The intense relationships we form in mission-driven work can be both our greatest strength and our biggest challenge. 

At their best, these bonds feel electric. But that same intensity can blur boundaries and normalize unsustainable patterns like working endless hours to avoid "letting down" colleagues or endlessly strategizing in ways that don’t advance the mission.

We don't need to choose between deep connections and sustainability. The most impactful work comes from joy and possibility, not fear of losing belonging.

Moral injury is the pain we experience when we witness or engage in behaviors that violate our own values. 

It's what happens when we know the right thing to do, but circumstances mean that we can’t do it.

When we view burnout through the lens of moral injury we can see that our exhaustion isn't a personal failing, it's a natural response to impossible situations.

Our bodies frequently signal distress before our minds are ready to acknowledge it. These physical manifestations are data points telling us something needs to change.

Caring for ourselves is an act of self worth, and a way of modeling for others that they are worthy as well.

Our wellbeing and the wellbeing of those we serve are not are not at odds, they are intertwined.

At many points in my career “getting it right” didn’t feel like an option, it felt like a requirement.

Many of us have internalized the belief that we have to be perfect.

Perfectionism is fundamentally about control and self-protection and it often comes from a place of deep care and sense of responsibility.

But what if this very mindset is actually holding us back?

When your mission is to change the world, how do you measure success? And how do you sustain yourself when it feels like we're swimming upstream against impossible odds?

If your tasks connect to your big goals and you're doing them consistently, then you know you're moving forward in ways that matter.

And then you can log off, eat lunch, take a walk, and live your life knowing that you've done what you set out to do.

As leaders we can find it very hard to put down work, step away, leave things to our team, and take a break. You may feel like if you step away or take your eye off the ball things will fall apart.

This commitment to always being present, on the ball, and available usually comes from a place of very good intention. But “always on” leadership has real downsides for you, your team, and your organization.

Always being present and available may be more about you and what you need than about what the organization or your team actually needs.

We all have that inner voice—call it intuition, gut feeling, spirit, or centered self. It's that sense of clarity that cuts through the noise and points us toward what feels right.

But our intuition isn't foolproof. It is made up of our past experiences and biases.

Tap into your intuition to get centered on your best path forward, then check it against solid frameworks. This combination gives you both the wisdom of experience and the reliability of process.

This is a powerful way to move forward with intention and confidence. 🧠✨

Delegation is essential for sustainable leadership but many of us struggle to effectively share the load.

There are several common barriers to delegating. Check out this article to learn more about what might be getting in the way for you, and practical solutions to address those challenges.

You likely know that having a strong supportive system is essential to achieving your goals.

But you may not have thought as deeply about what qualities actually make a community supportive and sustainable over the long term.

There is a deep connection between creativity and joy, but as we get further along in our careers it can feel like there are fewer and fewer opportunities to imagine and discover.

Our identities and lived experiences contribute to how we react and respond to crisis and uncertainty.

Leadership can be vulnerable and even scary at times.

Everyday feels like an emergency. There is always too much to do and you have been in a dead sprint for longer than you can remember. You keep telling yourself that if you can just make it over the next hill you’ll get a breather, but the break never seems to come.

A perfect storm of factors come together to create the conditions for burnout in nonprofit leadership. Addressing this requires that we shift our way of thinking. This is not a short term issue to get through, but a systemic trap.