As we step into a new year, I want to talk about one resolution that almost every nonprofit leader needs, but very few actually name out loud:

Stop personally sacrificing yourself to get the work done.

Consider giving yourself permission to lead without losing yourself.

Today, I’m giving you 3 practical strategies to stick to this resolution, so you don’t spiral back to living on caffeine, email triage, and pure adrenaline.

Typical resolutions sound like:
“I want to work less.”
“I need boundaries.”
“I have to take better care of myself.”

But those are vague wishes, not commitments. Here’s a more powerful reframe:

“I will no longer sacrifice my peace, my health, or my joy to keep the mission running.”

This moves you from survival mode… to decisive CEO mode.

Choose Your 2026 Mantra

Before I walk you through choosing your mantra, let me tell you a story about why I swear by them.

On January 1st, 2020, I wrote down my new year’s resolution and simple mantra: “Create Space.”

At that time? I had very little space.
My twin boys were in middle school which meant a crazy schedule of sports, carpools, and teenage logistics.
I had a full-time job and was traveling often for work.
My life felt like sprinting through an airport juggling twelve carry-ons and no snacks.

“Create space” felt cute….or aspirational, like a pipe dream.

And then… three months later, the world hit pause.

A global pandemic shut down flights.
My job went fully remote.
My kids’ activities vanished overnight.
There were no commutes.
No sports.
No airports.

Suddenly, I had more space than I’d had in years, space to breathe, think, rest, and hear myself again.

I thought – wow, that mantra was powerful…. TOO powerful. 

Now, I trust your mantra will not summon a global shutdown (nobody needs that). But that experience taught me something powerful:

When you write down what you want – what you really, really want – you start noticing the opportunities to live it.

So ask yourself: What do you want more than anything in the new year? 

Give yourself space to think over the holidays to identify what you want and/or need to become the best version of yourself:

Whatever rises to the top, turn it into a mantra. A short phrase you return to again and again.

You can take my example “Create Space”.  Other mantras may be “My clarity is my power.” Or “I trust my voice.”

Choose whatever makes your spirit soar if it were to come true. Let this be your New Year’s North Star.

Build a System, Not a Wish List

Wish lists fade by February. Systems create real change.

Here are three CEO-friendly systems for leaders wanting to create something new:

Your Weekly Alignment Reset (15 minutes)

Place a 15-minute hold on every Friday this year to reflect and ask yourself:

It’s stunning how much stress disappears when you pause to reflect.

• The Non-Negotiable Hour

One sacred hour each week.
No meetings. No email. No “just one quick thing.”

Use it to think, plan, breathe, walk, or simply be.

This is identity-shifting for CEOs.

• The Boundary Script

For my people pleasers out there – I see you. Borrow my go-to line: “I don’t have capacity for that right now, but here’s what I can offer…”

Boundaries are clarity. Not conflict. 

And speaking of boundaries…there’s a classic Seinfeld moment that nails this better than any leadership book ever could.

Do you remember the rental car episode? Jerry walks up to the counter, gives his name, and the agent tells him, “Sorry, we don’t have your car.”

He says, “But I made a reservation.”

And she replies, “Yes, we have your reservation… we just ran out of cars.”

And then Jerry drops the line that lives in comedy history:

“You know how to take the reservation. You just don’t know how to hold the reservation.
And holding is the most important part of the reservation.”

That’s true for boundaries.

Anyone can set the boundary, but fewer people actually hold it.

So when you set a boundary this year — “I will stop personally sacrificing myself. I’m done working at 6”. 

Do it for Jerry Seinfeld: You’re not just taking the boundary. You’re holding it.

And holding it is where your peace, your energy, and your impact actually transform.

Recruit Your Accountability Circle

You don’t need more willpower. You want connection and support. Choose 2–3 people:

Share your mantra. Share your resolution. Check in monthly.

A Resource to Help You “Create Space” Daily

If your mantra has anything to do with slowing down, grounding yourself, or finding space, I want to share a tool I love:

The Miracle Morning app, created by Hal Elrod. It’s built around a simple morning practice called SAVERS:

  1. Silence
  2. Affirmations
  3. Visualization
  4. Exercise
  5. Reading
  6. Scribing (journaling)

And here’s what I love most: You can complete all six in less than 10 minutes.

A few intentional minutes completely shifts your day from reactive to focused, from inbox-ruled to intention-led.

I recommended this app to one of my VIP clients in my signature Culture CARES Accelerator program, because she was drowning in 60-hour workweeks. She downloaded it immediately… and now she’s on a 26-day streak of waking up to her Miracle Mornings. She was in a habit to start her very early mornings checking email, and this was not an energizing practice for her.

She told me: “” For the first time in years, I’m setting the tone for my day, not my email.”

The Miracle Morning app is healthy tool that is gamified, so it’s also fun. It’s about $40 a year and worth every penny. If you try it, I’d genuinely love to hear what you think. 

🔥 SPARK PLUG SHIFT (Your Weekly Takeaway)

Choose your New Year’s mantra and put it somewhere you’ll see every day…on your mirror, your lock screen, your planner. 

Let it shape your decisions, not just your intentions.

And if you want support backing that mantra with clear steps…

👉 Grab my free guide: “4 Strategies to Reduce Burnout, Unify Your Team, and Build a Culture That Lasts.”

Use it to step into the new year grounded, focused, and leading with calm clarity instead of overwhelm.

Let’s build a movement together where you don’t have to personally sacrifice yourself for the mission anymore. You make a decision to lead with healthy intention, energy, and confidence — not exhaustion.

And your mission? It grows stronger when you are steady, supported, and grounded.

TOPIC: Lead with Confidence, Podcast, Set Boundaries