Awakening Conscious Leadership Starts With Awareness

I’m currently in Northern California, near Mill Valley. And since I arrived, it’s been gray. Rainy. Foggy.

This morning, I woke up and caught myself thinking, “Ugh… what a dismal day.”

And then I caught my though.

Because I realized how conditioned that thought was. That gray automatically means dismal. That rain means something is wrong.

And I thought… what if that doesn’t have to be true?

I can’t change the weather. But I can change what’s happening inside me. So instead of resisting it, I listened to the rain. I noticed how green everything looked — the leaves almost glowing as they caught the light. I let myself sink into the quiet of it.

And suddenly, the day wasn’t dismal at all.

It was just… different.

The Moment Awareness Turns Into Leadership

That pause — that moment of noticing — is where conscious leadership begins. Not with fixing. Not with forcing positivity. Not with pretending we feel better than we do. Just awareness.

But here’s the part we don’t often talk about: awareness doesn’t mean the rest of the day magically unfolds with ease. Later that same day, after noticing the rain and moving into my routine, I found myself slipping back into a reactive mode. I felt grumpy. Short. Disconnected. And it was showing. I didn’t know exactly why.

Sometimes we understand what’s driving our mood. Sometimes we don’t.

And in that moment, I didn’t. But what I did know was this: I was still at choice.

Conscious Leadership Is What Happens After the Trigger

Instead of pushing through or judging myself for being off, I returned to what I know supports me. I took a few intentional breaths. I nourished my body. I moved my body.

Slowly, my nervous system settled. I didn’t “fix” the situation — I resourced myself within it.

And because I felt better, I was able to interact better. Patiently. Clearly. Kindly. That’s conscious leadership in real life. Not the absence of reactivity — but the ability to notice it and choose again.

What I Wish I Had Known Earlier as a Leader

This is the kind of inner leadership I wish I had understood more deeply during my corporate years. I was a strong leader. I’m proud of that. I influenced people — especially younger colleagues — in ways that I know made a lasting difference. I managed work, not hours. I led people as if they were my own. I genuinely took care of my teams.

And yet, where I could have operated better was in how I took care of myself. I was often stressed. It didn’t always show on the outside, but internally it took a toll. My nervous system was under constant pressure. Because of that, I struggled more than I needed to. At times, I relied on external opinions and direction more than I would have liked, not because I lacked capability, but because my inner compass was harder to hear when I was depleted.

Had I known how to resource myself better, I believe I would have had even greater impact. Not by doing more — but by being more present. And I would have been able to pass that capacity on to others.

Leadership Is Bigger Than Titles

I see this pattern everywhere now. I hear it from my clients constantly. We’re living in a time that feels chaotic. A time that fuels anxiety, self-doubt, and self-sabotage. Even highly capable, well-intentioned leaders are hitting walls. And leadership isn’t limited to corporate environments.

Parents are leaders. Teachers are leaders. Community builders are leaders. Friends, partners, and caregivers are leaders. Leadership is simply being of influence. And right now, conscious leadership — leadership rooted in awareness, self-regulation, and choice — is needed more than ever.

Conscious Leadership Lives in the Body

You can’t lead consciously if your nervous system is constantly overwhelmed.

When we’re dysregulated:

• We react instead of respond

• We lose access to intuition

• We default to old patterns

• We pass stress on without meaning to

  
  

When we’re resourced:

• We listen more deeply

• We create safety

• We lead with clarity

• We expand what’s possible for others

  
  

This isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about learning how to come back to yourself, again and again. Just like noticing the rain. Just like choosing differently when the day shifts.

A Reflection for You

Have you ever had someone in your life who made an impact simply because they took the time to see you? To listen to you? To be present?

That person was a conscious leader, whether they had a title or not.

And that capacity lives in you, too.

An Invitation

If this resonates, I explore this more deeply in this week’s Joyful Optimist podcast episode:

🎧 Listen to the full episode: Awakening Conscious Leadership

And if you feel called to take this from reflection into lived practice:

🌿 Join the Awaken the Conscious Leader interactive workshop experience, a space to build inner resources, strengthen self-regulation, and lead your life with more steadiness and intention.

Join Now

You don’t have to change the weather. You just have to choose what you can change.