Let the Next You Emerge

Not everything needs to be rebuilt. Sometimes we just need space to become.

Author

Daniel Dixon
June 11, 2025

There’s a moment after hope….and before clarity, when you don’t quite know who you are yet.

You’re no longer who you were in the job you left, or the routine that ended, or the identity that used to feel secure. But you’re not fully someone new either. You’re in between. In progress. And that space can feel deeply disorienting.

So much of modern work culture rewards quick reinvention. Rebrand. Pivot. Bounce back stronger. But sometimes, the wisest thing we can do is stop trying to reassemble ourselves so quickly, and let the next version of us emerge.

A Timely Insight
In seasons of change, the pressure to reinvent can feel urgent. “What’s next?” becomes a demand, not a curiosity. We search for clarity, direction, identity, trying to force a new version of ourselves into form. But what if the next version of you doesn’t need to be built? What if it needs to be noticed?

Emergence isn’t glamorous. It’s slow. It doesn’t announce itself in a LinkedIn headline or an “I’ve figured it out!” moment. It unfolds in small signs. A new instinct. A clearer boundary. A deeper breath.

You don’t have to reinvent. You just have to pay attention.

Toolkit

Small practices to help you notice and nurture what’s emerging.

1. Micro-noticing

Each day, ask: What felt most like me today?

Not the most impressive. Not the most productive.

Just the moment that felt most honest, light, grounded, or alive.

Keep a short list. You might be surprised by the patterns.

2. Permission slips

Give yourself a new one each week.

Write it down. Speak it aloud. Believe it.

Some examples:

  • “I give myself permission to not have a five-year plan.”

  • “I give myself permission to rest before I’m burnt out.”

  • “I give myself permission to change my mind.”

3. A ‘should’ audit

Make a list of all the roles, expectations, and routines you feel you should keep.

Then ask:

  • Who told me this matters?

  • Does this still feel true? Or is it a habit of who I used to be?

Let go of one. Watch what opens up in its place.

4. Let things be unfinished

Not everything needs a next step today.

Some things just need space.

Try ending a sentence with “for now” instead of a plan.

Example: “I’m not applying for anything new… for now.”

❝

There’s power in leaving the door open.

So many professional spaces reward clarity, control, and direction.

  • “What are you building?”

  • “What’s your plan?”

  • “How are you pivoting?”

We start to believe that becoming must be bold, branded, and complete.

But that’s not how identity works.

That’s not how grief works.

That’s not how healing works.

In nature, emergence is hidden. Roots grow in silence before anything breaks the surface. A chrysalis holds more stillness than motion. And in us, too, the next version of ourselves often arrives without an announcement.

  • You might notice you’re no longer performing in the same way.

  • You might crave quieter work.

  • You might say no faster, or yes slower.

  • You might simply feel a little more you, and not know how to explain it.

That’s emergence.

It’s not about inventing a new self to survive. It’s about shedding the parts of you that were surviving too long. The overgiving. The overidentifying. The pretending. The pressure.

You don’t owe anyone a shiny update. You are allowed to be in-process. The next you can come gently.

Let this be the question you carry into your week:

What part of me is beginning to surface, slowly and quietly?

  • It might be your anger.

  • It might be your voice.

  • It might be your longing.

  • It might be a dream you buried years ago.

Whatever it is, don’t rush it. Don’t brand it. Just stay close to it.

❝

Let it breathe. Let it speak. Let it become.

Feeling in between?

I work with people who are rethinking what work looks like after endings, pivots, or uncertainty.

If you’re ready to explore what’s next, even if you’re not sure what that means yet, we can begin there.

How do people stay hopeful during uncertainty?

I’m gathering anonymous insights for The Hope Inventory, a short, reflective survey exploring how people navigate instability, rebuild agency, and stay motivated through change.

If you’ve experienced job loss, career transition, or prolonged uncertainty, I’d value your perspective. Your responses will help shape a visual report and deeper analysis within my consulting work on human resilience and workplace culture.

What’s On

Looking for a moment to connect, reflect, or just step outside your own head for a while?

Here’s what’s on offer right now:

☕ The Beyond Café

A relaxed, drop-in space to think out loud with thoughtful humans. No agenda, just presence. Bring a coffee and come as you are.

🎉 Beyond the Buzzer

A fast-paced quiz session hosted by Khidi. Expect energy, humour, and a few surprising insights — it’s connection through play, not pressure.

You can see everything that’s coming up and book your place here:

Why it’s worth reading:


This book beautifully echoes the core message of this edition, emergence over forced reinvention.

Rydall frames growth as rediscovery, reminding readers that everything they need is already within them.

Why it’s worth reading:

Designing Your Life invites you to treat your career and choices like a design challenge — something to explore, prototype, and evolve. Burnett and Evans apply design thinking to the question of how to build a meaningful life, especially when the path isn’t linear. It’s a practical guide for job seekers, career shifters, or anyone feeling stuck, offering a creative way to move forward when you’re unsure what comes next.

Until next time

Emergence doesn’t happen all at once. It unfolds slowly, through quiet choices, gentle noticing, and the courage to stay in the in-between.

Whatever this week holds, I hope you give yourself space to be unfinished. To listen inward. To trust what’s quietly becoming.

I’ll be back soon with the next edition. Until then, I’m glad you’re here.

Daniel

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