What Happens When Women Step Away to Grow

Looking ahead to a week in the desert—connection, clarity, and the power of pause.

There’s something about the desert that feels like an invitation to slow down.

The heat, the stillness, the horizon that seems to stretch forever—it’s the kind of place that asks you to exhale. To pause. To get quiet enough to hear your own thoughts again.

This week, I’m heading into that stillness.

I’m traveling to the desert to meet a group of women I’ve been working alongside for nearly a year. Together, we’ve supported each other through the highs and lows of business and life—through launches and pivots, long nights and “what am I even doing?” moments.

We’ve built a community across screens and schedules, showing up for each other in ways that only women who are building something meaningful can.

And now, for the first time, we’ll be meeting in person.

A full week dedicated to reflection, connection, and growth—with women who get it.

The Power of Stepping Away

I spend much of my time working with leaders, educators, and helping professionals—people who give so much of themselves to their work. And there’s a common thread that comes up again and again:

We are terrible at stepping away.

We tell ourselves that rest can wait. That reflection is a luxury. That if we’re not producing, we’re not progressing.

But deep down, I know the opposite is true.
Real growth happens in the pauses—those moments when we step out of our daily patterns long enough to see what’s really working (and what’s not).

That’s what I’m craving this week: a pause long enough to get perspective.

I’m curious to see what shifts when I give myself the space to stop doing—and start being again.

Anticipating the Power of Connection

There’s something powerful about being surrounded by women who understand what it means to lead, build, and care deeply—at work and at home.

We’ve been cheering each other on for months, through Zoom calls and group messages. But sharing real space together feels like a chance to breathe differently—to laugh louder, think deeper, and reconnect to why we started this journey in the first place.

I know the conversations will be rich and real—the kind where someone says, “I thought it was just me,” and you realize it never was.

That’s the magic of community.
It reminds you that you’re not alone in your ambition—or your exhaustion.

What I Hope to Learn from the Desert

The desert —slow, deliberate, honest.
I have a feeling it’s going to teach me a few things.

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned from my work with teams and leaders, it’s this: sustainable success requires slowing down on purpose.

You can’t build resilience in a constant rush.
You can’t lead well when you’re running on empty.

This week, I want to lean into stillness.
To be fully present.
To remember that recovery is a strength, not a setback.

And maybe, to let the desert remind me that rest is productive, too.

What I’m Intentionally Bringing With Me

Before heading out, I’ve been reflecting on what I want to carry into this experience—what I hope to practice, not just preach.

Here are three intentions I’m packing:

1. Rest as a Requirement, Not a Reward

Rest shouldn’t be earned—it should be built into how we work and lead. I want to model that for myself and the people I serve.

2. Community as Clarity

Big ideas rarely come from isolation. They come from conversation, connection, and being in spaces that stretch us.

3. Grace Over Grind

Growth doesn’t always mean pushing harder. Sometimes it means softening, slowing, and trusting the process.

What I Hope to Bring Back

When I return home—back to my family, my clients, and my calendar—I want to carry the desert with me.

THE MINDSET!
The slower pace.
The intentional presence.
The space to think before saying yes.

Because The Well-Worked Life isn’t just something I write about—it’s something I’m committed to living.

A life where success and well-being aren’t competing priorities, but connected ones.
Where we lead with heart and protect our energy like it matters—because it does.

A Final Thought Before I Go

As I get ready to close my laptop for the week (well sort of), I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and gratitude.

Excitement for what’s to come—the conversations, the learning, the laughter.
Gratitude for the reminder that it’s okay to pause.

That sometimes, stepping away from our work is the work.

And when we do, we return not just recharged—but realigned.

Reflection Prompt You:

When was the last time you gave yourself permission to step away—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, too?
What might change if you created space for a “desert pause” of your own this week?