​
Hi Reader,

Have you ever felt: "I want two things at once, and I feel guilty or confused no matter what I choose.”

I want to work, and I want more time with my kids.
I want to be needed and I want freedom.
I want to reach my full potential and I want to rest.

It feels like contradiction.

But what if it’s actually your inner voice, knocking at the door?

The way we’ve been taught to live is cracking. Burnout rates are at record highs, technology is accelerating at inhuman speeds, and many of us are left wondering: How do I keep up without losing myself?

We - yes, us humans - are not scalable. We are not designed to operate like machines. And yet, so many of us try.

​We call this self-leadership - not to be mistaken for independence or perfection. It’s about firstly recognizing and noticing the narratives, beliefs, expectations that shaped us (the “good daughter" the "present parent,” the “servant leader,” the “high performer”) and then choosing, with intention, which ones to carry forward.
​
I use a simple framework with clients, and I want to share it with you.

The ARC of Self-Leadership

• Awareness — Notice the scripts. Ask: Whose expectations am I following? Does this serve me?
• Regulation — Create space. Use mindfulness, breath, or pause practices to downshift reactivity.
• Choice — Act in alignment. Anchor decisions in your values, not in guilt or fear.

ARC isn’t complicated, but it is powerful. When you lead yourself this way, you not only create intentional outcomes in your own life, you model to others that it’s possible to live and lead without abandoning yourself.

Invitation:​
This is the work we’re doing inside Awaken. If guilt, hesitation, or self-doubt have been running the show for you, imagine what would shift if your self-trust was so strong that “let me think about it” turned into “I know this is mine.”

Learn more about Awaken: A Life by Design here and use code AWAFALL to save $50 before 8/31. Join us to bridge the gap between the life you’ve built and the life you actually want.

And if you’d like the exact practice I use when I catch myself in overwhelm, reply to this email with the word TRUST — I’ll send it your way.

With clarity and courage,

xo,
Sadie

Kelly Berry Strategic Leader, Coach & Podcast Host ​​​​​​

Sadie Wackett C-Suite HR Executive & Coach ​​​​