What Rebuilding My Life Taught Me About Leadership
How Rebuilding My Life Transformed My Approach to Leadership and Supporting Others
Rebuilding my life has changed how I understand leadership. I have learned how much it matters to listen, to respect another person's choices, and to keep showing up when progress takes time. Those lessons guide my work as a peer support specialist and clinical associate, and the business I am building through Lady of Influence Collective.
For a long time, I worried about what people thought of me because of what they had heard or who they used to know me to be. Learning to stop giving those opinions so much control took time. I had to ask myself where I wanted to go and what I was willing to do to get there.
Learning to Trust My Own Decisions
My faith has been an important part of finding that direction. When trying to figure everything out on my own left me without clarity, I returned to prayer. It helped me step back and look more honestly at what I was seeking from other people and what I needed to develop within myself.
That experience influences how I approach opportunities today. Recognition is something I can appreciate while still asking whether an opportunity fits the work I want to do. I am learning to pause long enough to consider the time and attention a commitment will require.
For a woman rebuilding after a difficult transition, that pause can be useful. Before agreeing to something, ask yourself what you want from it, whether you have room for it, and whether the decision still makes sense without anyone else's approval. Your answers deserve consideration.
Listening Before Offering an Answer
In my professional work, support often happens through practical tasks such as helping someone get to an appointment, work through a budget, or become more comfortable participating in the community. These experiences keep me attentive to the steps behind a larger goal.
A task that looks simple to one person may be unfamiliar or difficult for someone else. I want to understand what the person is trying to accomplish before deciding what help to offer. That means listening, explaining when needed, and allowing room for questions and practice.
I carry that approach into coaching. I can help someone reflect, identify a priority, and make a plan. The choices remain theirs. Respecting that helps me stay focused on supporting their ability to move forward and make decisions for themselves.
Giving Progress Enough Time
Through The Phoenix Rise, I encourage women rebuilding confidence and reclaiming their voice to recognize what they bring into their next chapter. Starting over can feel like losing everything you have worked toward. Yet the lessons you have learned can help you decide what to do differently.
One practical place to begin is with a single priority. Write down what you want to change, choose an action you can take this week, and decide when you will check your progress. If the action does not work, look at what got in the way before deciding what to try next. This gives you something specific to learn from.
I am still applying these lessons in my own life and business. There are decisions to reconsider and skills I am continuing to build. Being honest about that matters to me because I want the people I support to have room to learn as well.
The kind of leader I want to be makes space for someone else to speak and takes their goals seriously. Rebuilding has taught me how valuable that space can be. I want to offer it with the same patience I have had to learn to give myself.
About the Author
Capricia Cunningham is a peer support specialist, clinical associate, author, and founder of Lady of Influence Collective LLC in Anchorage, Alaska. Her work through The Phoenix Rise focuses on supporting women as they rebuild confidence, reclaim their voice, and navigate life transitions.
