One Year! (And a Little Bit More)

linnearader
5 days ago
4 min read

Oh my gosh. It has been a YEAR. A whole year of blogging.

In fact, my first blog went live March 19, 2025, so a little more than a year. What a year it's been.

I am so excited to be writing this. I feel like I've grown a lot through the year and I hope that the messages I've shared with you have been meaningful and helpful to you!

What a Year It's Been

Linnea speaking at a conference this year.

As I reflect back on the year, I feel like there are some really huge and amazing things that have happened.

I've written a lot. Not just on the blog but several articles for magazines. I've presented at conferences. I've worked with amazing teams. I'm not sure if I were to go back to that time a year ago that I could have dreamed how this would go.

But here's what really blows my mind: our email community has grown to over 475 people. FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE PEOPLE. That's huge to me.

Every single one of you matters. Every time you read a post, share it with a colleague, or reach out to tell me something resonated, that means the world.

"What dream have you been holding onto but haven't taken the first step toward?"

What's Coming Next

So what do we have to look forward to over the next year?

I'm expanding my training programs. I have some great ideas for training with teams, but I need your help. Reach out. Tell me what your teams are working hard at, what they could use help in, and where they are struggling. Training is only as good as the outcomes, so your input will make all the difference.

I'm changing up the blog format. You'll see more real life examples and stories. Shorter posts that are easier to read. More of the stuff you've told me you want.

YouTube and audio are coming back. Once I'm done with this master's class and have my degree, I'm getting back to YouTube and the audio version of the blog posts. Right now that's just more than I can handle. As I've told you all many times, it's super important to know where your limits are and to set boundaries for yourself. The audio version has had to be a hard stop for the time being. For well, time reasons! But it's coming back.

Haven't Joined the Email Community Yet?

"Sign up at www.leadwithlinnea.com/signup. It's quick and easy!"

If you haven't joined our email community yet, you are missing out. It's FREE. You can unsubscribe at any time if you get sick of reading. It's perfect.

And if you subscribe and you've EVER found it helpful, be sure to share with your peers and friends. You never know what time in their life they are in. If it helped you, it might help them too.

Learning Through Experience: Set Goals, Have Dreams, Live It

Here's what this year has taught me: you learn by doing. By setting goals. By having dreams and actually sticking to them. By living it.

A year ago, I set a goal to share my leadership experiences through this blog. I didn't know if anyone would read it. I didn't know if I'd have enough to say. I didn't know how it would fit into my already busy life. I had doubts. I had fears. I had a million reasons why it might not work.

But I set a plan. I created a path. And I dove in.

And you know what? It worked. Not perfectly. Not without challenges. But it worked because I committed to the process and kept showing up.

It's so important to grow in life. Not just professionally, but in every area. Growth doesn't happen by accident. It happens when you intentionally decide to pursue something, even when you're not sure how it will turn out.

So here's my question for you: What's an area you want to grow in? What's that goal you've been thinking about but haven't started yet? What dream have you been holding onto but haven't taken the first step toward?

Maybe it's starting your own blog or podcast. Maybe it's finally having that difficult conversation you've been avoiding. Maybe it's learning a new skill, taking on a leadership role, going back to school, changing careers, or starting that side project you keep talking about.

Whatever it is, here's what I want you to know: you don't need to have it all figured out before you start. You don't need the perfect plan or the perfect timing. You just need to take the first step.

How can you set a plan? How can you create a path? How can you dive in?

Start small. Write down your goal. Break it into smaller steps. Pick one thing you can do this week to move closer to it. Then do that thing. And then the next thing. And the next.

That's how growth happens. Not in giant leaps, but in consistent small steps taken over time.

Don't wait for the perfect moment. Set the goal. Make the plan. Start.

The best time to start was a year ago. The second best time is today.

Thank You

What does the next year bring? I’m still developing this year’s plan!

But I know I want to share more content with you. I know I want to keep growing and learning alongside you. I know I want to keep having real conversations about leadership that actually matter.

So thank you for taking this journey with me. I appreciate each and every one of you and the time you spend with me.

As always, carry social kindness with you everywhere you go. The world needs you and your positive mindset!