Hi Reader,

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Welcome to The Sunday Shift!

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What does aesthetics mean to you?

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A client recently shared her definition of aesthetics, and something clicked for me. As she described its meaning, a light bulb went off in my mind. We weren’t just talking about the visual kind (though I love a clean, thoughtful vibe), we went deeper into how something feels. The rhythm. The energy. The experience.

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The discussion led me to learning something important about myself. I need beauty, structure, and room to color outside the lines; to find my calm. I know this about me, but my client’s words brought a different conscious level of its meaning to me.

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I thrive on high performance and discipline. I get things done. I have that can-do attitude, “we’ll figure it out.” But if I don’t have space to create, to break a rule or reimagine a process, I get stuck and disconnected from myself. And honestly? I get resentful. I retreat before eventually finding my way back to what brings out my best.

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Looking back on my life and career, one thing’s clear: when rules lack flexibility, it’s not structure for me, it’s a cage. It feels like being caged when every part of me wants to break free.

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Creativity isn’t just about making something pretty.

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It’s about solving problems, knowing what matters, and choosing what works for you, for others, for the moment.

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For example, in service-driven roles, we’re taught to follow procedures. And for good reason as procedures are meant to keep things moving, consistent, safe. But when someone shows up with a real, human need… and the procedure doesn’t quite fit...

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This is exactly what my client faced. The procedure wasn’t going to work for the situation. She had a choice: say, “Sorry, that’s just our policy,” or rethink “What’s going on here and what’s the right thing to do?”

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She chose the latter, costing the company money, and knowing she made the right choice. When she explained her decision, leadership applauded her clarity and care.

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After all, rules are guardrails, not gospel.

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And sometimes, self-leadership looks like bending one to serve the bigger purpose (in work and in life).

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Ideas to Ponder

• Where are you following rules you no longer believe in?
• How might breaking the "shoulds" reconnect you to what truly matters?
• What do you actually need to create your best work—or your best life?
• What would it mean to create structure that frees you, not confines you?

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🎯 1 Focus This Week

Notice the places where you’re following out of habit, not intention. Then ask: What would this look like if I were designing it for what matters now?

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Your life has an aesthetic, and you get to shape and style it. Not to be trendy, but to be true to you.

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I believe you are the most powerful leader you’ll ever know. One small shift, Reader, will help you believe it, too.

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To bold moves ahead,

Jenn

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P.S. Forward this to someone who’s stuck inside a “should.” Sometimes permission to break a rule is exactly what someone needs to hear.

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