Hey Reader,

Welcome to issue #013 of The Next Chapter, a career planning newsletter for LGBTQ+ professionals.

This week, I'm covering:

• Holding multiple truths as we start the year
• A 5-minute reflection exercise for your career
• Words from a thoughtful client
• New Year, New Job: A 1-month coaching package

Let's dive in.

Holding multiple truths

You may be starting the year feeling… ambivalent.

On the one hand, this season is an opportunity to reflect on the previous year. We celebrate wins, learn from mistakes, sit with gratitude, and let go of what’s not serving us. It’s a chance to pause and consider what we want from our careers in the months ahead.

On the other hand, the world feels heavy. The news fires up our nervous system. We may feel sad, worried, or pessimistic. Is there even space to think about our careers?

Yes.

And it requires a tough skill: holding multiple truths.

You can be energized by the goals you set for your own development and be heartbroken by harm and injustice happening in the world.

As a consultant, I’ve spent the last decade of my career helping organizations create more inclusive workplaces. There have been many seasons when I was consumed by despair when I thought about how much systemic change was truly needed.

I’ve been able to sustain myself emotionally by holding multiple truths with care. I try to embrace joy and optimism even when another part of me feels angry or defeated.

So if 2026 looks like a year of uncertainty or ambivalence, know that you’re not alone in that. And remember to care for yourself as you care for your community.

A 5-minute exercise

Imagine it’s a year from now. What’s different about your relationship with work?

I’ve been asking everyone this question lately.

Often, when we think about our careers, we focus on discrete things: job titles, certifications, promotions, salary bumps. All of those matter, but they don’t tell the full story.

What about your relationship with work itself? What role is it playing in your life? Are you energized or drained? Aligned or compromised? Growing or stuck?

Sometime in the next couple of days, create a little space for reflection and sit with this. You don’t need to have all the answers. Just see what comes up.

Words from a thoughtful client

Back in November, I had the chance to meet for coffee in San Francisco with one of my clients, Jenn, who approached me in 2024 to explore a career shift after taking a sabbatical to raise her little one.

One of the things I've always admired about Jenn is her willingness to do the inner work and examine how her values should shape her decisions. She's also a coach, so I wasn't surprised. :)

Today, she’s operating from a place of greater clarity about who she is, what she needs, and what she has to offer the world.

Here’s what she had to say about our work together:

Career planning is never just tactical—it requires asking questions to find the answers within ourselves and listening to our intuition. It was such a privilege to help facilitate this with her.

And if you or someone you know needs fractional operations or communications support, Jenn partners with nonprofits, small businesses, and mission-driven founders to streamline operations, strengthen communications, and support day-to-day project management. I'd love to introduce you to her.

New year, new job?

If landing a new job is on your 2026 vision board, I’ve got a new service to help.

There’s a lot of noise online today about the job search, so I designed a 1-month coaching package focused on the fundamentals.

Goals: clarity, intentionality, and confidence.

This package is for you if:

• You’re ready to look but don’t know where to start
• You’ve been “casually browsing” for months without making real progress
• You know you need a change but can’t articulate what you actually want
• The idea of networking makes you want to hide under your desk

In one month, you’ll have:

• A career mission to shape how you talk about yourself
• Clear job search criteria aligned with what you need to succeed
• An updated resume and LinkedIn profile that reflect your impact
• Target job titles, industries, and companies to focus your search
• A networking strategy to build community and find opportunities

Tell me what’s on your mind

I want this newsletter to be community-driven. It’s meant for you, so it should be valuable to you.

If there's a topic you want me to cover, don’t be shy about hitting the ‘Reply’ button. It might just end up in the next issue.

See you next week.