This quote by Michael Lee, Founder of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, has been sitting with me lately: “Our personal truth changes as we go through life, and so I believe it is important from time to time to ask ourselves what is really true for us now, as opposed to what might have been true in the past and are we living accordingly.”
This idea of challenging and reclaiming our sense of self feels more urgent than ever.
The truth is—we do not stay the same.
I’ve lived through work environments that tested me in ways I never imagined. I remember sitting at my desk late one night, staring at my screen, feeling a pit in my stomach that wouldn’t go away. I had spent months tiptoeing around a boss who created chaos and undermined me. I was managing a team that was stretched too thin with no assistance in sight. And every day I was putting out fires that never seemed to end. That night, I realized I was surviving, but not thriving and definitely not leading effectively. I was living in constant reaction, not alignment.
Another time, during a particularly intense project, I found myself holding back tears in a meeting. I was unable to voice my concerns out of fear of gaslighting and blame. My heart was pounding. I realized I was sacrificing my own truth due to this climate of fear.
I was so difficult for me to admit that survival in a toxic environment comes at a cost: energy, clarity, and, ultimately, my sense of self. Speaking up in these environments is HARD.
I had to really reflect and ask myself:
- What’s true for me now?
- What am I no longer willing to carry or compromise?
- What does living in alignment look like today versus last year or five years ago?
Authentic leadership starts here. It starts with self-reflection. At least for me.
It doesn’t begin with the perfect strategy, the next productivity hack, or a flawless plan. It begins with honest self-inquiry. It begins with the courage to meet ourselves exactly where we are—messy, uncertain, human.
For me, living in alignment meant making hard choices. Setting boundaries to include recovery time after meetings with certain leaders. Trusting my own voice even when it conflicted with the expectations of others. Learning from each of these experiences. Redefining success.
Recovery isn’t linear. Authenticity isn’t one-size-fits-all. We are all at different points in our journeys, navigating competing demands, expectations, and internal pressures. But the real work, the kind that sustains leaders, relationships, and organizations, is in continually returning to our truth and honoring it, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Living in alignment requires courage: the courage to admit that what once worked no longer serves, to release old patterns, and to create space for growth. It requires curiosity, patience, and self-compassion.
So today, I invite you to ask yourself, What’s true for you now? And…are you living accordingly?
Real leadership, the kind that lasts, begins not in strategy or success metrics, but in the quiet, persistent work of showing up as your authentic self. This is the type of leader I want to be.
I am willing to pause, reflect, and realign. And I continue this quiet questioning each day, even while unemployed.
This quiet persistent work continues each day, in the small decisions, the thoughtful pauses, and the courage to honor who you are becoming.
There are lessons everywhere, even in environments that challenge everything you thought you knew about yourself.