Last year is telling you something

Most leaders rush into a new year eager to turn the page. Fresh goals. Fresh energy. A clean slate. And that makes sense. Last year may have been terrific, exhausting, exhilarating, disappointing—or simply hard.

But there’s a quiet danger in moving on too quickly: we miss what the year is teaching us— about us.

Look back at last year. What situations consistently depleted you? Which meetings, people, or decisions left you unusually tired or cynical? That depletion is not weakness; it’s information. Chronic exhaustion often points to misalignment—between your values and your role, your capacity and the expectations placed on you, or your authority and your accountability.

Many leaders normalize depletion as “just part of the job.” But endurance without reflection slowly hardens into resentment or numbness. Last year may have been showing you where something is no longer sustainable, even if you’ve been able to power through.

Endurance without reflection slowly hardens into resentment or numbness.

Pressure also reveals how we default when we’re stretched. When things got hard, what did you do? Step in too quickly? Withdraw? Become impatient or overly directive? Most leaders have a stress reflex, and last year likely exposed yours.

There were conversations last year that didn’t happen. Feedback that stayed muted. Boundaries that went unspoken. Truths you told yourself you would address “later." But avoidance has a cost. Over time, avoiding what needs to be said erodes something essential: self-trust. We begin to feel less grounded, less aligned, less certain of ourselves—not because we lack skill, but because we are no longer standing on our own truth.

Over time, avoiding what needs to be said erodes something essential.

These moments aren’t moral failures. They are windows into our core. How we lead when we’re tired is often more revealing than how we lead when things are going well. That version of ourselves requires understanding more than correcting.

And happily, not everything last year revealed was difficult.

Happily, not everything last year revealed was difficult.

What gave you energy? When were you “in the zone” or fully dialed in? How do we multiply that in the new year?

You may have surprised yourself. Perhaps you were steadier than you expected, or more patient under pressure. Maybe you discovered strengths you had quietly developed without naming them. Name them now.

The point of looking back is not to dwell or criticize. It’s to understand.

The point of looking back is not to dwell or criticize. It’s to understand. To integrate. Last year may be asking something of you now—crisper truths, clearer boundaries, fewer assumptions, more support, or even a willingness to let go.

A new years doesn’t change leaders. Attention does. What sentence in this post stuck out to you? Read it again. Last year is telling you something.

A New year doesn’t change leaders. Attention does.

Last year didn’t just happen to you. It happened for you. It shaped you. And it left guidance—subtle, patient, and available—about how to lead more truthfully in the year ahead. The invitation isn’t to be better. It’s to be more aware.

The invitation isn’t to be better. It’s to be more aware.

May 2026 be your best year yet.

You got this.