The 'Lean In' Era Is Over. And... I'm Thrilled!!!
I haven’t said this publicly before.
Sheryl Sandberg has long been the darling of Silicon Valley, so I’ve kept my thoughts to myself. And since her husband Dave’s sudden death, she’s bravely shared her struggles and her resilience with us.
Still, I’m horrified by what I see happening to high achieving women and I’m worried that if we don’t make major shifts in how we approach life these women will crash and burn.
And when good women burn out, the ripples affect all of us.
Here’s the thing… When high achieving women burnout there are a multitude of systems that take a hit.
These women have an increased risk of heart attack and strokes.
Their marriages suffer and the risk of divorce increases.
Divorced women often struggle financially to recoup their losses.
Children of burned out moms don't get the best version of her. They get “the leftovers”... a grumpy, resentful version once she gets home from work.
Since her book, ‘Lean In’, was published in 2013, Sheryl Sandberg got women to join the workforce in record numbers, glass ceilings have been broken, traditions have been challenged, and female leaders have been pulling their chairs up to the table.
We followed the message: Work hard. Achieve fast. Produce more.
And, we got what we were working for.
And yet, we were decidedly exhausted, overwhelmed and burned out.
It’s not that we don’t want to work hard. We can soldier on with the best of them.
What’s troubling is that even though we’ve worked hard, and have gotten what we worked for… we’ve found out it’s not really what we thought it would be.
“I followed all the rules. So why am I so unhappy?”
We need a new way to approach life.
An approach that’s more effective, sustainable and dare I say, a more fulfilling way to live and lead.
COVID 19, often called ‘The Global Pause’, was the pattern interrupt to end even the most grinding, hustling and white knuckling of cultures.
Many of us used that time and space to take stock in what’s most important.
In a time where women “had it all”, we began to question why we were still feeling empty.
The hustle culture valued productivity at all costs. Taking time to think, to create, to plan was considered a waste of time.
We never had the time to think about what we really want.
Nike told us to “Just Do It”, and we listened.
We weren’t encouraged to think whether “it” was actually the right move for us. No more delving into our core values, no more conscious choices, We didn’t have time for that.
The “Lean In’ approach to life honored speed, productivity, and hustle. It did not allow the time to reflect.
Without time to reflect, we miss the opportunity for proper perspective.
This lack of perspective has been plaguing us for decades. We’ve felt its absence, yet have been searching for it in the wrong places.
Because we didn’t know that we actually needed to develop our own unique perspective, we’ve been looking for “it” in external sources… activities like massages, self help webinars, and experts like Tony Robbins.
The self help industry has boomed because so many of us are sick and tired of being sick and tired.
When we pause to gain perspective, burnout culture will be a thing of the past.
Want to join a discussion with me?
This Friday, August 4, 2023, join me for another no charge, “Hi’s, Lows and Strategies To Go”, where we’ll choose to ‘lean back’ and look inside ourselves.
We’ll gain clarity, confidence and a sense of calm. And that's been missing… for quite a long time.
Proper perspective is the secret sauce to living a life you love.
Want the link to join in on this open, 45 minute discussion?
Email, Lisa@livingfullybalanced.com and I’ll send you the email reminders and link to join me on Friday.
Let’s take what we learned from ‘Lean In’ and the pandemic, and create a life we love.
See you on Friday!
Lisa
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PS. Registration for my fall cohort, The Inner Circle, is coming soon!
PSS. Email Lisa@livingfullybalanced.com to learn more and get on the early access list.