Before we talk about Goals, let’s talk about Ground

January is loud.

Goals. Intentions. Fresh starts. Big plans.

A quiet pressure to come in strong and prove you’re ready for the year.

Before we do any of that, I want to pause on something simpler - and more important.

Ground.

Many leaders start the year already bracing. Holding their breath. Mentally sprinting ahead to everything that needs to be handled, fixed, or decided.

From the outside, it can look like motivation.
From the inside, it often feels like tension.

Grounded leadership doesn’t mean you’re calm all the time or that nothing rattles you. It means you know where your feet are - even when things are moving fast.

When leaders don’t feel grounded, everything gets harder:

• conversations feel heavier

• decisions feel urgent

• people issues feel personal

• and leadership starts to feel like endurance instead of purpose

So before goals… before plans… before asking more of yourself or your team…
Just notice your footing.
How are you standing in your leadership role right now?
What feels steady? What feels wobbly?

You don’t need answers.
You don’t need a plan.
Ground comes first.

💜Stacey Larsen, Ed.D.

PS: If this resonated, I’d genuinely love to hear what you are noticing about where you struggle with getting grounded as a leader and what resources you wish you had (I’m currently working on creating a toolkit).

Leadership doesn’t have to be a solo act. We learn this dance together.