Life gets busy for all of us- I get that. But I’m busy too. And the phone goes both ways. I stopped being the only one keeping certain connections alive. Not out of anger, but out of acceptance. If it matters, effort will meet you halfway. You don’t have to chase what’s capable of choosing you🫶

For most of my adult life, rest was something I got after everything and everyone else was handled. After the calls, the fires, the meetings, the responsibilities. After the day was wrung out and there was nothing left to give. Rest was always last on the list. And honestly, it started to feel like something I had to earn. Now I have the time off… and the first thing that hit me wasn’t excitement. It was guilt. Because when you’ve spent years running on overdrive, slowing down doesn’t feel natural- it feels wrong. But I’m trying to unlearn that. This week, I rested because my body asked for it. Not because my to-do list was complete. Not because I “deserved” it. Just because I needed it. Rest isn’t a prize. It’s maintenance. And some of us are finally realizing how overdue we are. If slowing down makes you uncomfortable, it probably means you need it even more.🫶

There’s a silent expectation a lot of us carry... especially in leadership. To be grateful no matter what. Grateful for the opportunity. Grateful for the people. Grateful for the dynamics… even when parts of it quietly drained us. For years, I smiled through situations that didn’t feel good. I kept the tone positive. I stayed polite. I pretended certain behaviors didn’t land as heavy as they did. But that kind of gratitude isn’t real. It’s performance. It’s what we do to hold everything together and keep the peace while ignoring the cost to ourselves. This week, I stopped doing that. I didn’t fake a reaction. I didn’t sugarcoat anything to make someone else more comfortable. I let the truth be the truth. You can be genuinely thankful for what a chapter taught you- and still admit what it took from you. That’s not being ungrateful. That’s being honest. Stop performing appreciation for what has already run its course🫶

I used to think being there for everyone made me dependable. Now I see it made me feel depleted. Somewhere between the pep talks and the late-night problem-solving, I forgot my own peace needed protecting too. So this week, I reminded myself: empathy isn’t supposed to empty you. You can hold space for others and hold something back for yourself. You can love people deeply...just not at the cost of yourself.🫶

Today, it's saying NO to other people's problems...not getting bogged down by the minutia of other people. And just separating your time, and what you are doing, away from their issue. Just like in my video...my husband spilled sugar in the kitchen...I walked right on by...its "Un-MyProblem". Reminded him where the vacuum is, and carried on with what I had to do. Repeat after me..."It's Un-MyProblem"🫶