There’s a part of growth no one talks about — the fire before the glow up.
That uncomfortable season where everything feels messy, heavy, and unclear.
The part where you’re questioning who you are, what you want, and what’s next.

But what if nothing is going wrong?
What if you’re being refined for the version of you that 2026 requires?

In this powerful episode, Julie explores why the defining seasons of leadership often feel like grief, frustration, and transition. She unpacks why alignment rarely feels calm at the beginning, how to navigate the loneliness of growth, and what it truly means to lead yourself first.

This isn’t about hustling harder.
It’s about anchoring deeper.

You’ll walk away with practical reflection prompts and self-leadership cues you can use right now to turn this fire into fuel for your next chapter.

Key Themes
Growth doesn’t always feel good — sometimes it feels like loss.
Feeling “messy” often means you’re becoming more aligned, not less.
Balance is outdated — anchored leadership is the new standard.
Your next level requires self-trust, capacity, and boundaries.
Reflection is the gateway to who you're becoming.

 

Episode Time Stamps

00:00 - Welcome & why the “fire” before the glow up matters
03:15 - Why feeling uncertain or messy is actually proof of growth
06:40 - The loneliness that comes with outgrowing people & environments
10:20 - The myth of balance — and what true self-alignment looks like
14:00 - Burnout, boundaries & belief: reflections on where you are now
18:30 - Preparing to meet the version of you required for 2026
22:00 - Close & what's coming next on Leading You

 

Links:

Learn more about my upcoming group coaching program here

 

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram:@juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

There&rsquo;s a part of growth no one talks about &mdash; the&nbsp;fire&nbsp;before the glow up. That uncomfortable season where everything feels messy, heavy, and unclear. The part where you&rsquo;re questioning who you are, what you want, and what&rsquo;s next.
But what if nothing is going wrong? What if you&rsquo;re being refined for the version of you that 2026 requires?
In this powerful episode, Julie explores why the defining seasons of leadership often feel like grief, frustration, and transition. She unpacks why alignment rarely feels calm at the beginning, how to navigate the loneliness of growth, and what it truly means to lead yourself first.
This isn&rsquo;t about hustling harder. It&rsquo;s about&nbsp;anchoring deeper.
You&rsquo;ll walk away with practical reflection prompts and self-leadership cues you can use right now to turn this fire into fuel for your next chapter.
Key Themes
<ul>
<li>Growth doesn&rsquo;t always feel good &mdash; sometimes it feels like loss.</li>
<li>Feeling &ldquo;messy&rdquo; often means you&rsquo;re becoming more aligned, not less.</li>
<li>Balance is outdated &mdash; anchored leadership is the new standard.</li>
<li>Your next level requires self-trust, capacity, and boundaries.</li>
<li>Reflection is the gateway to who you're becoming.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Episode Time Stamps
00:00 - Welcome &amp; why the &ldquo;fire&rdquo; before the glow up matters 03:15 - Why feeling uncertain or messy is actually proof of growth 06:40 - The loneliness that comes with outgrowing people &amp; environments 10:20 - The myth of balance &mdash; and what true self-alignment looks like 14:00 - Burnout, boundaries &amp; belief: reflections on where you are now 18:30 - Preparing to meet the version of you required for 2026 22:00 - Close &amp; what's coming next on Leading You
&nbsp;
Links:
Learn more about my upcoming group coaching program <a href="https://juliehyde.com.au/leadher-mastermind/">here</a>
&nbsp;
Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/" data-href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/</a> Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/juliehydeleads/" data-href="https://www.instagram.com/juliehydeleads/"> @juliehydeleads</a> Website: <a href="https://juliehyde.com.au" data-href="https://juliehyde.com.au">https://juliehyde.com.au</a>

Want to know the secret to confident and successful leadership?

Every week, Leading You showcases leadership of all kinds and you get the scoop on how to be an effective, modern leader who makes an impact.

There’s one thing we all have in common. We’re all leaders. First and foremost, you’re a leader of you. You don’t need a title to be a leader. Leadership is a mindset which anyone can adopt to create influence. The more leaders the world has, the better it will be.

I'll let you into something I know to be true - You can’t be a leader of others unless you’re a leader of self first. So if you want to have impact that leads to prosperity and happiness, it all starts with you. With your mindset and personal leadership toolbox, which Leading You will help you build up.

Leading you is hosted by Julie Hyde, an entrepreneur, corporate drop out and passionate leader. Julie knows one thing: you can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you respond. It’s why Leading You is important.

Each week, guests share their secret sauce. They reveal their roadmaps to success. How they’ve stayed anchored to who they are, insights into their courage and resilience and how to be emotionally and behaviourally agile. It’s a conversation, not an interrogation, and you’ll hear the human side of household names.

Want to know the secret to confident and successful leadership?
Every week, Leading You showcases leadership of all kinds and you get the scoop on how to be an effective, modern leader who makes an impact.
There’s one thing we all have in common. We’re all leaders. First and foremost, you’re a leader of you. You don’t need a title to be a leader. Leadership is a mindset which anyone can adopt to create influence. The more leaders the world has, the better it will be.
I'll let you into something I know to be true - You can’t be a leader of others unless you’re a leader of self first. So if you want to have impact that leads to prosperity and happiness, it all starts with you. With your mindset and personal leadership toolbox, which Leading You will help you build up.
Leading you is hosted by Julie Hyde, an entrepreneur, corporate drop out and passionate leader. Julie knows one thing: you can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you respond. It’s why Leading You is important.
Each week, guests share their secret sauce. They reveal their roadmaps to success. How they’ve stayed anchored to who they are, insights into their courage and resilience and how to be emotionally and behaviourally agile. It’s a conversation, not an interrogation, and you’ll hear the human side of household names.

A Podcast dedicated to business owners and leaders to inspire you to make it count

Leading You

Want to know the secret to confident and successful leadership?
Every week, Leading You showcases leadership of all kinds and you get the scoop on how to be an effective, modern leader who makes an impact.
There’s one thing we all have in common. We’re all leaders. First and foremost, you’re a leader of you. You don’t need a title to be a leader. Leadership is a mindset which anyone can adopt to create influence. The more leaders the world has, the better it will be.
I'll let you into something I know to be true - You can’t be a leader of others unless you’re a leader of self first. So if you want to have impact that leads to prosperity and happiness, it all starts with you. With your mindset and personal leadership toolbox, which Leading You will help you build up.
Leading you is hosted by Julie Hyde, an entrepreneur, corporate drop out and passionate leader. Julie knows one thing: you can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you respond. It’s why Leading You is important.
Each week, guests share their secret sauce. They reveal their roadmaps to success. How they’ve stayed anchored to who they are, insights into their courage and resilience and how to be emotionally and behaviourally agile. It’s a conversation, not an interrogation, and you’ll hear the human side of household names.

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