shelley8051

Clarity isn’t always the problem. At least, not in the way we think. Those who know me well know not to give me directions. Not landmarks. Not “turn left at the big tree” or “it’s just past that petrol station.” I’ve told people this. They don’t listen. If anything, they double down. They add more detail. More landmarks. More explanation. At some point, my eyes glaze over. I’m nodding, but I’ve already decided I’m putting it into Waze or Google Maps. They think they’re being really clear. My...

Zanzibar: 2006 I didn’t always struggle to step back. I stepped back easily when I trusted the person. I remember the first time I went on holiday with work friends. We were traveling to Zanzibar and I flew from Cape Town to meet them in Joburg. To this day, one of them still tells the story. She couldn’t believe I was the same person she worked with. I arrived with no idea what time the international flight was leaving. No details of where we were staying. No plan. I didn’t check anything. I...

Path Forward - Spier Light Art. There was a point in my career where I knew exactly what I needed to do. I needed to step back. I was leading a project in Europe. I was exhausted. And I knew I couldn’t keep operating at that level. But I didn’t let go. I didn’t want to be seen differently. At the time, the story in my head was simple: If I let go, I’d be seen as weak. As someone who couldn’t handle it. As someone who didn’t finish what they started. So I stayed for longer than I should have....