but with the relational challenges that make life meaningful: presence, boundaries, honesty, repair, and the courage to be fully seen.
My work now focuses on helping people cultivate a grounded, humane way of relating that I call Relational Courage. Those who practice it are recognized for their clarity, steadiness, and genuine connection.
I write, speak, and consult on Relational Courage. You can read my weekly essays, The Gist of It, or explore my book and speaking work to learn more.
Three Ways I Can Help You
Here are the core places where my work lives today. Each is designed to support you in cultivating clarity, steadiness, and deeper connection in your life and leadership.
The Gist of It
Weekly Essays on Relational Courage
Every Tuesday, I share a short, reflective essay designed to offer a moment of grounding amidst the pace of modern life. These pieces explore themes such as presence, boundaries, emotional honesty, repair, and the inner work that allows us to relate with more wisdom and less fear.
If you’re looking for a steadier, more humane way to show up in your relationships and leadership, this is a good place to begin.
My Book
The Extraordinary Power of Leader Humility
Winner of the Best Business Minds Book Award 2024
This award-winning book brings together years of leadership research, executive experience, and human insight to show how humility transforms the way people lead. It offers a practical, deeply humane model for creating organizations where people feel respected, engaged, and able to thrive.
If you’re curious how relational courage translates into leadership practice, this book is the foundation.
Speaking & Workshops
Bringing Relational Courage to Organizations
I work with companies, conferences, and leadership teams to explore what relational courage looks like in real organizational life. My talks and workshops focus on presence under pressure, the discipline of boundaries, navigating repair, and building cultures where people can bring both competence and humanity to the work.
If your organization is seeking a more grounded, connected, and effective way to lead together, I’d love to talk.
Contact
For Keynote Addresses:
For Press Inquiries, Retreats, and Workshops:
Marilyn@marilyngist.com