Hey Reader,

I know you have a lot on your plate as you close out the last quarter of the year. But no matter how long, hard, and smart you're working to keep moving despite the heaviness in the world, it sometimes feels like it's not enough.

Whether you feel guilty about what you didn’t accomplish in the first half of the year, you're bracing for an increased workload over the next few months, or you're weighed down by uncertainty, I invite you to pause, take a breath, and give yourself GrACE.

Giving yourself GrACE means being kind to yourself and recognizing that no matter what you haven’t checked off your to-do list, how you’re feeling, or how you’re showing up, ultimately, you’re doing the best you can with what you have, right where you are. That’s all anyone can ask of you, and it's all you can ask of yourself.

In practical terms, this is a three-part process:

1. Acknowledge what you are thinking and feeling. Whatever you are experiencing is valid, so don’t try to fight it. The never-ending stream of emails—embrace it. Frustrated by budget uncertainty? That’s okay too.
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2. Confront your challenging thoughts and feelings. Meet them head-on instead of resisting or avoiding them. While your emotions and thoughts are real, they don’t always reflect the truth. It’s healthy to acknowledge their existence, but you don’t have to accept the stories they tell. As author Don Miguel Ruiz said, "Ninety-five percent of the beliefs we have stored in our minds are nothing but lies, and we suffer because we believe them." There are many things unfolding in your life and work that you can't control, but there are also many things you can. Focus your energy on what you can change and let go of the rest.
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3. Execute the next best action step. You can choose to take action despite your challenging thoughts and feelings. Understand that they may never completely go away, but you can get better at managing them over time so they don’t keep you stuck. You can’t wave a magic wand to make every challenge disappear, but you can ask yourself: What’s in my control to change? What’s one small step I can take right now to make that change?

Working through these steps helps you put GrACE into action and reminds you that you matter and your work does too. Leon Brown puts it this way, “Never underestimate the valuable and important difference you make in every life you touch, for the impact you make today has a powerful rippling effect on every tomorrow.”

No matter your role or title, you create ripples every day when you show up to do the work, especially during challenging times like this one. If you’re doing good work, there will always be a demand for your time and talent. This translates to impact, some of which you may never see in your lifetime. But it all matters. And you matter too!

Here’s to a solid finish to 2025!

A BIG hug,

Meico

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