Dissociating with The Real Housewives for two years is what burnout looked like for me. I was wiped out; bone-aching to my core exhausted. My ability to read for pleasure or learning evaporated. I dropped regular connection with friends. I cried constantly. I developed health issues that I’m still working through, several years later.

Love what you do and never work a day in your life, right? Oh sigh. We’ve all heard it. Before I started coaching, I never would’ve truly believed that was possible – even though I’ve done work that I really enjoyed, with people that I adored, at a purpose-driven organization in alignment with my values.

“I have no problem setting boundaries at work, but I struggle with the aftermath of someone who just doesn't listen or respond. How can I manage this type of relationship in a way that doesn't become contentious and at the same time preserves my integrity?”

What are your personal leading and lagging success indicators? What about for your team? If your stakeholders, Board, exec team, leadership are all banging on about numbers – what are the other ways you can measure your value? What matters most to you?

You’ve just opened Outlook and there’s an email marked URGENT from your boss. Someone sees your status circle turn green and calls you on Teams (you hear the “boo boo boobooboo boo boo” in your sleep). You glance at your phone and see a text message from your sibling – sh*t, your elderly parent had a fall for the second time this year and is in the hospital.

Everyone wants to maintain that vacation glow, where you feel rested, relaxed, and full of energy. But it evaporates real quick in the face of an overloaded inbox and calendar that's booked solid for weeks. The Start Stop Continue framework is a useful tool for teams in their strategic planning process, or at the individual level during performance reviews.

I used to work in media relations and issues management, and the crisis-adrenaline energy is real. There’s a thrill that comes with fast-paced, responsive, and agile environments; for me it was like looking at problems as if they were multifaceted gems, seeing all sides. And moving around pieces of an ever-shifting game of Tetris.

“Employee morale at our company is very low. I want my executive team to understand that this is important. How do I get them to take it seriously, and get them to understand their role in leading the way and setting the tone?”

Spoon Theory is a helpful lens to understand the varying needs of folks in your workplace. Christine Miserandino came up with the phrase in 2003 when writing about her experience with chronic illness, as a metaphor for the energy involved in day-to-day activities. Spoon Theory is now used to represent a wide range of disabilities, mental health issues, and forms of marginalization.

There’s sand between my toes. Gritty, damp. More sand drifts over the wood floor of our bedroom. I’m up every morning with the sun, for a swim with sea turtles before a mug of coffee. I wear colourful robes like Mrs. Roper; my skin is wrinkled and leathery from the sun. My hair is steel grey and wiry, and my earrings are huge.

Burnout can progress from (initially) a really positive place! You're excited, enthusiastic, want to demonstrate your worth, take on new projects... and then more projects, but it's ok, you can still handle it. Things are getting stressful, but it's ok, it's ok.

Before each coaching session with a client, I have a ritual. This practice helps centre and ground me – ensuring that I’m bringing my best to every conversation. First up – water. My brain doesn’t function if I’m dehydrated, and I need to track the conversation, watch for nonverbal cues, listen for the deeper meaning behind what a client is saying, and connect back to patterns from past sessions and broader future goals.

What does it feel like to have boundaries? In my case, for a long time, it felt stressful, a sick anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach, clammy hands, shortened breath and a tight throat, hands shaking from adrenaline. Establishing boundaries with friends and family, in my personal life, at work, or out in the world – oof.

As someone with a million ideas and projects on the go, I'm regularly risking decision fatigue. I'm always interested to hear how other folks prioritize their work and focus on what's most important to them. The Spheres of Influence model can help act as a filter for overwhelm.

A propeller blade in my back was the only sign I needed. When I was 18, I worked at a marina for one day – after slipping off the back of a boat and slamming into a propeller blade, I decided it wasn’t for me. From the time I first started working as a babysitter at age 12 and throughout my 20s, I used to regularly quit jobs.

We often share stories and appreciation when people leave – whether it’s at a memorial, or someone moves on from a workplace, or at a retirement party. These milestone life events are an important part of being in community with one another. But there are those other day-to-day moments too.

I couldn’t breathe. I was inhaling air, but it felt thin and deprived of oxygen, like I was climbing Everest instead of sitting in traffic. I knew it was “just” a panic attack. I’d been having them over and over that spring, and they continued through the summer. Or at least – I was almost sure it was a panic attack. Could it be a heart attack, or stroke, or brain tumour?

Integrating rest throughout the day ensures we stay balanced and healthy. It’s particularly important to do something at the end of the day that signals to your nervous system that you’re safe from the stressors of the day, and that it’s ok to relax into a deep, restorative sleep.

Of all the lessons my dad gave me, his final one was the biggest: life is just too short to not pursue your dreams. For all of you out there who are supporting or providing care for a loved one with Parkinson’s, or grieving a loss, or suffering from Parkinson’s yourself, I see you. It’s a nasty brutal disease, and I hope someday there’s a cure. Hold yourself tender and allow yourself grace.

The third no-cost leadership principle is Growth. Investing in growth and development is crucial for success at the individual and organizational level. However, fostering growth without breaking the bank necessitates a strategic approach.