Before you write a single 2026 goal, you need to hear this truth about your 2025 that no one talks about.

Every December, leaders everywhere do the exact same thing: We sprint. We strategize. We look ahead.

What’s next? What should I achieve next year? What goal haven’t I hit yet?

But rarely—so rarely—do we stop and look back at the year behind us with the depth, compassion, and presence it deserves. We jump to the next mountain without pausing long enough to recognize the strength it took to climb the last one.

And yet, this is where our deepest power lies.

Discover how celebrating small wins can transform your mindset and leadership. Carey-Ann Oestreicher, MCC, shares insights on resilience and growth.

Sometimes, the most powerful leadership breakthroughs don’t happen in boardrooms or strategy sessions.
They happen in stillness.

On my recent family vacation in the Bahamas, I stumbled onto what I now call the “Reflection Ledge.”
It’s nothing more than a stretch of stone at the lip of an infinity pool, but something extraordinary kept happening there.

To see a picture of my family on social media, we looked almost perfect. Two beautiful little girls, an athletic, handsome husband, the quintessential golden retriever puppy, and me. Social media is this century’s biggest PR machine. But social media often doesn’t tell the story behind the photo.

My family is amazing, but we have been broken time and time again.

Today is my birthday! I am now 49 years of age.  You will never hear me complain about turning another year older.  Each year is a gift.  My husband, Jeff, died of esophageal cancer at the age of 46. I have gotten the gift of three extra years (and counting!) more than Jeff did on this Earth.