How Responsible Are You? (Part II)

Exploring the influence of your environment and the choices you make to stay true to yourself.

In Part I of this series, How Authentic Are You?, I invited you to reflect on the quality of your relationship with your Self.

Did you get a chance to pause and connect inward?

What came up for you in those quiet moments?

Today, we shift our lens outward.

Because as much as authenticity starts within - it’s shaped and either supported or stifled by the environment around us.

As Rita Mae Brown put it: “About all you can do in life is be who you are. Some people will love you for you. Most will love you for what you can do for them, and some won't like you at all.”

Staying true to yourself and your leadership in a world full of pressure, noise, and expectations is an act of courage - and responsibility.

And while we often think authenticity is purely about willpower or determination, the truth is: lasting change isn’t built on grit alone. It’s also shaped by context.

That context - your environment - includes your relationships, routines, resources, workplace, health, income, and time. They all influence your ability to stick to your intentions and grow into the leadership version of yourself you truly want to become.

And when things don’t go according to plan?
When old habits return or goals fall off track?

Most of us go inward - with guilt, shame, or self-blame. “Why can’t I just stick to this?” “If I cared more, I’d try harder.” “I guess I’m not meant to change.”

I’ve been there. Many times. And here’s what I know now:

Blame doesn’t build self-leadership. Awareness does.

Rumi said, “Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love.”

And to follow that pull, you need to understand the forces around you - what helps, what hinders, and what needs to shift.

Here are a few prompts to support your exploration:

1. Examine your relationships.

Which people in your life lift you up and accept you for who you are?
Who pressures you to stay small or be who they want you to be?
What options do you have to spend more time with those who support your evolution?

2. Assess your available resources.

What do you have access to right now that could support your growth?
Do you have reliable childcare, a mentor, a safe space to reflect, a flexible work schedule? Use them with intention.

Also consider: What’s missing? What small steps could you take to access what you need?

3. Identify what (or who) you can release.

Are there habits, environments, commitments - or even people - pulling you out of alignment?

If you can’t let them go completely, ask yourself: What boundaries or practices would help me stay true to myself despite these influences?

As Tyra Banks once said: “Never dull your shine for somebody else.”

Here’s some truth:

Authenticity - and responsibility - aren't about having a perfect environment.

It’s about developing the clarity, courage, and responsibility to shape it where you can - and to navigate it wisely where you can’t.

Your circumstances may change. Your relationships may evolve. Your energy may fluctuate. But the more anchored you are in your self-awareness and self-trust in you as a leader and human being, the less easily you’ll be pulled off course.

So give yourself permission to pause. Tune in. Take inventory.

Remember: You don’t have to do it all. And you don’t have to do it alone.

You have the power to make intentional choices that move you closer to who you want to be in life and at work.

Because the most meaningful leadership - starts with how you lead yourself.

Until next time,