We all intellectually know how critical it is to manage our energy (even more than our time). The question is, though, whether we actually practice what we know is critical for us to be high performers/high functioning in our lives.

If any of you are like me, you start looking at a problem and want to solve the 20 things that will need to be decided eventually. You want to see a clear map of how you will get from A to Z.

I like the following exercise: 

Bring me to the table if you need a, b, or c.

If you need x, y, or z, even though I could help you, I'm not the best person for those.

I always pay attention when a topic comes up more than once in my client discussions or networking chats because those tend to be good topics to ensure we cover here together.  This week, the focus was on knowing when to walk away from something (a job, a relationship, a hobby, a dream, etc.) even though you may still love parts of it.  When topics like this arise, I recommend people read Annie Duke's most recent book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away.

Many of you may remember that one of my three words of the year is fun.  My intention of having this as an anchor word was to make sure I was focused on enjoying where, on what, and with whom I spent my time.  I wanted to consistently ask myself, " Will this be fun?  and "How can I make this feel fun?" 

How often do you live in the details, knowing it's important to be strategic but not sure where to fit that in?

Three situations popped up this week that made me focus on this topic: 

Earlier this week, the song, Stuck In My Way by Lauren Watkins, came on my XM radio station.  The song is focused on coming out of a relationship, but it made me think about our habits. 

Are we stuck in our ways as a good thing (healthy habits and practices), or are we stuck doing things the way we've always done them because it's easier than figuring out what to do next or dealing with the fear of leaving our comfort zone?

I love the Memories feature on Facebook. I see moments that I treasured as my kids were growing up, favorite race memories, and sad moments. This week, I saw a memory from many years ago where I captured the sadness of my kids when my parents’ dog died…" but he was part of our family."  My daughter was surprised that I shared those kinds of moments on Facebook.

Fast-forward to today as I write this. One of my memories from last year was a trip to Austin, TX, for my first business retreat. I remember a coffee outing with two of my old Accenture HR colleagues. Catching up with them was so fun, but it also translated several months later into creating a small group of ex-Accenture HR leaders who have gone out on their own and want to stay connected so we can support each other.

In December 2022, I wrote about 10 lessons I learned as an Imperfect Leader, most of which were from my corporate experiences.

I’ll share those highlights and then 5 new ones since I’ve been on my entrepreneurial journey. 

As we plan for our next home, one of my criteria is a fire pit on a patio close to the house, ideally a gas one that I can easily turn on whenever I want that experience.

I did virtually no camping as a child. Still, as an adult, I enjoy the energy I get from sitting around a fire with friends and family, listening to music, eating s'mores, drinking a glass of wine, and enjoying the energy that comes from the experience. If I'm 100% honest, I don't do it much at home right now because it requires a real fire, is away from the house a bit, and too often, I'm ready for bed early…yes, a bit lame.