The power and value of my work -- and why I do it -- is to empower others to be the confident, balanced leaders they want to be without sacrificing performance.

To feel happier and prioritize well-being, have the time and energy for ALL the important areas of their life, and feel present and centered even when things are chaotic around them.

They lead even stronger and perform even better when they discover how to do this.

You see, the secret is that work/life balance and high performance go hand in hand. They are not opposing. When you do less, you can actually achieve more.

It’s not work and then you have a life. Work IS a part of your life! So let’s figure out how to succeed at both.

The problem with most leaders and high performers who aren’t reaching their full potential is they are seriously out of balance with themselves and the rest of their life.

They keep waiting for external circumstances to change instead of driving it internally. Instead of being a...

How many times have you tried to leave work on time but it never works out?

There always seems to be “one more thing” to do and what you think will take you 10 minutes ends up taking an hour and you still have . . . one more thing to do!

But you know you need to get out the door because you have kids at daycare waiting or supper to make or you're simply ready for some downtime.

You end up working later than you want, arriving late to the next thing, the guilt piles up and you feel even more exhausted the next day.

It feels like it should be the simplest thing to end work on time, but you just can’t seem to stick to it.

We assume that it is really hard to stick to our boundaries, but the truth is it is in fact the simplest action to take.

You are perfectly capable of closing your laptop and leaving work!

So what can you do to make this easier for you?

First, is to have a set end time. This may be obvious, but make the decision up front and leave at that time no...

Want to know what it takes to have confidence in yourself, even when the fear of failure is high?

The kind of confidence where you won’t give up on what you really want just because you didn’t hit your goal or get the promotion.

Yes, rejection and disappointment hurt, but you also know that it’s not a reflection of your worth and what’s possible for you.

You pick yourself up and figure out your next move.

Or the kind of confidence where you speak up in a meeting or stand up for what you believe to be right, even though someone might not like it . . . or judge you.

Yes, you worry about what people think, but it doesn’t hold you back from saying what’s in your heart and mind.

You communicate it in the best way you can, have the courage to go for it, and let go of the worry regardless of what might happen.

Or the kind of confidence like my client Ashley discovered when she owned how she wanted to lead and put people first, even though it was a...

Oh. NO.

You know that feeling - the one where you suddenly realize that you said yes to something that you really did NOT want to do?

When you get that pit of nervousness in your stomach as you wonder how in the world you will have time for the new project you just said yes to… with everything else on your plate.

Or when you resent the fact that you have to miss supper with your family or work on the weekend to get done that last minute request that came in from your boss (again).

You wonder WHY you keep saying yes to these things when you know it just leads to more…

Stress…

Frustration…

And overwhelm.

We were taught growing up that it is polite to say yes, working harder leads to success, and somehow it is wrong if you say no and not do what people expect of you.

But here’s the thing. Every single time you say yes to something that you deep down don’t want to do, you ARE saying no.

Here’s what I mean . . .

When you say yes to that last...

Dear Stacey,

You’re drowning in everything to do.
Slow down for a moment.
Take a deep breath.
Know that you’re worthy and good enough.
It’s amazing how you have been showing up.
But something has to give.
You have too much on your plate.
The answer isn’t working harder.
You must say no to what matters less.
You must no longer sacrifice what matters more.
There is a better way.
You will feel like yourself again.
You will lead even stronger.
You will enjoy your days far more.
See, this is urgent and necessary.
It’s your life we are talking about.
No one is coming to save you.
It starts with you.
And right now, something has to give.
Do not settle for the way things are.
You’ve got this.

Love, Stacey

This is what I would have told myself a few years ago.

If you’re feeling this way, know that you’re not alone and there is a path to being happy, balanced and successful.

If you knew how to fix it and change your perspective, you’d have done it already.

...

Want to know the real reason you keep working long hours and not making your personal time more of a priority?

Why you put high expectations on yourself to be there for your team and deliver, yet always feel like you are not doing enough?

Or why you believe that you need to work harder and put in all those extra hours to be successful?

You might think the reason you work so much is that you have no choice, it’s just what the job demands, or that it is necessary for you to be successful.

What’s the real reason?

It’s because you care. You want to be a strong leader. You want to be a team player. You want to do a really good job.

So you put everyone else’s needs before your own, and set aside what’s important to you.

Many people assume that they have to do this to be a strong leader or move up in their career, but the truth is without finding time to nourish yourself and put your needs first . . .

All it does is hurt your performance, your ability to lead,...

Do you secretly wish that you could be more confident in yourself?

You want to speak up in meetings without your heart racing, feeling anxious or end up not saying anything at all.

You want to feel sure in your decisions instead of always overthinking and second-guessing yourself.

You want to come across as a leader who knows what they are doing instead of feeling like you’re putting on an act.

“Was this good enough? Did I say the right thing? What if I can’t do this?” constantly runs through your mind until you receive feedback that you are hitting the mark.

And this constant battle in your mind is the big secret that you don’t want to tell anyone because you think you need to look like you have it together.

The truth is NO ONE feels 100% confident all of the time - so you are not alone!

In fact, most people often wonder if they know what the heck they are doing (me included). The doubts and fears simply pop up for everyone. It’s just human...

To the mom who feels exhausted from working long hours or being pulled in 8000 directions, give yourself permission to take a break and rest.

To the mom who feels like she is failing because she didn’t get the to-do list done or the house is a mess, give yourself permission to say F-it and focus on all that you have done.

To the mom who puts everyone else's needs first, give yourself permission to make yourself happy and do something that gives YOU joy (you’ll be a better mom for it).

To the mom who is stressing about what you will cook for supper tonight or the big presentation next week, give yourself permission to keep it simple and make it easier on yourself.

To the mom who wants to knock it out of the park in her career and doubts that you’re capable or confident enough to balance it all, give yourself permission to go for it and be the kick-ass leader in your life that you are.

To the mom who sits in her car or the bathroom for a few extra minutes alone...

Have you been daydreaming about what it would be like to work fewer hours?

Or wondered how people actually make time for themselves and their family without sacrificing their work performance?

You might have the best intentions to end work on time so you can enjoy your evening with your family and personal time.

But something else always comes up, am I right?

Someone has one more thing for you to do or there’s an urgent meeting. And what happens next?

You end up either working late or sacrificing a few hours in the evening to catch up on emails or the work that piled up.

And you then feel guilty for missing out on supper or playing outside with your kids.

But here’s the catch . . .

You see everyone else working long hours and worry that if you don’t do the same thing, they’ll think you are lazy or not a team player.

Sound about right?

It sure did for me! A few years ago this was me trying to juggle a sometimes 80-hour workweek while being there for my family...

Life lesson #9: Give yourself permission to take something off your plate.

Have you overcommitted and you're struggling to find enough hours in the day (and energy) to get everything done that you said you would do?

Feeling like you have so much on your plate right now, you either push harder or avoid it altogether because you're feeling overwhelmed by it all?

Or perhaps you feel on top of things for the most part, but you are also feeling bad about all the other things that you think you "should" be doing?

When you're in this place, it's not about doing more; it's about doing less (as counterintuitive as that seems).

This is a lesson I've learned over the years and something I still have to remind myself from time to time when I have overcommitted -- like these past two weeks!

The quickest way to relieve some of the pressure is to give yourself permission to take something off your plate.

This is an obvious one, but often the last to happen because we keep trying to do it all.

...