✨Why the inner shift feels harder to share (044)

Last week, I wrote about small shifts on the outside and a big shift on the inside.

Nothing flashy.
No frameworks.
Just an honest reflection on how my inner posture as a leader has been changing -

my language, my pace, my relationship with responsibility.

And then I paused.

I wasn’t sure whether to share that newsletter on LinkedIn.

What I notice now is how familiar that self-talk is
not just on LinkedIn,
but in leadership,
and in life.

Is this ready?
Is this clear enough?
Will it be received the way I hope?

That inner questioning isn’t a sign I’m unsure of myself.
It’s often a sign I’m in the middle of something meaningful.

Growth that’s still integrating tends to whisper
before it speaks with confidence.

This week, I shared something different on LinkedIn.
I wrote about deepening my coaching craft and why a coach needs a coach.

That post landed strongly.
It sparked conversation, validation, and engagement.

And that contrast revealed something bigger to me.

We’re often more comfortable sharing:

Because those things are easy to name.
Easy to explain.
Easy for others to respond to.

Inner shifts are different.

They’re quieter.
They don’t come with proof points.
They can feel unfinished.

Talking about changing how you carry responsibility.
Letting go of over-owning.
Noticing your language soften because your relationship with yourself has shifted.

That kind of growth can feel harder to articulate and harder to share publicly.

And yet, those inner shifts are often the real work.

Just like the becoming of butterflies.

The real work happens in the chrysalis.
Out of sight.
Unrushed.
Irreversible.

Nothing about that phase looks productive or impressive.
Yet without it, there is no butterfly.

That’s how I think about inner work.
Quiet transformation that doesn’t need an audience —
but changes everything that comes after.

They’re what make outer success sustainable.
They’re what reduce burnout, rather than just managing it.
They’re what subtly change how others experience us as leaders.

I realised my hesitation wasn’t really about LinkedIn.

It was about visibility.

Because sharing an inner shift means being seen not polished, not complete,
just honest.

Here’s the reframe I’m sitting with this week:

Outer growth is easier to applaud.
Inner growth is easier to overlook.
But inner growth is what actually changes lives.

If you’ve noticed a quiet shift inside you lately…
your pace slowing,
your language softening,
your edges less sharp but more intentional

you’re probably not losing your edge.

You’re evolving.

And that kind of growth doesn’t always need an audience to be real.

I’m planning something to express my gratitude for your support in next week’s edition.

It’s my birthday week, and I’d like to share a small gift with you — something supportive, thoughtful, and practical.

No fanfare. Just a quiet thank you.

Till then,
Mary