Bittersweet Beginnings: Reflections on Resilience & Leading Through Change

Stepping into 2025, I find myself reflecting on the bittersweet nature of the holidays and the start of this new year.

For me, this season has been marked by unexpected loss, personal challenges, and moments of deep contemplation. As the holidays approached, I experienced the heartache of losing two family members and two very dear friends. Adding to the complexity, I underwent extensive shoulder surgery, which has been a reminder of the importance of patience and healing. And as the calendar turned to January, we laid to rest family, and now left grappling with the devastating wildfires that displaced so many, including close friends. Amid these challenges, it has felt difficult to celebrate the promise of a new year.

Yet, even in these moments of uncertainty and grief, I am reminded of the critical work we are called to do as leaders. Leadership is not just about celebrating wins or navigating the predictable; it’s about recognizing change, embracing the discomfort it often brings, and equipping ourselves to guide others through it. It is about creating safe spaces for people to grieve, to rebuild, and ultimately, to grow.

This year, I’m leaning into that truth with even greater intention. The work I do with leaders has always been centered on transformation and resilience. These recent experiences have further solidified my belief that effective leadership requires both strength and vulnerability. It requires us to acknowledge what has been lost while simultaneously holding a vision for what can be rebuilt. It calls us to show up even when the ground beneath us feels unsteady and to extend compassion, clarity, and courage to those we lead.

For those of you leading teams, businesses, families, or communities, I encourage you to consider what it means to lead in times of change.

How can you create environments where people feel safe to process their emotions while also finding the motivation to move forward?

How can you model resilience, not by pretending everything is fine, but by showing how to navigate uncertainty with grace?

As I continue my work with leaders this year, these questions will guide me. Whether it’s through coaching, facilitating conversations, or helping organizations design strategies for growth, my focus remains on equipping leaders to lead with authenticity and purpose. My hope is that together, we can build stronger, more compassionate communities that honor both the struggles and the possibilities of this moment.

I invite you to join me on this journey.

Let’s commit to being leaders who recognize the power of change, who see loss as an opportunity for renewal, and who inspire those around us to rise even in the face of difficulty. 

Here’s to a year of resilience, renewal, and leadership with courage, confidence, and grace.