Welcome to The Joyful Rebellion!

Because setting boundaries, resting well, and building healthier systems is radical.

🧪What's New In the Lab

The past couple of weeks brought me an uninvited pause: COVID. As much as I don’t recommend it, the downtime was a reminder of the power of rest and the importance of giving yourself permission to step back when your body demands it. Now that I’m on the mend, I’m looking ahead.

I’ve been in the thick of planning for upcoming podcast guests (so many good conversations coming your way), and I’m also preparing for two big fall gatherings: the Public Health Law Conference in September and the APHA Annual Meeting in November. Both are opportunities to connect with colleagues, share ideas, and bring the themes of boundaries, wellbeing, and leadership transformation into spaces where they’re deeply needed.

✍🏽 The Better Boundaries Brief

This week’s post: Time Is a Boundary: Autonomy, Flexibility, and the Future of Work

Lately, my podcast guests have reminded me of something simple but radical: time is more than hours on a calendar—it’s a boundary, a resource, and a right.

From choosing rest over productivity, to refusing to let work define our lives, these conversations brought me back to a story of a friend, a federal worker forced into an in-office move that upended his entire life. For him, it wasn’t just a job assignment. It was time with a capital T.

So I’ll leave you with three questions:

👉🏽 Where do you want to spend your time?
👉🏽 How do you want to spend your time?
👉🏽 Who gets to decide?

Read Now

🎧 Work Is Third: Podcast Spotlight

This week’s episode: Bread, Boundaries, and Building Community with Gnora Mahs

Joy doesn’t just come from self-care — it grows when we invest in our communities.

In this episode of Work is Third, I sit down with my friend and community-builder Gnora Mahs to talk about the surprising ways joy and connection show up in our lives. Gnora shares how baking sourdough bread for neighbors, making friends at the dog park, and even emailing city council about crosswalks can spark community and joy.

Listen Now

📊Data That Matters

Link: Psychological safety in the changing workplace, Work in America™ 2024 report

APA 2024 Work in America Report
Workers Who Described Their Company's Culture As One That "Respects Time Off"

In many organizations, no matter the size or sector, there is a disconnect between leadership and employee perspectives on key issues like employee engagement and wellbeing. As leaders, it's important that we model what it means to "respect time off." That can include simply approving requests without unnecessary roadblocks, not contacting employees while they're out, and using our own time off.

🤝🏽Let’s Work Together

I help mission-driven organizations build better boundaries, reduce burnout, and create cultures of care. From keynote speaking to strategy workshops, I bring warmth, depth, and a deep belief that change is possible.

Book a Discovery Call

📬 Have a story to share or a collaboration idea? Hit reply—I’d love to hear it.

🎶 The Rebellion Has a Soundtrack

Don’t forget—The Joyful Rebellion now has a Spotify playlist! It’s a genre-defying soundtrack for rebels, rest-seekers, and boundary-builders featuring selections from Work is Third guests.

Listen on Spotify

💬Quote of the Week

“Promoting sustainable work goes beyond managing workload. It’s about enabling employees to have a sense of control and predictability, flexibility, and sufficient time for daily recovery.” — McKinsey Health Institute

Autonomy and flexibility are two of the core components of workplace mental health, according to the Office of the Surgeon General.

📓 Journal Prompt

Where in your life or work do you feel the most control over your time? Where do you feel the least? What would change if you had more autonomy in those areas?