#6. The sequin jacket

Today, Penelope put on this jacket covered in sequins. The sun caught it just right, and suddenly, the whole room lit up. She started spinning, and these tiny reflections burst across the walls like a galaxy. At one point, it was so bright, it felt like the entire space was glowing from her.

It made me think of Michael, the coffee shop owner I see every morning. He greets everyone with this calm, open energy that somehow gives more than the coffee itself. There’s no performance in it, just presence. He might be the most generous person I’ve met, after my mum. And his warmth stays with me long after I’ve left the shop.

These moments, Penelope’s jacket, and the coffee shop owner reminded me how much energy each of us brings into a room. How we carry light, or shadow, without even realising. It’s not always sparkly or obvious. But it’s there. We shift the mood. We influence the pace. We either lift or dim.

And then there are the other days. When someone walks in with a sharp look or a heavy silence, it cuts through. It changes the atmosphere. You feel it. It makes you shrink a little, even if it’s not about you.

Especially in leadership, this matters.

In every role I’ve had—corporate, founder, and team builder—I’ve seen how the energy I bring becomes the energy the team carries. Not like a motivational quote, but in the small, quiet tone-setting of it. My state creates the culture.

There’s this practice that Brendon Burchard (founder of Growth Day) talks about. Before entering a room, he touches the doorframe to remind himself to bring the energy he wants others to feel. It’s so simple. But it works. A reset. A moment to choose.

What kind of light am I casting?

Lately, I’ve been thinking about these people as reminders. We all carry a version of that jacket. Maybe not made of sequins, but made of presence. Of how we show up for the people around us at work, at home, and in passing.

What energy are you bringing into the room, and is it lifting or dimming the people around you?

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