~The only one in control of my schedule/calendar is me so if I can’t find time to breathe, it’s an indicator that I lack self-boundaries;
~As a leader, not every request, complaint or drama-filled message needs an immediate reply (sometimes it’s a really healthy thing to let people sit in the tension of their drama and not have easy access to you);
~While I love the archery families and want to be there for them, it’s ok to take a break to eat my hot dinner that’s sitting upstairs in my hotel room first (after not having time to get a good lunch at Nationals) rather than meet parents because they want to talk real quick about archery…it’s rarely quick and your dinner will get cold and you’ll just get internally frustrated that you can’t say no and can’t hear what they are saying over your hunger. It is ok to stop and eat dinner first while it’s still hot, especially if you’ve made yourself available all day long and will be available again the next day (this applies to any leadership context—sometimes we just need to be reminded that it’s ok to take a break);
~When you lead an overnight trip of any kind, it’s ok to turn your phone off when you get back to the hotel and to let people figure out things on their own after hours (especially when all the information has been given out multiple times and there are other capable people available to help). Turning off the phone preserves sanity;
~You don’t know what you don’t know and what you don’t know, you’ll learn very quickly what’s going to work and what’s not and adjust accordingly. Most of the answers, adjustments and shifts happened internally in order to be able to make it through a multi-day peopling experience that required more giving out than I’ve ever experienced before (it was the first time I took a large group of people out of town);
~Sometimes hiding in the bathroom stall for 5 minutes throughout the day away from any people, noise and talking, and having that few minutes to simply breathe and “be” is way more effective than pouring caffeine and sugar down my body all day long;
~There are seasons when our life simply won’t operate in a balance (especially if there is a large event or project on your plate) and it’s ok if finding balance is impossible…that imbalance has an end date and you will get through that season and be ready to regain your footing. That also brings a whole new level of awareness, gratitude and appreciation for the other areas of your life and how they contribute to your wholeness;
~My support system is priceless and they consistently remind me that God will equip, strengthen and sustain in the various things He leads me to. I don’t know what I would do without my husband and my spiritual mom! And it means a lot to have a strong group of ladies that I can send an SOS to and know they will faithfully pray;
~Setting boundaries and trying to honor them teaches others about boundaries. It is good and necessary to set boundaries in order to steward your time and energy well;
~When you travel with people you work alongside with, you get to see another side to them. It’s so fun and it is a true gift when it deepens your appreciation of them; and
~Finally, everyone has their own opinions about what/how things should be done. It’s humanly impossible to make everyone happy. There is great freedom in knowing you are making the most solid decisions you can make based on what is best for the group as a whole and then letting people be responsible for their own responses and (un)happiness. Sometimes the healthiest thing for everyone is to let people go.
At the end of the day, don’t forget to take care of yourself while you take care of others! It has taken me a long time to learn this lesson, but it is absolutely vital in order to keep going and finish strong!
