THIS YEAR, YOU DO YOU

Last year, I resolved to bring more joy and peace into my life. What I didn’t realize at the time was that both of those things require something people rarely talk about: inner permission. You can chase peace all day long, change your environment, change your schedule, change your habits, but none of it sticks until you change what’s happening inside yourself. That took me about eight months to figure out, but when it did… wow.

I will never find real peace if my sense of self-worth lives in the hands of other people.

When you spend your life worrying about who approves of you, who’s watching you or who’s judging you, you hand over the steering wheel. The world becomes heavier. The joy becomes conditional. And the peace becomes something you only get in short bursts.

So, here’s the truth that finally set me free:

I have to be okay with who I am, fully, unapologetically, and give exactly zero F’s about opinions that don’t matter. (In the most responsible and socially acceptable way, obviously.)

For the lucky few who already live this truth, skip ahead. But for the rest of us, the ones carrying insecurities, old scars, childhood bullies, mistakes we can’t forget or expectations that never belonged to us in the first place, this part is for you.

Here’s what I learned:

1. You cannot heal in environments that constantly remind you of who you used to be. Some people only know an outdated version of you. They’re committed to that memory because it keeps them comfortable and allows them to judge the old you against their current self.

2. Your peace is your responsibility, not something you wait for. Peace doesn’t come wrapped in a bow. Peace comes from boundaries, self-respect, quiet moments and choosing not to carry every burden handed to you. It is built through hobbies, rest, connection and doing things because they feed your soul, not your reputation. And here’s a huge one I found that helps big-time—learn to say “no” more often.

3. Stop apologizing for evolving. Your growth will intimidate people who preferred you when you were easier to control, predict or dismiss. Let them be uncomfortable—that isn’t your problem, it’s theirs now.

4. Stop shrinking to make other people feel more comfortable. You are not responsible for anyone else’s insecurities. Your light doesn’t blind people who have their own; choose to hang out with them this year. The conversation is different at that table.

5. Finally, be bold enough to like yourself. Self-acceptance is freedom. The moment you truly like who you are, you’re comfortable in your own skin, without filters, edits or qualifiers, you become untouchable.

This year, make the most radical, rebellious decision you can make—be yourself. Fully. Loudly. Quietly. Honestly. Imperfectly. Authentically.

So what’s my 2026 resolution? It’s the next evolution and it’s deeply introspective: Stop being so judgmental of others. This one hits hard when your self-awareness makes you realize that the very thing you have worked so hard to overcome is the exact thing you are guilty of.

Shine On,

John J. Radzwilla
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

FAIL FORWARD FAST

Turn every setback into self-awareness, strength, and relentless forward motion

Story by The Trident Mindset’s Chriss Smith Jr.

I’ve failed more times than I can count. Some failures were quiet. Others echoed for years. Two stand out: a pool in Coronado and a jungle in Fiji. Both taught me the same truth—real strength isn’t just about how hard you push; it’s about knowing when to stop and having the humility to own the difference.

Three hours into day one at BUD/S, Navy SEAL training, I stood poolside soaked, exhausted, and confident. I’d crushed the obstacle course. Then came the “lifesaving test.” Jump. Tread. Strip boots and pants. Make a float. Simple—until my chest tightened. Asthma surged back. Every breath burned. I fought it, swallowed water, refused to quit—and failed.

I stood there humiliated, my dream hanging by a thread, when Senior Chief Gower walked over.

“You think this is about swimming?” he said. “It’s not. It’s about what’s inside you.”

Then he pointed. “Back in the pool.”

Same test. Same lungs. Same water. Different mindset. Thirty minutes later, I passed. I hadn’t gotten stronger—I’d learned that failure isn’t final. It’s feedback.

Years later, that lesson followed me to Fiji during the Eco-Challenge—400 miles of racing through jungle, mountain, and sea. On day six, a teammate crashed hard and was concussed. We had a choice: push on or stop. Everything in me wanted to finish. But leadership isn’t ego—it’s accountability.

We stopped. It hurt then, and it still does. But it was right.

Failure wears many faces. Sometimes it tests your will. Sometimes it tests your character. Both demand honesty. Failing forward fast means learning faster than you fall—turning setbacks into fuel, staying accountable, and giving yourself grace to keep moving.

Because failure isn’t fatal. It’s formative.

What are we reading?

Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success

Brent Gleeson, Navy SEAL combat veteran turned award-winning entrepreneur and speaker, has faced his fair share of hardship over the years, but nothing quite prepared him for the reckoning that would come when personal tragedy struck, forcing him to evaluate whether or not he was living up to his true potential.

In All In, Gleeson invites you on a journey of extraordinary growth, as he illuminates a new path for pursuing your passions with dedication, determination, and intentionality.