We Don't Need Permission

Introducing Jennifer Larson, RSP Pivot Pillar Lead

Let’s get one thing straight: pivots aren’t cute, curated, or conveniently timed. They’re messy, uncomfortable, and often show up uninvited—usually right when you thought you had everything “figured out.” Sound familiar? Good. That means you’re paying attention.

That’s exactly why we’re beyond thrilled (and yes, a little smug about it) to introduce Jennifer Larson as our Pivot Pillar Lead this year. Jennifer doesn’t just talk about change—she’s lived it, wrestled with it, and come out the other side with a perspective that cuts through the noise. Her expertise is unlike any other, not because it’s polished, but because it’s real. It’s grounded in experience, self-awareness, and the kind of honesty most people avoid.

She understands something too many women are taught to ignore: that quiet nudge telling you something isn’t quite right? That’s not weakness. That’s your signal.

Jennifer brings depth, vulnerability, and a no-BS approach to what it actually means to pivot—especially when life doesn’t give you a heads-up. Her work creates space for women to stop performing, start questioning, and finally admit when “fine” just isn’t good enough anymore.

We’re honored to have her on the team this year, leading conversations that matter and pushing women to stop waiting for permission that was never required in the first place.

We do not need Permission to Pivot

I don’t think most women wake up one morning and decide they’re going to completely change their lives. Real pivots rarely happen this way. They can be quiet, slow, and far more internal than people realize. Then there are the pivots which are forced upon us, ones we did not plan for and catch us off guard.

Pivots begin in the moments we try to dismiss. The Sunday night anxiety which starts creeping in earlier and earlier. The exhaustion we can’t quite explain. The feeling we’re constantly showing up for everyone else while quietly losing connection with ourselves. From the outside, life can look successful, stable, and even fulfilling, yet internally something feels slightly misaligned. And for a while, we convince ourselves this is normal.

We remind ourselves of all the things we should be grateful for, and often, we genuinely are grateful. But underneath the gratitude can still exist a quiet voice asking deeper questions. Ones where we contemplate if this is the life we wanted and how everything looks "fine" but it doesn't feel right. Many women know this exact feeling, yet rarely it is talked about. This whisper, the subtle feeling of something needing to shift - it's often where the pivot begins. There is usually no certainty or confidence, but with awareness, it begins internally long before anyone else sees the changes happening externally.

In my recent transition, I did not feel certain, I was losing confidence and while I knew something was not right I was unsure of the next steps until they were decided for me. There have been seasons in my life where, on paper, everything looked successful. Career growth, leadership opportunities, accomplishments, responsibilities, momentum. I was building, achieving, producing, and doing all the things I thought success was supposed to look like. And while I’m incredibly grateful for every chapter and every opportunity, there were still moments where I found myself asking why something felt off despite everything appearing “good.”

During this transition I learned more about myself than I had in the last 49 years. I leaned in fully and embraced the unknown with an ease and confidence I had not felt in a very long time. This transition was the best 5 months I had in a long time and is the reason I wanted to run the Pivot Pillar. I want all women to know they are capable and they are incredible. To share my experiences so we all become resilient and productive in our dreams for what we want to achieve in life. 

Pivoting isn’t about throwing your life away or making reckless decisions. It isn't a failure, and it certainly isn't a weakness. Sometimes pivoting is simply being proud of your change, seeing how your priorities can evolve, and that burnout is not a badge of honor. The truth that the life you built for survival may not be the life you ultimately want for fulfillment.

I want women to know they are allowed to change. Allowed to rest. Allowed to redefine success. Allowed to outgrow old versions of themselves and move toward something which feels more grounded, more intentional, and more connected to who they are becoming. We do not need to have all the answers, but because women deserve spaces where they can stop pretending for a moment. Spaces where ambition and vulnerability can coexist. Spaces where leadership and softness can also exist together. Spaces where women can ask honest questions about who they are, what they want, and where they’re headed next without feeling guilty for it.

I think a lot of women are quietly standing at crossroads right now. Some are burned out. Some are rebuilding after loss or disappointment. Some are navigating career changes, shifting identities, motherhood, leadership pressure, or relationships which no longer align. Some are simply trying to remember who they were before life became mostly responsibility. Along with shouting out loud to help women know you do not need permission to pivot. You do not need to earn the right to become someone new. Sometimes the strongest thing a woman can do is acknowledge the current version of her life no longer fits the woman she is becoming. That awareness is not a weakness. It’s growth. It’s courage. It’s self-respect.

And if there’s one thing I hope women feel when they step into the Pivot pillar, it’s this:

You are not behind. You are not failing. You are not too much. You are not lost. You are simply standing at the beginning of a version of yourself you haven’t fully met yet. And maybe that version has been quietly waiting for you to finally listen.