So Reader, after procrastinating it for a while, I finally took time off last week. My big goal: enjoy an unplugged, screen-free week with absolutely no commitments on my schedule (except for a lovely birthday dinner with my family.)

It's a nice idea: loose, luxurious time.

But when you've been running hard for a while, it surprisingly takes a lot of focus to schedule nothing, to roll out of bed without a to-do list.

Here's why: the brain hates the absence of a plan. It's hungry for certainty. It wants ANSWERS, dammit!  👿

For me, that brain chatter sounded like:

• "Is the weather clear enough to go to the beach? It might rain."
• "Maybe it's time to clean out that closet?"
• "Shouldn't we repot that unruly dragon fruit plant now while you have time?"

And, as the week went on:

• "Are we enjoying this book or is it a waste of our time?"
• "Maybe we should be checking email in case something's up?"
• "Are we finally RELAXED??!!!"

Ah, how complicated and simple we humans are! 😇

The truth? It’s easy to let our “always-on” leader-ly brains hijack the moments when we’re supposed to recharge. And if we’re not careful, we bring that same default mode back to our work: responding instead of choosing, reacting instead of directing.

This is the lesson I had to reteach myself: that I needed to be as intentional about how I spent my time off as I am about how I spend my work time.

Being intentional means pausing long enough to ask:

• What matters most right now?
• What do I want the outcome of this hour, this day, to be?
• Where’s the opportunity to reset instead of just repeat?

For me, that meant resisting the urge to open up my laptop, and instead open up a new trashy novel. 📚 It meant winning the battle of the brain once more.

So how 'bout you, Reader? Where do you need to be a little more intentional today, whether at work or at rest? Hit REPLY and tell me. I always love hearing from you, and I read every note personally.

Being intentional doesn’t require a big vacation or a dramatic gesture. It just means you’re choosing—consciously—how to spend your energy and attention. And that small shift can change everything.

Thanks for being here and wearing your red cape!

Always, Darcy

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P.S. I'll be in Nashville and then Toronto this October! If you're in either of those great cities, hit REPLY and let me know and perhaps we'll get a chance to connect! Or want me to come to YOUR town? It's a great time to plan a 2026 kickoff for your team--hit REPLY and let's talk more! --D