The Ride I Almost Skipped
Yesterday morning, I almost talked myself out of a bike ride.
I had a mountain of things to do. Work to catch up on. Emails. Deadlines. A general sense of “you don’t have time for this.” I was exhausted. Overloaded. Pulled in a hundred directions.
I went anyway.
For more than two hours, I rode. I let the wind slap my face awake, let my thoughts meander without trying to solve anything. I felt my legs burn as I pushed uphill, and I welcomed it. The effort, the sweat, the freedom. The world got quieter. My mind got sharper.
And when I got back, I didn’t just feel better. I was better. More present, grounded, and capable.
We treat self-care like a luxury. It’s often something we “earn” or “fit in” once we’ve handled everything else. But here’s the problem with this thinking. The busier you get, the more crucial it becomes. Sacrificing self-care when you're under pressure is like skipping oxygen before a marathon.
As a coach, I hold back from pushing my personal beliefs onto clients. My job is to ask powerful questions, to help them discover their own answers.
Except for one thing: SELF-CARE.
I push every single client to prioritize it. It’s non-negotiable. Without it, you may still perform, but it will come at a cost. Whether your energy, effectiveness, or eventually your health, it’s too high a price to pay. And you have no chance of accomplishing your long-term goals.
I’m not talking about bubble baths and spa days. (Though hey, if that’s your thing — go for it.) I’m talking about real self-care. The kind that restores you, reconnects you to your body, and clears your mind. The kind that resets your nervous system and makes you human again. Ironically, that’s what makes you a better leader.
If you want to show up with clarity, creativity, or compassion – if you want to lead your team, business, and family with energy that’s contagious in the best way – start with how you treat yourself.
So, if you’re reading this right now thinking, “I just don’t have the time,” I hear you. But that might be the clearest sign that it’s time to hit pause, breathe, and get back on the bike (or whatever your version of it is).
Sustained success isn’t about grinding harder. It’s about fueling smarter. You weren’t built to survive on fumes; you were built to lead with force, clarity, and purpose.
That’s the core of what I call being Inspired by LIFE - not waiting for permission to take care of yourself, but choosing to lead with intention, energy, and resilience. Start there. Everything else becomes possible.
