New Year, New Choices, and a New You: Choices, Clarity, and Hope for the New Year

The holidays are often a challenging time for many people. As the year ends, it's easy to reflect on what you didn't accomplish, where you fell short, or the habits you couldn’t quite break. For some, this reflection can turn into an overwhelming sense of failure, and a feeling that the future holds only more of the same.

Last month, my family experienced a devastating loss. My nephew, a bright and talented young man in his 20s, took his own life. While we’ll never know the exact reasons, I believe part of what led him to that tragic decision was a loss of agency. He felt his choices didn’t matter. That he couldn’t change his life in a meaningful way. And that his only option was to quit the game of life altogether.

I never want you to feel that way. You always have choices. You have agency. And the New Year is the perfect time to reclaim it.

Today, I want to share with you how agency can be the key to building a life that aligns with your dreams and values—and how I can help you take the first steps.

4 Ways to Reclaim Your Agency

Agency is both the power to choose and the understanding that your choices matter. It’s the realization that every decision you make has consequences, whether immediate or far-reaching. When you truly embrace your agency, you begin to shape your life rather than letting it shape you.

Here are four key ideas to help you reconnect with your agency:

1. Claim Your Voice: When making decisions, whose voice is the loudest? Yours, or someone else’s? If you let others dictate your choices, you’ll build their vision, not yours. Ask yourself: Is this path mine, or am I walking someone else’s?
2. Understand Opportunity Costs: Every choice requires saying “no” to something else. That isn’t failure. It’s focus. Protect your energy and priorities by letting go of distractions. Tip: Saying “no” isn’t a loss; it’s a way to honor what matters most.
3. Avoid Decision Fatigue: Save your energy for what truly moves your vision forward. For small decisions, trust yourself to act quickly. If it really doesn’t matter, flip a coin. Tip: A coin flip isn’t about leaving it to chance; it’s about freeing yourself from overthinking.
4. Start Small: Reclaiming agency doesn’t require a dramatic overhaul. Focus on one significant decision you can make today to move closer to your goals. Ask yourself: What’s one small choice you’ve been delaying that you can act on now?

Agency is your power. It’s your ability to build a life aligned with your vision and values. Don’t let fear, doubt, or the voices of others rob you of it.

In case you missed it, I recently hosted a half-hour webinar: Embrace Your Future: Gain Clarity, Confidence, and Certainty. It’s a powerful session designed to help you connect with your future self, the version of you who has already achieved your greatest goals and dreams.

Through a guided meditation, you’ll meet that future self and gain their wisdom on what steps you need to take to bridge the gap. I also share my own story. I went from working a successful career at IBM and publishing 16 books, to losing everything and rebuilding my life in alignment with my core values. It’s the journey that ultimately led me to create the Vision to Reality program.

The replay is available now, but only for a limited time. Don’t miss this opportunity to start your year with clarity and purpose.

Watch the Replay Now

If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start making meaningful progress, the January cohort of Vision to Reality begins this week. I have two openings left for people willing to act quickly.

This program goes beyond setting goals. It helps you identify and align with your core values, ensuring that every step you take is purposeful and impactful. And when roadblocks or limiting beliefs arise, you won’t face them alone. The program includes two one-on-one Compassion Key sessions, designed to help you overcome the mental and emotional blocks that keep you stuck.

Why wait months for the April cohort when you could start transforming your life now? Imagine what you could accomplish by April if you begin today.

Reserve Your Spot Now

I’m so grateful to have you in this community. If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of your next steps, know that you’re not alone. Reach out—whether it’s to join the program, watch the webinar, or simply ask for guidance.

You have agency. You have choices. And you have the power to create a life that aligns with your dreams and values.

Let’s make 2025 the year you step into your vision and bring it to life.

Normally, the newsletter is published on Beehiiv, and only a link to it is published in LinkedIn. Please subscribe to the Beehiiv newsletter to get all future newsletters in their entirety.