Lately, I’ve noticed something about the way my mornings start.

I open my laptop.

I scan the calendar.

And before I’ve even begun, my shoulders are already tight.

It’s nothing too dramatic.

There isn’t a crisis I can point to.

I’m not at a breaking point.

But there’s a low-grade weight that’s been hanging around longer than I’d like.

A cold that never seems to end (I’m jokingly calling it an “uncommon” cold)

Energy that doesn’t quite come back.

That bargaining voice in my head that says, “I’ll get back to the gym next week.”

Five years ago, I ignored those signals until my body made the decision for me.

I took a stress leave.

I stepped away from the work for a while.

I had to rebuild how I worked, how I led, and how I took care of myself.

This moment isn’t that.

But it’s close enough to remind me of something important.

As a principal and as a coach, I hear the same story over and over again:

Here’s an uncomfortable truth I’ve learned, first the hard way, then the quieter way:

Time doesn’t magically appear.

The season doesn’t ever really calm down.

And the cost of waiting is almost always paid by our bodies first.

What does change things isn’t adding one more thing to the list.

It’s learning how to put down the old story — the one where leadership means bearing the load in quiet solitude — and replacing it with a rhythm that is sustainable over time.

Even when you know the tools.

Even when you’ve taught them to others.

Especially then.

That tension — between knowing better and still struggling — is the work.

And it’s exactly why I’ve been building something new inside the Ruckus Maker Club.

It’s called The Resilient Leader, a six-week live experience designed to help leaders create sustainable habits, calmer decision-making, and a leadership rhythm they don’t need to escape from.

I’ll share more soon.

For now, consider this an invitation to notice what your body’s been telling you, and permission to believe that a different story is possible.

If this resonates with you, reply “Resilient”.

And until next week, stay calm, and go Make a Ruckus 😊

Dan

Most leaders are trained to override physical signals.

Tight shoulders.

Low-grade fatigue.

That “I’m fine, just tired” feeling that lingers longer than it should.

We tend to treat these as inconveniences — something to push through until the calendar clears.

But maybe your body is giving you early data.

Long before burnout shows up as a crisis, it often sends a signal, like:

This isn’t a personal failure or a discipline problem.

It’s feedback about the rhythm you’re operating in.

This week, ask yourself:

What signal has your body been sending lately?

If that signal could speak, what small adjustment would it ask for this week (not a full overhaul, just one notch)?

Sustainable leadership starts with listening.