E177: A Pause, A Choice, and a Christmas Message

After a couple of quieter weeks, I’m returning to the microphone with clarity rather than urgency and with truth rather than explanation.

This episode is an orientation.

I share why I chose to pause, what was reorganizing beneath the surface, and how this moment reflects what I call post-institutional leadership:  the phase that arrives after years of leading inside systems where authority was external, and you’re asked to lead without that scaffolding.

I talk about why this kind of leadership often shows up later, not right away; why I’m choosing depth over volume with the podcast going forward; and what it means to be locatable rather than everywhere.

I also share how I’m simplifying my work in a way that feels more honest and sustainable — and offer a Christmas and year-end message for anyone who feels tired of bracing, performing, or holding it all together.

This episode isn’t about doing less.
It’s about choosing more honestly.

No rush.
No pressure.
Just a place to pause and listen.

Chapters

• 0:05 Welcome And Intentions
• 1:06 Naming The Pause
• 2:19 Post-Institutional Leadership
• 4:44 Choosing Depth Over Volume
• 6:19 Simplifying The Work
• 7:39 End-Of-Year Honesty And Permission
• 9:16 Closing Gratitude And Next Steps
• 9:36 CTA And Resources

Transcript

Cynthia: 0:05

Welcome to Uncharted and Unfiltered, The Journey Back to You. I am Cynthia Jameson, your host, and this is where we break free from the noise and dive deep into what truly matters. You. If you're tired of the shoulds, the expectations, and the pressures to fit into a mold that doesn't serve you, you're in the right place. This isn't a podcast about easy answers or sugar-coated advice. This is your invitation to reclaim your path, embrace the unknown, and become the bold, unapologetic version of yourself that's been waiting to show up. It's time to get unfiltered. Let's get started. Hello, hello, and welcome back to Uncharted and Unfiltered. I hope that you are having the most amazing day. As I'm recording this, it is Tuesday, December 23rd. My intention is to drop this episode very shortly. And if you have been listening for a while, you may have noticed something. I haven't released an episode in the last couple of weeks, and I want to name that. Not to explain it, but to honor it. And here's why. Sometimes a pause is not a problem to fix. It's information. And this one mattered. Over the last two weeks, I chose not to record, not because I didn't have anything to say or because I was questioning my work, and not because something was wrong, couldn't be any further from the truth. I paused because I could feel something reorganizing in me and in how I want to lead. And the work I do, the work that I stand for, doesn't ask us to override ourselves just to stay consistent. It asks us to listen. So I did. And I have also been quieter on social social media by choice as a part of this same listening process. And here is what has become clear in that listening. For a long time, as you know, if you've been listening for a long time, almost four decades, I lived and led inside of systems where authority came from the outside. Roles, titles, logos, permission. And when you step outside of those systems into a self-authored life, something subtle happens. Your nervous system keeps asking, who says I'm allowed to do that thing? Who validates this? What if I choose and no one follows me? And I want to be super clear, this does not feel like imposter syndrome. This feels like something I call post-institutional leadership. The moment after years of leading inside of systems where authority was external to you, and you're suddenly asked to lead without that scaffolding, which means you're leading from within. And post-institutional leadership doesn't arrive when you leave the system. It arrives when your nervous system finally trusts that you are allowed to live and lead your life without it. And that's why it is showing up now, not earlier. The scaffolding did its job and now it's ready to fall away. And instead of rushing past that edge, I decided to stand still long enough to choose subconsciously. And what I realized is that I do not want to lead from pressure anymore, even quiet pressure. I don't want to create from obligation and I don't want to ask myself or anyone else to abandon their inner knowing in the name of consistency because the work that I do is about self-trust, inner authority, leadership that does not require self-betrayal. And integrity asks us to live what we teach, but not just talk about it. So here's what's changing. This podcast is moving to a bi-weekly rhythm, not because I have less to offer, but because I trust depth more than volume. And here's why that matters for you. Most of us don't need more content to consume. What we do need is space to notice what is actually landing. So instead of more episodes, more teaching, more noise, if you will, each episode will now focus on one simple orienting question. What would shift if you trusted yourself here? One question, one place to pause, one invitation to listen inward, not just take something in. And that means less noise to keep up with, more truth that you can actually feel, and more space to integrate what resonates instead of rushing on to the next thing. And I am not here to be everywhere, I am here to be locatable, which means that I am choosing to stand somewhere clear and steady so that you can find your own footing rather than trying to keep up with mine. If this season of your life is asking for depth, clarity and honesty, this rhythm is designed to support that. But alongside of that, I'm also simplifying how I work. I am centering one primary leadership container and a long-term space for leaders who are ready to stop outsourcing their authority and start leading from within in all areas of life. And what I want you to know is this this is not a pivot from my work. It is a deepening of it. This work is not about fixing anyone or telling you who to be. It is about creating the conditions where you stop abandoning yourself quietly, habitually, in the places where it costs you the most at work, in decisions, in how you relate to power, to approval, and belonging. And if something in you is already nodding, you will hear more about it as we move into the new year. And if now isn't the moment, that's okay too. No rush, no pressure, just clarity. And I also want to take a moment and be clear about what this isn't. It isn't me pulling away at all. It is not burnout, and it isn't me questioning the value of this space or this community. It is me choosing coherence, focus, and leadership that starts on the inside. And because we are at this time of year, I want to say this too. The end of the year can be loud, it can be reflective, tender, sometimes heavy. If this season finds you tired or uncertain, or questioning how you have been leading, please know you are not behind. You are simply standing at the edge of something more honest. So my Christmas wish for you is simple may you give yourself permission to pause, to listen, to soften the urgency, and to trust that you don't have to abandon yourself to be successful, loved or enough. Thank you for being here. Thank you for staying with me through this quieter moment, and thank you for trusting your own timing, whatever it looks like right now. I will be back soon with more clarity, more intention, and more truth. Until then, take care of yourself, and I will see you on the other side of the pause.

unknown: 9:15

Goodbye.

Cynthia: 9:16

I hope that you're walking away feeling more aligned with your true self, more confident in the choices ahead, and ready to leave the safe path behind, knowing you've got everything you need within. Remember, the journey to you isn't about finding one perfect direction. It's about trusting yourself enough to explore all of it. If you're ready to dive deeper, join me for the next episode and don't forget to subscribe so that you never miss the next step on your path. I invite you to join my mailing list at www.cynthia jamisoncoach.ca, where we'll deepen our relationship and you can claim your copy of your inner compass, a guide to charting your course to authenticity. Until next time, stay unfiltered, stay true, and most importantly, stay you. I hope that you're walking away feeling more aligned with your true self, more confident in the choices ahead, and ready to leave the safe path behind, knowing you've got everything you need within. Remember, the journey to you isn't about finding one perfect direction. It's about trusting yourself enough to explore all of it. If you're ready to dive deeper, join me for the next episode and don't forget to subscribe so that you never miss the next step on your path. I invite you to join my mailing list at www.cynthia jamisoncoach.ca, where we'll deepen our relationship and you can claim your copy of your inner compass, a guide to charting your course to authenticity. Until next time, stay unfiltered, stay true, and most importantly, stay you.