What happened when I procrastinated on a conversation about procrastination. Sometimes, you just have to laugh at yourself. Last Friday was one of those days for me. I had scheduled the whole day to practise for a retreat that I was facilitating on Saturday. As a person with strong Avoider and Restless saboteurs, I was […]
Nonprofit leaders burn out because the sector is chronically under-resourced — not because they lack resilience, discipline, or better boundaries. Here’s how to stop internalizing a structural problem, and what to do about the part that is actually yours. Let’s say your job is to fill a swimming pool with a garden hose, on a […]
I think about my car like I think about my can opener—as a tool. So, when it was time for a new car, I bought the sturdiest, most reliable one I could afford. It’s a gray Toyota; one of a million. The antithesis of flashy. It does the job. I like it just fine except […]
You know that bone-tired exhaustion that no amount of sleep seems to fix? Yes, its your workload. AND it’s about the inner self-sabotage running in the back of your mind and draining your energy all day long. And a good part of the night too. Why you’re so drained Let me show you how self-sabotage […]
A woman I spoke with recently said something heartbreaking: “Lucy, this sounds like exactly what I need, but it feels selfish to spend money on myself when my organization needs so much.” I understand this feeling deeply. As nonprofit leaders, we’re wired to put our missions first, our teams second, and ourselves… somewhere down the […]
I’ve never found myself excited to write new year resolutions. This year I decided to give it a miss until I found Gretchen Rubin’s 26 for 2026. The idea is to list twenty-six things you’d like to do by the end of the year. Her approach is to keep the exercise light. These items can […]
On this particular morning, near Delphi, the sun was bright but not yet scorching. I was squinting to see up the road for the bus that would take me and my recently acquired travel companion south to Athens. I remember feeling the cool air warming up and hearing the insects buzzing in the trees. Over […]
It’s 5 PM and you’re exhausted from another day of nonprofit leadership. The board meeting was brutal, your inbox exploded, and a major project partner just ghosted you. Your hand reaches for the wine bottle almost automatically. Or maybe it’s the snack drawer. Or online shopping. You know these habits aren’t serving you, but somehow […]
Congratulations! You’re making progress with setting boundaries. You’re saying no to time-wasters and energy drains. You’re saying no to tasks and people who violate your principles or don’t contribute to your vision and goals. Now, you see space opening up in your calendar and more mental bandwidth for what matters most. So why aren’t you […]
“Thank you for thinking of me but I’m not available at this time.” This is all I wrote when I declined to write a graduate school reference letter for a former colleague I had worked with briefly. I had been brooding over my reply for a couple of weeks. I was surprised by how resentful […]