Space for Progress
Hi there,
Blink. And it’s Q2.
Are you feeling on track to meet your personal and professional goals this year?
I’ve been hearing, over and over again from leaders, that there just isn’t enough time. But the honest truth is this: there’s enough time for everyone and everything else—except them. Their needs.
And sometimes, that’s as little as 10 minutes a day. Just 1 hour and 10 minutes a week. It can happen in small increments or as a longer block. What matters is that the time is yours.
Easier said than done. I’m here to help.
I’m creating space for leaders to pause, reflect, and advance their most important work. To hear what’s humming below the surface. The needs that must be met to move forward with peace and ease.
Recently, I’ve supported clients in:
Finding their voice in a new role
Building confidence and defining their leadership style
Reconnecting with inspiration in their work
Strengthening leadership skills
Achieving business goals sustainably
Expanding the capacity of small teams
It’s time to stop succumbing to the pressure. Make space this spring.
If you—or someone you know—could use a little space to pause, reflect, and advance your most important work, I’d love to guide that intentional time.Begin your Protected Strategic Pause here.
Now, let’s step into our sabbatical moment.
Resting
An invitation to slow down long enough to hear what your mind, body, and heart are telling you.
I get my nails done all the time. But I’ve never described the experience as “restful,” until yesterday.
Usually, I’m squeezing the appointment into my day and squeezing other things into the appointment: responding to emails (yes, even one-handed), clearing my inbox, staying “productive.”
Yesterday was different. I visited a new place my husband found—a decade-old, Black woman-owned business less than 10 minutes from my house. As I settled in and extended my very overdue nails, she said, “Settle in and feel the vibe.”
I didn’t need permission, but I received it anyway.
So I chose differently. I put in my AirPods, turned on my audiobook, and closed my eyes. The narrator’s words washed over me as the nail artist clipped, filed, buffed, and painted.
Two hours later, my nails were refreshed. More importantly, my mind and nervous system felt restored too.
Remembering
An invitation to reconnect with your brilliance - the wisdom, creativity, and magic within and around you.
I recently spoke with Felicia Smith, feliciasmith@the-climb.org on the The Climb Podcast about the power of the strategic pause. Together, we challenged the belief that constant motion equals progress and reframed pausing as a leadership skill.
The conversation flowed naturally because we were both holding our former and current selves at the same time.
In a segment called “Somebody Should Have Told Me,” I reflected on moments of burnout, disconnection, and pushing despite feeling like a shell of myself. I had to let the version of me showing up for the recording reach back to the version of me who was exhausted and out of alignment.
My hope is that listeners see themselves mirrored, and find their own version of the pause that leads to rest, reconnection, and flow.
Recasting/Realizing
An invitation to imagine the life you desire and pursue it with joy as your compass.
It was 8:40pm, and my son was on his way to bed when he stopped and said, “Wait. One last thing. Think big. I learned that today.”
On any other night, I might have added it to my running list of “Asaphisms.” But this one stayed with me because it echoed something I’d heard earlier that day.
During my nail appointment, I was listening to The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. The story follows a woman who explores infinite versions of her life and ultimately discovers what makes life worth living.
At one point, she’s encouraged to “dream big”. To recognize the endless possibilities available if we’re willing to imagine them.
And yet, so many of us don’t. Fear, conditioning, and limitation get in the way. So when we think—and especially when we dream—let’s push ourselves to ask: Is it big enough?
Wishing you space to pause and progress this season. I’m excited to hear what blooms for you.
If you know someone who would benefit from a structured, inspired approach to strategic pausing, the journey starts here.
Joyfully,
Elandria
