career

The Shutdown Is Over. What Was The Result?

For those that are unaware, the longest shutdown in US history is officially over. To quickly bring you all up to speed, the US federal government must approve an operating budget annually (usually, it is confirmed before October 1st of every year). However, every once and a while, Congress – the people who vote on the budget – will disagree, and if the budget isn’t approved, then the government will shut down due to a lapse in funding. That’s what happened on October 1, 2025, and this shutdown lasted for 44 days (the previous record holder for longest shutdown was 35 days, back in 2018 – 2019).

Originally, this year’s budget disagreement centered on the expiration of Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits. These are set to expire on December 31, 2025, and these tax credits are what make it possible for health insurance through the ACA to be affordable. The expiration would mean that insurance costs would skyrocket for those that have insurance through the ACA. These credits are based on household income, and, considering the cost of living for most Americans, the credits are the only thing that have made healthcare insurance affordable and accessible. Many have remarked over how the insurance costs will double for most people that previously qualified for the credits. If the credits aren’t extended, insurance will likely be cost prohibitive for most of the families currently using insurance providers through the ACA Marketplace.

However, this temporary budget was passed without resolving the ACA expiration issue. As a result, the government reopened, and healthcare costs will increase drastically, starting on January 1, 2026. Elected officials who agreed to the temporary budget said that they did so because they were “promised” that the ACA issue will be revisited and resolved at a future date. It appears this whole shutdown was an exercise in futility: a complete disruption of government functions ended on a “promise” that is unlikely to materialize as expected. After getting this temporary solution, we may be facing furloughs again in January, when the current deal expires.

It’s a disappointing situation all the way around: so many people went without their salary, experienced disturbances in their government benefits, and were impacted by government closures, only for the proverbial can to be kicked further down the road. This was an expensive and careless exercise, it it doesn’t seem wise that these officials accepted a “promise” as a fair compromise for the precarious situation millions of Americans experienced this past 44 days. So, while I wish this was the end of the shutdown discussions, I anticipate I will be returning to this topic in a couple of months. Here’s hoping that the next few weeks will be a productive period for Congress, and that they will unite to ensure that Americans can continue to receive affordable healthcare rates.

The Reading List: Making The Most of Government Shutdown 2025

Well, we’re one month into the federal government shutdown, and with no end in sight, I figured I would share one thing that has been keeping me going: BOOKS! I have always loved reading, but I usually don’t have as much time to devote to my books as I prefer. So this break from work has given me plenty of time to catch up on my reading list.

I’m reading and re-reading a few books this month, and trying to take advantage of my significantly freed-up schedule. The books I’ve read so far this month are as follows:

Be Who You Came To Be by Estelle Gillingham, PhD

True Gifts by Jewel Veitch

Chic & Slim Encore by Anne Barone

The Joy of Less by Cary David Richards

As I type this blog post, I’m about halfway done re-reading The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington. I’m kicking off a 12 Week Year session in November, that will last me until the end of January. I want to test a few theories before sharing them on this blog, and I’ll be using the next 12 weeks for testing and perfecting a system that I’ve been tinkering with for the past few months.

I’m looking forward to sharing my progress as I work through my goals over the 12 week period. I figured this is a good time to start something new, since I used the previous few weeks to rest and relax. Now that I’m rested and feeling motivated, diving into a project that excites me is the perfect distraction from the chaos of federal employment.

For all of those affected by the shutdown, I sincerely hope that you’re taking care of yourselves, resting, and doing things you enjoy. And, I hope you all found time to read books that give you ideas on how to create the lives you desire and deserve.

Don’t Do It Alone: The Power of Sacred Support

The myth of the “self-made” success story might be the most damaging narrative in modern business culture. It suggests that true achievement comes from solitary effort, that asking for help signals weakness, and that independence equals strength. Trying to duplicate a “solo” success story is a recipe for burnout and frustration. You don’t *have” to build your success alone for it to be valid and rewarding.

This myth is particularly harmful for women navigating significant challenges, creating impossible standards that guarantee burnout. Doing it alone is killing us, slowly AND quickly.

The truth? No meaningful success happens in isolation. Every thriving entrepreneur has robust systems of support—whether visible or behind the scenes. The difference in a sustainable approach is making these support systems intentional, aligned, and yes, sacred.

What Is Sacred Support?

Sacred Support = Intentional Support

This includes people, tools, rituals, and practices that uphold your well-being while you build wealth. Sacred support honors your values, your capacity, and your nervous system.

The term “sacred” isn’t necessarily religious or spiritual (though it can be if that resonates with you). Rather, it signifies that your support systems deserve reverence, intentionality, and protection. Sacred support isn’t an afterthought or a luxury—it’s the essential foundation that makes sustainable success possible.

Why “Sacred” Matters

Traditional business advice often treats support systems as purely practical resources—tools to maximize productivity or extensions of your working capacity. This transactional approach misses the deeper significance of truly aligned support.

Sacred support differs in several key ways:

Alignment with Values: Sacred support systems reflect and reinforce your core values rather than undermining them. They help you create success on your own terms rather than pushing you toward conventional models that don’t serve you.

Honoring of Capacity: Sacred support acknowledges and works with your actual energy patterns rather than trying to override them. It creates space for your humanity rather than treating you as a production machine.

Nervous System Attunement: Sacred support is designed with awareness of what helps your nervous system feel safe and regulated. It reduces activation rather than adding to your stress load.

Reciprocal Nourishment: Sacred support creates mutually beneficial relationships rather than one-sided extraction. It values fair exchange and sustainability for all involved.

By treating your support systems with reverence, you create an energetic exchange that is balanced, restorative, and sustainable.

Types of Sacred Support

A comprehensive support ecosystem includes four essential types of support:

Emotional Support: Therapists, mentors, trusted friends

Professional support for processing feelings, challenges, and growth
Mentorship that provides perspective and wisdom from those further along the path
Friendships that offer understanding, encouragement, and witnessed experience
Support groups specific to your circumstances or challenges
Coaching relationships focused on your emotional wellbeing alongside goals

Practical Support: VAs, schedulers, automation tools

Administrative assistance that handles routine or depleting tasks
Technology that simplifies complex processes or eliminates unnecessary steps
Service providers who manage specialized aspects of your business
Systems that capture and organize information without mental strain
Household support that reduces the domestic load alongside business demands

Energetic Support: Bodyworkers, spiritual practices, environments that soothe

Physical therapies that address embodied stress or tension
Practices that connect you to larger meaning or purpose
Spaces designed to support regulation and restoration
Nature connection that provides perspective and renewal
Creative outlets that allow processing and expression outside of work

Financial Support: Payment plans, income smoothing, wise investments

Cash flow strategies that create stability during capacity fluctuations
Investment approaches that generate passive support for your goals
Financial professionals who provide expertise and perspective
Proper compensation structures that honor your true value
Emergency funds and safety nets that reduce scarcity stress

Mapping Your Sacred Support Stack

To create a comprehensive support system, it helps to assess what’s missing and what’s strong across three dimensions:

1. Internal Support Systems These are the practices, mindsets, and resources that you cultivate within yourself to create a foundation of self-support.

2. Interpersonal Support Systems These involve the relationships, connections, and human resources that provide different types of support through direct interaction.

3. Infrastructural Support Systems These include the technological, environmental, and operational structures that create efficiency, consistency, and ease.

When these three dimensions are combined with the four types of support, you create a comprehensive “Sacred Stack” support map that illuminates both your strengths and gaps:

By rating your current support in each cell from 0-5, you can identify critical gaps, emerging strengths, and high-impact areas for improvement.

Energetic Boundaries + Business

Many people with challenging circumstances struggle to set boundaries—especially in business. This difficulty often stems from complex factors:

People-Pleasing Patterns: Fear that boundaries will result in rejection or abandonment

Trauma Responses: Hypervigilance that creates excessive responsibility for others’ experiences

Worthiness Wounds: Belief that your value depends on availability or usefulness to others

Income Insecurity: Fear that saying no will result in financial instability

The Aureum Sanctum approach reframes boundaries not as rigid walls or restrictions, but as energetic containers that protect your capacity and clarify expectations. These containers create clarity, predictability, and sustainability—ultimately benefiting both you and those you serve.

Designing Your Sacred Systems

Supportive systems should reduce decision fatigue and increase your sense of spaciousness. Effective systems create reliable processes that continue functioning even during capacity fluctuations, freeing your energy for high-value contributions only you can make.

The difference between standard systems and sacred systems is significant:

Standard Systems focus primarily on efficiency, productivity, and standardization. While potentially useful, they often prioritize output over wellbeing and conformity over individuality.

Sacred Systems honor your unique patterns, protect your energy, and create genuine ease. They’re designed with awareness of your specific needs rather than generic best practices.

If you need support in creating your sacred systems, please reach out to me so we can determine if we should work together.

Your Sacred Circle

Creating (or curating) a sacred circle of collaborators, co-regulators, and community is essential for sustainable success. While systems and tools provide important support, human connection offers unique benefits that cannot be replicated through technology or solo practices.

Your sacred circle provides essential functions that systems alone cannot. I will flesh out this concept further in a future post, but in the meantime, assess your current circle and determine which individuals currently surround you and how these people show up in your life. Ask yourself questions to determine their role in your life. Who energizes you after a conversation? Who do you feel safe asking for help from? Who have you been giving to without replenishment? Where can you seek community or mentorship that aligns with your energy level and vision?

Integrate for Success

Shifting from understanding to embodiment requires gentle but consistent practice. Here are some different practices to begin integrating sacred support into your daily experience:

1. Clear a Drain: Identify and eliminate one person, habit, or task that depletes you

2. Support Swap: Trade support with a friend—30 minutes for each other

3. Sacred Stack Audit: Complete your support map honestly

4. Tech for Support: Automate one thing you’re doing manually

5. Ask for Help: Reach out to a coach, mentor, or trusted peer

6. Boundary Builder: Establish one clear business boundary

The Impact of Sacred Support

When fully implemented, the systems of sacred support you’ve developed will transform your experience of business creation in profound ways:

Energy Amplification: With appropriate support, your available energy is focused on your zone of genius rather than scattered across depleting tasks.

Creative Expansion: Freed from constant logistical demands, your creative capacity naturally expands into new possibilities.

Sustainable Scaling: Your business can grow without proportionally increasing your personal energy expenditure.

Increased Resilience: Multiple support points create stability during inevitable challenges or energy fluctuations.

Deepened Impact: Your unique gifts can reach more people when you’re not handling every aspect of your business alone.

This approach might seem radical in a culture that glorifies self-sufficiency and individual achievement. But what could be more practical than designing support systems that honor both your vision and your humanity?

The path to sustainable success isn’t about doing more alone—it’s about creating the sacred support that allows your gifts to flow without depletion. By embracing the power of intentional, aligned support, you’re not just building a business—you’re creating a revolutionary model of wealth creation that honors the full humanity of entrepreneurs.

What would become possible in your business if you were truly, comprehensively supported? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!

Winning the IRS Employment Game: A Strategic Guide

I recently shared a post regarding the Internal Revenue Service’s “hiring” push that is unlikely to result in any material impact on agency goals and objectives. However, at the end of the post, I mentioned how there would be some terminated or laid-off IRS employees that may be considering returning to the Service for the upcoming filing season, and how these employees could maximize the opportunity regardless of how indeterminate their employment time may be. Here are my recommendations for getting maximum benefit as a re-hired IRS employee:

Prior to returning to the office, schedule any doctor and specialist appointments so that your reinstated federal health insurance can cover those visits. For instance, if I was a former IRS employee that intends to be rehired before the filing season begins, I’d start scheduling doctor appointments for February and March 2026. I’d be sure to focus on those specialists that have a 6-9 months wait list, as well as any doctors that I have been unable to visit while I’ve been unemployed. I’d put those appointments on President’s Day if possible (this is a federal holiday that is open for many businesses, including a good number of medical offices). If, for some reason, I am not hired or my insurance is not reinstated within a few days of the appointment, I’d call and reschedule. I’ve lost nothing, and the medical office still has time to offer that space to another patient.
Leverage your lunch time and after work hours to complete free Skillsoft training to qualify you for a different job. Since it’s been more than a decade since I worked for IRS, I’m unsure how much access employees have within Skillsoft. However, if you are a rehired employee, confirm the Skillsoft access information in your employee handbook or through intranet pages. See if there is an option to download the Skillsoft app to your personal device, where you can use your agency log-in information to complete training when you’re off the clock. If so, explore the training paths that are most beneficial to your goals and use this re-employment period to complete the training. As you complete courses, make sure you retain copies of your completion records, lest they become unavailable to you in the future. Some programs I’d recommend are the project management and business analysis tracks (successfully completing Skillsoft training in either area is accepted by the Project Management Institute and the International Institute of Business Analysis). However, if you’d like to know of additional Skillsoft training that I recommend, let me know, and I’ll do another post.
Research the tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment options available to you. It’s uncertain whether these programs are going to be available when rehired employees return, but if I came back to the agency, this would be one of the first things I’d confirm. Generally, you must have at least one year of employment to qualify, but you’ll have to confirm whether there are additional criteria, such as whether the year of employment must be 12 consecutive months, if you must be a permanent employment (as opposed to seasonal) to qualify, if the benefits are available only to certain job series (positions), etc.,.
This is a perfect opportunity to utilize Employee Assistance Program (EAP) resources. Whatever you need that is available through EAP, go ahead and use it. I cannot remember the full extent of the resources available through IRS’s EAP, but these programs usually offer counseling and therapy services, financial and legal advice for personal purposes, and expedited referrals to various specialists. It’s a complimentary service so get as much as you can while you’re there.
Prioritize completing internal required and supplemental training and save documentation of it. Outside of Skillsoft, IRS used to maintain its own training materials. I advise you to take advantage of these training programs if still available and, should you find yourself laid off again, you’ll be able to prove that you’ve completed tax-relevant and other specialized training programs. These can be great if you enjoy working in finance or tax, and want to distinguish yourself from other applicants for other positions.
If at all possible, invest heavily in your Thrift Savings Program account. Socking away some retirement funds is always a good idea, and the effect of compound interest can work to your advantage. The sooner you put funds in, the longer you can benefit from the time advantage. So if you can put in a little (or a lot!), do it. Your future financial security will thank you for whatever you do now.

If you can think of additional strategies for rehired IRS employees, please leave those suggestions in the comments, so that others can benefit. Also, if there are any points that need correction, please let me know and I’ll be sure to update. Let’s help each other to make the best of this situation!

Timing Is Power: Cyclical Planning in Business and Life

In nature, everything moves in cycles—seasons change, tides rise and fall, plants grow and rest. Yet somehow, we’ve created a culture that expects perpetual growth, consistent output, and linear progress regardless of our human capacity for sustainable performance.

This disconnect between natural rhythms and life expectations is a primary driver of burnout, especially for women navigating fluctuating energy, hormonal cycles, chronic conditions, or neurodivergent patterns. These women are often unable to reach certain goals because those goals are based on the concept of predictable, consistent energy levels, which is unrealistic for many.

What if there’s a better way? We already know that it’s possible to earn without exhausting ourselves, and we’ve even explored strategies for going from ideation to income generating stream. Another path to sustainable success that isn’t discussed enough is aligning with your natural cycles.

The High Cost of Ignoring Your Natural Rhythms

Most business planning assumes:

Energy is consistent
Output should be linear
Success = constant growth

These assumptions might work for those with highly stable energy or abundant support systems (and if you need help creating those systems, then I can help with that). But for many women—especially those navigating health challenges or multiple responsibilities—these expectations create a perpetual gap between what’s expected and what’s possible.

The result? Chronic guilt, overextending during high-energy periods, pushing through low-energy periods, and a nagging sense that you’re somehow failing because your capacity naturally varies.

When we disregard our cyclical nature, several harmful patterns emerge:

Boom-Bust Energy Cycles: Periods of intense productivity followed by complete collapse, creating a perpetual recovery-overdrive loop that prevents sustainable momentum.

Diminishing Returns: Work produced during low-energy periods often requires redoing, ultimately creating more work than if you had rested.

Compromised Decision-Making: Important business decisions made during depleted states lack the clarity and foresight available during high-capacity periods.

Health Consequences: Chronically overriding natural cycles can trigger or exacerbate health conditions, creating a downward spiral of diminishing capacity.

The Benefits of Cyclical Planning

Capacity planning isn’t just about self-care—it’s a strategic business advantage. By designing your work rhythms around your natural capacity patterns, you:

Maximize High-Energy Periods: When you honor your natural high-energy times for key activities, you accomplish more with less effort.

Improve Creative Quality: Creating during aligned phases produces higher-quality work that requires less revision.

Enhance Decision-Making: Making key decisions during your naturally clear-minded periods leads to better strategic choices.

Build Sustainable Momentum: Rather than the boom-bust cycle, you create steady progress through strategic alternation between action and renewal.

Increase Revenue Potential: Aligned capacity planning allows for more predictable income generation that doesn’t deplete your resources.

The 4 Cycles to Track

Understanding and tracking your natural patterns is the foundation of effective capacity planning. While everyone experiences universal patterns, your unique combination creates your personal capacity fingerprint. By observing how you experience each of these cycles, you can determine your own unique balance of cycles.

Here are the four primary cycles to track:

1. Hormonal/Menstrual Cycle (if applicable)

If you are menstruating, the hormonal cycle creates distinct energy patterns that significantly impact work capacity and creative flow. Learning to track my menstrual cycle has helped me majorly optimize my business and overall lifestyle. It has been the biggest game changer for me! Here are the phases of the cycle, and what you can expect at each point.

Menstrual Phase (Days 1-5):

Energy Pattern: Typically lowest energy of the cycle
Cognitive Strengths: Intuition, evaluation, big-picture thinking
Business Activities Aligned: Review and assessment, visioning, minimal client work
Business Activities to Avoid: High-intensity sales calls, major launches

Follicular Phase (Days 6-13):

Energy Pattern: Gradually building from low to high
Cognitive Strengths: Increasing creativity, openness to new ideas
Business Activities Aligned: Strategic planning, brainstorming, learning

Ovulatory Phase (Days 14-17):

Energy Pattern: Usually peak energy and confidence
Cognitive Strengths: Communication, connection, persuasion
Business Activities Aligned: Presentations, networking, sales conversations

Luteal Phase (Days 18-28):

Energy Pattern: Gradually declining from high to low
Cognitive Strengths: Detail orientation, critical thinking, refinement
Business Activities Aligned: Editing, systems optimization, completion

Even those who don’t menstruate experience approximately monthly fluctuations influenced by hormones, lunar cycles, or other biological rhythms. If you’d like me to discuss these cycles in a future post, let me know!

2. Circadian Rhythm (Daily Cycle)

Your 24-hour energy pattern influences optimal timing for different types of work within each day. Here are some of the common chronotypes (different circadian rhythm profiles):

Common Chronotypes:

Early Bird/Lion:

Peak Energy: Morning (6am-12pm)
Secondary Peak: Early evening (4-6pm)
Best For: Schedule demanding cognitive work before noon

Middle of the Road/Bear:

Peak Energy: Mid-morning to early afternoon (9am-2pm)
Secondary Peak: Early evening (6-8pm)
Best For: Core work mid-morning, creative work evening

Night Owl/Wolf:

Peak Energy: Late afternoon and evening (4-10pm)
Secondary Peak: Late morning (10am-12pm)
Best For: Creative work evenings, meetings late morning

Dolphin (Irregular Sleeper):

Peak Energy: Inconsistent, often mid-morning and late evening
Best For: Leverage unpredictable energy bursts for focused work

As a lifelong night owl/wolf, I always do my best work in the evening, and it’s no accident that I don’t start work before 10 AM. I generally try to rest during the times when I’m not as naturally productive: that way, I don’t have to redo tasks that I completed when I wasn’t at my peak.

3. Weekly Patterns

Most people experience consistent weekly energy fluctuations influenced by social structures and psychological momentum. This is, of course, influenced by menstrual, hormonal, and circadian cycles as well, but, assuming that you can have a consistent intensity of tasks each day during the week, you may notice additional patterns. Here are some common weekly patterns that may resonate with you:

Common Weekly Patterns:

Strong Start/Fade:

Peak Days: Monday-Wednesday
Challenging Days: Thursday-Friday
Best For: Schedule important meetings early week, lighter tasks later week

Mid-Week Peak:

Peak Days: Tuesday-Thursday
Challenging Days: Monday and Friday
Best For: Use Monday for planning, mid-week for execution

Strong Finish:

Peak Days: Wednesday-Friday
Challenging Days: Monday-Tuesday
Best For: Easier tasks early week, building to complex work later week

In my case, mid-week peak most closely mirrors my natural rhythms. I prefer a very easy start and finish to the week, while my Tuesday – Thursday can be more intense.

4. Seasonal/Annual Cycles

Larger seasonal patterns influence energy, mood, and capacity on a quarterly basis. This is the reason why I recommend Seasonal Resets (you can still see my Summer Seasonal Reset over on my Facebook page). These allow you to regroup quarterly, so you can align your business and personal activities with the predominant energy of the season.

Seasonal Considerations:

Winter (or Low Season):

Energy Pattern: Often lowest sustained energy
Business Focus Aligned: Planning, foundation-setting, deeper projects
Business Activities to Avoid: Major launches, high-visibility campaigns

Spring (or Building Season):

Energy Pattern: Gradually increasing energy
Business Focus Aligned: Learning, developing new offerings, growth patterns
Business Activities to Avoid: Immediate results expectations, rigid schedules

Summer (or Peak Season):

Energy Pattern: Typically highest sustained energy
Business Focus Aligned: Launch, visibility, expansion, connection
Business Activities to Avoid: Deep introspective work, complete overhauls

Fall (or Harvest Season):

Energy Pattern: Gradually decreasing energy
Business Focus Aligned: Completion, refinement, systematization, evaluation
Business Activities to Avoid: Brand new initiatives, scattered focus

Your Monthly Energy Map

Creating a visual representation of your energy patterns provides powerful clarity for planning aligned business activities. Start by tracking daily:

Energy Level (1-10): Your overall capacity for the day
Energy Type: Creative, Focused, Social, Administrative, or Rest
Influencing Factors: Hormonal phase, sleep quality, events, etc.
Aligned Activities: What works best with today’s energy
Activities to Avoid: What would likely create strain today

After tracking for at least one complete cycle (1-3 months), look for patterns:

When do your highest energy days typically occur?
When do your lowest energy days typically occur?
Which energy types appear most and least frequently?
How quickly do you transition between different states?

This awareness becomes the foundation for strategic planning. If you’d like a template for tracking your energy, please click here.

Creating a Flexible Capacity Plan

Cyclical and capacity planning isn’t about forcing consistency—it’s about designing flexibility. The goal is to create a framework that accommodates your natural fluctuations while still providing enough structure to build sustainable momentum.

Understanding Your Capacity

Learn to view your different energy levels as capacity modes. If you can put a number on your energy level, then you can quickly identify the activities, communication style, and rest approach that will suit you best.

Energy level 8 – 10 can be considered full capacity mode. This is a great time to work on growth, expansion, innovation and connection. It’s perfect for any communication that is responsible, generative and expansive, and fantastic for launches, content creation and new client outreach. When it comes to rest in this mode, brief but regular renewals are usually sufficient for sustaining momentum.

Energy levels between 5 and 7 are standard capacity mode. This is an ideal period for maintenance, refinement, and working steadily on an ongoing project. This is when you can plan to release deliverables, optimize systems, and implement strategies that are smaller scale but still impactful. Your communication should be structured, focused and have clear boundaries, so that you can use your energy wisely. You’ll need more extensive rest than when in full capacity mode.

For the chronic pain crew, energy level 3 – 4 is probably familiar territory. This is the limited capacity mode, which is suitable for essential maintenance (the things that absolutely must be done), passive income activities (so long as they require little energy), and minimal operations. Anything automated, with templates, or delegated to others should be leveraged. You should also keep communication minimal and structured, and focus on clearly communicating expectations (you have less energy to go back and clarify). Finally, prioritize rest, and work in short, gentle session.

Finally, when the exhaustion is at it’s peak (energy level 1 – 2), you’ve entered restoration mode. This is the phase where you only do business through previously created, well-operating systems. Client care should be primarily through automated support, and communication should consist of activating out-of-office protocols. Take as much time as you need to rest: you can’t produce from this level of exhaustion.

The power of this framework lies in its flexibility and legitimization of all modes. None is “failing” or “less than”—each is a strategic response to your current capacity that keeps your business functioning while honoring your humanity.

The Cyclical Approach: A Better Way to Do Things

Ready to begin aligning with your natural cycles? Try one of these activities over the next 7 days:

Track Twice Daily: Record energy and mood AM + PM for 7 days
Cyclic Meal Prep: Sync your meals with energy levels (e.g., quick meals during dips)
Create Your Capacity Template: Map out a recurring weekly or monthly rhythm
Plan a Rest Ritual: Commit to one deep-rest activity 2x this week
Energy Audit: Review your current tasks—are they cycle-aligned?

After completing your chosen activity, reflect: What pattern emerged that you didn’t expect? How can this data change how you schedule work or offers? What support do you need to live and earn more cyclically?

Your Cyclical Advantage

When you align your business activities with your natural capacity patterns, you gain several powerful benefits, like enhanced creativity, improved decision quality, sustainable momentum, and more authentic marketing and connection. This approach might seem radical in a culture that glorifies consistency above all else. But what could be more practical than working with—rather than against—your body’s natural design?

Your fluctuations aren’t flaws to overcome—they’re natural rhythms to leverage. By making timing your superpower, you’re creating a lifestyle that works with your body’s wisdom rather than against it—a truly revolutionary approach to sustainable success.

From Idea to Launch – 4 Weeks To Low Energy Income Success

In my previous post, I discussed the quiet revolution happening amongst women entrepreneurs. These brilliant women are embracing a new way to deliver value and create income. By focusing on low-energy income streams, you can rest more while still working toward – and meeting! – income goals.

As previously explained, there are four basic income categories (active, leverage, passive and portfolio) and four types of low-energy income options (digital assets & products; affiliate & recommendation income; membership & community models; and automated or AI assisted services). But, instead of just listing out the options, let’s explore a framework for taking us from Idea to Launch, all in four weeks. The best part of this is that you DO NOT have to stick to a four week time frame: complete the tasks as you have the energy to do so. What good is a low-energy income stream that’s exhausting to set up? If you can do it in four weeks, great! But if not, be gentle with yourself and do what you can: any progress is better than staying still.

Implementation: The 4-Week Action Plan

Transforming these concepts into actual income requires intentional action. Here’s a simple four-week implementation plan:

Week 1 – Brainstorm + Belief Reset

Journal your current money-making beliefs. Unpack those limiting beliefs that keep you from feeling that it’s possible to generate the income you desire without exhausting yourself.
Review the 4 income categories. Understand what it takes to implement and maintain each one. Carefully weigh the pros and cons of each category.
Pick one idea per category that resonates with you. Focus on one at a time, to avoid burnout. If, later on, you find that a particular idea no longer resonates, you can always drop it and try another.

Week 2 – Design One Offer

Choose the income path that feels lightest. Whatever you select, make sure that it doesn’t feel exhausting before you start: that feeling rarely changes once you’ve begun the work. I’d even encourage you to pick the path that sounds “too easy”: that’s probably the perfect one to start with.
Outline your offer using the L.E.S.S. framework. Remember to ask yourself, Can it serve multiple people at once or be reused? Does it feel simple to deliver or maintain? Can you still earn from it while you’re resting? Can it grow without draining more of your time or too much of your energy?
Determine pricing and delivery method. Research similar offers and determine what the popular delivery method and going rate is or, if you’re feeling particularly aligned, choose the number and delivery method based on instinct (you can always adjust later).

Week 3 – Set Up the System

Create or collect the assets. This is usually the most fun: create whatever you’re desiring to bring into the world. Refine it until you’re pleased with the result.
Automate delivery. Consider using platforms like Gumroad, Podia, or ConvertKit or any others that interest you. I’m not endorsing any particular platform: they all have pros and cons. Do a little research, ask in entrepreneur Facebook groups, and try out different platforms until you find a good fit.
Draft simple promotional materials. These can be made easily using free AI tools, like ChatGPT and Claude.

Week 4 – Soft Launch

Share with a small group or on social media. This is your time to tell everyone what you’ve created. And if you’re hesitant to share it, ask yourself, did you give your creation your best effort? If so, then you should be proud to tell people about it.
Track what feels easy vs. draining. This is a crucial step for determining ways to make the income stream as easy as possible.
Reflect and revise as needed. These revisions should make the stream more efficient and less energy consuming.

The Integration Challenge

Ready to ease into low-energy income creation? Try one of these 7-day challenges:

One Idea Per Day: Jot down a single income idea daily, no editing.
Tech Trial: Test out an automation platform like Gumroad or ConvertKit.
Ask & Align: Poll your audience or friends—what do they want from you?
90-Minute Build: Block off 1.5 hours to create a digital product MVP.
Affiliate Setup: Register for one affiliate program and create your first link.

These challenges are designed to help you quickly find an income stream that is enjoyable and low-energy. After completing your chosen challenge, reflect: What surprised you about the process? What felt most joyful or light? What will you keep building on next month?

A Revolutionary Approach to Wealth

Low-energy income streams aren’t about eliminating effort entirely—they’re about strategic effort that creates ongoing returns without requiring constant energy expenditure. These approaches allow you to create value once and receive income multiple times, often while resting, healing, or focusing elsewhere.

This approach might seem radical in a culture that glorifies constant hustle. But what could be more practical than designing income that works with—rather than against—your body’s needs and natural rhythms?

The path to earning without exhaustion isn’t about forcing yourself to become someone else—it’s about becoming more fully yourself and allowing success to flow from that authentic expression.

What would become possible in your life if your income didn’t depend on your daily energy?

I’d love to hear your thoughts below: are you currently leveraging a low-energy income stream? Are you curious about a particular income category? Let me know!

The REAL Reason Why Your Boss Hates Work-From-Home Arrangements (It’s Not What You Think)

A while ago, I came across an article on LinkedIn that quoted former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who blamed Google’s tertiary placement in the AI race on work from home (WFH) arrangements. He did go back and correct his statements, admitting that he “misspoke about Google and their work hours”. Schmidt had previously stated that “Google decided that work-life balance and going home early and working from home was more important than winning”. It’s interesting that Schmidt has always equated work-life balance with an obstacle to business progress; those earlier comments align with his (eventually amended) critique of WFH.

All of Schmidt’s statements fall in line with his opinion that remote work prevents business innovation and effectiveness, and he’s committed to sharing this opinion in various ways, on multiple occasions. His decision to walk back a “misspoken” statement doesn’t change the fact that he speaks the opinions held by many business leaders. The general consensus from some of the most high-powered, visible CEOs is that work completed outside of the office isn’t conducive to business growth and innovation. They have drifted away from the attacks on productivity, after a number of studies confirmed that many employees completed more work while at home. Businesses and their leadership teams abandoned the criticisms against WFH that could be objectively verified via data, in favor of one that is more nebulous and qualitative. In the case of many CEOs, the chosen argument is that remote work is a hindrance to innovation.

Here’s where I offer a more nuanced take on the real reason why businesses have a distaste for WFH arrangements. I think there is a not-so-subtle underlying reason why so many CEOs have taken an anti-remote work stance, and no, it has nothing to do with the fact that a select minority of workers are doing the bare minimum on the clock, or that the lack of innovation or collaboration are causing the business to lose money and opportunities. It also isn’t as closely tied to the expensive unused office leases as many (including myself) originally thought. I think this may have been hinted at before, but I haven’t yet seen it explained in the way that I will.

The truth is, anti-WFH sentiments are heavily rooted in an anti-family, and a uniquely anti-feminine, ideology. It is based on the belief that valuable work – with a paycheck as an end result – can only happen outside of the home. Work that happens in the home is perceived as intrinsically less important and not worthy of financial compensation. The ability to do office tasks effectively within the home is incongruous with what our society has taught, which is, things that happen in the home don’t deserve pay. It is an unwritten rule that work that happens within the confines of one’s personal residence isn’t “real work” and should not be directly compensated.

It’s important to remember that most businesses were thrust into a WFH culture before they were adequately prepared for it. And, funnily enough, most of them would have NEVER prepared for it, had it not been for COVID intervening. Business, in general, is considered something that doesn’t happen at home. For many years, it was something that could only happen in offices, away from the distractions of domestic life. Even with the advent of the internet and the ability to collaborate with teams across time zones, there was still a hesitance to implement remote work arrangements.

The reason is not as simple as what we’ve been told, particularly, the stories that have been pushed heavily since 2020. Yes, there were some underperforming employees that abused WFH provisions: most of these employees were ineffective and doing the bare minimum when they were showing up into the office daily. And absolutely, the cost of leasing spaces that aren’t being used regularly is tremendous. That being said, it is unwise to look at this push against WFH and not see how it is tied to the belief that “work” done in your home isn’t deserving of direct financial compensation. It’s downright malicious to gaslight workers – who have been happy, productive and effective while working from home – into thinking that they will somehow be better performers if they spend time commuting to and from a building, then sitting in a cubicle for eight hours.

I suspect that, as businesses try to revert to the pre-2020 way of work, there will be many employees who simply walk away from these jobs and never look back. These employees will figure out how to monetize their other talents and will be able to support themselves through their own online businesses. With their newfound location freedom, they’ll be able to move to places that are more affordable and offer a better quality of life. And then we will see businesses finally start to realize that the innovation that comes from their remote workers is far better than having no employees at all.

It’s Been Seven Months. Here’s What I’ve Been Doing

Hello friends! It’s been a while since my last post, for good reason. I will occasionally withdraw from blogging, so I have time to implement some theories and to get data to share with you all when I return. It’s been my system for a while, mainly because writing a bunch of fluff – just for the appearance of continuity – never appealed to me. I’d rather offer something substantial a few times out of the year, than to share flimsy articles weekly.

So, here’s what I’ve been doing: I created a few more digital products, and I experimented with a few selling platforms. I didn’t want to recommend certain selling strategies without testing them myself. I always do just enough to see what works, and I only go further if I know it’s worth it. Most of them time, it isn’t worth it! But at least I can speak from a point of experience and not just theory. Of course, it takes time to do gather these experiences so that I can report the results back to you all.

Another thing I’ve done is witness the monetization “arc” of several AI websites. Quite a few of the websites I’ve previously recommended are now behind paywalls, and, while I can understand why the developers did that, eliminating limited freebie versions are why many users are turning away. This is always why I think ChatGPT (and other platforms that offer some access at no cost ) will remain dominant: even if the free version isn’t the best, it’s better than no access at all. Besides, with the proliferation of AI capabilities being built into apps and programs we already use regularly, the accessibility of this technology will continue to grow, many times at no direct out-of-pocket cost to the end user.

I joined a business mentorship group, and I found a tribe of entrepreneurs that are regularly structuring and executing 7- and 8- figure projects. It’s been exciting to be in this hub, and I’m thrilled to offer some incredible products, programs and tips to you all in the future, based on the millionaire habits that I’m picking up from my peers.

I’ve taken a LOT of tax training, mainly for the purpose of learning new ways to interact with wealth. It’s fine to learn the basics, but once you’ve mastered those, you have to dive into deeper material. One of the subjects that I’ve spent more time exploring is estate and trust law (and how the tax law applies to these areas). Learning about estates and trusts has been exhilarating, and I’m excited to start practicing some new things with what I’ve learned.

Finally, the past seven months have been focused on synthesizing and integrating what I’ve taken in so far. One of the biggest traps that snare aspiring wealth builders is staying stuck in “learning” mode. Yes, learn as much as you can, but also begin implementing what you’ve learned. The inability to implement what has been learned is often rooted in insecurity: many of us learn what we can then we get afraid of doing something with it. “What will people say about me if they see me doing ABC?” “What happens if I fail at XYZ?” These questions come from feeling uneasy about doing new things and breaking away from the crowd. I’ll explore this idea more in a future post, but please know that, along with learning new stuff, work on your mindset and start integrating what you’re learning, so you can get the results you desire. Affirm your abilities, take a small step every day, and watch your life start changing in no time.

So, that’s what I’ve been doing the past seven months: learning, testing, observing, practicing, and succeeding. But since I’m a woman of my word – I believe in ACTION alongside learning – it’s time for me to share more about what’s happening behind the scenes, as well as what I want to create in my world. I’ll be posting my August – December goals soon, and sharing with you all how I plan to reach them. Please take some time to think about what you can do during the latter part of the year, and what goals you want to achieve. Let’s make this your best year ever, together!

A Simple Way To Get Ideas For Your Business

It’s so good to be back! I will be catching you all up on the events I’ve attended in future posts. For today, I just want to share an easy way to get a little business inspiration.

One thing that I’ve heard from aspiring entrepreneurs is that they feel “stuck” when it comes to their businesses. They either are unclear about what kind of business they should start, or they have a fledgling (or sometimes thriving!) business that they are looking to expand but are unsure which direction they should pursue. If this describes your situation, here’s a little tip for you.

Figure out the industry you want to serve (even if you don’t know exactly what you want to do in that industry). Then, find the think tanks that focus on that industry, and attend as many of their virtual events that you can. One think tank that has lots of seminars in a variety of industries is Brookings Institute, so that’s a good place to start. Most of the big think tanks are based in Washington, DC, so you may want to filter your search down to the online events hosted by those organizations. I attended a think tank event years ago, and within 15 minutes, I had several ideas that could have been easily monetized.

Here’s a way to do this: let’s say you aspire to own a business related to finance (like me!). You can start at Brookings Institute, and sign up for all of their banking & finance events, then sign up for the events being hosted by other think tanks that host finance-related discussions, like Cato Institute and Center for American Progress. If there are no upcoming events to watch, then check out the past recorded discussions. Listen carefully for opportunities: they’re always there, no matter what level of business you feel that you’re on. Make a list of the ideas that come to you as you’re listening, then go back and listen again, this time paying more attention to the flow of the conversation and other details you may have missed while taking notes.

If you’ve come up with business ideas from listening to think tank discussions, I’d love to hear more about it! I’m currently working on one idea that I got while listening in at a think tank event, and I’m so excited to share that with you all once it’s completed!

That’s all for today: take care and I’ll talk to you all soon!

What I’ve Learned From Ten Years As An Enrolled Agent

This year, I celebrate TEN years of being an enrolled agent! I don’t discuss my previous IRS career often, so this seemed like a good time to talk to you all about it, as well as to reflect on what I learned over this past decade.

I started working at the IRS in the call site, then I became a correspondence auditor on a whim (I put in one application in Washington, DC, and I got selected for the role). I eventually got promoted to an international tax specialist role, where I completed hundreds of audits of foreign nationals living in DC, as well as audits of US citizens living abroad. I loved the work, but I disliked many of the managers (this was most pronounced at the beginning of my IRS career as well as the end of my time there: the in-between years were better). The managerial abuse was insane, and I knew I needed to leave for my mental health. Once I started my family, I left IRS and applied for my enrolled agent license (I had the requisite experience to apply without having to take the exam).

I was awarded my license in 2013, and I’ve been in good standing ever since. Here is some of what I’ve learned from being an enrolled agent.

Maintaining my license is pretty straightforward and fairly inexpensive. I complete the majority of my 24 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) on CPA Academy, one of the few websites that offers a lot of free classes that count toward CPE. There was a brief, shining moment during the Trump administration, when renewing my tax preparer ID number was free (there is no law that requires IRS to charge fees for these numbers), but that ended with Biden’s administration. There is a $30 annual fee to renew the tax preparer ID number, and I also pay an enrolled agent fee once every three years ($140). So, my average annual costs for maintaining my license is around $80.
Tax preparation is my least favorite part of taxes. I liked it when I initially began as an enrolled agent, but now I don’t do it at all. I prefer resolving tax discrepancies, or providing tax advice. Being an enrolled agent helped me learn what I really enjoyed about taxes, and which parts are better left to others. I learned that there are some people that love preparing taxes, and I don’t cross over into their territory.
Most tax work is underpaid, so it’s a good idea to work for yourself. You may not get the volume of customers you’d expect by working through a major tax company, but you earn more. With my expertise, I got an offer for a part-time senior tax consultant earning (drumroll please) $25 per hour. Not bad for part time work, and the ease of being an employee (no 1099-MISC payments, so less bookkeeping work for me). But, as someone that doesn’t need immediate income, AND as someone that has a client roster that pays $30+ for a half hour of my time, it wasn’t worth it.
Being an enrolled agent is a fiduciary-level role. You have to put your client’s interests first, and you are bound to the same ethical standards as most financial advisor/consultant roles. Just because you haven’t completed any of FINRA’s exams doesn’t mean that you’re able to bypass those standards. You are required to operate ethically at all times (both when working with clients and during your off-time).
You’re one of the few roles that can adequately represent people at the US Tax Court. I didn’t learn about this until I had been an EA for a while, but US Tax Court allows non-attorneys to represent clients in court, so long as the non-attorney has passed the Tax Court’s admission process. Being an EA offers a lot of credibility to your application to represent people in tax court. If you’ve always wanted to know what it’s like to work in a legal capacity, being an EA can position you to have this experience.
This job is what you make of it. You can do so much with this license: tax preparation, tax consulting, tax resolution, digital product creation, webinars & other instructional sessions, keynote speaking, tax research, and so much more. I have seen people pivot their EA license into all sorts of fascinating careers that go beyond the typical things we think of when talking about tax licenses. Your career is limited to your imagination.

Those are just some of the things I’ve learned from 10 years as an enrolled agent. So tell me: are you familiar with EAs? Would you be interested in getting this license? Let me know your thoughts below!