As the masks fall away, what remains of us? Spending time with my mum as she lives with dementia has offered unexpected lessons about honesty, identity and the futility of trying to reinvent ourselves year after year. With 2026 upon us, this reflection invites a different question: less about becoming “better” and more about becoming truer.

We spend our lives learning to fit into systems and meet expectations, but somewhere along the way, we forget the one job only we can do: being ourselves.

This reflection explores the inner voice that holds us back, the systems that resist change and how genuine coaching and courage help us reclaim our purpose.