If you're reading this between meetings, during your lunch break, or after finally getting the kids to bed, I see you. You're the woman who gives everything to everyone else, who shows up as the reliable one, the problem-solver, the one who never drops the ball. But when did you last truly rest? Not collapse-from-exhaustion rest, but the kind of deep, restorative rest that actually fills you back up?
I'm passionate about helping women leaders like you understand something revolutionary: rest isn't selfish, it's strategic. And when you combine it with nature's healing power, it becomes your secret leadership weapon.
The Truth About Women Leaders and Burnout
The 2024 McKinsey Women in the Workplace report reveals what we've been feeling: women leaders are burning out at unprecedented rates, especially those juggling the "sandwich generation" pressures of caring for children and ageing parents whilst climbing the corporate ladder. Meanwhile, Gallup's latest research shows that women in leadership roles experience 35% higher rates of chronic exhaustion than their male counterparts.
Here's what I've learned through 20+ years in corporate leadership and now coaching incredible women like you: rest isn't the absence of productivity, it's the foundation of sustainable high performance. Harvard Business Review's recent studies prove that leaders who prioritise restorative rest make better decisions, demonstrate higher emotional intelligence, and inspire more authentic followership.
Yet we've been conditioned to believe that rest is something we earn after we've achieved enough, accomplished enough, proven enough. That's not just wrong, it's dangerous.
Nature: Your Leadership Recovery System
I've witnessed something magical happen when women leaders step away from their screens and into wild spaces. There's something about being surrounded by ancient mountains, breathing crisp air, and hearing nothing but wind through trees that recalibrates our entire nervous system.
Recent research from UK universities confirms what we intuitively know: spending time in nature reduces cortisol levels by up to 50%, enhances creative problem-solving by 60%, and restores our capacity for focused attention. Japanese studies on "forest bathing" show that just two hours in nature significantly improves immune function and reduces inflammation, the kind of chronic stress that so many of us carry.
When I think about the women I've had the privilege to facilitate retreats with, sitting around campfires in Snowdonia, laughing together without the need to perform or prove anything, I witness transformation happening in real time. Nature gives us permission to come home to ourselves.
Your Mini-Retreat Toolkit: 3 Ways to Rest Deeply Right Now
You don't need to wait for a week away to start reclaiming your energy. Here are three practices I share with my clients that you can begin today:
1. The 5-Minute Nature Reset
Step outside, even if it's just your garden or a nearby park. Place your feet on the ground, breathe deeply, and ask yourself: "What do I need right now?" Trust the first answer that comes.
2. The Boundary Breath
Before responding to that urgent email or saying yes to another commitment, take three conscious breaths. Ask: "Is this mine to carry?" Give yourself permission to pause before automatically taking on more.
3. The Evening Restore Ritual
Create 15 minutes before bed that belong entirely to you. No phones, no planning tomorrow, no solving anyone else's problems. Journal, stretch, or simply sit in stillness. This isn't selfish: it's essential.
Your Invitation to Rise Rested
If you're feeling the pull towards something deeper: towards real rest, authentic connection, and rediscovering your strength: I want you to know that you're not alone in this longing.
This February, I'm co-facilitating a transformative women's retreat in the heart of Snowdonia with systemic leadership expert Jenny Mackewn. Together, we bring 50+ years of experience helping women break the cycles of burnout and step into their most authentic leadership.
Rest deeply. Rise stronger. That's not just a beautiful phrase: it's a way of being that changes everything.
Our Rest & Rise Women's Leadership Retreat is designed for women exactly like you: those who've been giving so much yet rarely put themselves first. Limited to just 15 women, it's an intimate space where you can finally exhale, reconnect, and remember who you are beyond all the roles you play.
If you're curious about what deep rest, sisterhood, and wild nature could do for your leadership journey, I'd love for you to explore what we've created together. Early bird spaces are available until 30th November, and every part of me believes you deserve this investment in yourself.
Learn more about the February 2026 Rest & Rise Retreat or secure your place directly here.
Your future self: rested, restored, and ready to lead with renewed purpose: is waiting.
Ready to transform your relationship with rest and leadership? I offer one-to-one coaching sessions where we can explore what sustainable, authentic leadership looks like for you personally. Let's work together to help you lead from a place of wholeness rather than depletion.
