Leadership: It's Your Turn

What does it really mean to be a leader?

In my favorite movie version of Alice in Wonderland, the one with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Alice returns not as a curious child, but as a confused and somewhat floundering adult. She falls back down the rabbit hole, unsure of who she is. Initially, her old friends don’t even recognize her. The Mad Hatter notes she has lost her “muchness.” (Burnout??)

The characters are all very distracted, trying to save Wonderland. As the story unfolds, their annoyance at her untimely return turns into the aha that she is the one, the only one, who can possibly slay the Jabberwocky and save Wonderland.

Alice, however, resists. She doesn’t yet see herself as the heroine. Yet. 

That tension—the space between being seen and being ready—is where so many of us live.

Eight years ago, when my dear friend and spiritual teacher, Jan Dietrich, died, I felt that same internal conflict. The sadness of her loss. I was not ready to move on in life without her guidance. The enormity of her legacy. And the quiet truth I couldn’t ignore, like Alice’s realization: it was my turn.

Shortly before I lost Jan, I had discovered one of my favorite Seth Godin books, What to Do When It’s Your Turn (and It’s Always Your Turn). He names this kind of moment clearly.

Stepping up and into life and leadership isn’t about waiting to be chosen. The invitation is already here. And your yes, however hesitant, is where your real story begins.

It would be so much more convenient if the invitation arrived when we felt ready, confident, and at the top of our game.

More often, it arrives in seasons of pressure, complexity, and transformation. 

Diamonds don’t form without pressure. Why should we expect anything different?

And we don’t grow into leaders without tension, resistance, and discomfort.

So what is leadership, really?

The VIA Character Strengths are a foundational tool in our corporate wellness programs at Prasada, as well as our upcoming September theme for the Wholebeing@Work Program.
Leadership as a strength is not about having all the answers. It’s not about commanding the room. Yes, leadership includes structure, direction, clarity, and tasks. But the real power lies in connection: the kind that inspires, includes, and elevates others.

However, there is one often overlooked aspect of leadership and another of the Character Strengths—Zest.

It is one strength with a focus on your life force energy. It’s not being the most enthusiastic, toxic positivity person in the room. It is bringing your energy fully to what matters. And we know from study after study, energy like that doesn’t come from your willpower. 

It comes from practices that restore, ground, and reconnect you.

That’s why the first act of leadership is often inward. 

Breathwork. Boundaries. Moments of pause. 

We can’t sustain leadership if we’re not taking care of the system—ourselves—that leads.

That’s been my story. I’ve fallen off the path more times than I can count. But each time I return, I remember: leadership isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence.

Leadership isn’t out there. It’s here. It’s now. And it might just start with one breath.

If you’re ready to lead with more clarity, calm, and grounded energy—whether for yourself or your team—there are two places to begin:

🌀 The Infinite Reset (for individuals): A 30-day breath-centered reset to reclaim mental clarity and confident action, without burning out or falling behind.

🌬️The Breathwork Hour: We've been talking a lot about beathwork and in this session we get to do a deeper dive into some of our breathwork tools and connect with some others in the Prasada and The Infinite Center community. Wednesday, June 26th is our first session, and it is one hour, how clever! 

🏢 Wholebeing@Work (for teams and organizations): A flexible, science-backed wellness program that helps teams build connection, resilience, and leadership from the inside out.

Both are practical. Both are grounded in experience. And both start with the same idea: the time is now.

The turn is already yours. You’ve got this.