My Work: Flying Lessons, Life Lessons, and Real Estate Under Pressure

I was recently listening to a podcast by Brené Brown where she shared a story about taking flight lessons in a Cessna with her father. It was their way of bonding — learning to fly while building trust and facing fear together.

It reminded me of my own experience.

My dad and I had a similar idea: flight lessons as a way to connect. My dad insisted I learn from a woman pilot. He found one — and she was no ordinary instructor. She was a senior pilot in search and rescue.

This wasn’t the calm, scenic kind of flying I had imagined.

After I studied the basics, we started logging hours. But instead of gradual lessons, she took a different approach. We'd go up in a Cessna, and mid-flight, she'd throttle the engine down until the plane stalled — and started nose-diving toward the ground.

“Pull up,” she’d say calmly, as I fought the yoke with everything I had.

When the plane finally caught air and transitioned into a glide, she’d turn the engine back on and carry on like it was just another day in the sky.

Looking back, I realize what she was teaching me: how to stay calm in freefall. How to focus, stay present, and regain control even when it feels like everything’s falling apart.

That experience lives in me — especially in my work with clients.

Not everyone moves because they want to. Life can shift suddenly — divorce, inheritance, job relocation, market pressure. I work with people going through turbulence, and I’ve learned how to stay focused, apply calm strategy, and help them pull their plane into a glide. Sometimes that’s what it takes to land safely.

If you're facing change — the kind that doesn't always come with a runway — I'm here to help you navigate it.

Moya Robinson REALTOR®️| COMPASS 510-575-0629 moya.robinson@compass.com | DRE#01776635