Remember your WORTH: 5 Ways to Lead Yourself First

Let’s check in.

Self-leadership begins here: in the quiet, honest moments we carve out to reconnect with ourselves. It’s about noticing. Listening to your gut, your values, your voice. Choosing, in small and steady ways, to stay connected to who you are, even when everything around you feels uncertain, busy, or loud.

So if you’ve been feeling stuck, disconnected, or a little lost lately, take a moment here. You don’t need to overhaul your life. You just need a way back to you. 

Here are five simple ways to come back to yourself, and to show up with intention.

1. Breathe. Recenter. (Yes, right now.)

When you feel scattered, overwhelmed, or trapped in your own thoughts, take a moment to come back to your body. Even just 60 seconds of stillness can create enough space to access your inner compass again.

If you’re not sure where to start, here’s one simple way to come back to your center.

It’s called box breathing, a technique used by athletes, leaders, even first responders to calm the nervous system and reset the mind.

Breathe in… two, three, four.
Hold… two, three, four.
Breathe out… two, three, four.
Hold… two, three, four.

Repeat a few times. Picture your breath like a tide moving in and out, steady, quiet, powerful. Let your shoulders drop. Let the noise fade. Let your breath bring you back. 

2. Write it out (even if you never send it)

Sometimes the things we don’t say take up the most space. When your head feels full of unsent emails and unsaid feelings, try this: write a letter. Say what you really want to say: unfiltered, unpolished, completely honest.

You don’t have to send it. Yet. Or ever. But writing it down can clear the static and show you what really matters. Your next step might start to appear: a boundary, a conversation, or the clarity to let something go.

So write it. Read it. Keep it, stash it in your notes app. Whatever helps you feel lighter.

This is about listening to your own voice.

3. Know when to hold it, and when to let it go

Some things are worth addressing. Others aren’t worth your time or energy, and that’s okay. Self-leadership is about making thoughtful choices, not perfect ones.

Letting go doesn’t mean you’re giving up. It means you’ve done the work to understand the moment, and now you’re choosing what serves you. And sometimes, choosing yourself means protecting your energy in a space that wasn’t built for you. That choice is still leadership.

4. Who’s in your corner?

Maybe it’s a mentor, a peer, a friend in a completely different field. Maybe it’s a group chat that always knows how to make you laugh, or one person who listens without jumping in to fix. The point is: find someone who sees you clearly, even when you’re having trouble seeing yourself.

Spending time with those people is sometimes all it takes to feel steady again.

And when you can, be that anchor for someone else too.

5. Let inspiration find you again.

There are days when motivation fades. That’s okay. Go look for something that reignites your passion, a podcast, a quote, a story, a photo of your younger self. Anything that reminds you: you’ve done hard things before, and you’re still here.

Choose yourself so that those who come after you, your future daughter, son, niece,or intern see what it looks like to do the same.

Self-leadership means tuning in, even when it’s easier to tune out. It’s listening to your own voice and choosing what matters most. You won’t always get it perfect, but that’s not the point. The point is presence. Intention. 

Take the breath. Write the thought. Call someone who reminds you who you are. Then take one grounded step forward. That’s leadership, too.