You’ve been carrying too much for too long – and not all of it is yours. That quiet pressure to always show up strong. The unspoken responsibility of managing everyone else’s emotions. The weight of needing to prove you belong in rooms you already earned your way into. Let’s name it for what it […]
What Are You Holding That’s Not Yours? Read More »
Have you ever picked up your phone for a “quick break” only to find yourself spiraling down an endless scroll of hot takes, bad news, and content that leaves you feeling drained instead of inspired? You’re not alone. The digital world can be a source of burnout if we’re not intentional—but it can also
Train Your Algorithm for Liberation: Curating Social Media for Soft, Sustainable Success Read More »
Is It Really Safe for Women of Color to Practice Soft Leadership? My Answer Will Surprise You You might’ve heard that soft leadership – leading with empathy, emotional intelligence, and collaboration – is a must-have skill in today’s workplace. But for Women of Color, it can feel risky. Is it safe to lead with
Is There Workplace Safety for Women of Color in Leadership? Read More »
If you know my career story, you know that I experienced both compassion fatigue and professional burnout. But for us high-performing Women if Color in leadership, sometimes what we call burnout is identity loss. Here’s how it may be showing up: ✅ You’ve been over-functioning for years, silence can feel unfamiliar or even scary.
Reconnect with Yourself After Burnout Read More »
We were taught that to lead well; we had to be twice as good. Twice as fast. Twice as composed. All while carrying the unspoken burden of holding it all together. But what if leadership didn’t have to be that way? What if leading with softness isn’t a liability, but a leadership superpower? Soft
Soft Is Strong: Why Women of Color Need a New Leadership Playbook Read More »
After two decades of teaching, training, hiring, supervising, and leading multigenerational, multidisciplinary teams, I’ve come to a simple but powerful truth: You can’t separate you from your work. Leadership is not just a professional responsibility, it’s a deep personal relationship with how you live, lead, and love yourself. I’ve told my truth about burnout
This Isn’t a Social Work Pivot, It’s a Reclamation of My Full Identity Read More »
Here’s Why Women of Color Leaders Must Choose Sustainable Success For as long as many of us can remember, leadership has been synonymous with performance. We’ve been praised for our productivity, our resilience, and our ability to get things done – at all costs. Especially for Women of Color leaders, this expectation has become
Leadership Isn’t Just About Performance, It’s About Preservation Read More »
There comes a moment when even the strongest women ask: “Is this all there is?” You’ve followed the rules. Met the deadlines. Held the team together. Poured into everyone else while putting your own needs on pause. On paper, it looks like success — but inside, it feels like you’re stuck in survival mode.
You’ve Mastered the Hustle — Now It’s Time to Lead from Wholeness Read More »
I am grateful for the opportunity to be a guest on the Journey to Licensure ® podcast hosted by Shara Ruffin. From Shara Ruffin on LinkedIn: “Social work doesn’t have to mean burnout, low pay, or narrow options. It can mean freedom, leadership, and legacy and Nicki Sanders, MSW is living proof. Nicki is
Journey to Licensure Podcast Interview with Shara Ruffin Read More »
QUESTION: What does wholeness look and feel like for you? Sometimes when we don’t show up fully in professional spaces it isn’t because we’re fearful, code-switching or battling imposter syndrome. Sometimes we don’t show up fully in professional spaces because we realize they don’t deserve access to all parts of us. Real Talk! What
Honor Your Whole Self Read More »