Summary:
In this reflective and grounding solo episode, I invite you to pause and take a powerful year-end inventory—one that goes beyond goals, metrics, and checklists. Inspired by the symbolism of the Year of the Snake, I explore what it really means to shed what no longer fits: outdated habits, misaligned roles, relationships, and identities that quietly drain our energy.
As I look ahead to the action-driven fire energy of 2026, I share personal reflections from my own life—including divorce, career shifts, and the intentional pauses I had to take along the way. This episode is a reminder that transformation isn’t about rushing forward—it’s about creating space so we don’t carry old baggage into new chapters.
If you’re standing on the edge of a new season and want to enter it with clarity instead of chaos, this episode is for you.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
Leadership Requires Inventory, Not Just Intention
I believe real growth begins when we take stock of what we’ve outgrown—not just what we want next.
Audience follow-up → What did you carry through 2025 that no longer serves who you’re becoming?
Shedding Creates Space for Alignment
Like the snake, I’ve learned that leaders must release old skins to grow. Letting go creates the energetic and emotional room needed for transformation.
Audience follow-up → Where are you holding on out of habit instead of alignment?
Pause Before the Pivot
I share how major life changes in my own journey required intentional reflection—so I didn’t bring unresolved patterns into new beginnings.
Audience follow-up → What do you need to process before you move forward?
Harness the Energy of What’s Coming
The fire energy of 2026 calls for focus, action, and passion—but only after we’ve cleared what’s outdated.
Audience follow-up → What deserves your full energy next year—and what doesn’t?
Reflection Is a Leadership Skill
I don’t see reflection as passive—I see it as preparation. Leaders who pause and look inward lead with more clarity, purpose, and power.
Audience follow-up → How often do you intentionally slow down to reflect as a leader?
🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:
- The symbolism of the Year of the Snake and the power of shedding
- The energetic shift into 2026 and its fire-driven leadership theme
- My personal reflections on divorce, career transitions, and intentional pauses
- The practice of taking a year-end leadership inventory
✨ Reflection Prompts:
- What did you release in 2025—by choice or by force?
- What space did that release create in your life or leadership?
- How do you want to feel as you step into the next season?
- What must stay behind so you can move forward lighter?
🧠 Who This Episode Is For:
- Leaders navigating transition, endings, or new beginnings
- Entrepreneurs and executives preparing for a new year with intention
- Anyone feeling the urge to reset, realign, or start fresh
- Women leaders ready to lead with clarity, not carryover
📩 Want to Go Deeper?
Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation
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