Not 'do' the change!

So many of us have spent years doing everything “right” - we've followed the rules. We've done well - even if your negative voice only allows you to think 'you've done ok'. But you have been climbing, achieving, and most of all - holding it all together - only to realise somewhere along the way, we’ve given too much of ourselves away.

We’ve tied our identity to job titles, results, and reputation, believing that’s what it takes to belong and find approval.

Our sense of importance tightly linked to performance and progress.

And now we realise something is missing We crave something softer now - more human connection, more meaning, more space to breathe - 'freedom' comes to mind and yet we still feel caught inside a system built on outdated rules.

The trap is believing we only have two choices: endure it and keep going, or walk away and start again somewhere else.

Both can feel terrifying. Both can leave us just as lost.

But what if there’s another way?

One that begins not with leaving, but with leading yourself differently - from truth, not from fear.

What if the change you long for at work isn’t something to wait for, but something you create?

We all want to feel purposeful, free, as well as connected - yet the pace of the working world rather isolates us and rarely allows us to pause long enough for us to catch our breath, let alone reflect.

That’s why finally seeing yourself as a valuable, unique and capable human being instead of looking at yourself as the functioning ‘do-er’ changes how you show up, what you say yes to, and what you allow.

‘Choosing’ isn’t selfish - it’s essential.

Even though no one ever taught us.

After thirty years in the corporate world, I’ve learned one thing: no one will hand you the work-life balance you want. You create it by backing yourself - with care, compassion and courage to take ownership of yourself.

For me, that began with the small things.

Seeing myself, instead of just looking at myself.

Choosing how I wanted to feel.

Establishing a routine that involved me.

And I’d always longed for more flexibility; the rigid 9-5 never suited the way I work best. So I started to shape my days around what supported me - not what was expected.

Four days instead of five - increased my energy and my focus.

Tuesday meetings instead of Monday morning chaos - for more energy and engagement.

Tiny adjustments, but each one said: my needs matter too?

Just because something has “always been done this way” doesn’t mean it should stay that way.

You can lead yourself from within, not by outdated rules - gently, clearly, creatively - and begin to notice a shift.

It breaks my heart how many brilliant women I meet who carry the weight of a culture that was never designed for them.

We blame the system, the workload, the boss - and yes, those things can be real and hard - but the deeper truth is this: we’ve forgotten ourselves and the power we already hold.

You are not trapped by your job. You are trapped by the belief that you can’t choose differently.

You don’t need to fight harder or shrink smaller.

You simply need to start seeing yourself as the leader of your own life.

My turning point came when I stopped treating myself like a machine built to perform and started seeing myself as a whole person - with feelings, rhythms, and limits that deserved respect.

I didn’t have to quit to feel free.

The change began when I changed how I saw me.

For years I’d worn “high performer, German efficiency and busy - multi-tasker” like a badge of honour, but inside I felt empty and lost, constantly chasing a sense of arrival that never came.

The day I chose to back myself - to trust my own rhythm and intuition - I stopped waiting for permission and started leading my life from the inside out. And weirdly - the 'arrival' followed shortly after.

Now, I help corporate professionals do the same - to lead themselves in a way that feels aligned, kind, and real.

True change doesn’t always come from walking away.

Sometimes it begins right where you are - in a single, brave moment of honesty with yourself.

Ask questions that open space rather than close it:

• If I could work and lead myself in a way that feels good to me, what would that look like?

• Where can I bring more of myself into my work without fear of judgment?

• What small shift would make me feel more alive this week?

• Can I give myself permission to "let go"?

You don’t have to wait for the system to evolve before you do.

Change doesn’t begin in the boardroom - it begins in your own awareness.

Back yourself. Breathe. Choose what feels true.

Because when you lead yourself differently, everything around you begins to move too.

Book a complimentary call here and let’s get you backing yourself.