As the year came to a close, it was tempting to default to a familiar ritual: the year-in-review.
The milestones.
The metrics.
The highlights that look good on paper.
This year, we chose something different.
Instead of a year-in-review, we wrote a letter to ourselves.
Why a Letter to Ourselves?
Before our founder began the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women: Black in Business program, one of the first pre-work assignments was to write a Letter to Money, a reflective exercise designed to uncover the beliefs, stories and narratives shaping how we lead, decide and grow.
That exercise stayed with us long after orientation.
It reminded us that growth doesn’t begin with strategy alone, it begins with self-awareness. With naming the stories we carry. With understanding how our experiences shape the way we move through the world.
As the year unfolded, through building, launching, speaking, learning and supporting leaders, we realized something important:
Growth isn’t measured only by what we accomplished.
It’s measured by how much we changed.
The Question That Changed Everything
Throughout the year, one idea continued to resurface through reading, listening and reflection. In a conversation between Oprah Winfrey and a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, a simple but powerful reframe was offered:
Instead of focusing on a person’s behavior.
Ask, “What is their story?”
That shift stayed with us.
It aligned with our approach to lean into curiosity. To sit with discomfort. To remember that everyone carries a story shaped by their experiences.
Our Guiding Word: Humanity
As we look ahead, our guiding word is Humanity.
Not as a buzzword.
Not as an ideal.
But as a daily practice.
Leaning into our humanity means:
- Asking intentional questions
- Being quick to listen
- Seeking to understand
We believe that when we lead from this place, we draw closer in community. We create space for collaboration. And we uncover solutions that might otherwise remain buried beneath difference, familiarity or fear of the unknown.
An Invitation: Write Your Own Letter to Yourself
We invite you to pause and reflect with us.
Set aside a few quiet minutes and write a Letter to Yourself. You don’t need to share it. You don’t need to perfect it. This is for you.
You might begin with these prompts:
- What changed me last year?
- What moments stretched or reshaped me the most?
- What story am I ready to release?
- How do I want to lead, at work, in my relationships, in my community?
- What value will guide me forward?
Close your letter with this sentence:
“As I step into the year ahead, I commit to leading with ______.”
Carry This Forward With Us
At The VLG Groupe, we believe storytelling is not just something we create for brands, it’s something we practice.
If this reflection resonates with you, we invite you to stay connected.
✨ Follow The VLG Groupe for more conversations at the intersection of storytelling, leadership, strategy and humanity.
Here’s to listening with intention and telling better stories.
With care,
The VLG Groupe
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