Rest Isn't the Reward. It's Part of the Work.

At the end of May, my best friend reminded me of something I apparently needed to hear.

"No." is a complete sentence.

She also reminded me that "no" doesn't require an explanation.

Say what?

Cue George Michael's "Freedom!" playing in the background.

As my calendar started shifting and commitments kept piling up, I realized something had to change.

So... I began establishing healthier boundaries.

In my coaching practice.

In my personal life.

And last week, even within one of the nonprofits I love serving.

Here's what I'm learning.

We live in a world that applauds hustle.

Busy has become a badge of honor.

But what if rest isn't the reward for hard work?

What if it is part of the work?

    The strongest athletes recover between competitions.

        Muscles grow during rest.

            Fields become fertile when they're left fallow.

                    Even nature understands that growth requires rhythm.

Maybe we should, too.

I've discovered that every time I say no to something that drains me, I'm really saying yes to something that matters more.

• Yes to my health.
• Yes to my peace.
• Yes to being fully present with the people and work I care about most.

This Week's Reminder

Every "no" creates space for a more meaningful "yes."

Happy Monday, friends.

Until next time, keep leading with strength and living with purpose.

-srt

#MotivationalMonday #LeadWithStrength #LiveWithPurpose #Boundaries #Rest #ReaCoachingandConsulting

Growing Beneath the Surface

On Monday, I shared that life has become a little quieter.

After two years of serving as President of Soroptimist International of Lincoln, I'm discovering that slowing down isn't as easy as I imagined.

I've become so accustomed to movement that quiet almost feels unfamiliar.

As I've been reading Wintering by Katherine May, one idea has stayed with me all week.

We spend much of our lives believing that every day should feel productive, joyful, energetic, and full of momentum. When it doesn't, we assume something is wrong with us.

But nature tells a very different story.

·       Nothing in nature blooms all year.

·       Forests have winters.

·       Fields lie fallow.

·       Bears hibernate.

·       Trees appear lifeless while quietly strengthening their roots beneath the frozen ground.

Yet somehow, we expect ourselves to keep producing, smiling, achieving, and giving without interruption.

Perhaps that's where so much of our exhaustion begins.

I've come to realize that winter is not the opposite of growth.

It is part of growth.

Some of my greatest lessons didn't arrive during seasons of success.

·       They came through disappointment.

• Grief.
• Uncertainty.
• Betrayal.
• Unexpected endings.
• Moments when I questioned what was next.

At the time, I wanted those seasons to end as quickly as possible.

Looking back, I can't erase them.

                                                But I also wouldn't.

Those winters taught me patience when I wanted certainty.

They taught me compassion when I had become too quick to judge.

One lesson surprised me more than the others.

• Winter taught me that I can protect my heart without hardening it.
• I can establish healthy boundaries without building walls.
• I can become wiser without becoming cynical (which may be one of adulthood's hardest lessons).

Those seasons also reminded me that my worth isn't measured by how busy I am or how much I accomplish.

Strength doesn't always look like pushing harder.

    Sometimes strength looks like resting.

        Sometimes courage looks like asking for help.

            Sometimes wisdom looks like waiting.

As a coach, I often meet people who believe they've somehow fallen behind because they're in a difficult season.

They're comparing their winter to someone else's spring.

But that's never a fair comparison.

Everyone carries unseen winters.  

    The leader you admire. 

        The friend who always seems positive.

            The business owner who appears successful.

                The neighbor who looks like they have everything together.

None of us are exempt from seasons of loss, transition, doubt, or quiet rebuilding.

Winter has a purpose.

It slows us down long enough to notice what really matters.

And perhaps that's its greatest gift.

Coffee Conversation

Before we finish our coffee together, can I leave you with one question?

What season are you trying to rush through because it feels uncomfortable?

Don't answer it too quickly.

Sit with it.  

Finish your coffee.

Sometimes the question is doing work inside us long before we discover the answer.

Spring always comes.

But when it does, it arrives because winter first did its work.

Until next time, keep leading with strength and living with purpose.

-srt

#ThursdayThoughts #Wintering #Leadership #Growth #LiveWithPurpose #ReaCoachingandConsulting

You don't have to bloom in every season to keep growing.

For the past two years, my calendar has rarely had room to breathe.

Serving as President of Soroptimist International of Lincoln has been one of the greatest honors of my life.

It was also one of the busiest seasons I've ever experienced.

And now...

Things are quieter.

I'll admit, quiet feels a little strange.

·       We celebrate the seasons of blooming.

·       The promotions.

·       The victories.

·       The answered prayers.

·       The moments when everything seems to be working.

But life was never designed to be spring all the time.

Sometimes we find ourselves in winter. A season that feels quieter, slower, and perhaps a little lonelier than we expected.

What if winter isn't something to survive as quickly as possible?

What if it is preparing you for what comes next?

Trees don't apologize for becoming dormant.

They're conserving strength for the season ahead.

Maybe you don't need to bloom today.

Maybe today your job is simply to rest, heal, learn, and trust that growth is still happening beneath the surface.

Your spring will come.

Until then, honor your winter.

This Week's Reminder

You don't have to bloom in every season to keep growing.

Until next time, keep leading with strength and living with purpose.

-srt

#MotivationalMonday #Leadership #Growth #Wintering #LiveWithPurpose #ReaCoachingandConsulting

Actions Are the Truth

In early June, a friend said something so simple that I haven't stopped thinking about it.

"People show you who they are through their actions."

At the same time, I happened to be rereading The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins. The two ideas seemed to fit together perfectly. Both are reminders that we spend far too much energy trying to explain, excuse, or change other people when, more often than not, their consistent actions have already given us the answer.

At first, I nodded and moved on. But over the weeks, I found myself replaying those words in different situations.

• A missed commitment.
• An unexpected act of kindness.
• Someone who said all the right things but never followed through.
• Someone else who rarely spoke about their character but quietly lived it every day.

It made me realize something both uncomfortable and freeing.

We spend an incredible amount of time listening to what people say. We analyze conversations, search for hidden meanings, and often give people the benefit of the doubt because we want to believe the best about them.

• Yet actions rarely lie.
• Actions reveal priorities.
• Actions reveal values.
• Actions reveal integrity.

Words tell us who someone wants to be. Actions tell us who they are today.

That doesn't mean people can't grow. We all have moments where our actions fall short of our intentions. Growth requires grace. But growth also requires accountability. If someone continually tells you one thing while consistently doing another, eventually you have to believe the evidence.

Yesterday, my mom made me laugh with an analogy I haven't been able to shake.

She said, "Some people are like a bad pancake. Burnt on one side but served with the golden-brown side up. They look good until you take a bite."

I laughed, but then I realized there was wisdom tucked inside her humor.

Over time, life has a way of flipping the pancake.

Consistent actions reveal what words and appearances often hide.

As I thought more about it, I realized this lesson extends far beyond our relationships with others.

It forces us to look inward.

• What do my actions communicate?
• If I say family comes first, does my calendar reflect that?
• If I say I value my health, do my daily habits agree?
• If I claim to be a leader, do my actions make others feel valued, heard, and empowered?
• If I say faith is important, does the way I treat people reflect it?

Character isn't built in grand moments. It's revealed in ordinary ones.

It's found in the promises we keep when no one is watching.

        The emails we return.

                The encouragement we offer.

                        The apologies we make.

                                The commitments we honor.

The way we speak about people when they aren't in the room.

The encouraging part is this: actions are within our control.

If our actions haven't reflected the person we aspire to become, today is a new opportunity. We don't need a dramatic reinvention. We simply need the courage to align our behavior with our values, one decision at a time.

• People are watching.
• Our children are watching.
• Our coworkers are watching.
• Our friends are watching.

But most importantly, we are becoming the person our actions repeatedly reinforce.

So this week, pay less attention to impressive words and more attention to consistent behavior, both in others and in yourself.

Because in the end, actions don't just reveal character.

They create it.

Happy Thursday, all,

-srt

#ThursdayThought #Leadership #CharacterMatters #Integrity #PersonalDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #SelfReflection #AuthenticLeadership #ActionsSpeakLouderThanWords #ReaCoachingandConsulting

What Your Actions Say About You

Someone shared a simple truth with me a few weeks ago that I haven't been able to shake:

People show you who they are through their actions.

Not their promises.
Not their intentions.
Not the version of themselves they describe.

Their actions.

Pay attention to the people who consistently show up.
The ones who keep their word.
The ones who make time.
The ones whose behavior matches their values.

And while you're watching others, ask yourself the same question:

What are my actions teaching people about me?

Because long after our words are forgotten, our actions become our reputation.

Lovelies, have a week where what you do speaks louder than what you say.

-srt

#MotivationalMonday #MondayMotivation #Leadership #Character #Integrity #PersonalGrowth #LeadByExample #ActionsSpeakLouder #GrowthMindset #DayInALifeOfStacy #ReaCoachingandConsulting

See the Good in Everything

"Being positive isn't pretending that everything is good; it's seeing the good in everything."

This quote challenges one of the biggest misconceptions about positivity. Many people believe being positive means ignoring reality, suppressing difficult emotions, or putting on a smile when life is falling apart. But genuine positivity isn't about denial ... it's about perspective.

Life will always contain both blessings and burdens. There will be seasons of growth and seasons of struggle. There will be victories worth celebrating and disappointments that test our resilience. Positivity doesn't ask us to ignore the difficult moments. Instead, it invites us to look deeper and ask:

What can I learn from this?
How can I grow through this?
What good still exists, even here?

When we practice this mindset, challenges become opportunities to build strength. Mistakes become lessons. Delays become chances to develop patience. Even painful experiences can reveal courage, compassion, wisdom, or a new direction we may never have discovered otherwise.

This doesn't mean every situation is good. Some experiences are genuinely difficult, unfair, or heartbreaking. Yet even in those moments, there is often something valuable we can carry forward: a lesson, a connection, a renewed appreciation, a stronger character, or a clearer sense of purpose.

This week, try experimenting with positivity in practical ways:

The Reframe Challenge
When something doesn't go as planned, pause and ask yourself, "What else could this mean?" Look for an alternative perspective before settling on frustration or disappointment.

Find Three Good Things
At the end of each day, write down three positive moments, no matter how small. A meaningful conversation, a good cup of coffee, a completed task, or simply making it through a tough day all count.

Look for Hidden Lessons
The next time you face a setback, ask yourself, "What is this experience teaching me that success never could?"

Practice Gratitude During Difficulty
Don't wait for life to be perfect to be grateful. Find one thing to appreciate even on challenging days. Gratitude and struggle can exist together.

Become a Good Finder
Make it your mission to notice something positive in every person you encounter. You may be surprised by how much your relationships and interactions improve.

Replace Complaints with Curiosity
Instead of immediately asking, "Why is this happening to me?" try asking, "What can I learn from this?" or "How can I respond in a way that aligns with who I want to be?"

The truth is, our perspective shapes our experience. The more we train ourselves to recognize possibilities, lessons, and blessings, the more resilient and hopeful we become.

As you move through the rest of this week, remember: positivity isn't about pretending the storm isn't there. It's about trusting that there is still something valuable to be found, learned, or appreciated, even while the rain is falling.

What is one challenge you've faced recently that ended up teaching you something valuable?

Happy Thursday all,

-srt

#ThursdayThoughts #MindsetMatters #PositiveThinking #PersonalGrowth #Resilience #Gratitude #SelfDevelopment #ReaCoachingandConsulting