Welcome to Leveling Up with Lindsay, the podcast
where we dive into leadership, small business,
and everything in between. I'm Lindsay, your
host and the proud owner of White Puny Boutique,
a space created to empower women, build confidence,
and foster meaningful connections. Whether you're
an entrepreneur, a mom, a friend, or someone
just looking for a little inspiration. This is
your space to feel seen, supported, and inspired.
Join me as we share stories, strategies, and
a little bit of life's chaos while navigating
what it truly means to level up in starting a
business, relationship, and personal growth.
So grab a cup of coffee, get comfy, and let's
level up together. Hey friends, it's Lindsey
and today I want to talk about something every
leader, every business owner or person who carries
responsibility will definitely understand. Those
days when the spark just feels a little dimmer.
The truth is leadership is hard some days. Owning
a business is hard some days. Managing five or
15 different personalities, or even if you have
a team of 60 plus people's emotions as a business
owner or manager, their schedules and their needs,
it is a lot. And I think sometimes we assume
that if you love what you do, it should always
feel exciting and fulfilling. But here's the
actual reality. Even when you're doing what you're
called to do, there will be days when it feels
heavy. That doesn't mean you've lost your passion.
It doesn't mean you're burnt out. It means you're
human and you're leading in this real world.
When people picture leadership, they often think
of the highlight reel, the wins, the big decisions,
the passion and the drive. But behind every successful
moment, are hundreds of quiet, unseen ones where
you're balancing priorities, managing emotions,
making calls, or writing important emails no
one else sees, and carrying weight that doesn't
always show. Some days you're leading with full
energy and clarity, and other days you're leading
through exhaustion, uncertainty, or even the
noise. And guess what? Both versions are still
leadership. There are days when you feel the
fire deep in your tummy. Everything just clicks.
And there are days when you're running on grace
and grit, trusting that it still matters. You
know what? Both are part of the process. Over
time, I've learned that leadership doesn't always
look like fireworks. Sometimes it's a real quiet
glow. The spark isn't gone. It's just changing
shape. It shows up in the quiet moments. When
you listen instead of react. When you encourage
a teammate who's struggling. When you keep showing
up, even when no one is clapping. Those steady
moments are where real leadership happens. Not
the spotlight, but the small consistent choices
that build trust and culture. If leadership has
ever felt heavy, remember this, you were never
meant to carry it perfectly. You were meant to
carry it with purpose. Some days are about momentum
and others are about maintenance. Some days are
about growth, others about grounding. And none
of that means you're failing. It means you're
doing the work, the real work of leading people
and not just the processes. You know, it's easy
to talk about leadership in theory, but I think
the real lessons show up right in the middle
of everyday life. There was a day recently when
everything seemed to need my attention at once.
A delivery issue, questions from different employees
that needed my attention right then and there,
a fraud case, an annual audit that must get done,
holiday details that needed to be worked on,
a counting list of to -dos, my college -bound
daughter eager to find a perfect fit, four voicemails,
18 text messages, and five messages all marked
urgent. In my personal email, all while I have
a husband who works very full time, gone for
the upcoming weekend. And guess what? We're short
staffed. That right there is owning a business.
And for a moment, I caught myself thinking, this
is a lot. All of a sudden, I couldn't breathe.
But then it hit me. This is leadership. I sat
for a minute and thought, but Linds, you were
made for this. It's the ability to stay calm
when everything else needs your steadiness. It's
not glamorous, but it definitely is real. And
those are the moments that build trust more than
any title ever could. Then there was a pivot
day. Trust me, in the business I'm in right now,
it happens so often. One of those times a plan
we worked on so hard suddenly fell apart, or
didn't work, or a piece of our plan was missing.
Instead of letting frustration take over, it
was a moment I sat for a brief minute. I wrote
notes of what didn't work. I made notes of ideas
and brainstormed and by the end of the afternoon
I laid out a new plan. This plan that involved
my team in a completely different way, a plan
that I made was probably better for everyone's
growth and improvement from the very original
idea. That day reminded me of this. Leadership
isn't about avoiding challenges. It's about adapting
with heart and strategy. The spark doesn't only
show up when things go right, let me tell you
this. Sometimes it reignites when you remember
what you are capable of under pressure. And then
there are the quiet drives home. The ones where
the store lights are off, the music's low, or
honestly a lot of times in a car ride home it's
off for me, and it's just me reflecting on the
day. That's when I feel it the most. That mix
of exhaustion and gratitude. Because even on
the hard days I get to lead something so incredibly
meaningful. That alone, that thought alone, always
brings a spark right back to my soul. If you've
been in a season where leadership feels more
like responsibility than reward, I want to leave
you with something practical, what I call the
heart audit. It's three simple questions you
can ask yourself at the end of the day. One,
what actually mattered the most today? Two, who
did I positively impact even in the smallest,
smallest way today? Three, what's one thing I'm
proud of that no one else noticed? When you stop
to answer those, you realize your spark never
left. It's been quietly fueling everyone around
you. So yes, leadership is indeed hard on some
days. Wanting a business is hard on some days,
but those hard days are proof that you care so
deeply. They're proof that you're showing up.
that you're invested in, that you're building
something that truly matters. You don't have
to feel on fire every day to make an impact.
Sometimes the strongest leaders are the ones
who quietly keep showing up steady, faithful,
and grounded. Your spark is still there. It might
not always look the same as it did in the beginning,
but it's wiser now. It's more intentional, deeply,
deeply rooted in purpose. Keep leading with heart.
The world needs your kind of light, steady, genuine,
and real light. Thank you for tuning in to Leveling
Up with Lindsay. If today's episode encouraged
you, share it with another leader who could use
this reminder too. Until next time, stay grounded,
stay grateful, and keep leveling up. Thank you
for listening. If you found this information
helpful, please share it with a friend. If you're
looking for more information on the topics we
covered, please head to the show notes below.
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and our journey to get started. Let's make today
and every day an opportunity to level up. Until
next time, keep dreaming, keep striving, and
keep making a difference.