Vaxholm, Sweden (July 25, 2025)
Oh yes, the banana hat strikes again! Let me just hit that one right up front. Thank you again Amy Moser for lending me your hat so that I can bring this with me around the world like the Travelocity Gnome.
But banana hat aside, that is NOT what this day was about. It was just one of many, many fun elements we got to laugh about. So let me back up and start from the beginning. My absolute favorite part about traveling around the world is meeting up with amazing coaches like Christina Lindberg and Irina Gutu-Goransson. Whenever I’m given the opportunity, I love spending time in real life with coaches who share a passion for our craft a love for our gift to the world.
When I first reached out to Christina Lindberg on LinkedIn, I told her that I was coming to Stockholm and asked if she knew of other coaches in the area. Yes, she did, but unfortunately, in the month of July, many of them used this time of year to travel elsewhere in the world. One, however, lived in a spot that Christina had suggested we visit anyway. So, on the morning of Friday, July 25th, I met Christina in front of a ferry that would take us to the island of Vaxholm, Sweden, where Irina Gutu-Goransson currently lives and calls home year round.
Christina Lindberg and Bill Carmody on our ferry to Vaxholm, Sweden
The ride was a picturesque trip worthy of its own focus. Just sitting outside on the bench viewing all the incredible building as we floated by was worth the entire journey to the island of Vaxholm, Sweden. Here are the highlights:
While there are so many incredible buildings I could chat about, one in particular I’ll call your attention to is the hospital. Can you guess which of the above images is the Stockholm hospital? I’ll give you a hint. It’s so elaborate that it was once mistaken for a castle.
Stockholm Hospital. Not to shabby, right?
In any event, we knew that we had arrived when we reached the actual castle that was built to protect both the island of Vaxholm and as a strategic inlet to protect the city of Stockholm. In other words, “If you want to attack Stockholm, first you need to get past this castle on your way there!”
Strategic stronghold castle built to protect Stockholm quite aways away
This is where we docked and met up with Irina Gutu-Goransson who proceeded to take us on a tour of Vaxholm island. There were so many great pictures, here again I’ll group them together in a gallery so that you can focus on the ones that capture your attention. Just know, the island is really gorgeous and it’s easy to see why so many Swedish people like to vacation here in the summer.
We got to pop in and say hello to one of Irina’s daughters who was working at a local cafe.
Irina’s daughter introduces us to her boss working in the kitchen (below)
I love the family businesses on these islands. It’s the personal touch!
As we walked around the island, it was getting hot, so I asked if it would be okay if I went for a swim. No one had any objections. The water was much, much warmer than when I went into the Irish Sea.
For lunch, I had the most delicious Swedish Fish Stew. A sort of Lobster Bisque with muscles, white fish, sourdough bread, shrimp and all sorts of vegetables. Really hit the spot.
This dish was incredible. Happy to share the recipe when I get it from Irina.
We all cleaned our plates. Didn’t realize we were as hungry as we were!
And by the way, that’s one of the most fun parts of the day (for me at least). When we sit down, break bread and chat. It’s then that we really connect with each other and discover the journey that each of us are on (and how we’re not nearly as dissimilar as at first we might imagine). The more we discuss our passions and purpose, the more we discover our alignments. This is when I was suddenly able to share a fabulous book I had just finished that Nancy Cogswell had just given me last week while I was in Ealing.
The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier.
So while I’m generally opposed to accepting anything more than I need to as I’m traveling as light as I possibly can, when Nancy handed me The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier, she did so with context. She challenged me to see the depth of the simplicity of this book and how I might find my way of taking what I have done with my latest book, Sage Business Development and see if I couldn’t do the same thing. Challenge accepted, Nancy!
After starting the book, I couldn’t put it down. I’m on my second read — not for content, but for insights on how to apply the simplicity to my own work. Nancy is right. There’s something profound in the way Michael boils all of coaching down to just 7 questions anyone can ask and in a framework anyone can understand. If … no WHEN, I do the same for building a coaching business, I will have reached a new level of simplicity and provide even greater access to what I’ve built.
In the meantime, I know other coaches like Christina and Irina can also benefit from the wisdom that Michael shares, so passing it on was an easy thing to do.
What’s that? Time to wrap this blog post up? Got the message!
So after a few long good-byes to Irina, Christina and I took the ferry back to Stockholm and rather than ending the day there, the two of us had one last meal together. Christina shared a home-cooked meal that included raw salmon (with dill, a Swedish favorite), a Swedish cheese that she told me what the name meant, but I failed to write down (something about a commander? someone in charge?) and amazing salad.
Christina’s incredible courtyard to her apartment complex nearby to the ferry
It was a delightful end to an delightful day. I had such a wonderful time and THIS is why I love traveling the world. See the world? Sure. Meet incredible coaches all over the world? Now that’s the REAL reason I love traveling. Soon I’ll be off to Denmark for another adventure, but as I reflect on this perfect day in Sweden, I’m truly grateful for my life and the many, many coaches all over the globe that I am so fortunate to know and love.
When I get the deep and humbling privilege of spending time with these incredible human beings, I know I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing in the world and making exactly the contributions I’m supposed to be making. “Progress, not perfection” I know. But this day was about as close to perfect as they come.
Deep inhale as I breath in love. Hold that love inside of me. Then deep exhale as I release my heartfelt gratitude into the world. Thank you universe for guiding me to all the places I’m meant to be. I feel that interconnected oneness I’m meant to be feeling right now. Love. Courage. Abundance.
