Stepping back

How do you step back?

If you're like many entrepreneurs I know—especially women—you’re deeply committed to the hustle. Your days are packed with work, relationships, and responsibilities, and stepping back can feel impossible. You worry that if you pause, everything might fall apart.

But where does the energy to keep going come from? That’s where stepping back matters.

A five-minute breathing break. Moving your body. An hour once a week. A visit to a beautiful exhibit with a great friend. A good meal. What is it for you?

It might feel counterintuitive to stop when you have so much on your plate, but stepping back prevents burnout, unlocks creative problem-solving, boosts your immune system, and helps you show up as the leader—and human—you want to be. (I don’t really separate the two. It’s all life.)

Recently, I stepped back with the incredible Lana Suvorova at the Ryuichi Sakamoto exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo. Wandering through the pieces, then talking about love and business over lunch, I left feeling inspired and renewed. One work that stayed with me: async - first light, Durmiente, created with Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul. It made me reflect on the deep vulnerability of sleep—and the few people in our lives we trust enough to be that unguarded with. A reminder to appreciate those who have protected me in my most helpless moments.

How would stepping back inspire and re-energize you?