Sunday night I watched the Australian of the Year awards like I always do.
It’s become a tradition for me over the years, and it’s one I shared with my parents too. I love learning about the people being recognised, the stories behind them, and that feeling you get when you’re reminded of what human beings are capable of.
Every year, I’m inspired.
The 2026 winner was Katherine Bennell-Pegg, an Australian astronaut. She shared the story of when she was just a little girl looking up at the stars. The little girl who saw something bigger out there and decided, “That’s where I’m going.”
Becoming an astronaut isn’t a dream you scribble down and forget about. It’s a decision you chase through years of study, setbacks, pressure, doubt, and hard work that most people will never see.
And that’s the part I love most.
The choice.
And the courage to see an opportunity and go for it.
Because from the outside, someone like Katherine can feel like a “Wonder Woman” story. Bigger than life. Extraordinary. Almost unreal.
But when you listen closely, it’s also “girl next door” energy. Someone who simply chose the path, then did the work to walk it.
It made me think about how lucky I was growing up.
I had parents who encouraged me to go for my dream. They believed in me. They made it normal to imagine a bigger life, and to trust that if I wanted something, I could work towards it.
Not everyone gets that.
Some people grow up being told to be realistic. To stay safe. To stop aiming so high. To not rock the boat. To not risk being judged. To shrink the dream down until it feels acceptable to other people.
And that’s why self-belief matters so much.
Because yes, it’s powerful when someone believes in you. It can change everything.
But there comes a point where you have to believe in yourself enough to take the first step, even when nobody else can see what you see yet.
Last year’s Australian of the Year, Neale Daniher, is one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever seen. Founder of FightMND, and living proof that leadership is about courage.
He said, “No matter the odds, no matter the diagnosis, we all have the power to choose to fight, to choose our attitude, to choose to smile, and to choose to do something. Because the mark of a person is not what they say, it’s what they do.”
Because the truth is, we all have challenges. Personally, and professionally.
Some are loud. Some are private. Some come out of nowhere. Some build slowly over time.
But what matters most is what we do with them.
Do we keep waiting for the perfect time?
Do we put ourselves last and call it “being responsible”?
Do we keep holding back because it feels safer to stay where we are?
Or do we choose to move?
Even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. Even when we don’t feel ready yet.
That’s what last night reminded me of.
We don’t always get to choose our circumstances. But we do get to choose how we respond. We get to choose courage. We get to choose the bigger vision. We get to choose the next right step.
And sometimes, that choice changes everything.