Hey Reader, The holidays can stir up more than joy — old patterns, complicated family energy, and those invisible expectations that sneak in with the mashed potatoes. Before you walk into any gathering (or even just scroll through everyone else’s), take five minutes to create your Holiday Trigger Plan. Holiday Trigger Plan This Week’s Rebellion: Your 5-Minute Holiday Trigger Plan Grab a piece of paper or open your notes app and ask yourself: What usually triggers me during the holidays?Maybe...
8 days ago • 1 min read
Welcome to The Joyful Rebellion! Because setting boundaries, resting well, and building healthier systems is radical. 🧪What's New In the Lab This week, I'm headed to Atlanta where I'll be leading wellness activities at a leadership retreat, and I couldn't be more thrilled. It's a space to encourage leaders to explore the importance of play, rest, and other forms of self-care in this incredibly busy season. When I return home, I’m intentionally slowing down myself, to prepare for the work that...
14 days ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader, As the year winds down, it’s easy to focus on what didn’t happen — the unfinished goals, the messy moments, the unexpected detours. But before you step into the new year, take five minutes to honor everything that did happen — the strength, the lessons, the small joys that carried you through. The 5-Minute Gratitude Jar This Week’s Rebellion: Your 5-Minute Gratitude Jar Grab a jar, bowl, or even a small box. On slips of paper, write down the things you’re grateful for from this...
22 days ago • 1 min read
Welcome to The Joyful Rebellion! Because setting boundaries, resting well, and building healthier systems is radical. 🧪What's New In the Lab Last week I was in San Antonio facilitating a leadership retreat — a beautiful reminder that even the people who hold space for others need their own spaces for rest, grounding, and honesty. I also made a quick pit stop at SeaWorld (because joy and play matter, too), and it reinforced something I’ve been reflecting on: leaders thrive when they reconnect...
29 days ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader, The end of the year whispers, go faster. Go to the parties. Finish the list. Tie the bow. Push through. The sprint is right around the corner. But your body and your spirit might be asking for something different: stillness. Before the holiday noise reaches full volume, take a moment to exhale. “You don’t have to finish strong. You can finish soft.” 🔥This Week’s Rebellion The Holiday Slowdown Find a quiet spot and ask yourself: “What would it look like to end the year softly...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Welcome to The Joyful Rebellion! Because setting boundaries, resting well, and building healthier systems is radical. 🧪What's New In the Lab November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to honor the 53 million Americans balancing work, care, and everything in between. Whether caring for children, aging parents, partners, or friends, caregivers are the invisible backbone of our workforce. And yet, our systems still treat caregiving as a personal problem instead of a collective...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, The holidays bring a flood of invites, traditions, and unspoken expectations. Before the season sweeps you up, take five minutes to make a list of things you don’t want to do this year — the events, obligations, or habits that no longer feel aligned. Think of it as your permission slip to create space for what actually feels nourishing. Seasonal Reset This Week's Rebellion:Take five minutes today to pause and ask yourself:“Where can I release what’s no longer serving me as I move...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Welcome to The Joyful Rebellion! Because setting boundaries, resting well, and building healthier systems is radical. 🧪What's New In the Lab What a month September was! I had a mix of professional and personal travel that will have a lasting impact. From a legal epidemiology workshop in New Mexico, to the 2025 Public Health Law Conference in Seattle, to a Mastermind Retreat with *the* Rachel Rodgers of HelloSeven, I am ending the month feeling inspired, connected, and just a touch exhausted....
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, I’ve been thinking how creativity sneaks up on us in the simplest ways and how even a quick doodle can shift our mood. So, here’s your quick spark of rebellion to carry into this week: 5-Minute Doodle Challenge Share your creations and tag @thedawnlab 🔥 This Week's Rebellion:Set a 5-minute timer. Grab a pen, markers and paper Doodle without rules: squiggles, shapes, bubble letters, silly stick figures, whatever comes out. When the timer’s up? You’re done. Carry the playful energy...
3 months ago • 1 min read