There’s a moment after trauma where the world continues—but you don’t.
People ask how you’re doing. You smile. You say, “I’m okay.”
You show up to work. You take meetings. You speak like everything’s fine.
But inside, you’re fog.
You’re fragments.
You’re not who you used to be… and you’re not yet who you’ll become.
That’s where I found myself—not just recovering from cancer and surgery, but trying to keep being me in rooms where I once led with confidence.
Now, I was leading while grieving. Creating while healing.
Showing up without being sure who was showing up.
The Disconnect
When you work in branding, strategy, or leadership, you’re taught to show up with clarity.
With a plan. A voice. A direction.
You’re supposed to know.
But what do you do when your entire identity has shifted—and the only thing you really know is that you’re not the same?
For a while, I tried to fake it.
I overcorrected. I smiled more. I spoke less.
I told myself: “Don’t make this about you. Just deliver. Just keep going.”
But that version of me was hollow. She was saying the right things, but disconnected from the part of herself that once cared deeply about the work.
And when you’re disconnected from yourself, you can’t really connect with others.
Leading From the Middle
Eventually, I realized: this wasn’t weakness. It was just a new chapter.
Not one I chose.
But one I had to learn how to lead from.
So I stopped pretending to be my old self.
And I started leading from where I actually was.
That meant being more honest about what I was holding.
It meant giving space to my team to show up imperfectly too.
It meant realizing that leadership isn’t about projecting strength—it’s about modeling authenticity in real time.
Creating While Incomplete
I used to believe that creative leadership required clarity.
Now I think it just requires presence.
Even when your ideas aren’t fully formed.
Even when your energy is inconsistent.
Even when you’re healing—physically, emotionally, or otherwise.
Because your team isn’t looking for someone perfect.
They’re looking for someone real.
Someone who still shows up, still creates, still cares—even when they’re carrying more than they used to.
The Power of In-Progress Leadership
If you’re navigating any kind of reinvention—grief, burnout, trauma, uncertainty—this part of your story matters.
You don’t have to wait until you feel “whole” again to lead.
There is power in saying:
“I’m here. I’m different. But I’m still leading with heart.”
That’s not weakness.
That’s depth.
