Happy New Year!
Hopefully you rang in the new year with a glass of bubbly, a mocktail, or something delicious. Whether you stayed up until midnight or fell asleep on the couch early, a new year is still worth celebrating, especially after the wild ride that was 2025.
This time of year naturally invites reflection. I have shared before that I do not do traditional New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I think in terms of experiments. Things to try, notice, and adjust as the year unfolds.
Alongside that, I spend time reflecting both individually and with leadership coaching clients. That reflection is a mix of curiosity, imagination, and intention. Over time, I have found this approach creates perspective and meaningful insight, especially when the path forward feels busy or uncertain.
These reflections are directional. Less about checking boxes. More about noticing patterns.
Because let’s be honest, it can be hard to reflect and dream when the days blur together and there is already so much to do. We tell ourselves we will think about it later, but later rarely shows up with a blank calendar and a clear head.
Here is how I think about it.
Leadership
One of my favorite reflections to use with coaching clients starts with a simple but powerful question.
If we fast forward to 2026 and you could watch yourself from a bird’s eye view, what would you see?
Not your title.
Not your goals on paper.
But the version of you we would notice in the in between moments.
What would you be thinking about more often and less often?
How would you be spending your time and energy when no one is watching?
How would your team experience you in meetings, conversations, and decisions?
Then the lens widens.
How would your team be operating together?
More aligned? More intentional? Clearer communication?
Less burnout and more momentum?
Who would you be learning from, getting feedback from, and surrounding yourself with?
What skills or perspectives would you be actively developing?
I like this approach because it mirrors real leadership. Growth rarely shows up all at once. It shows up in how meetings run, how quickly tension gets addressed, and whether people feel clear or confused when they walk out of a conversation.
This kind of reflection is not about pressure or perfection. It is about giving yourself permission to imagine who you want to be and how you want to show up before the calendar fills up and habits take over.
Because the future version of you and your team does not happen by accident.
It is shaped by the choices you make today and the ripple effect of those choices over time.
If this reflection resonates, hit reply and let me know. I am happy to send you the guided worksheets, one for individual leaders and one designed for teams, to help you explore this more intentionally.
Life
I feel the same way about life.
Life does not operate in clean lines. Work demands, family needs, school schedules, and energy levels all overlap.
So instead of asking, What do I want to accomplish this year? I ask something more directional.
If I looked ahead to 2026, how would I want my life to feel?
Less rushed? More present?
More laughter in the margins?
More energy at the end of the day?
When I imagine that future version of life, I am not thinking about big dramatic changes. I am thinking about small patterns. What mornings feel like. How often I am truly listening. Whether my calendar reflects what I say matters.
This reflection gives me permission to notice where I am stretched too thin and where I want to protect time, energy, and joy more intentionally.
Not to overhaul everything.
Just to choose a few things with purpose.
It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
P.S. If you are starting the year feeling a little foggy or stretched, you are not behind, you are human. Hit reply if you would like the leadership, team, and life reflection worksheets. They are designed to create direction without adding pressure.
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Have Good Ripple Effect in the New Year,
Lisa