Soulful Leadership 2026 Paulette Sterling Soulful Leadership 2026 Paulette Sterling

Influence Begins Within: The Leadership Work No One Sees

January invites you to lead from within. Explore how self-awareness, alignment, and inner clarity shape your influence and set the tone for your leadership year.

INTRODUCTION

Leadership in 2026 begins with intention.
January’s theme, Influence Begins Within, invites you to pause, reflect, and realign with the version of yourself you are becoming. Before you lead teams, clients, ministries, or communities, you must first lead yourself — with clarity, courage, and soul.

This month sets the foundation for authentic, purpose-driven leadership throughout the year.

JANUARY THEME: Influence Begins Within

Influence isn’t loud. It isn’t performative.
It isn’t the title, the platform, or the applause.

Influence is the quiet work — the unseen work — the work you do when no one is watching.

This month, we return to the inner world where leadership is shaped, strengthened, and aligned.


Leadership Focus: Self-Awareness, Alignment, Inner Clarity

Influence begins with the courage to ask yourself:

  • Where am I drifting

  • What truth have I been avoiding

  • What needs to be realigned

  • What version of me must rise this year

When you get honest, you get aligned. When you get aligned, you get powerful.


Behaviour Shift: Stop Drifting. Start Leading Yourself Intentionally.

Drifting is subtle. It looks like “I’ll start tomorrow.” It sounds like “I’m fine.” It feels like “I’m busy but not fulfilled.”

Leadership begins when you interrupt the drift.

This month, choose intention over autopilot. Choose clarity over confusion. Choose alignment over approval.


Signature Question for January: What version of me must rise this year?

Sit with this question. Let it work on you. Let it reveal what you’ve been carrying, resisting, or postponing.

Yor rising is not accidental. It is intentional, soulful, and deeply personal.


Why It Matters

Because the world feels your alignment.
Your team feels it. Your family feels it. Your clients feel it. Your community feels it.

Influence is not what you do. It is who you are becoming. And becoming begins within.


Soulful Challenge of the Month

The 5-Minute Stillness Practice

For 5 days this month:

  • Sit in silence for 5 minutes

  • No phone

  • No agenda

  • Just presence

Notice what rises. Notice what settles. Notice what becomes clear.

🔗 Continue Your Leadership Journey

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