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First digital edition, August 2025
Designed and developed in Australia www.herde.co www.kharawilliams.com
BECOMING
LETTER FROM THE
editor
Welcome to the first edition of The Becoming by HERDE.
At Herde, we believe in a quieter kind of power. One that begins from within. This magazine is an invitation into clarity, into self-led living, and into a community where your voice matters.
Herde is not just a brand, it’s a movement. A global platform redefining what it means for women to lead, live, and love themselves, fully and without apology.
We exist to elevate a new era of being self-led, anchored in personal power, deep self-worth, and the freedom to follow your own path. To be seen and heard in your own unique way. That’s the heartbeat of everything we do.
I created Herde as a space for women who are
ready to reconnect with themselves. A space that offers tools, guidance, and grounded support – not to fix, but to remind you of what’s already within. Because being self-led isn’t about going it alone. It’s about choosing to lead your life from a place of integrity and inner authority. It’s about taking the front seat, not to control everything, but to take responsibility for what’s yours and move with intention.
Here, we honour the ‘messy middle’. The in-between seasons of our lives. The times of transition, redefinition, and quiet growth. Whether you’re building something new, navigating change, or simply finding your way back to yourself – this space is for you.
Herde has already supported hundreds of women
to step into their own definition of purpose, power, and presence. And now, we invite you to do the same.
If you’re ready to explore what it means to self-lead in your own way, we welcome you into the Herde community. We’re not about perfection, we’re about being brave. And knowing you don’t have to do it alone.
Founder, Editor, Self-Leadership Researcher
HERDE x KHARA WILLIAMS
“ “
Self-leadership is taking yourself out of the spectator’s seat, stepping up to the podium and becoming the leader.
– Khara Williams, Founder, HERDE
THE POWER OF BEING SELF-LED
THE QUIET STRENGTH OF SELF-LEADERSHIP ALLOWS YOU TO MOVE THROUGH THE WORLD WITH INTENTION, STAY ANCHORED TO WHO YOU ARE, AND TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR LIFE.
Being self-led is one of the most advantageous and beneficial skills you can acquire, because it impacts nearly every area of your life. It’s a skill that can help you solve problems, make decisions, and guide yourself in and out of all kinds of situations. >
What does it mean to be self-led?
At its core, being self-led is about returning to yourself. It’s the decision to show up with clarity, to honour your values, and to move through life from a place of grounded integrity, not performance.
To be self-led means choosing to take responsibility for your thoughts, actions, and direction. It’s not about control. It’s about conscious choice. It’s about leading from the inside out, with a sense of softness and strength.
You don’t need a perfect plan. You simply need a willingness to pause, tune in, and trust that you already hold what you need to begin. When you learn to lead yourself, you start living in alignment with your deeper purpose, often without even realising it.
Why does it matter?
To be self-led touches every part of life. It helps you understand what you want, why it matters, and how to move towards it. It sharpens your focus, helps you build emotional resilience, and gently calls you back to the truth of who you are. It’s the foundation for more conscious relationships, stronger boundaries, and a deeper connection to your own rhythm. It also encourages reflection. You begin to ask different questions:
Who am I,
really?
What do I want to create?
What kind of life feels true to me?
And with every small step you take, a quiet confidence begins to grow. Not performative confidence, but the kind that’s lived and embodied. The kind that doesn’t need to be proven to anyone else.
What shifts when I start to self-lead?
When you choose to self-lead, you stop outsourcing your worth. You stop chasing validation. Instead, you start building something far more sustainable: trust in yourself.
You create support systems that honour who you are. You begin to move from reaction to intention. And you learn to anchor yourself, even when the world feels uncertain.
When you commit to being self-led, you’re no longer living on autopilot. You’re stepping into awareness. And it’s from that place –conscious, calm, and connected – that real transformation begins.
Am I ready to self-lead?
There’s no one path. No perfect moment. But if you’re feeling called to reconnect, to pause, to explore a different way of being, it might be time. Ask yourself:
Are you tired of watching your life from the sidelines?
Do you feel unclear about your direction or purpose?
Are you constantly looking outward for answers that never quite fit?
Do you find yourself placing blame more often than taking ownership?
Are you craving a deeper connection to yourself –and a way to honour it?
If any of that resonates, being self-led might just be the next right step. And you don’t have to do it alone. ·
HERDE x KHARA WILLIAMS
how to uncover your purpose
DISCOV E RING YOUR PURPOSE IS ALL ABOUT ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS, TUNING INTO WHAT MATTERS MOST, AND FOLLOWING THE QUIET PULL TOWARD A MORE MEANINGFUL LIFE.
Purpose isn’t always loud or obvious. Sometimes it begins as a quiet pull. A nudge to pause. An understanding that the life you’ve built isn’t quite the life you want to live.
But purpose isn’t one perfect thing you’re meant to chase. It’s something that evolves as you do. And that’s not failure. That’s growth.
Here, we offer five steps to help you begin. Not to find all the answers at once, but to start asking yourself more honest questions.
1: PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT DRIVES YOU
Begin by noticing what moves you. What causes make you feel something deeper than frustration? What stories, people, or experiences stay with you, long after the moment has passed? These emotional responses often point toward what matters to you at your core. Not the version of you shaped by roles or responsibilities but the one that exists underneath.
2: REVISIT WHAT LIGHTS YOU UP
Think back to the last time you felt completely absorbed in something. What were you doing? Who were you with? What part of you came alive in that moment? Often, the things that bring us joy as children are clues. We tend to lose touch with them as we grow. But those sparks are still there, waiting for your attention. And while not everything needs to become a career or project, joy is a compass worth trusting.
3: CONSIDER WHAT YOU’D TRADE COMFORT FOR
Whatever your purpose looks like, there’s no doubt it will contain an element of sacrifice. It may cost you time, energy, money, or convenience. So it follows that your purpose has to be something that is worth the sacrifice to you.
Whether it’s studying again, starting over, or saying no to what no longer fits, the road to purpose is rarely paved in perfection. But if it’s honest, it will always be worth the stretch. >
4: GET CLEAR ON WHO (OR WHAT) YOU FEEL CALLED TO SERVE
Purpose often lives at the intersection of what you care about and who you care for. It might be a group of people. A cause. A place. A system that feels broken. It might even be your own family or a community close to home. Ask yourself: Where do I feel most compelled to offer something real?
5: EXPLORE HOW YOU WANT TO CONTRIBUTE
This is where things start to take shape. What are your skills, strengths, and lived experiences, and how might they help you serve in a way that feels aligned? Your purpose doesn’t need to be revolutionary. It just needs to be yours.
Look for the meeting point between what you’re good at, what you love, and what you feel drawn to help shift.
Uncovering your purpose isn’t about rushing toward a finish line. It’s about getting still enough to hear what’s been there all along. At HERDE, we don’t offer rigid formulas. We offer reflection. Space. And the tools to reconnect – again and again – as life changes. It’s okay if you don’t have it all figured out. Purpose isn’t a job title. It’s a way of living with honesty, curiosity, and meaning. ·
A
simple way to spot your strengths
Ask five people who know you well to answer one question: “What do you think my natural strengths are?”. Collect their responses and sit with them. Look for patterns or themes. Was there something surprising? Something that resonated deeply? Then ask yourself: How do these strengths connect with what I care about most?
When you take the initiative to selflead, you’re immediately shifting the way you live your life from an unconscious state to a conscious state. This is where real transformation occurs.
“ “
GLOW MODE
This is the season of slow mornings and sensorial rituals. A robe that moves with ease. A silk pillowcase kissed by sleep. A green elixir stirred with intention. Self-care, stripped back to its most beautiful form, soft, grounding, entirely yours. ·
the METHOD SELF-LED
Being self-led isn’t a fixed destination. It’s a conscious way of living that invites you to take ownership across four key areas: your career, your finances, your relationships, your service and your self care. These aren’t checklists, they’re gateways. Each one invites you to live with more presence, more clarity, and a deeper sense of purpose.
This is the Self-Led Method. A practice of coming back to yourself, again and again.
1 TAKE OWNERSHIP
In order to self-lead, you need to be able to say the words: “I take ownership and responsibility for my own life”. This simple, yet powerful statement is essentially declaring that you, and you alone, have the ability to create anything you want in your life. This selfawareness and realisation is paramount for taking the first step in leading your own life. You get to decide what your next chapter looks like.
2
HONOUR YOUR TIME
Your time is your most finite resource and how you spend it shapes your life. But time management isn’t about control. It’s about intention. What are you giving energy to? Who are you giving it to? Are your days aligned with your values or just your obligations?
Whether you use a digital calendar, a notebook, or sticky notes on the fridge, the method doesn’t matter. What matters is that you pause long enough to make choices that reflect what’s real for you.
3
CHOOSE CHALLENGES
Growth doesn’t happen in comfort. To self-lead, you need to be willing to step into spaces that stretch you. Not to prove anything but to evolve. Try something new. Take a different route. Say yes to the thing that makes your heart race, even a little. It’s not about being fearless. It’s about being curious. This is how you meet the version of yourself you haven’t yet become.
4 PRACTISE SELF-LOVE
Self-love isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about daily acts of
care and respect. It’s giving yourself what you need to feel nourished, grounded, and seen. That might look like a slow morning walk, a solo coffee, a massage, or a dinner with people who refill your cup. You don’t need to ‘earn’ your rest. You just need to honour your worth. When you do, the hard things become softer and the journey feels more sustainable.
5 STAY COMMITTED
Growth asks for consistency, not perfection. You won’t always feel motivated. But you can choose to stay connected to your ‘why’. You can return to your intentions, even on the messy days. Follow through on your commitments and realise that by doing so the reward is a more empowered, uplifted and inspired you. >
6
VALUE THE WHOLE PICTURE
We often measure success by outcomes but real growth happens in the in-between. Self-leading means valuing the full spectrum: the progress, the pauses, the wins, and the lessons. Reflect often. Celebrate small shifts. Honour the work no one else sees. When you view your journey through a lens of compassion, everything begins to feel like momentum.
A QUIET REMINDER. YOU DON’T NEED TO RUSH YOUR GROWTH.
7 TRUST YOUR INNER GUIDANCE
Your intuition is a compass and the more you listen, the clearer it becomes. In a world that often tells you to outsource your answers, self-leading is the act of tuning back in. Trusting what feels right. Pausing when something feels off. Knowing that your body, your heart, and your inner knowing are not separate from your success, they’re central to it. With self-awareness comes discernment. And with discernment comes freedom.
The Self-Led Method is not about doing more. It’s about living more aligned with what matters, what moves you, and what makes you feel most like yourself. You're allowed to lead gently. You're allowed to lead differently. Start small. Stay honest. Come back to yourself as often as needed. ·
in actionbeing self-led
THESE THREE WELL-KNOWN WOMEN F ROM
DIFF E RENT FIELDS EMBODY BEING SELF-LED IN THE WAY THEY TAKE INITIATIVE, DRIVE THEIR OWN SUCCESS, AND STAY TRUE TO THEIR VALUES:
Taylor Swift
Musician & entrepreneur
Taylor Swift has reinvented herself repeatedly throughout her career, while maintaining creative control of her work. Her move to re-record her albums after a dispute over her masters is a powerful example of agency and ownership. She’s strategic, outspoken, and leads both her brand and business with clarity and intention. And her fans love her for it!
Melanie Perkins
CEO & co-founder of Canva
An Australian tech entrepreneur, Melanie Perkins cofounded Canva and turned it into a global design platform (and runaway success!). She’s known for her tenacity, vision, and commitment to simplicity and accessibility. Despite being underestimated early on, she led with persistence and now oversees one of the most successful startups in the world.
Serena Williams
Athlete & investor
Serena's journey to global tennis domination is a masterclass in self-discipline, focus, and resilience. Beyond her sport, she's become a successful entrepreneur and advocate for women, mothers, and African-American athletes. She leads with confidence, reinvents her goals, and has built a legacy both on and off the court. It’s hard not to be impressed! ·
WHERE TO BEGIN
The following reflections are designed to help you reconnect with what matters to you and begin your self-lead journey. These are not tests or tasks to be completed perfectly, they’re simply giving you the space to pause, observe, and reflect. Let each step guide you inward. Take your time –avoid being interrupted. Let the answers land.
Clarify your core values
Start by getting honest about what truly matters to you – not what you think should matter, but what your life naturally orients around. Ask yourself: What gets you out of bed in the morning?
What keeps you up at night?
When do you feel most like yourself – energised, at ease, fulfilled?
What frustrates or unsettles you, and why?
Why do you do the work you do, and what does it give you?
Why have you chosen the place you live?
What do you long for?
What do you tend to read, listen to, or watch – and what draws you to those things?
Who do you admire, and what qualities do they reflect back to you?
What do your closest relationships give you?
What do they ask of you?
After reflecting on your answers, look for common threads. These are the themes that show up again and again, the things that guide your choices, fuel your energy, and bring you back to centre.These themes are likely to reveal your core values – the foundational truths that guide your decisions and shape how you move through the world. Distill them down to five core values. Keep them close. >
Set your intentions
Intentions are not the same as goals. They are emotional anchors that guide your actions. Instead of focusing on a specific outcome, ask yourself how you want to feel in the weeks ahead. Let that guide your choices.
For example, instead of “I want to save $1,500 by the end of the month,” you might set an intention like: “I want to feel supported, grounded, and financially secure by the end of this month”.
Focus on clarity, not rigidity. Allow your intentions to reflect what you want to experience, not just what you want to achieve. Let’s focus on how you want to feel over the next 30 days. Let this guide your actions, decisions, and boundaries.
In the next 30 days, I want to feel…
My intention is to move through this season with… I will remind myself that success feels like…
Revisit these intentions weekly, using them as an emotional anchor rather than a checklist.
Understand your energy
One of the simplest ways to begin leading yourself is by noticing how your energy responds to the people, tasks, and environments around you.
Visualise yourself at your best:
How do you feel in your body?
What’s your posture like?
What’s your tone, your mood, your presence?
Then, bring awareness to your daily life. Now name the five people, places, or activities that strengthen your energy – and five which tend to drain it. Consider where a boundary may be needed, or where more space could be created. Even a small shift in how you protect your energy can change how you show up.
Reflect on your self-worth
Self-worth forms the foundation of every choice you make. It shapes your relationships, your voice, your finances, and your wellbeing.
To reflect, consider how you currently feel in each of these areas:
Work
Finances
Wellbeing
Relationships
Self confidence
Boundaries
Rather than rating yourself, notice where you feel solid and where you feel stretched, uncertain, or unseen. These are the areas that may need more care, more space, or more honest attention as you move forward.
Let each of these steps meet you where you are. You’re already doing the work. You’re already leading. ·
HERDE x KHARA WILLIAMS
Everyone has been made for some particular work and the desire for that work has been put in every heart. “ “
