HR on Your Terms: Part 4: Building with Grace – Taking Care of Yourself as You Grow

Let’s get real for a moment: Betting on yourself doesn’t mean every day feels like a dream. There have been days I’ve questioned everything:

• When a coaching prospect didn’t close.

• When cash flow got tight.

• When imposter syndrome pulled up a chair and refused to leave.

But even in those moments, I reminded myself: I’m doing HR my way. That alone has made it all worth it.

Why Rest Is Strategy, Not Weakness

When I first left corporate and began building HR@Heart, I knew burnout wasn’t an option anymore. I’d already been there—twice. So I had to build my business differently.

It started small.

I gave myself half-day Fridays.

That alone was life-changing.

Picking up my kids from school, grabbing pizza, and actually hearing how their day was without rushing back to a laptop or a late meeting? That was self-care.

Eventually, those half-days evolved into No-Work Fridays, a boundary I now protect like gold. Some Fridays, I binge-watch a series. Other days, I go explore parts of Barbados I’ve never seen (shoutout to Mel Robbins and her "Never Been There, Never Done That" challenge).

That time off became a rhythm of rest, not a reward. It reminded me that rest isn’t the opposite of productivity. It’s part of it.

Self-Care Is More Than Spa Days

The world has sold us this image of self-care as face masks and brunch. And yes, those things are lovely.

But real self-care at work looks like:

• Saying no to another project when your plate is full

• Leaving on time without guilt

• Declining a meeting that could absolutely be an email

• Taking your full lunch break

• Giving yourself permission to not be everything to everyone

When I started building these boundaries into my workflow, I became a better coach, facilitator, and founder because I wasn’t operating from depletion.

I was leading from overflow.

That’s why I advocate so strongly for HR professionals to design careers that take care of them, too. We spend so much of our lives holding space for others; it’s time we held that same space for ourselves.

Three Practices That Helped Me Stay the Course

1. Create a Self-Care System

Not just bubble baths. I’m talking real systems: weekly emotional check-ins, peer support from other HR professionals, therapy when needed, and saying no without apology.

2. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection

I used to ignore small wins. Now I celebrate them all: a successful client session, a breakthrough in a workshop, a day when I rested well. Give yourself grace.

3. Find Your People

The HR world can feel isolating when you’re trying to do things differently. Surround yourself with people who get it. My community has saved me more than once.

Your Final Prompt

How are you taking care of yourself while building the life and HR career you want?

If you’re not sure, start with one small habit this week that replenishes you. A walk. A Friday off. A boundary respected.

If you need help, I’m here. This journey isn’t meant to be walked alone.

This wraps up our 4-part series on Betting on Yourself as an HR Professional. Whether you’re stuck, burned out, or on the edge of reinvention, know this: You’re not stuck. You’re at the start of something different.

And guess what?

My next series kicks off soon: "So You Want to Be in HR... Are You Sure?"

We’ll unpack the truth about entering this profession, the good, the hard, and the human.

Until then, take care of you.

With care,

Your HR Coach ❤️