The Energy of Being Fully You
When you Stop Editing Yourself
This edition is one of my ongoing reflections - from real conversations, lived moments, and the quiet shifts I believe are reshaping how we lead today and tomorrow.
I’m at my best when I stop trying to be anything but myself.
When I’m not editing, overthinking how to show up, or spending energy adjusting to what I think is expected.
This edition is a reflection on authenticity - shaped by real conversations, personal moments, and the process of recently writing a white paper on The Complete Leader with Naomi Titleman and Mark Edgar from future foHRward (you can download it here, if you’re interested).
It’s also a belief I keep coming back to:
That we lead better, connect deeper, and live more fully when we stop performing and start returning to ourselves.
Reflections Shaping How We Lead
Authenticity protects our energy: Pretending is a full-time job. The more we adjust, perform, or try to show up “right”, the more we drain the energy we could be putting into what really matters. Authenticity is a return to self - and it brings ease. When we walk into a room grounded in who we are, we stop wasting energy wondering and forcing who we should be. That energy gets reallocated to our leadership, our relationships, our impact. And over time, the difference is enormous.
Realness creates resonance: There’s something powerful about being around someone who isn’t pretending. We feel it. We lean in. We trust them. Authenticity builds connection when we’re not hiding. People sense when we’re being real. It draws in the right collaborators, the right opportunities, the right kind of support. When we lead from our real center, people listen, and more importantly, remember.
Alignment clears the path: The clearer we are about who we are, the clearer everything else becomes. What we say yes to. What we say no to. What no longer fits. The more we act in alignment, the more things start to click into place. It’s not magic - it’s just coherence. We’re no longer sending mixed signals to the world. And that makes it easier for the right people, work, and experiences to find us. Authenticity gives our leadership a frequency people can actually hear.
Quotes I Keep Coming Back To
On Belonging:
“Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world. Our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.” - Brené Brown
On Becoming:
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” - Carl Jung
A Question I’m Carrying
If I trusted that the right people will stay when I’m authentic, what would I say differently this week?
With love, Vanessa