There's a lot of data showing that trust in governments, institutions, and organizations is declining worldwide. Employers were once considered the last trusted institution—and even that is eroding. As someone who has spent years working independently, I've often noticed that these conversations leave out people like us entirely. When you don't have an employer, trust shows up differently. Stability looks different. And the relationship you have with yourself matters more than most people realize.

So I wanted to start there.

I talk about what it actually means to trust yourself when you're self-employed, when you don't see many role models living or working the way you do, and when the noise—from well-meaning friends, family, and society—keeps asking, "Why don't you just get a job?"

For me, self-trust isn't abstract. It's practical. It shows up in how I decide to work, how I communicate, and how I choose between remote, in-person, or hybrid ways of connecting. It shows up in my values—impact, meaning, and helping shape a future of work that supports people, families, and communities, not just productivity metrics.

I also share the inner practices that help me stay grounded when things feel uncertain. Meditation. Walking. Swimming. Paying attention to my body. Noticing what has always been true about me—what I'm drawn to, what calms me, what fuels my curiosity. I talk about rituals, habits, and even "extreme noticing": light on water, changes in seasons, how my body reacts to people, places, and decisions.

These practices help me recognize what's changing, what isn't, and where opportunity actually lives—for me.

As we move through uncertainty, I believe self-trust becomes a form of leadership. When you know your own reactions, values, and rhythms, you're better equipped to make decisions, form opinions, and move forward without needing constant external validation.

I close the episode with an invitation:
What helps you trust yourself? What rituals, habits, or inner practices keep you grounded? I'd love to hear your stories, and I may share some of them in a future episode as we explore how self-trust shapes how we lead, work, and relate to others.

Because maybe—just maybe—trusting ourselves more is the first step toward trusting each other again.

• Leave me a voicemail with your questions or thoughts: https://podcastfeedback.com/hopeandpossibilities

• Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nolasimon

• Subscribe to my newsletter: Hope & Possibilities: A Love Letter to the Future of Work | Nola Simon | Substack

• Hire me via website: www.nolasimon.com

Absolutely! Here's a first-person version of your show notes:

Episode Title: Pivot to Future of Work Leadership

Episode Description:
In this episode of the Hope and Possibilities Podcast, I talk about what I'm seeing for 2026 and the future of work. My focus is shifting from solely helping companies adopt hybrid and remote work to looking at leadership more broadly. Flexibility, autonomy, and well-being aren't just perks anymore—they're core to how people want to work and how organizations succeed.

We'll talk about the pressures around office return mandates, AI, and workforce reduction, and why I don't buy the narrative that humans are expendable. Instead, leadership in the future is about reinvention, redistributing work, and making sure people feel that they matter.

I'll also share how I plan to use this podcast, my newsletter, LinkedIn, and email to create space for nuanced conversations about the future of work. And I want to hear from you—what questions are keeping you awake at night?

Key Topics & Timestamps:

• [00:00:22] Why I'm pivoting my focus for 2026

• [00:00:53] Why hybrid and flexible work aren't going away

• [00:01:32] Why autonomy and well-being often matter more than compensation

• [00:03:00] The circular debates around office space, identity, and leadership

• [00:04:39] How AI is changing the way work happens

• [00:06:26] Navigating conflicting narratives about AI and workforce reduction

• [00:07:16] Leadership as continuous reinvention, not a one-time project

• [00:08:34] Why making people feel they matter is central to leadership

• [00:09:49] Discernment as a critical skill in an increasingly complex world

• [00:11:05] How work is evolving—universal benefits, portfolio careers, and new models

• [00:12:06] How I'm shifting the podcast, newsletters, and my content strategy

• [00:15:10] How you can interact with the podcast and share your questions

• [00:16:26] Questions to reflect on: identity, life quakes, and navigating change

Connect & Engage:

• Leave me a voicemail with your questions or thoughts: https://podcastfeedback.com/hopeandpossibilities

• Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nolasimon

• Subscribe to my newsletter: Hope & Possibilities: A Love Letter to the Future of Work | Nola Simon | Substack

• Hire me via website: www.nolasimon.com

Takeaway:
The future of work is about flexibility, discernment, and creating environments where people feel valued. Change is constant—how we respond and evolve will define the next chapter of our work and our lives.

In this solo episode of Hope and Possibilities: A Love Letter to the Future of Work, I'm talking honestly about how LinkedIn and social media are changing, and what that means for how I show up, get found, and build my business. I share how I went from casually using LinkedIn to becoming a LinkedIn Top Voice with a "small but mighty" following, and why the latest algorithm shifts are nudging me to rethink my strategy.​

I get into what's really going on with discoverability, including how proxy bias can quietly disadvantage women, people of color, trans folks, and anyone who doesn't fit the traditional leadership mold. I also talk about the emotional side of it—what it feels like when your impressions drop, your posts don't land the way they used to, and how I'm choosing to respond with experimentation instead of discouragement.​

I walk you through how I'm shifting from "cheerleader" style commenting to more thoughtful, strategic contributions that actually support my consulting work and signal my expertise. I share how I'm reworking my profile for people who are discovering me for the very first time through a comment, and why I'm putting more energy into things I own—like my website, blog, Substack, newsletter, and search-friendly content on platforms like Pinterest and YouTube.​

I also push back on the narrative that "everything needs to be in-person now." I talk about what it's really like living outside a major city, the time and energy cost of commuting, and why in-person events have to clear a pretty high bar for me: they need to help me make money, save time, or reduce risk—not just feel good in the moment.​

Throughout the episode, I keep coming back to one question: will future me be grateful for how I'm spending my time and attention right now? I share how I'm choosing to support important conversations about bias, platforms, and ethical AI without making "fighting the algorithm" the center of my business, and how I'm designing a visibility strategy that feels sustainable, values-aligned, and genuinely hopeful about the future of work.​

Key insights

• The LinkedIn algorithm is shifting from prioritizing posts to rewarding meaningful commenting, which changes how people get discovered and how you think about visibility and strategy.​
• Proxy bias means that even if gender isn't a stated factor, variables like role, seniority, and activity levels can still disadvantage women, people of color, trans folks, and others who don't match the "default" leadership profile.​
• Commenting as pure cheerleading doesn't necessarily drive business; strategic comments that demonstrate insight, credibility, and clarity on your services are far more valuable.​
• Building on platforms you own (website, blog, email list) is essential so your work and relationships are not entirely dependent on platform whims and opaque algorithms.​
• In-person-only strategies are exclusionary for many people, especially those who don't live near major hubs or carry significant logistical and emotional costs to attend events.​
• Future-focused visibility is about making choices that future you will be grateful for—balancing values, energy, and the reality that friends are wonderful, but clients pay the bills.

A personalized LinkTree for Nola Simon's presence on social media — Nola Simon

Listen: Hope + Possibilties: A Love Letter to the Future of Work

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