“If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.”
-Zora Neale Hurston

Deeply tired, emotionally exhausted Black women seem to be the norm. Many of us watched our mothers, and grandmothers, and aunts, continue to take on more, and more, and more.

Until they couldn’t.

And while I have always admired the strength of Black women, I know that strength is also killing us.

At 57, I understand my relationship to work but I don’t really understand my relationship to rest.

So, I’m committing the next three months to resting.

I’m going on a sabbatical.

This didn’t happen overnight and was not a snap decision. It took a year of planning, working with clients and my team to ensure contracts and deliverable timelines were constructed in a way to make this time away work and meet everyone’s needs. It required taking the time to consciously structure my life and work to ensure the sabbatical not only happens and that I still have a thriving business to come back to in the fall.

These systems will kill us if we let them. I won’t let them. White supremacy won’t kill me and say “I wanted it.” Patriarchy won’t destroy me and say I “participated in my destruction.”

We can’t get free together if I ain’t here.

I am gonna do what my momma couldn’t do until she retired and what my grandma never had the opportunity to do. I am gonna sit my ass down. I am gonna rest.

I am gonna spend time learning about my desires and my wants, not just my needs and my responsibilities.

I love my work and my clients. I want to always show up as my best and highest self as we do the deep work of change. I do my most impactful and sustainable work when I’m able to hold and care for my clients as well as deeply hold and care for myself.

I will be unavailable from June 15 — September 7, 2023.

If you need anything from The Adaway Group someone will be here to answer your questions and provide guidance via info@adawaygroup.com. If you have an urgent need, they will have a list of consultants to refer you to. Plus, I’ve pre-written newsletters so I’ll still be in your summer inbox!

If you or your organization is ready to go deeper over the summer I recommend our on-demand training program.

Together, we get free, and I’m going to go find some freedom in rest!