Upward Coaching

August Is for Rest!

Because the Best Leaders Know When to Disconnect.

For the first time in a long time, I took two weeks completely off.

Not just from work—but also from LinkedIn.

As an executive coach, I often encourage leaders to prioritize recovery. This August, I decided to take my own advice.

I removed all social media apps from my phone, including the platforms I use for work.

The biggest boundary I needed? WhatsApp. So I created it.

The first few days felt uncomfortable. Then something shifted.

I became more present. Less anxious. And after about 10 days, I regained something I hadn’t realized I’d been missing: clarity.

Ideas started flowing again. I found a renewed direction for how I want to move forward: both professionally and personally.

I became clear on my priorities for Q4.

It reminded me that breakthroughs don’t always come from working harder.

Sometimes they come from creating enough space to think.

As leaders, we’re great at managing our calendars.

🔺But perhaps the greater challenge is managing our attention.

✅Rest isn’t the opposite of productivity. It’s what makes sustainable leadership possible.

As we move through August, I encourage you to ask yourself:

What boundary could you set today that would help you come back in September with renewed energy?

This summer, don’t just take a break!

Take time to truly recharge. Rest isn’t a luxury; it’s an investment in your best performance. ☀️

Everyone talks about the view from the top.

Nobody talks about the quiet sigh in your car before you walk into the office. Or the email draft you stare at for 20 minutes because you know your next decision affects someone’s livelihood.

They prep you for the strategy, the vision, and the big decisions. They don't prep you for the invisible weight you carry when no one is watching.

For a long time, I thought pushing through exhaustion was a badge of honour.

It’s not. It’s a fast track to burnout.

Here is the mindset shift that changed everything for me:

👉 Self-care isn't a reward for hard work. It is the fuel that makes the work possible.

When you realise that protecting your peace is actually a service to your team, the guilt evaporates. It stops being a "nice-to-have" and becomes a non-negotiable business metric.

I was recently invited to contribute to the Manning Global blog, chatting with Matthew Elliott about what leadership actually requires beneath the surface.

No corporate jargon - just a real, honest look at the internal weight leaders carry every day and how to manage it.

If you’re leading a team, building a company, or carrying the weight of high-stakes decisions right now... this one is for you.

💬 To my fellow leaders: What is one boundary you’ve had to set to protect your energy? Let’s share some real strategies in the comments.

👇 Link to the full article is in the first comment.

Everyone talks about the view from the top.

Nobody talks about the quiet sigh in your car before you walk into the office. Or the email draft you stare at for 20 minutes because you know your next decision affects someone’s livelihood.

They prep you for the strategy, the vision, and the big decisions. They don't prep you for the invisible weight you carry when no one is watching.

For a long time, I thought pushing through exhaustion was a badge of honour.

It’s not. It’s a fast track to burnout.

Here is the mindset shift that changed everything for me:

👉 Self-care isn't a reward for hard work. It is the fuel that makes the work possible.

When you realise that protecting your peace is actually a service to your team, the guilt evaporates. It stops being a "nice-to-have" and becomes a non-negotiable business metric.

I was recently invited to contribute to the Manning Global AG blog, chatting with Matthew Elliott about what leadership actually requires beneath the surface.

No corporate jargon - just a real, honest look at the internal weight leaders carry every day and how to manage it.

If you’re leading a team, building a company, or carrying the weight of high-stakes decisions right now... this one is for you.

💬 To my fellow leaders: What is one boundary you’ve had to set to protect your energy? Let’s share some real strategies in the comments.

👇 Link to the full article is in the first comment.

Half the Year Is Gone. Now What?
You don’t need January to start over.

It’s July, which means half the year is already behind us.

You might be thinking of:

🔶 The habit that lasted eleven days in March.
🔶 The plan you made in January with so much hope.
🔶 The version of this year you meant to be living by now… but aren’t.

So can I ask you something?

What if you are not actually behind at all?
What if you are simply waiting for the wrong starting line?

Because somewhere in there is a quiet belief that this year is already a write-off—and the real time to begin again is January 2027.

Here is what I want you to hear:

🔻 You have not missed anything.
🔻 You do not need a new year, a Monday, or a perfect week to begin again.
🔻 You can start again on a random Thursday in July.

This is a natural moment to pause and reflect:
• What have you achieved so far?
• Which goals still matter?
• What do you want to change in the next six months?

⛔ Don’t set a huge goal right now.

✅ Choose one small action that brings you closer to the life or vision you want.

And there’s another important question we often ignore:

⁉️ When will you rest?

Summer can be a powerful time to intentionally slow down—whether that means a vacation, a staycation, or simply creating more space to breathe, reset, and recharge.

If you’re anything like me, rest doesn’t always come naturally.
When productivity becomes closely tied to self-worth, slowing down can feel uncomfortable.

That’s exactly why this month, I’m focusing my posts on rest, recovery, and giving ourselves permission to pause—without guilt.
Because sustainable performance isn’t built through constant pressure.
It’s built through cycles of effort and recovery.

I’ll be sharing more this month about how we can redefine rest, recover without guilt, and build success in a more sustainable way.

🔔 Follow me to get the latest posts.

👇 Is rest hard for you too?
I’d love to hear from you—share in the comments what makes slowing down difficult for you.

An invitation to be gentler with yourself this season & to do some Cure yourself with the light
of the sun and the rays of the moon

With the sound of the river and
the waterfall.

With the swaying of the sea and the
fluttering of birds.

Heal yourself with mint, with neem
and eucalyptus.

Sweeten yourself with lavender, rosemary
and chamomile.

Hug yourself with the cacao bean
and a touch of cinnamon.

Put love in tea instead of sugar and
take it looking at the stars.

Heal yourself with the kisses that the wind
gives you and hug the rain.

Get strong with bare feet on the ground
and with everything that is born from it.

Get smarter every day by listening to your
intuition, looking at the world with the eye
of your forehead.

Jump, dance, sing, so that you live happier.

Heal yourself with beautiful love and always
remember: you are medicine! By Maria Sabina Garcia