And now I'm writing an article about it. Here's what I've learned: Capitalism in this country promotes labor over wellness, production over rest, and somewhere along the way, I let that shape how I saw my own worth. I have sacrificed vacation time to work. I have felt guilty for not producing at the rate of my peers, or at an unrealistic rate I set for myself. I low-key bragged about "always working, and even when I'm not working, I'm working." That mindset exhausted me mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially. Capitalism seduced me into believing rest must be earned, and that my wellness comes after my labor. Y'all, that ain't it. I am one degree away from too many leaders who have faced heart attacks, high blood pressure, migraines, neck and back pain, hair loss, anxiety, overwhelm, and even death, all tied to the stress of their leadership. That reality is why I held a full retreat last year, a healing conference called the Leadership Exchange, giving Black women space to rest, relate, release, learn, and grow. Leaders said, "it was magical" "reflective" and "life-changing." And it showed me something important: it was not enough. They arrived dehydrated, and I gave them a drink. What they actually needed was an ongoing flow to stay hydrated. The point: A single moment of rest cannot undo a year of running on empty. Leaders need sustained support, not a one-time reset. Takeaway: Wellness happens in the ongoing relationship, not the isolated event. I am opening 12 spots (on a sliding scale) for leaders ready to stop carrying it alone. I serve as your strategic thought partner for the year, in your corner before the stress peaks, before burnout sets in, before the hard moments catch you off guard with no one to call. Community is also healing. Every leader in this cohort gets a monthly hybrid gathering from October through June to breathe, share, and sit with people who truly get it. This support gets built specifically for you. I would love to connect and learn more about where you stand this season. Schedule your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/draprilwg/strategysession

The first week of school hit different this year. Two syllabi to prepare. An article submission with a full round of edits. Regular life doing what regular life does. And underneath all of it, I was navigating my emotions around a situation with some folks that had really gotten to me. I never stopped to sit with myself. Not once. Then today happened. I finally got still. And in that stillness I realized I had been running from myself. Although, I had real work to finish, I never took time for me. The moment I stopped avoiding myself, something shifted. I called my meditation teacher, did my practice first, and then we talked. Really talked. She helped me think about how I was thinking. And that changed everything. Point of the story: You can get everything done and still leave yourself behind. The work will always be there. You have to be there too. Takeaway: Sit with yourself first. Everything else gets clearer from that place. Question: When life gets hectic, how do you come back to yourself? Drop it in the comments. This community needs to hear it. If you need support, just reach out. How you don't have to carry this alone.

This past weekend I co-created and led our family reunion. Over 100 people showed up each day. 100 people carrying stories, wisdom, history, and gifts all in one space together. On Day 1 I did something simple. I told everyone to stand up, walk across the room, and meet someone they didn't know. That's it. One instruction. What happened next was beautiful. People didn't want to stop talking. I was trying to move on to the next part of the program and the laughter filled the room. Cousins became family for real in real time. I watched connections form that wouldn't have happened if I hadn't given that one simple nudge. Day 2 I handed out a 2 beautiful worksheets that worked on real real hard, lol. I designed it to help people capture our family history and meet new folks across generations. I thought the instructions on the paper were enough. They weren't. Most people stayed right where they were comfortable and with the people they came with and were familiar with. As I stood there watching, feeling something I couldn't immediately name, it hit me. The difference between Day 1 and Day 2 wasn't the activity. It wasn't the people. It wasn't even the energy. It was the direct invitation. The live activation. The moment I looked them in the eye and said, "Go connect right now. I'll hold the space while you do." Without that, people default to comfort, every time. And comfort, while necessary, may be the antithesis of genius. And after reflecting, I kept thinking about this community, our community. About the 80 brilliant, purpose-driven, gift-carrying, dope @zz people sitting inside Liberated Genius Academy right now. Some of you have been here quietly watching, reading, absorbing. And I see you. I honor that. And today I'm doing what I did on Day 1. I'm standing in the room with you. Looking you in the eye. And giving you one direct invitation. Here's your Day 1 moment: Drop your answer to this question in the comments right now: What is one area of your life where you are actively trying to grow or move forward - and what's the one thing slowing you down?