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The Shift from New Year Resolutions to Executive Reset
This is the week when the world traditionally rushes toward “New Year energy.” That means fresh goals, big declarations, more commitments and new expectations layered on top of an already full life.
But this year…something different is happening among women in leadership.
Instead of pushing forward faster, they’re choosing to pause…not out of exhaustion, but out of wisdom. They’re doing something powerful, intentional and deeply strategic:
They’re choosing an Executive Reset.
What Is an Executive Reset?
What is that exactly? An Executive Reset isn’t about setting resolutions or promising more, producing more or performing harder next year. It’s about re-calibrating before re-entering.
It’s a moment to step back and ask:
- Who was I as a leader this year?
- Where did my energy go?
- What truly mattered?
- What did I carry that was never really mine?
- What do I want leadership to feel like next year?
This is not planning either. This is realignment.
Women leaders have learned something important…often the hard way:
We don’t need another list.
We need clarity.
We need space.
We need honesty with ourselves.
What Women Don’t Need
Women are recognizing that success next year won’t come from:
- Pushing harder
- Saying yes to everything
- Absorbing what others drop
- Proving resilience through exhaustion
It will come from alignment, calm confidence and the courage to lead differently.
That begins now…not in January!
What Does an Executive Reset Actually Look Like?
So, your next question might be what does an Executive Reset actually look like?
It’s a combination of quiet work, reflective work and strong work.
It looks like:
- Looking back with honesty, not judgment
- Noticing what energized you…and what drained you
- Identifying where you thrived
- Acknowledging where you were stretched too thin
- Releasing expectations you never agreed to carry
- Protecting what matters most in the year ahead
It is GRACE, something we talk about all the time. It’s also strength and…it’s leadership maturity in action.
If you want to have your own Executive Reset, begin with these three simple but profound questions:
- Where did I give my very best this year…and what does that tell me about who I am as a leader? Now remember, this doesn’t mean where you were the busiest. It means where you were brilliant.
- What will I not carry into next year…even if I’m capable of it? Remember this…capability without boundaries leads to depletion.
- What do I want leadership to feel like next year? Here are some thoughts…are you looking to be calm, steady, purposeful, empowered, energized? Remember, you get to choose that feeling and build from there.
The Executive Reset is not a luxury, and it isn’t self-indulgent…and it isn’t an optional reflection. This is where leadership maintenance takes place. This is a strategy for your life. Leaders who reflect, lead with clarity. Leaders who reset create cultures that are healthier, steadier and more human.
Starting Right, Not Starting Fast
This isn’t the year to sprint into January already breathless. This is the year women leaders choose presence over pressure, clarity over chaos and intention over urgency.
This time of the year isn’t about starting fast. It’s about starting right.
Take the reset. You deserve it. And your leadership will be stronger because of it.
Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2026 to everyone.
And as always…If you need help…simply ask!