Some Days End in Tears — And That’s Okay

There are days in this work that no one sees.

You show up steady.

You hold the space.

You listen.

You lead.

You protect.

And then you go home.

And sometimes, the tears flow.

Not in front of participants.

Not in front of the team.

Because participants are my why.

They must feel safe.

They must feel supported.

They must feel cared for.

Leadership means holding that line.

This work carries weight. We deal with vulnerability, complexity, risk and responsibility every single day. We advocate. We make hard decisions. We navigate systems that are not always simple.

Honesty in this journey is vital.

It’s honest to say that some days are heavy.

It’s honest to acknowledge emotion.

It’s honest to admit that caring deeply comes at a cost.

But it is also honest to say that self-care is not optional.

I encourage our team constantly:

Work at work.

Family with family.

Boundaries protect longevity.

Self-care protects leadership.

Strong leaders model balance.

Outside of my work, my husband, my children and my grandchildren are my rock. They are my world. They are the space where I refocus, reset and remember that strength does not mean carrying everything alone.

You can care deeply and still protect yourself.

You can lead firmly and still feel emotion.

You can advocate strongly and still go home and breathe.

Participants deserve our best — and we can only give our best if we look after ourselves too.

This work matters.

But so does the life beyond it.

I always say it is ok not to be ok.... it’s a bad moment, not a bad life....

Failure is not an option

Til next time,

Julie McCracken