Special Episode - Put Your Oxygen Mask On First: Proactive Self-Care for Leaders cover art

Special Episode - Put Your Oxygen Mask On First: Proactive Self-Care for Leaders

Special Episode - Put Your Oxygen Mask On First: Proactive Self-Care for Leaders

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 We’ve spent weeks talking about protecting what you’ve built.Learning to say no.Creating your Protected List.But today, Shawn asks the question most leaders avoid:What are you protecting it for?Because if you’re protecting your capacity but still running on empty, you’re not preventing burnout.You’re just managing it.In this special episode, Shawn welcomes a voice he deeply respects, Stephanie Wall Morrow, host of the Self-Care Circle. Her work challenges high-performing professionals to stop treating self-care as an emergency response and start practicing it proactively.Through Stephanie’s message and Shawn’s reflection, this episode reframes self-care as a leadership discipline. One that builds clarity, presence, and resilience before things become chaotic.Because waiting until you’re gasping for air isn’t leadership.It’s crisis management.✦ In This Episode* Why protecting your capacity isn’t enough if you’re still depleted* The difference between emergency self-care and proactive self-care* Stephanie Wall Morrow’s perspective on clarity, focus, and intention* Why high performers delay self-care until it’s too late* How proactive self-care expands leadership presence* A simple exercise to assess how you’re actually caring for yourself✦ Reflection Prompts* Where do I rely on self-care only after I’m already burned out?* What would proactive self-care look like in my current season?* What protected space have I created but not filled sustainably?* How would my leadership change if I cared for myself before crisis hit?✦ The Boost (Action Step)Take out a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle.On the left, write:Emergency Self-CareWhat you do when you’re already overwhelmed, exhausted, or breaking.On the right, write:Proactive Self-CareWhat you do daily or weekly to stay grounded, clear, and present.If the right side is empty, that’s not a failure.That’s your work.You can protect your boundaries.You can say no to the right things.But without proactive self-care, you’re still one crisis away from collapse.✦ Guest ResourceStephanie Wall Morrow has shared a 3-step guide to achieve clarity and focus, designed to help professionals slow down, quiet the noise, reset their mindset, and move forward with intention instead of overwhelm. (Link: https://gift.myselfcarecircle.com/shawnmichael)She’s also offering a personal one-on-one clarity call for those who want space to pause and reflect. Just click the link in the guide. (Link: https://gift.myselfcarecircle.com/shawnmichael)✦ What’s Next on Daily Power BoostDaily Power Boost returns Monday, January 12th with Arc 3: The Next-Level Loneliness: Staying Connected as You Rise.Because once you protect your capacity and care for yourself proactively, the next challenge is staying human while you climb.✦ If Today’s Episode Sparked Something…* Share it with a leader who waits until burnout to rest* Subscribe to Daily Power Boost for identity-driven leadership insights* Join the R.E.A.L. Mastery™ Hub → realmasteryhub.com* Book a No-Cost Identity Clarity Call with Shawn✦ Engage With Me Online* Instagram: @coachshawnmichael* TikTok: @coachshawnmichael* YouTube: @coachshawnmichael* LinkedIn: @coachinguatemala ✦ References & Influences* Stephanie Wall Morrow – Self-Care Circle on proactive self-care* Stephen Covey – The 7 Habits on self-renewal as leadership discipline* Parker Palmer – Let Your Life Speak on integrity and sustainability* Greg McKeown – Essentialism on protecting what matters* Joe Hudson – The Art of Accomplishment on presence and inner capacityWith strength and heart,❤️🔥 Shawn MichaelStay close. Get full access to True North: Your guide to an intentional life at trunorth.substack.com/subscribe
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