Trapped in the Hustle
Lately, in my conversations with people, one thing keeps coming up: everyone is busy.
Exhausted. Just trying to get through this week or this month or this year, and hoping that when this time passes they’ll have more time, energy, and space. Sound familar?
I get it, because I'm there too. I catch myself wishing my days away, accepting the stress and exhaustion of today in the hopes that tomorrow will be easier. And that’s fine now and then, but recently I realized I’ve been saying it over and over and over for months.
The impact is real. When I’m stressed, tired, or moving too fast, my work suffers. My creativity and problem-solving take a hit, and I get stuck in habit, in the status quo. I’m less available to clients.
And then I realized, I kept waiting for something to change the pressure of overwork and overwhelm, but it's not going to change on its own. We live in a hustle-obsessed culture, fueled by production-obsessed capitalism, that insists we always do more, more, more.
Instead, I have to change my own expectations for how I respond to the pressure and demand. So this month, I decided to break the pattern.
That’s why I’ve decided to pause and reschedule the Values-Driven Leadership Cohort series until February.
On the surface, it’s just a timing shift. But at its heart, it’s a commitment to something deeper: honoring the rhythm of energy, presence, and readiness for both myself and participants.
Rest isn’t passive. Rest is preparation. Rest is the soil where meaningful work grows. When we rush, we risk missing subtle signals, insights, and connections—the very things that make leadership values-driven. When we push too hard, we lose our capacity to show up fully, with courage, curiosity, and care.
By stepping back now, we set the stage for a stronger, more connected start in February. Participants will join grounded and energized, and I’ll be able to hold the space with the care and attention it deserves.
Like life, leadership thrives not just on action, but on space. Space to think, to feel, to reflect. Space to listen to ourselves and to others. Space to breathe.
This pause is a reminder: leadership isn’t measured by speed or the number of tasks completed. It’s measured by presence, depth, and alignment. By making space to rest, to breathe, we can be more prepared and resourced to meet our values and lead with clarity and vision.
I hope you'll consider joining me in February, where we'll work together as you build your concrete and actionable values and lead with purpose. You can learn more about the values cohort here.
And in the meantime, I hope you're able to find a way, even a tiny way to break the hustle habit. I'll be cheering for you!
All the best, Leigh.
