Chasing Rest: The Sabbatical Begins

Sabbatical: an intentional break from work to rest, reset, and focus on what matters most

It's day one after holiday break, and I'm sitting here with an unfamiliar feeling. Usually, this is my favorite time of year – I'm buzzing with excitement to get back to the agency and crush new goals. But 2025 looks different.

After 20+ years in PR agency world, including nearly 13 years building REED Public Relations , I'm taking a sabbatical from January 1st to April 1st. My family and I are retreating to the Colorado mountains for an extended reset – something that feels both thrilling and terrifying. Taking time off (without a newborn in tow for maternity leave!) is completely foreign to me.

There's a line from the Sleeping at Last song "Seven" about the Enneagram that hits home:

Let me tell you another secret of the trade

It feels like sinking when I'm standing in one place

This sabbatical isn't a new dream. I planned to do this last January but let fear (and maybe some control freak tendencies) hold me back. Somehow, stepping away from the business feels more daunting than running it.

So this Q1, I'm swapping financial targets for life goals:

• Hit the slopes for 60+ ski days this season
• Read The Bible cover-to-cover (thank you, Alabaster Co , for making this beautiful and accessible)
• Reclaim my physical fitness – I recently discovered I can no longer do a strict pull-up while messing around at my son's rock-climbing competition, and that's not sitting well. Plus, my kids are starting to out-ski me, which simply won't do.
• Prioritize quality one-on-one time with each of my four children
• Reflect on the past 20 years of my career, and envision what I want to gain and contribute for the next 20 + years

These 90 days are a gift, and I'm determined to embrace every moment. This sabbatical is only possible because of Macey Cleary Binner , Katherine G. , and Tayhlor Blackwell 's incredible leadership. Over the past 2.5 years, they've immersed themselves in every aspect of running our agency. Their dedication means I can step away knowing REED is in the capable hands of my newly-named partners.

This isn't just my personal reset – it's a crucial step in our agency's succession planning. My partners are taking full control, and I'm excited to watch them thrive from afar (even though I'm fighting the urge to dial into today's staff meeting).

?Come April, I'll share what we've learned, including:

• The agency management curriculum I put together to prepare the team
• The guidelines and guardrails we put in place (like what I want to be updated on, and when they should make decisions independently).
• The burnout that led me to finally embrace this period of rest, and how it sets our agency up for future success

This past year, I also co-founded Wealth of a Woman alongside Teresa J.W. Bailey , and we’ve been astounded by the immediate traction it gained. This time of rest will also allow me the clarity to steward this special project in the best way forward. I have the opportunity and space to try new things and see what sticks during this time. I will personally be leading groups through the six-week online course as we determine what it means to lead a life of healthy wealth, and I know I will gain as much if not more as the participants. Please reach out if you’d like to join me in this journey or are interested in facilitating a future small group.

I’m confident that this time will be a season of growth and reflection for us all at REED and Wealth of a Woman, and I can’t wait to return refreshed and ready to continue building something special.?

If you find yourself in Colorado this ski season, please reach out! For the first time in 20 years, I have time for the casual coffee and catching up with zero business agenda – though expect a delayed response since email is officially off my phone these days.

PS - Special shout out to my Entrepreneurs' Organization forum for holding me accountable and encouraging this time. I know there were bets on whether I would actually take it. I win!