What does it mean to lead consciously in a world that feels overwhelming?

In this episode of The Joyful Optimist Podcast, True Wealth Coach, Sandy Kusano, explores conscious leadership as awareness, presence, and influence—not a title or role. Conscious simply means awake. Leadership means influence. And whether we realize it or not, we are all leading something in our lives.

Sandy reflects on how easily we slip into autopilot when the demands of life exceed our internal resources—and how that often leads to reactivity instead of choice. Drawing from her training with XChange and years of coaching and facilitation, she shares why conscious leadership matters for ourselves, for the people around us, and for the world we’re shaping together.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• What conscious leadership really means
• How autopilot shows up in everyday life
• The difference between reactivity and creativity
• Why awareness is one of our most important leadership skills

The episode closes with a reflection and an invitation to explore Awakening the Conscious Leader, a live workshop experience offered in January and February.

If this conversation resonates, consider sharing it with someone who might need it right now.

So as you move into the week ahead, sit with this question:

What’s the best that can happen?

Learn more about Sandy’s work, coaching, speaking, and upcoming experiences at joyfuloptimist.com.