I’m taking my own advice this summer.
(Not always easy – can even feel complicated when supporting others is your work.)
I have no VA. No team.
Everything I write, every reply, every coaching session – that’s all me.
And my lovely coaching clients? They always get my full support. That doesn’t change.
But everything else? Can afford to slow down. Don’t think anyone’s on tenterhooks waiting for me!
I don’t down tools entirely. It’s more about softening for the summer than stopping.
Because when you’re navigating a meaningful change…
Answers don’t usually arrive when you push harder.
They come more easily when you make space to think.
Your Summer Review
Here’s what I’ll be doing – and what I recommend for the committed careerists I coach (and you):
➜ Reflect on what’s been going well.
Catch yourself doing something right.
Small wins count too.
➜ Wonder what’s missing.
That quiet itch you’ve been ignoring? Name it.
➜ Repurpose regrets.
There’s gold buried under what didn’t go to plan.
➜ Grow an ask.
For support. For clarity.
For asking the world for what you need next — not someday. Now.
Because clarity comes when you slow down, with purpose.
And readiness builds while you’re not looking.
A Quiet Thought-Starter
Something special happens when you let go of trying to cram clarity into a chaotic calendar.
Because the truth is, your next chapter doesn’t need hustle. It does better with headspace.
So here’s a quiet provocation:
What would you regret next summer if you did nothing about it now?
I sometimes host thoughtful sessions like this for my email community – an inner circle of career designers who are ready to reflect and reshape what’s next. This was the exact question that landed for someone in a Summer Review session held last week.
She’d kicked off the year strong – creating an amazing opportunity from nowhere to support her hopes for elevation. But by summer, she was stalled again. Not for lack of ambition – but for not knowing how to maintain momentum.
The truth is, career redesign isn’t a one-off event. It’s a rhythm. Small steps – but never stop moving. Only then is it a rhythm you can rely on…so you never get stuck again.
Want a Companion for Your Summer Reflection?
If you’re reading this on a sunlounger… or taking a quieter moment between meetings…You might be ready for a different kind of reading.
My book Unstuck was written for productive pauses just like these.
➜ A chance to step back from the noise
➜ To reconnect with what matters and missing
➜ And to start realigning work and life on your terms
Get Unstuck this summer. Read it slowly by the pool. Note the parts that feel like they were written for you. Let it help you think differently about what’s next.
You can grab your copy here.
