When Survival Becomes the Habit
A Call to Leaders, Creators, and Anyone Running on Empty
It was 11:03 p.m. on a Tuesday in London.
I’d just finished a call with a colleague in Australia and was still answering emails, half-eating a salad over my laptop, trying to ignore the tight knot forming at the base of my spine. My husband had already asked me—twice—when I’d be off.
“Soon,” I told him. Again.
My day started at 7am. And I wasn’t working late because I wanted to.
I was working late because, for some reason, I couldn’t stop.
Work had a hold on me—seven days a week, for three months straight.
I told myself this was just what life looked like at this level, that things would return to normal once the project ended or I staffed the team.
I didn’t realize it then, but I was in survival mode.
And survival mode is sneaky.
On the outside, I looked capable—even high-performing: I had the right answers, the right results, the right image.
But on the inside?
I was becoming emotionally brittle. Creatively numb. Disconnected from myself.
Since then, I’ve come to understand something essential:
You can’t lead when you’re depleted.
You can’t grow.
And you certainly can’t create your best, most meaningful work—or your most fulfilling life—from that state.
Thriving begins the moment we shift from survival into a state of creation.
Not “creative mode” in the artistic sense, but creation as a way of being.
Creation is about the energy we’re drawing from.
It’s the difference between reacting to life and consciously shaping it.
Survival mode narrows our vision.
It shrinks possibility.
It keeps us focused on urgency and short-term relief.
And over time, it dims our light.
Creation mode is different.
It’s expansive. Grounded. It doesn’t mean life is effortless, but it means you’re choosing how to show up. You’re leading from clarity, not compulsion. From intention, not fear. From abundance, not scarcity.
The shift doesn’t have to be dramatic.
Often, it begins with the slightest disruption to the survival pattern:
A pause before saying “yes.”
A breath before replying.
A walk without your phone.
Ten minutes of stillness.
One evening without screens.
A return to something that brings you joy—music, writing, movement, prayer.
One honest conversation.
The courage to want more.
And just like survival mode, creation is contagious.
When you lead from a resourced place, you inspire others to do the same—to communicate clearly, protect their energy, and act with intention.
So here’s what I want to ask you:
Are you leading your life from survival—or creation?
Where might you be reacting when you long to be designing?
What’s one small step you can take today to reclaim your presence and possibility?
You don’t need a big plan to begin.
You need one act that interrupts the noise and brings you back to yourself.
For most of us, that starts with vitality—strengthening the foundation that supports everything else.
It means tending to your energy and well-being across all dimensions: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.
Maybe that’s meditation.
Maybe it’s running, dancing in your kitchen, sketching, or writing just for you.
Whatever it is—find it.
Use it.
Let it bring you home.
Because you cannot create the life you want—
the work, the relationships, the legacy—
from a place of depletion.
And you were not made for mere survival.
You are a creator, not a cog.
You are the composer of your life–your Opus.
So, take one small step out of reactivity.
One deep breath.
And let that breath become a beginning.
Until next time, be well!
As always, thank you for being here. If this resonates with you, please share this letter with others who might benefit. Thank you!
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