In the midst of her becoming, Shelly McNamara had a transformative dream about her sister, awakening her with a clear message: “It starts from the inside out.” Saying it aloud unveiled a realization that would go on to guide her journey: “I will not find happiness or peace unless it starts from within.” Chief Equality and Inclusion Officer at Procter & Gamble, Shelly writes about the heart of our human experience in her book, No Blanks, No Pauses. We discuss giving ourselves permission to live as our whole selves by cultivating unconditional love for ourselves and each other. Expanding our humanity is a central theme of Shelly’s mission. She invites us to take off our masks, consider that judgement is a two-way street, and accept that sometimes “the only way to begin again is to forgive.”