Who am I becoming?

It is the first week of December and you can feel the shift. Everyone is trying to land the last pieces of work before the long summer pause. A couple of weeks ago I wrote about that final push to the finish line and how we all seem to tumble over it, grateful for rest and sunlight.

In December, there is enough space to look up, but not so much that your mind has drifted all the way into holiday mode (much as you might wish it had!). It is the perfect moment to set your intentions for 2026 with a clear head and a grounded sense of reality.

Most of us rush straight to the “what”. Goals. Metrics. Projects. Plans. They matter, of course, but they are only half the picture. The more powerful questions at this time of year are about the “who”.

Who am I becoming?

What kind of leader, friend, parent or colleague do I want to be next year?

What do I want to stand for?

What parts of me are still shaped by old expectations that I can quietly let go?

And beyond the roles and relationships, who is the “me” that sits underneath all of that? What does that person need in order to grow?

For me, 2026 begins with a sabbatical in Paris from January to March. It is a reset and a deep exhale. A chance to study, immerse, and think in a different rhythm. Yes, there is a practical list of things I want to explore while I am there (many involving food), but underneath that sits a deeper intention to anchor who I am becoming – not only as a coach – but as a mother, a friend, and as a person in my own right.

So my own questions mirror the ones I ask my clients...

• What qualities do I want to appreciate and strengthen?

• Where do I want to step up or soften?

• What will support the version of me I am growing into?

• What emerges when I stop “doing” and start “being”?

You do not need a sabbatical to begin this. You only need a quiet moment before the year closes. Early December offers exactly that if you let it.

Take some time this week to explore your “who” for 2026. Keep it simple. Three touchstones or themes is enough. Something your future self will recognise and appreciate when you look back next December.

Until next week,

Madeleine

PS If you’d like me to work with you as you become the leader and person you want to be, let me know and please share with anyone you think may benefit.

I help accomplished professionals untangle difficult career questions so they can thrive in work and life.

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