Here we are again, standing at the start of a brand new year! Are you entering it with excitement, possibility, pressure, fatigue or something else? Are you seeing it as a clean slate or are you just trudging onward?

Many people like to say: “new year, new you”. Personally, I prefer: “new year, truer you”.

That’s what interests me the most, not just for myself but for my coaching clients as well: to have the freedom to be ourselves in ALL our endeavors.

Have you ever thought about what that would look like for you?

How often do you feel that way already? How often do you not?

Perhaps you’ve never felt free to be yourself at work. Perhaps you doubt it can even happen. I guarantee you that it is possible and you can make 2026 the year your life and leadership become a better fit for who you are now (not who you were ten, five or even two years ago…and certainly not who others expect you to be!)

HOW FREE DO YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE?

The freedom to be yourself means that whatever is on your plate, you are able to:

• Bring your real self to work
• Lean into your natural talents and strengths
• Contribute your best without forcing yourself to fit someone else’s mold  

That’s how true leadership begins because when you do that, you encourage and inspire everyone around you to do the same.

The result is that the work gets done with more energy, more joy, and greater ease – even in the midst of challenges. Potential is maximized. Performance and job satisfaction improve.

Of course, true leadership requires courage. It’s about showing up in alignment with who you are and what you value, no matter what is going on!

Think about the situations where you feel the most pressure to hold back.

What are the conversations where you avoid saying what you really think?

What are the rooms where you “dial down” your voice?

What roles have you outgrown but keep performing because others still expect it?

What are the instances where you try to work the way you have been told to work, even if it feels exhausting to you?

Now think about what needs to change for you to step out of those habits and what resistance comes up when you think about making those changes.

RE-ALIGNING YOUR LEADERSHIP ROLE

The first thing is to get clear about who you really are. You might not even know. That’s ok. Or you might know but have learned to dismiss it or put limits on it.

In my coaching, I use assessments and tools that help reveal your true self back to you. My clients are often surprised by how seen they feel and how much possibility opens up once they have that clarity. This kind of self-validation is fun, powerful, and can even be life-changing, especially after years spent repressing your true self.

From there, we:

• Look at your unique strengths and how to use them more intentionally in your work
• Explore the roles and responsibilities that truly fit you and those that don’t
• Dissect the stories you are telling yourself about all the reasons why you can’t be yourself in different contexts.

We then strategize about the adjustments you can make in your role to have the freedom to be yourself and embrace your true leadership.

You will be surprised by how much you can shift even while honoring the existing structures that are in place in your job! If you are ready to make 2026 the year where your leadership and your life feel more aligned with who you really are, let’s talk.