A theme I keep hearing in conversations with leaders is this:
They can see what needs to change.
They care deeply about the work and the people.
But they don't feel like the things they are doing are moving things forward.
They've tried.
They've spoken up.
They've pushed in the right ways.
And still, progress feels slow.
Or muddy. Or out of reach.
So the question becomes:
What do you do when you want to influence change, but you don't control the system?
Here's what I see work, consistently.
First, get grounded in you.
Before you try to influence anything around you, you have to be solid in yourself.
Who are you as a leader?
What do you value?
What kind of impact do you want to have in your role or business?
This isn't abstract work. It's anchoring.
When you're clear on who you are and what you stand for, you stop reacting to everything around you. You lead with steadiness, and people feel that immediately.
Second, identify the relationship that matters most.
Change doesn't happen through org charts. It happens through relationships.
Look ahead to the next quarter and ask:
Who are the few people I need to build real trust with for this change to happen?
Then put time with them on your calendar.
Not networking. Not pitching.
Meaningful time.
Your first goal isn't to convince anyone of anything.
It's to understand how they see the world, what pressure they're under, what challenges they're facing, and what success actually looks like to them.
All interest. No asking.
Third, connect your vision to undeniable value.
Only after you've done that do you start sharing what you see.
Not as a demand.
Not as a push.
But as a clear, grounded case for why the change you're working toward actually matters.
What value does it bring to the people, the team, the organization, and the work itself?
When you can articulate that in a way that connects to their priorities, resistance softens. Conversations shift. Doors open.
The truth most leaders don't hear enough is this:
This takes time.
It's not instant.
And it's not flashy.
But if you want greater growth, impact, and influence in 2026, this is the move.
You don't start by forcing change.
You start by becoming solid. Then you invest in the right relationships.
Then you move ideas forward with clarity and patience.
That's how real change actually happens.
Where this becomes real
In January, we're working on this directly inside the Collective.
Our guest expert will be leading a session focused on change mangement - not theory or jargon, but how change actually moves inside real organizations with real people.
The Collective is open now.
It's $77 per month for now, and that rate never increases to you, locked in for as long as you are.
It's one of the best gifts you can give yourself heading into the new year if you want to lead with clarity, steadiness, and impact.
If you're ready to start building the capacity to influence what happends next, we'd love to have you.
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Stress Isn't Just in Your Head, It's in Your Blood Sugar
If you've ever noticed that stress makes you crave sugar, skip meals, feel shaky, snap at people, or crash hard in the afternoon, you're not imagining it.
And it's not a discipline problem.
Stress is a full-body biochemical event, and one of the first systems it disrupts is blood sugar regulation.
When your body perceives stress (emails, deadlines, conflict, pressure), it signals your adrenal glands to release cortisol and adrenaline.
These hormones are designed to:
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Raise blood sugar quickly
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Mobilize energy
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Help you "respond" to threat
Helpful in short bursts, but problematic when stress is chronic.
Over time, frequent stress signals can lead to:
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Blood sugar spikes > crashes
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Increased cravings for quick energy (sugar, refined carbs, caffeine)
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Fatigue, irritability, brain fog
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Feeling "out of control" around food, especially later in the day
This is physiology, not failure.
When blood sugar drops, your body prioritizes survival, not restraint.
In those moments:
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The brain seeks fast fuel
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Decision making capacity decreases
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"Healthy choices" feel inaccessible
This is why trying to "just be better" with food during stressful periods almost always backfires.
You're asking your nervous system to ignore a biological alarm.
Instead of tightening rules, the most effective approach is stabilizing the system.
A few supportive strategies:
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Eat earlier than you think you need to. Waiting until you're ravenous increases cortisol and makes blood sugar swings more dramatic.
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Pair carbs with protein and fat. This slows glucose release and prevents crashes that drive cravings later.
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Reduce decisions around food. Simple, repeatable meals lower stress more than "perfect" meals ever will.
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Normalize stress seasons. High-demand periods require more support, not more restriction.
If stress makes food feel harder, it's not because you lack discipline. It's because your body is doing exactly what it was designed to do under pressure.
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