• 9 to 5 Dilemma: New Year, Same Scaries.

• If You’ve Decided 2026 is the Year You Leave, Start Here.

• 2026 Goals + Realizations.

• Dollyism.

First of all, Happy New Year! For all intents and purposes, we are claiming 2026 as our year!

This is the year that we get clear on what we want (and don’t want) and take strategic steps towards what we know is ours.

Unfortunately, we have toxic bosses, morally corrupt workplaces, unreasonable workloads, and an impending sense of doom to wade through.

What you’re describing is one of the most common January experiences I see, especially among capable, thoughtful people who’ve been holding a lot for a long time.

Time off doesn’t always restore us. Sometimes it just gives us enough quiet to notice how tired we actually are.

So if you came back to work feeling heavy instead of refreshed, that’s not a personal failing. It’s information.

January has a way of piling pressure onto uncertainty.

You’re being asked—implicitly or explicitly—to:

• set goals

• feel optimistic

• recommit

• be grateful

• and somehow know what you want next

All while returning to a job that sounds increasingly reactive, demanding, and unsustainable.

No wonder you feel stuck.

You’re not lazy.
You’re not unmotivated.
You’re likely depleted and unclear, and those two things often travel together.

You don’t need to answer that question yet.

Instead of “stay or go,” try this gentler one:

Is this a season for action or a season for orientation?

Orientation isn’t avoidance of the issue, it’s how you make decisions without burning yourself out.

If this were my client, here’s what I’d suggest doing this week:

1. Lower the bar on decision-making.
You don’t need a five-year plan right now. Give yourself permission to focus on understanding, not fixing. Even naming “this isn’t sustainable” is progress.

2. Write down what’s draining you—specifically.
Not “work” or “my job.”
What kind of fire drills? What demands keep piling on? What feels endless? Clarity starts with precision in identifying the triggers and environments that deplete you.

3. Notice what you’re tolerating that you no longer want to.
This isn’t about blame. It’s about boundaries. Often dread is a signal that something has been normalized that shouldn’t be.

4. Separate ‘the market is bad’ from ‘I’m stuck forever.’
A tough market doesn’t mean you can’t prepare, clarify, or quietly explore. It just means rushing is more expensive.

5. Choose one small act of orientation.
That might be:

• updating a few notes about what you want next

• saving roles that spark curiosity (without applying)

• or simply having an honest conversation with yourself about what has to be different

None of this requires announcing anything.
None of it needs to be public.

If January already feels like too much, that doesn’t mean you’re behind.
It means you’re paying attention.

And attention when paired with clarity is usually what creates real change.

You don’t need to suck it up.
You don’t need to sprint into a job search.

You’re allowed to pause, orient, and choose your next move with intention.

If You’ve Decided 2026 Is the Year You Leave, Start Here

Ok, when you know it’s time to go, there’s one thing I want you to understand before you touch a job board…

A strong resume isn’t about listing everything you’ve done. It’s about positioning.

A powerfully branded resume does three things well:

1. It makes your value obvious.

2. It tells a clear story about where you’re going.

3. It earns trust quickly through specific outcome focused examples.

That’s it.

Branding is clarity, consistency, and intention applied to your career story.

Here’s what that actually looks like in practice…

The gumption. Resume Template

The Playbook to Building Your Resume

1. A Clear Focus (Before Anything Else)

The strongest resumes answer one question immediately:

“What kind of role is this person targeting?”

That’s why the top of the resume matters so much.

A branded resume doesn’t open with vague summaries or buzzwords. It leads with:

• a clear target role

• a defined functional focus

• language that aligns with where you want to go next

This isn’t about boxing yourself in, it’s about giving the reader a lens.

2. A Grounded, Specific Value Proposition

Your unique value proposition (UVP) isn’t a slogan.
It’s a positioning statement.

A strong UVP includes:

• years of experience

• what you actually do

• the environment or context you’ve done it in

• (when relevant) scale, scope, or complexity

This is where credibility and alignment gets established.

When this is missing or fuzzy, people default to reading your resume as “generic,” even when your experience isn’t.

3. Highlights That Signal Impact (Not Effort)

A branded resume doesn’t make the reader dig for wins.

It surfaces them early.

Your career highlights should:

• reflect outcomes, not responsibilities

• connect directly to the roles you’re targeting

• show how you create value, not just stay busy

  It’s telling the reader, “This is what you can expect from me.”

4. Experience That’s Outcome-First, Not Task-Heavy

Most resumes fall apart in the experience section.

A branded resume avoids:

• long paragraphs

• job description copy

• bullets that start with “responsible for”

Instead, it leads with impact.

Each bullet answers:

• What changed?

• Because of what?

• Why does it matter?

This makes your work legible — especially in fast, noisy hiring environments.

5. Design That Builds Trust (Quietly)

Design isn’t about being flashy.
It’s about being readable.

Strong resume design:

• uses white space intentionally

• guides the eye with clean headings and bolding

• avoids text boxes and overly complex formatting

• works with ATS systems instead of fighting them

Good design tells the reader:
“This person is thoughtful, organized, and clear.”

The Big Mindset Shift

A branded resume isn’t a career obituary.
It’s a future-facing document.

Every line should support where you’re going, not just where you’ve been.

If 2026 is the year you leave, this is a smart place to begin.

My Goals for This Year

Like everyone, I’ve spent time lately thinking about what I hope to achieve this year.

Here’s what I’m holding onto...

This is the year I say yes to more things that used to scare me.

Not reckless yeses.
Not burnout yeses.
But the kind of yes that stretches me just past what feels familiar.

Sharing ideas before they feel perfect.
Taking up space without over-qualifying.
Trusting that I don’t need to be fully ready to begin.

I’m also embracing something that’s taken me a long time to accept:

The gap between what I know I can do and where I am right now isn’t outside of me.
It’s internal.

It’s not a missing credential.
Or the right timing.
Or someone else finally noticing.

It’s confidence, clarity, and permission — things that can be built, practiced, and reclaimed.

And just as importantly, this is the year I’m allowing myself to slow down.

Not because I’m giving up.
But because urgency has never been my best teacher.

Slowing down creates space to notice what’s actually working.
To name what’s been hard.
To choose with intention instead of reacting out of fear or pressure.

I’m letting go of the idea that everything meaningful has to happen quickly to count.

What’s meant for me won’t disappear because I take my time.
What’s aligned won’t vanish because I pause to breathe.

That belief changes how I move through work, decisions, and uncertainty.

So my goals this year aren’t about becoming someone new.
They’re about trusting myself more fully.

Showing up before I feel ready.
Letting progress be imperfect.
And remembering that the things I’m building — in my career, my work, my life — don’t need to be rushed to be real.

If you’re entering this year feeling uncertain, stretched, or quietly hopeful, I’ll say this:

You don’t have to sprint to prove you’re worthy of what you want.
You’re allowed to move with steadiness, courage, and care.

What’s for you will still be there.

Dollyism.

Don’t Be a Stranger!

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