Integritus Prime

2025: A Year of Overcoming

It’s been a full year of learning, doing, being, reflecting, and healing. I worked hard to overcome several triggers this year. Certain people taught me the same lesson again: stop over-giving, and stop placing loyalty where there’s no reciprocation. These patterns and triggers were deeply rooted. But, therapy was helpful. As a result of conversations in therapy, I wrote a book on triggers a few weeks ago that summarizes this excruciating and rewarding journey. Stay tuned for its release.

I overcame a 38-year fear of drowning this year by making swimming my workout of choice. My family supported me to flip my life and make this happen. It’s hard to recognize myself – both as someone who now identifies as a swimmer, and someone who is super tanned, haha!

Some relationships ended, and new ones began as I set more boundaries. I also witnessed some family members change their behavior, motivated by love – this was priceless, although temporary.

It’s been a record year for coaching, consulting, and facilitation. I helped 35 clients as a life and leadership coach. I took on 14 consulting projects this year supporting feminist co-leadership and recruitment, team dynamics and HR advising, annual and strategic planning. I supported 6 retreats – including my first writing retreat. Each engagement was unique, intense, challenging, and rewarding in its own way. Notably, I was asked to support the reduction of toxicity in workplaces where narcissists were wreaking havoc, and I learned a lot while helping the affected teams.

I traveled to four countries in 2025, two of them new, and visited four new cities and one new island in Fiji. In the U.S. and Australia, I connected with friends, old and new. I experienced myself in different places and enjoyed both the challenges and learnings. The Solomon Islands was a unique experience, supporting feminists. In Sri Lanka I climbed Sigirya Lions Rock, which was majestic. I made new friends, and felt at home. I visited Yasawa Island, a place where my soul felt a deep presence, and I embraced a rock climb I will never forget.

As a guest on TV I spoke about trauma, self-esteem, and mindfulness during the holiday season. I spoke to two incredible women on their podcasts, speaking about my life and behavior change work with Melanie Wilson, and sharing how my company was born, with Tes Silverman – airing soon. I gave talks on healing and mindfulness for youth, belonging and displaced indigeneity, mental health, and change management.

I wrote seven books, and published six of them, two of which are children’s books close to my heart, after my first one last November. I published two self-help books, on narcissism and relationships respectively, and two poetry books.

Underneath these numbers are the hearts I connected with, the trauma I held space for, the grief I helped with, and the causes I supported. Working across the human dimensions of challenging issues such as climate change, gender equality and trauma in the workplace is so rewarding. The best part is watching people change their lives. This testimonial really struck me in 2025, from someone who heard me speak once, and watches my online videos (Mornings with Marilyn):

Hi Marilyn

Hope you are doing well

Just wanted to reach out to you to say thank you. I keep coming back to you because I feel the impact that you have on my life; your videos, advices and your ability to connect to people who are hurt and who deserve healing. If someone understands your videos and concepts that you deliver for free, definitely their life will change, like mine.

I had to go through a lot of childhood trauma and suffering, I didn’t understand anything about it, I was just tied down with responsibilities and a job that I didn’t enjoy. I didn’t believe I could do anything substantial in life. But I was wrong. Actually, there’s more to life that we can imagine. I am now doing things that I thought would be impossible for me. I learnt from you that limitations only exist in our minds. Recently, I changed my career and now I just love [what] I do. I am also following my passion of outdoors and I have summited two peaks in NZ. My physical and mental health has improved.

Thanks for influencing lives of people like me. Keep doing the great work that you do.

What a beautiful bit of feedback – a life changed means my work makes a difference. I am grateful.

How to Flourish in 2026

As I look forward to 2026, a lot of my work commitments are already solidifying. But, I want to dig deeper into myself to see how authentic I am being. My word for 2026 is authentic (not patterned). You see, this is the key to thriving: be you. Unapologetically. So, here are seven questions from a clinical psychologist (@thesimplywellofficial on Instagram) that I am answering to help set the tone for an awesome, authentic, and amazing 2026.

1. When do you feel most like you? Which activities, places, and people make you feel most like yourself? I am most myself when I am coaching, facilitating, writing, painting, swimming, cooking, baking, and basically, creating. I also love to laugh, meditate, dance, and watch good films. I find flow when I channel insights, for books or frameworks.
2. Whom do you deeply admire? What aspects of their life, mindset, or choices resonate with who you want to be? I admire so much is my Mom, Dr. Margaret Cornelius. She is aging gracefully, is full of life, and remains the most positive person I know in the world. I am glad she is the one who is my mother.
3. When you look back over your life, which relationships, experiences or events stand out as especially meaningful? Why? My relationship with my parents and brother stand out the most, because my healing has sparked a co-evolution between us, and that has made us good friends. We are growing together, which is beautiful.
4. If you received an unlimited grant to work on anything, what would it be? What passion project or pursuit would feel worth it, if money, time, and fear were no object? I would spend it helping children and teens overcome trauma and pursue their dreams. And, I would empower men and women to break out of patriarchal stereotypes. My passion projects would be an art studio just for me, and funding the protection of polar bears and their habitats.
5. What do you daydream about? What topics, questions, or ideas could capture your attention for hours on end? I daydream about spirituality and soul – where we live and travel to in our dreams, and how love transcends life. The metaphysical and mystical are domains I am curious about.
6. From start to end, what would your ideal workday look like? What would your ideal “non-work” day look like? Each day for me is different, but ideally: wake up, meditate, hydrate, swim, eat, work for a few hours, paint, cook or bake, and watch a movie to wind down. Non-work days are ideally filled with alone time, painting, cooking, and movies, as well as time in nature — ideally with close family. 
7. What fills you up, even if no one sees it? What do you love doing purely for the joy or purpose it brings you? Making treats, painting, writing, and swimming – they bring me different streams of joy and make my life heavenly.

I hope you enjoy reflecting on these questions, and have a magical 2026.