Over the course of my career, I’ve experienced the exhilarating rush of leadership: climbing ladders, achieving goals, and thriving in roles that stretched me to grow. Yet, within this momentum, I’ve also learned to listen to the quieter callings of change—the whispers of something more fulfilling, the curiosity to redefine success, and the courage to leap into the unknown.
This manifesto is deeply personal. It’s the reflection of my journey: my sabbaticals, career breaks, and, most recently, my voluntary decision to join the Great Resignation to craft a profoundly intentional second half of life. These experiences have shaped my understanding of leadership—not just in the professional realm, but in the way we lead ourselves.
This is more than a manifesto. It’s an invitation for you to step into your full potential by embracing three essential pillars of growth: personal leadership, emotional intelligence, and resilience. These aren’t just skills—they’re the foundation of meaningful leadership and transformation.
For ambitious women leaders, embracing change isn’t a detour; it’s an act of power. Here’s what I’ve learned:
Change Is the Catalyst for Growth
In leadership, we’re taught to plan, execute, and measure outcomes. But life has a way of challenging even the best-laid plans. Over time, I’ve realized that transitions—whether chosen or imposed—are not disruptions but opportunities to grow beyond the boundaries of who we thought we were.
Taking a sabbatical once felt indulgent, but it became one of the most transformational seasons of my life. It gave me the space to reconnect with my strengths and realign with my vision. Stepping away didn’t mean stepping back; it was a leap forward into a future filled with greater clarity and purpose. Every step away from the familiar was an invitation to grow.
Resilience Is Built in the In-Between Spaces
Resilience isn’t forged in moments of triumph—it grows in the in-between spaces. Breaks and career transitions are rarely linear. They are messy, introspective, and uncertain moments that make you question your choices, your decisions, and sometimes even your direction.
Years later, I took a career break and found myself wrestling with doubts: Am I wasting time? Will this gap derail my career? What’s next? These questions, uncomfortable as they were, became my greatest teachers. They pushed me to honor the process of growth, trust my intuition, and lean into the discomfort of the unknown.
Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back—it’s about growing through what you’ve experienced. It’s about using those hard seasons to fuel your next chapter. In the end, those in-between spaces taught me that growth isn’t linear, but it is always worth it
Redefining Success Is an Act of Courage
For too long, success was defined for me—titles, paychecks, and accolades. But over time, I’ve learned that true success isn’t external. It’s deeply personal. It’s about alignment—designing a life that reflects your values, priorities, and sense of purpose.
Twice now, I’ve chosen to leave executive roles to honor my vision of success. Each time, it meant walking away from financial security, prestige, and a clear path forward. But it also meant saying yes to authenticity, creativity, and freedom. For any woman in leadership, redefining success is not a betrayal of ambition; it’s about embracing the kind of ambition that serves your highest self.
What does success look like for you when no one else is watching? That’s the question that changed everything for me.
Transitions Are a Leadership Practice
Leading through change isn’t just a professional skill—it’s a lesson in balancing disruption and stability. My transitions taught me to approach life with the same intentionality and strategy I brought to leading teams and organizations. I discovered that navigating change requires a clear process, one that anchors you while guiding you forward.
Here’s what that practice looks like:
Reimagine: What’s no longer serving you, and where is change calling you forward?
Illuminate: What are the best parts of who you are that you can leverage?
Strategize: What’s the boldest, most aligned version of your future?
Elevate: What small, intentional steps will you take today to create momentum and make it real?
Transitions are not detours; they’re opportunities to apply leadership to your own life. By using the RISE method, I’ve learned to navigate the unknown with clarity, courage, and confidence. It’s a practice that ensures each step forward is rooted in intention and aligned with what matters most.
New Beginnings Are the Ultimate Act of Creation
Starting over isn’t starting from scratch; it’s starting from experience. Every success, every failure, every choice, and every chapter has prepared me for this moment. I see the second half of my life not as a conclusion, but as a masterpiece in progress—a chance to live more boldly and authentically than ever before.
New beginnings are about self-awareness: What do I truly desire? They’re about intentionality: What am I ready to embrace? And they’re about legacy: How do I want to be remembered?
As women leaders, we often feel the weight of expectations—to achieve, to endure, to excel. But what if the most profound success lies in giving yourself permission to begin again?
A Call to Action
To every woman in leadership contemplating change, here’s my message:
Embrace change as your ally. Growth rarely comes from comfort zones. Celebrate transitions as part of your story. They’re the moments that shape who you are. Honor new beginnings as acts of creation. They’re your opportunity to design the life and legacy you truly want.
This manifesto is just the beginning. To support your journey, explore the tools I’ve developed: the RISE Roadmap, inclusive bonus tools, and the Life Redesign Map. These resources provide actionable steps to help you transition from success to significance with clarity, courage, and intention.
Let’s rise boldly, together. Here’s to leading fully, living authentically, and embracing every step of your journey with purpose and grace.