Some people are not lazy. Their nervous systems are simply conditioned to activate under pressure. This article explores why certain high performers only fully engage when deadlines become urgent, how chronic emergency activation impacts the body and mind, and practical ways to begin rewiring the pattern for healthier, more sustainable performance.
Tag Archives: #selfawarenes
The Subtle Saboteur
When we say “Why am I training my boss?” we may be telling ourselves a story that quietly undermines leadership, culture, and our own influence. This reflection explores the mindset shift that changes everything.
When Illness Becomes the Mirror, A Family Reflection
There are seasons in life that slow us down, whether we ask for it or not. Here in the Midwest, a heavy snowstorm has wrapped the world in stillness. Roads quiet. Calendars loosen. Time stretches. And in that quiet, reflection finds its way in. My mother is engaged in the fight of her life. MyContinue reading “When Illness Becomes the Mirror, A Family Reflection”
The Promises We Keep, and the Cycles We Break
If you’ve ever set a goal, moved a boundary, and blamed yourself when it didn’t stick, this reflection will feel uncomfortably familiar.
Open Enrollment: Turning Overwhelm into Empowerment
It is that time of year again. The email has been sitting in my inbox for a week, quietly waiting for me to deal with it. I keep flagging it, moving it to another folder, telling myself I will come back later. But the truth is, I already know what it says. Open Enrollment. TimeContinue reading “Open Enrollment: Turning Overwhelm into Empowerment”
The Masked Brag
Why Fake Humility Turns People Off I was reading another brilliant piece by Travis Bradberry, the author of Emotional Intelligence, titled 10 Things You Do That Make You Less Likable. One of the behaviors he highlighted was what he called the humble brag. As I read it, I was transported back to an experience IContinue reading “The Masked Brag”
Missing the Boat: How We Overlook Life’s Biggest Clues
“Waiting for the Sign” and What Happens When You Miss It You’ve probably heard the story. There’s a man stranded on a rooftop during a flood. He prays, “God, please save me.” Soon, a neighbor offers him a ride in a rowboat. He declines. “No thanks, God’s going to save me.” A rescue team comesContinue reading “Missing the Boat: How We Overlook Life’s Biggest Clues”
Our Differences Make Us Stronger: Embracing What We Often Avoid
When we surround ourselves only with people who think like us, we shrink. True leadership and personal growth require us to get uncomfortable, challenge our assumptions, and welcome difference. Here’s how to know when you’re unconsciously shutting out the very thing that could elevate your next breakthrough. The Discomfort of Difference Let’s be honest withContinue reading “Our Differences Make Us Stronger: Embracing What We Often Avoid”
“Not Every Villain Is a Narcissist: Reclaiming the Meaning of Words We’ve Watered Down”
By Jewel Quackenbush, MCC | Quackenbush Coaching There’s a strange thing happening in today’s conversations. Psychological buzzwords like “narcissist” and “gaslighting” are being tossed around with little regard for what they actually mean. They’re showing up in arguments, captions, and TikTok diagnoses like confetti. But here’s the problem—when we misuse powerful language, we strip itContinue reading ““Not Every Villain Is a Narcissist: Reclaiming the Meaning of Words We’ve Watered Down””
“The Motherhood Manual Never Came But We Wrote It Anyway”
By Jewel Quackenbush Twenty-seven years ago, I became a mother. I didn’t know it then, but in that single, holy moment, my heart permanently relocated to someone else’s body. I was young, ambitious, unsure. I was still trying to figure out how to care for myself let alone a whole new life that would oneContinue reading ““The Motherhood Manual Never Came But We Wrote It Anyway””