Monthly provocations and practices for transformational leaders. This is how change (really) works.
What are you practicing?
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We got four inches of snowfall last night. As I walked Axl through the fluffy white morning, with powder underfoot and the lightest, dreamiest flurries dancing around us, I found myself marveling at the fact that the thick blanket covering everything in sight was created by the gathering and settling of one tiny snowflake after another. It seemed impossible. Magical. But I had to remind myself, this is the only way it ever happens. Out of current conditions, a new pattern arises. As it repeats, the pattern gains momentum. Small things quickly add up to big things. Tiny shifts create massive change. It’s deeply pragmatic. Ok, maybe it’s magical too, but this is magic we can work with. In 2026, this newsletter (and everything else that comes out of Radiant Change) will focus on the question of how change really works. Starting next month, I’ll excerpt a different chapter from the book I’m writing on this question. Not only to share this emerging work with you, but because the thoughts, feedback and questions you share back with me will shape the book. We are co-creating, of course! Each month will also feature stories of inspiring, real-world change with simple practices you can apply in your leadership, and we’re starting the year—as we always do—with the practice at the heart of it all. “What you practice grows stronger.”—Neuroscientist Dr. Shauna Shapiro, PhD YOUR NOBLE INTENTIONWhere all change beginsAs I type these words, I realize that my usual pitch for setting and practicing a leadership intention has always focused on accumulation. How this tiny practice adds up to something transformational. I’ve written about the results I’ve seen in my life and career, and I’ve heard similar stories from hundreds of leaders who have undertaken this practice over the years. But another way to understand the power of this practice is to appreciate the beauty of each snowflake. Which is to say, each moment. Our lives are lived in this moment, right here. Change unfolds in this moment, right now. This moment is the only space we can do anything about, the only chance we’ll have to lead. Our lives are full of moments, which means we have many opportunities to practice. But they only come one at a time, and when they’re gone, they’re gone. How many are we actually available for? And how are we showing up in them—on purpose or on autopilot? The answers matter, not just in the accumulation of moments into the arc of our lives, but in each moment itself. To show you what I mean, here are a few moments from my own intention practice with trust in 2025: In a moment of anxiety, I felt backed into a corner, with little room to breathe and few options to choose from. Leaning into trust in myself opened up more space in my mind. I realized I’d created the walls I was crouching under, and then they were gone. In a challenging client conversation, I was tempted to take it personally. Just when I started to feel responsible for their feelings, I remembered trust, and it occurred to me to trust the person in front of me and the relationship we’d created together. I could then trust that their reactivity would settle if I could simply be present for it. So I was. And it did. In writing about my cancer experience in my book manuscript (specifically the chapter on mindset that I’ll share next month), something felt wrong. I remembered to trust my instincts, and the knowing in my belly was unmistakable. I realized that I didn’t need it in the book. It had been cathartic to write. It felt even better to delete. In practice, an intention will take many forms. This year, mine was alternately the ground beneath my feet, the north star guiding my way, and the bridge connecting me to someone else. Depending on the moment, it felt like a warm blanket, a jolt of energy, or a cool splash of water on my hot face. And many more precious gifts arriving just in time, right when I needed them. Yes, the accumulation of these moments has made me a more trusting person—I have more trust in myself, in relationships both old and new, and in the way life is unfolding around and between us. But even if my practice was just about those moments of blessed disruption, they would be enough. In Practice: What are you practicing?It’s time to set our intentions for 2026, a year that is certain to bring many moments of anxiety, confusion and conflict—all of which are also opportunities for us to lead. Here are my invitations to you: 📒Download your 2026 Leadership Intention Workbook. Set aside 30+ minutes to work through it, on your own, with a loved one, or even with your team. Once you’ve set your intention, even if you don’t take either of the next steps, send me a note and tell me what it is. I’ll be here cheering you on! 🗓️ Sign up for the 31 Days of Intention challenge. The hardest part of this practice is remembering to do it, so having a full month of daily reminders, each with a simple prompt or micro-practice, is the best way to start your year strong. Plus, if you sign up for the challenge before January 9, you’ll also receive a free link to… 🔥Join the January Mini-Retreat: Intention | Where All Change Begins. Bring your intention with you—or your finalists if you’re still deciding—and you’ll learn the three simple steps I use to bring my intention to the moments that matter in my life and work. This will be a powerful, joyful 90 minutes. [Reminder: The 31 Days of Intention challenge and all Mini-Retreats are free for members of the Radiant Change community of practice.] January Mini-Retreat: INTENTION | Where All Change BeginsThe new year brings familiar pressure to transform everything at once. But real change doesn’t start with resolutions—it follows intention. This mini-retreat invites you to look beyond the goals that drive you to find the intention that guides you. If you haven’t already done so, you’ll set a noble leadership intention to serve as your north star through the uncertainty, complexity and messiness of leading change. Together, we’ll share our intentions, map how they show up in real life (meetings, relationships, challenges), and learn a simple practice for aligning with our intention in any moment this new year may bring. Friday, January 9, 2026 Zoom link sent upon registration
Mini-Retreats are free for RadiantChange.co members, who can RSVP here. Dear Reader, as we head into another year together, I am grateful for your practice, for your leadership, and for your support of what we’re building here at Radiant Change. I’m wishing you a year of peace, joy, growth… and whatever intention you end up setting for yourself. (Please do hit reply and let me know. 💛) Onward together. Kristen Lisanti |
Radiant Change
Monthly provocations and practices for transformational leaders. This is how change (really) works.
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