The cost of our busy-ness is our best selves and our best thinking

So many of us are exhausted. And that exhaustion isn't just physical - it's mental, emotional, and even existential. We move from one demand to the next, filling our days with meetings, all forms of written communications, and obligations, convinced that busyness equals productivity, that responsiveness equals effectiveness. And I believe that in the process, we are distracted from what truly matters.

The best leadership - whether it's in our work, our families, our communities - doesn't come from a place of depletion. It comes from clarity, presence, and vitality. And yet, so often my clients tell me how they rarely protect the time and space required to cultivate these things. I listen to people overriding their instincts, ignoring the signals that their emotions are sending them, and pushing through at all costs. The result? People struggle to think deeply, creatively, or strategically; to advocate meaningfully for themselves and
others; or to influence effectively.

I recognize that not everyone has the same choices or flexibility. I believe that it is about making the most of what we can access and control. It's about recognizing that if we never pause to restore, we won't have the capacity to show up for the things and people that need us most - including ourselves.

Taking space doesn't have to mean long hikes (though I swear by them) or hour-long meditations. It means intentionally creating room to refuel, however that looks for you. Because the more we protect our energy, the more we can lead with intentionality.

I hope this invites you to pause and ask yourself - What would it take for me to stop running on empty? Where do I find the space to restore? And am I giving myself enough of that?