From Fumes to Fuel: Redefining What Balance Looks Like

We’ve all had those seasons where we feel like we are driving on fumes—barely enough in the tank to keep going. This post is about the night I realized my gauge had hit empty, and the shift I made to find a more sustainable way forward.

Empty.

Some days feel like laundry — never just one step, always three more waiting. And as the school year ramps up, that endless cycle only gets heavier. Supply runs, practices, rehearsals, meetings… all signs of engaged kids, but also more layers of responsibility for parents.

Some days it feels like there simply aren’t enough hours.

Finding work-life balance often feels elusive. Shopping for lunches, helping with homework, getting kids bathed and in bed, all while answering emails and prepping tomorrow’s report… it’s a lot. I know because I lived it.

I was sprinting at work, skipping lunch so I could make daycare pickup, and then trying to be “on” for my kids when I was already running on empty.

The truth? I didn’t always show up the way I wanted to. I had a short fuse. I yelled. And one night, as I was signing permission slips, exhausted and feeling guilty, I realized something: I was giving my best to work, and my worst to the people who deserved the best of me.

That was my turning point. I gave myself permission to rewrite the script.

Here’s the takeaway: Work-life balance isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence. It’s about catching yourself in the chaos and choosing differently, even in small ways.

If this feels like your story too, my 3-Month Executive Coaching Program was designed with you in mind. Together, we’ll find clarity, reset priorities, and build a version of success that doesn’t leave you running on empty. Want to learn more about the Executive Reset? Check out my website here.