Resilience in Leadership: Guiding Teams Through Emotional Fatigue

Brandi Starr [00:00:35]:
Hello, hello, hello and welcome to another episode of Revenue Rehab. I am your host, Brandi Starr and we have another amazing episode for you today. I am joined by Michelle Dickinson. Michelle is a renowned figure in mental health innovation, known globally as a keynote speaker, workplace resilience trainer, Ted speaker and bestselling author. With over 4000 hours dedicated to training and coaching educators, Michelle's expertise catalyzes profound shifts in emotional well being, emphasizing self resilience and personal mastery. Her dynamic presence and engaging storytelling inspire individuals to unlock their inherent power and lead lives of fulfillment. Michelle's impact is profound and pervasive, extending across a myriad of industries, including logistics, banking, pharmaceuticals and biotech. Welcome to Revenue Rehab, Michelle, your session begins now.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:01:37]:
Thank you so much for inviting me. It's a pleasure to be here with you.

Brandi Starr [00:01:41]:
I am excited to have you. You have such an impressive background. I'm always looking forward to learning from all of my guests. But before we jump into our topic today, I like to break the ice with a little woo saw moments that I call buzzword banishment. So what buzzword would you like to get rid of forever?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:02:04]:
You know, it's around something that we probably hear all the time that to me just rings with resignation. And that is it is what it is.

Brandi Starr [00:02:18]:
That one. I know I am guilty of using that phrase way too often and I've had someone else banish that and they said they felt like it was passive aggressive and I was like, oh, that's a good point.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:02:33]:
Yeah.

Brandi Starr [00:02:34]:
Why don't you like it?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:02:35]:
I hear resignation right when we say it is what it is. That sort of has us give up, has us say, meh, it is what it is. Like, there's no, I have no agency to do anything about it, so I'm just going to just be resigned about it because I'm going to look the other way. And I say you have more of an opportunity.

Brandi Starr [00:02:55]:
I love your perspective on that and I am going to try really hard to stop using that phrase. But I can say, at least for this conversation, I will avoid that buzzword. So now that we've gotten that off our chest, tell me what brings you to revenue rehab today?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:03:15]:
So it's around the concept of burnout. It's hard as an employee to navigate burnout. But when you're a leader and you're trying to rally your team and be an effective leader and you're struggling with burnout, that's like a double edged sword. How do you take care of yourself and your people?

Brandi Starr [00:03:35]:
I love that. And, you know, thinking back to mental health week, in episodes 58 and 59 last year, we covered executive burnout and some of the challenges, and we had a whole plethora of guests. I think we had four or five different people that helped to give some perspective on how we manage burnout. So I do think that this is a great twist on that conversation to talk. Talk about how are you managing those employees when they have the emotional fatigue. And so before we dive in, I believe in setting intentions. It gives us focus. It gives us purpose, and most important, it gives our audience an understanding of what they should expect from our conversation today.

Brandi Starr [00:04:20]:
So what is your intention? What's your best hope for what people will take away from the discussion?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:04:27]:
It goes along with the buzzword. It kind of fits together. It's to be reminded that you have agency. You have a say in how your experience personally and professionally unfolds.

Brandi Starr [00:04:41]:
I love that. And so I want to jump in and talk about what I hear a number of cmos and heads of marketing talking about, and that is some of that emotional fatigue that they are experiencing and that it is trickling down to their employees. We're seeing, you know, with a bit of financial uncertainty in our economy, we are seeing layoffs. And so people having to see their, you know, coworkers being escorted with the box. I know most of us are remote now, so it's not the same experience. But you have that. You have, you know, a lot of, like, especially in tech, where companies were going through this, grow it all costs, and, you know, that has done some damage. And now, you know, they're having to pull back, and you've got all sorts of things that are happening, like, where.

Brandi Starr [00:05:42]:
Where do we start thinking about this? Like, I know the struggle for me is, like, where do we start this conversation? Figure out how to, you know, how to have that agency and recognize that we have control over our own lives, but then also figuring out how to lean in to help support our teams?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:06:00]:
Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, when we. When we talk about external circumstances and if we are resigned to them changing in order for us to feel better, we have no control. So it's to shift the lens back on what we do have control over and ourselves. What is it that I can do so I can show up the best version of me in spite and in the face of all of those external circumstances, I have no say over. And then how am I thinking about this? Because how we think about something is everything. So if we catastrophize things, you know, that's going to be our experience. But if we have a different perspective and can try to look at the adversity or the challenge that's in front of us as the pathway to the next big opportunity, it's going to make us have a better or a different experience of what we're dealing with.

Brandi Starr [00:07:06]:
Okay. And so I do know, especially, like, you know, having led teams over the years, catastrophizing thing is something that happens. And, you know, I saw this more when I was in a physical office where something happens and you have everyone is gathered around the water cooler and they're gossiping about it and, you know, and it just, it does sort of snowball. And I know that that can happen in a remote environment as well. I just think I saw it more there. Like, what do we do there? Like, because you can't stop people from how they process it. And that's where I always struggle is, like, tactically, how do I, as a leader, lean in to help people, to see things the way that you're saying it, that everything's not a catastrophe. We have to control what we can control.

Brandi Starr [00:08:00]:
Like, what do we actually do?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:08:03]:
Yeah. So honestly, you got to take care of yourself. You can't be a source of support if you are not able to show up with the energy that has. People want to hear what you have to say. So the first thing is, is your head straight? Are you feeling the best that you can feel? People feel your energy before you open your mouth. And if you're surrounded by a conversation that is not supporting the morale of your people, then what you have to say matters less than the person you're being in that moment.

Brandi Starr [00:08:50]:
Okay. So it is very much, it's like, help yourself in order to help them.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:08:57]:
Lead by example. Lead by example and demonstrate how you can stay above the line and have a positive disposition. What do you do for yourself that enables you to show up with the best energy and feel the best that you can feel and empower those around you and inspire those around you that things aren't as bad as they might think they are?

Brandi Starr [00:09:23]:
Okay. And then in general, like, do you? Because I know here at Tegrida, we have a very open and transparent culture. And, you know, when things suck, we have some frank conversations and, you know, let people get their feelings out and, you know, we really try and tackle things and not let them fester. And I know that, you know, we're a small company, so it's a lot easier when, you know, the whole company is 25 people versus, you know, 25 different locations or you're in 25 countries. Um, so for, you know, those leaders that are leading large teams, let's assuming we are protecting our own energy and making sure that we are leading by example, what other things can we do to help to lean in, to support and, like, build that resilience in our teams? Because you're right. Like, we, there's so many things we can't control and so much unknown that, you know, we can't always get ahead of it. So, like, how do we foster that resilience and to not let our teams have that emotional fatigue?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:10:36]:
I think it's normal that they, that they might have some, but I think, you know, I'm so here's another buzzword that I should have probably said. Work life balance. Like, I'm so sick of that. People say to me all the time, I'm so sick of my employer telling me, have work life balance. I don't even know what that means anymore. Because people are dedicated, right? So then that, that's a negative for them because they're so dedicated and they're working a lot. Right. I think it's really important for leaders to remind their people they have to disconnect for their own mindset.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:11:09]:
You can't come to the table exhausted and try to solve a problem or look at a problem with possibility if you're exhausted and you haven't stepped away to disconnect, you know, so not to say, have work life balance, but to say, just go and take care of yourself for a day or go away for the weekend. Disconnect from everything going on here. Come back with a fresh perspective. Let's get around a conversation. Get the team around the table and have a different conversation. You know, try not to think about and allow this to, like, consume your downtime, because that's mentally going to be a fatigue if they're still thinking about it and they're not at work. But leaders need to give that subtle permission to do that by them doing the same thing. Right? Like, I can tell you all day long, go and disconnect, but I'm going to work seven days a week.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:12:07]:
It doesn't jive. I have to be like, you know what? I'm getting away with my wife this weekend. I'm going to disconnect from all the trauma that's going on here, going to come back Monday with a fresh perspective. And I encourage you to do that as well so we all can have our best energy and our best mindset that we're bringing to this conversation, one that can be more empowering instead of commiserating.

Brandi Starr [00:12:30]:
Yeah, and that's a really great point, because I know even for myself, I do see some of my best ideas or solutions to problems do come, you know, when I have taken time, because I used to be one of those executives that went on vacation, took my laptop, was always still checking in, you know, never fully disconnected. And now when I go on vacation, I don't pack the laptop. And, you know, I will usually in the morning before I leave my hotel, take 15 minutes to just check in. Like we have. We have what we call Brandy urgent slack channel that my team knows. If there's anything that you really need my eyes on, put it there, because that's the only channel I'm going to check. And I'll check that in the morning if there's something urgent, because sometimes a quick answer will allow them, you know, to proceed and not just wait. So I do do that little thing, but then other than that, I unplug.

Brandi Starr [00:13:30]:
And what happens every single time is I come back from vacation having mentally solved things or come up with fresh ideas that I didn't have before. And it is like, when I'm not even thinking about it. Like, I was recently riding a camel in Morocco, and when we got off the ride, I quickly got my phone and sent a message to the executive team, because just to get it out of my head, I was like, hey, that thing I've been trying to solve came up with the idea, da da da da, you know, and I, like, rattle it off really quickly and then just put the phone back in the purse because just, you know, riding a camel through the desert, you know, super slow, my brain, and I wasn't even thinking about work, but my brain was processing, and it, like, hit me. And, you know, it is like, whether it is taking a day off or whatever, like you do, creating that space, I do think, you know, helps you as an individual, but then it does give your employees that comfort as well, because generally, you know, my team's like, okay, I'll, you know, I'm off, but I'll be on slack if you need me. And I'm like, no. Like, we don't do brain surgery. Like, there's, you know, there's just. There's not an emergency where you have to be on vacation attached to your phone.

Brandi Starr [00:14:52]:
I'm like, we do marketing. Like it. You know, it's just. It's not that serious.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:14:57]:
Randy, can I take that a step further? Because I think that example of the camel is such a beautiful one. I would say take that a step further and dabble and try a ten minute meditation because it was probably very reminiscent of what you were doing going very slow. Right. I tell you what, if you were to adopt a morning meditation practice to help you clear this, you would be amazed how sharp you are as you start your day. It is like taking a washcloth and wringing out all the noise, like from the home responsibility, the family responsibility, the work issue, the colleague, the friend. You're taking all of that and wringing it out, and you're giving yourself a clean space to come to a new conversation. And I'm telling you, the focus that you get from a simple ten minute meditation is profound. So I would even say, you know, if you really want to get a quick refresh for yourself, give yourself the gift of a ten minute meditation, because you will disconnect from the noise and just connect to your inner self and.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:16:07]:
And get a drink of that peacefulness. And our essence is pure love, and we come back to that pure love. It is a beautiful thing to touch that and then be able to come back with. With renewed focus.

Brandi Starr [00:16:22]:
I love that. And I want to dig into that a little bit because I have. You're not the first person that has recommended meditation. And I have tried. And like most people, you know, it is. It almost feels like more noise for me. And I get uncomfortable, and not physically uncomfortable, but, like, it just. It has been really, really awkward.

Brandi Starr [00:16:46]:
And so what is your. And this is sort of selfish question now, trying to, you know, get my own benefits. But what do you recommend in terms of being able to start meditating and to actually be able to turn the brain off and wring those things out?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:17:03]:
So as we're. As we're talking, this guy has a leaf blower outside my window. Okay, so, like, talk about noise. So if the noise gets loud, I apologize. Know that you cannot turn your brain off. That's the first thing. When people sit down to meditate, they just expect, like, a light switch, all the noise is going to turn off, and you're going to be in a space of Zen. No, what you're doing is you're tuning into all the noise.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:17:29]:
You're suddenly becoming aware of all the noise and watch your thoughts ping pong from dinner last night to the thing you're doing next week. Right? Like, you'll watch, you'll become the observer of your thoughts. That's the first step. The first few times are the hardest because you sit there and you're an argument. How is this good for me? All I'm doing is watching the show. But you're watching. You're becoming now the observer of the thoughts. And if you were to do this consistently, you'll start to notice that it becomes less and less and less, but at first have zero expectation that, like a light switch, your thoughts are turning off because it does not work that way.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:18:11]:
You're just getting present to them.

Brandi Starr [00:18:14]:
Okay. And that, because that is. That is how I have felt is just like, you know, if I could visualize it, it's just almost like, just sentences floating around in the air. It is how I've seen that. So that is a good, good point there. And now I'm, like, gonna advocate for, like, some at work meditation. Like, everybody stop the day and meditate.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:18:36]:
Go watch the video by Kyle Cease, and I can share the link with you. Kyle Cease says you are going to sit in the chair no matter what, and you're just going to watch the show in your mind. And when you realize that you're doing that, then there's no disagreement with what you're doing because you're like, all right, I'm just supposed to see here and watch the show before you know it. If you were to do, like, a five or ten minute meditation every single day, you start to realize the show gets quieter and quieter and quieter.

Brandi Starr [00:19:13]:
So there's our first action item as we are all going to implement ten minute meditation. I am glad to try this.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:19:20]:
Start with five. Start with five. Go to Deepak Chopra on YouTube. Do his five minute meditations. Don't go crazy. Just do five minutes every day. I promise you'll want to do ten.

Brandi Starr [00:19:32]:
Okay. I love it. I love it. I use insight timer, and that's one of, you know, they've got all sorts of meditative music and guided meditations and all those things. I've got all the tools, so I'm going to try and use them. And so I want to shift a bit and talk about, because where I see, you know, to me, it's a lot easier to change my own behaviors and to change my own thoughts. And I'm very in tune with the kinds of things you're talking about and very familiar. What I have seen is when I recognize that those on my team and not necessarily my team here at Tegrida.

Brandi Starr [00:20:15]:
But, you know, I've seen it with clients in past places that I've led where they are experiencing that emotional fatigue. They are, you know, definitely in need of a ten minute meditation. But there is sometimes it can be really difficult to see someone struggling with things that are more emotional and personal and maintaining the line of, like, this is a working relationship, but at the same time, all these things I see are impacting your work. Like, it's, you know, it really is a difficult place as a leader because you can't get too involved, you can't get too personal, but at the same time, you're responsible and accountable for the growth of these people. And if it is those sort of things getting in their way, you want to lean into it. Any advice for the leaders and how they really support their team? You know, especially if they're doing the things for themselves, they're in a good place, they're leading with example. How do we actually support our teams in a way that is appropriate and effective?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:21:24]:
Yeah, I would say think back to a time when you had an amazing manager. What did that manager do for you that made you want to do whatever it took, regardless of what you were dealing with? So, like, I think about a manager that I had who would check in and say, you know, are you happy doing this work? And I was like, what do you mean, am I happy? Like, since Wendy, you care that I'm even happy I'm here, I'm fulfilling what you need me to do. Like happy. I think it takes a lot of trust. Building compassion, empathy, listening, not just showing up when they're in a hard time. I mean, who's going to want to talk to anyone when they're dealing with something? You got to cultivate trust every single day with your people. You need to have them understand you genuinely care about them so they feel a sense of, I got to tell her because my mom is struggling and I need to spend some time with her. I need to tell her that and not feel in fear that something bad is going to happen to me.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:22:28]:
And you get to support them during something difficult. You're building loyalty. You're building loyalty. You're building. I mean, I know when I felt supported, heard, understood was given the ability to do what I needed to do at home. I wanted to show up 110% when I was at work. So think about the ramifications of how you handle scenarios where you think, you know, they need something. But also recognize trust is built over time.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:22:57]:
You can't just expect to build trust overnight.

Brandi Starr [00:23:00]:
Yeah, and that's such a great point because that loyalty and desire to, you know, as you said, show up 110%, do all the things like that makes all the difference. Like, you know, we, the show is called revenue rehab. Our focus is on, you know, how do we overcome challenges of revenue and, you know, mental health and emotional well being and all those things don't seem obvious in terms of revenue drivers. But if you think about if you have a full team that is really, you know, hitting on all cylinders and really committed and want to be successful, that is where I feel like the revenue comes. It's like you spend that time on yourself, on your team. You know, that's one thing I take a lot of pride that we have been successful in doing here because we, you know, people are very open in that. Like, here's what I'm going through, and I need some space. And they feel supported.

Brandi Starr [00:24:03]:
They don't feel judged. You know, they. We've made all sorts of accommodations where we can, you know, in other companies, you know, where they would have, like, dismiss them. And we've had some people that have, you know, we had someone who had some mental health challenges and had been terminated from multiple positions because when they had had a, I'll call it a flare up, I'm pretty sure that's not the right word, but. And something happened. That person was just like, up. We're not dealing with this.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:24:33]:
Yeah.

Brandi Starr [00:24:34]:
You know, we were able to support them through that process and help to make accommodations so they could both balance their mental health and the challenges that came with that and actually getting the job done. And so, you know, we have really low turnover. Like, people generally stay with us for a long time when all of those things happen. And it does have that direct tie to the success of the organization and how stable and, you know, like, how that growth happens. And I think that's something that a lot of people don't always think about.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:25:11]:
Brandi, I have a quick story for you. I had an employer, prior employer. I was diagnosed with depression going through a divorce, and I was also leading a mental health employee resource group at this company. So I thought, well, I'm leading this. I have to have the courage to go first. I'm going to go first. I'm going to tell them I'm going to take a risk, like put myself out there. I told my boss that I was dealing with depression.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:25:35]:
Do you know, in my performance review, they evaluated me on my lack of bubbliness? You didn't bring your bubbly upbeat self to work every day. So, like, I get it. I get it. Like, how. How insensitive of an employer. And how did that affect me going, wow, I told you I was depressed, and now you're evaluating me. I'm not being bubbly. So, like, I know firsthand that's painful.

Brandi Starr [00:26:01]:
And how is bubbly a job requirement, even outside of mental health? Amen. I mean, unless, you know, I mean, I can see in hospitality when you're like, you know, a hostess or outside of certain careers, like, not a job requirement. Like, it shouldn't be on a performance evaluation anyway. But I do feel like those experiences are why so many people go from role to role being very scarred and traumatized. And it is like, there is a level like that. Emotional fatigue doesn't just come from current events and things that are happening. It is very much like layers upon layers, especially depending on how old you are, how long you've been in the workforce.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:26:48]:
Yeah.

Brandi Starr [00:26:48]:
And sometimes that's really, really difficult to unpack.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:26:52]:
Yeah, really, really. But what that did for me in my case is it lit a fire under me, and I said, you know, we got to make it, make some changes. So, you know, if anything, it's motivated me to help be part of the solution.

Brandi Starr [00:27:07]:
And then something else that what you said made me think about is, you know, in some cases, we as leaders understand all these things. We are doing the things that we can to foster that trust and openness and compassion within our own teams. But sometimes we're in organizations where our peers at the executive level don't share the same mindset. So how do you, any advice on how you help that spread? Because I do see a lot of people where they get it, but they've got toxic counterparts or a toxic CEO that is like that boss that you said that would put bubbly on a review knowing you were experiencing depression. Like, how do we sort of manage sideways and manage up to help to, you know, get these sort of things to be the organizational norm?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:28:03]:
I think it's influence, honestly. Like, that's the only lever we really have is our. Is our ability to influence and showcase instances where what you've done works, you know, and, you know, and the results, because, you know, this is revenue rehab. So it's all about results. So you could easily start to, you know, highlight how best practices, what we've done in our group to kind of encourage and foster productivity is do these things and then just influence, you know, it's like the carrot or the stick. The only way you could probably start to fertilize this around is by modeling, influencing and showcasing success.

Brandi Starr [00:28:48]:
Okay. Yeah. And I do. I agree there. And I know sometimes, like, I've seen leaders leave organizations because they have not been able to have that influence. And it's almost, it's like with the fruit. Like, if you have a bag of fruit in the fridge and one is bad. Yeah, like that.

Brandi Starr [00:29:10]:
You know it. Like that one bad, one makes the others bad, but the opposite is not true. So, like, if you're the one good one, like, you don't, you don't make the other fruit great. Like, so that is a little bit of a struggle because, you know, there are individuals who struggle with these things. And I think the advice you've given has been great there. And then there are people who get it and they are focused on their own mental health and well being and make the effort with their employees. But I do believe it has to, you know, it has to be a cultural norm across the organization.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:29:49]:
But you can't argue with results. Right? So, like, I get it. You can't take a, you know, a good piece of fruit and expect it to make everybody. But what you can do is you can showcase results. And if results, if your department is more productive and meeting their targets than the other one, results speak louder in terms of the leadership style and how that leader is running their division.

Brandi Starr [00:30:14]:
Yeah. And I think the hard part there is demonstrating those results and being able to make that connection. I mean, you know, in marketing, we're always battling attribution and where the air quotes credit for the results goes. And so, you know, not to, like, I think the, a word attribution has been banished. I don't know how many times here, but, like, thinking about it in just the difficulty in drawing, the same difficulty in drawing a connection between marketing tactics to where the opportunities came from, I do think it is equally as difficult being able to show I'm leading my team differently. And here's what the results are. Have you seen organizations be successful in being able to, like, actually, you know, show that in a way that resonated?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:31:07]:
Yeah. I mean, like, when I was at my prior company, we had an employee satisfaction survey that ran every year. One year they would, they would ask employees to evaluate their direct report, their direct supervisor. So that would be really telling data, but then it would also, then the next year, it would evaluate the overall company, the benefits, the support that the employee felt from the organization. So they toggled between year to year, whether, you know, what they were evaluating and the leaders that consistently because I was part of the team that would evaluate, would run the survey. The leaders that were the most successful always had rock solid results from their employee surveys, and that was just, you know, and then the ones that, you know, you would wonder, why? Why does that leader have so much turnover? Will you get the results? And you'd see the candid feedback of their people, and you'd understand the work needed to really be done around that leader. That leader is, you know, needed to be, you know, looked at and get, hopefully some coaching, some improvement, or move on.

Brandi Starr [00:32:22]:
Yeah. And I think that is, I love the idea of having the employees evaluate the manager. I don't think that happens enough in organizations. And, you know, those can be uncomfortable conversations, but very necessary. Like, we all have flaws. We all have to consistently be growing as leaders. And, you know, the workforce is evolving. You know, I.

Brandi Starr [00:32:45]:
People get into the generation wars of, you know, stereotyping different generations. And whether you buy into that or not, there are differences. And as things change, we do, in some cases, have to be able to adapt. Like, I have a 23 year old and a nine year old, and if I just look at what it was like parenting my 23 year old when he was nine, it's so different now. Like, I'm having different challenges. There are different things I have to worry about. And so the same is true for, you know, like, you think about the average c suite exec is over 45, right? And, you know, decision makers now are much, much younger, and the workforce is much younger. So it's like, how do we need to adapt?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:33:34]:
Exactly. We all do.

Brandi Starr [00:33:36]:
Yeah. I mean, I can remember a point saying, recommending in a workplace that someone should meditate would have been like. Like, you know, it would have been very off putting. Like, we're not with the woo woo stuff. Whereas now, you know, it is a very normal and natural conversation and, you know, would not hesitate to make that statement. So, yeah, having a team evaluate the manager does give some. Some opportunities for the manager to grow as well.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:34:05]:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And, you know, it could be anonymous. It doesn't need to be, you know, it could just be anonymous. It could just be a way for leaders to get the pulse of their people, your people. Leaders are the face that that employee sees every day. They interact with them. You know, they create the experience of your staff.

Brandi Starr [00:34:27]:
Yeah.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:34:28]:
And so that's precious, if you ask me. I mean, I'm in the process of scaling my business, and I'm thinking about my number one concern is, how can I treat my people so well, that they never want to leave.

Brandi Starr [00:34:39]:
Yeah.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:34:40]:
You know what I mean? Like, I mean, for me, that's like, that's going to be my focus, because I know if I take care of my people, they take care of my business.

Brandi Starr [00:34:48]:
Yes. You know, and that. That is exactly it. Well, talking about our challenges is just the first step. And nothing changes if nothing changes. And so, in traditional therapy, the therapist gives the client some homework. Here at revenue rehab, we like to flip that on its head and ask you to give us some homework. And so, besides the ten minute meditation, because we all are going to do that, what is your one thing? If this conversation has resonated with a listener, where would you recommend that they start?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:35:22]:
So I love the meditation. I think that's key. And I've coached, as you said, in the intro, like, thousands of hours of coaching, I've been really privileged to have the ability to help people avoid burnout. And one of the number one things I have seen in these coaching calls is that people start their day off in chaos. So my piece of advice to you is, start your day off with a little bit of time just for you. Don't fall into your day. Most people hit the snooze button. Hit the snooze button to the last flip a minute.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:35:58]:
They fly out of bed, they grab their coffee, they sit in traffic, or they have to deal with, like, immediate fires. Find yourself ten minutes just to sit with that cup of coffee or that cup of tea. Breathe. Set an intention. Do a five minute meditation. Just give yourself a drink of water in the morning before you start serving everybody else. It literally will set the cadence for how the day unfolds. I promise you, you will feel so different as you start your day.

Brandi Starr [00:36:30]:
I was gonna say, the way you describe that sounds like you were peeking in my bedroom in the morning. Because I am that person with eight alarms set. And the last one I have named, seriously, because that is my. If you don't get up right now, you know, you are completely screwed. Alarm.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:36:49]:
I mean, there's enough. Here's the thing. There's enough stress that we're going to encounter during the day. Like, man, like, can you try to not give yourself stress when you wake up? Like, it just ease into the day and just see what the difference of that would be for you.

Brandi Starr [00:37:02]:
I am going to start with the ten minute meditation. Then we'll work on the sleep routine, because that's a whole different challenge. Well, Michelle, I have thoroughly enjoyed our discussion, but that's our time for today. But before we go. How can people stay connected with you and definitely give the shameless plug for what you do?

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:37:26]:
Oh, sure. I'm a resilience coach visionary consultant, so I'm helping employees, like stay balanced. You could follow me and my content on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is like my second home and you can get all my information there. If you are interested in following me on TikTok and Instagram, I'm always pushing out resilience tips and strategies to help people just feel their best.

Brandi Starr [00:37:47]:
Awesome. Well, I will make sure the next thing that I do is follow you on TikTok because I definitely spend way too much time there. But we will link to your LinkedIn and social channels so that if anyone wants to stay connected and follow you, they can do that. So check the show notes, wherever you are listening or watching so that you can stay connected with Michelle. Well, Michelle, thank you again for joining me this morning. I have absolutely enjoyed our discussion.

Michelle E. Dickinson [00:38:17]:
Same. Brandi, you're lovely and thank you so much for finding me and having me.

Brandi Starr [00:38:21]:
Awesome. Well, thanks everyone for joining us. I hope you have enjoyed my conversation with Michelle. Until next time. Bye bye.