“We are not meant to force ourselves into monochromatic, one-tone grinds that look and feel the same every single day.” - Winnie da SilvaHigh-performing leaders love a good challenge, so here’s one: can you actually sit still without feeling guilty? Most of us can’t, and there’s a reason for that. Pushing through isn’t always strength, but sometimes the moment you slip into self-neglect without even noticing. In this episode, I wrap up our month-long series on “excellence without exhaustion” by taking a deeper look at how awareness, rhythm, and tiny experiments can shift the entire way we lead. I also share a personal conversation with my daughter that completely reframed how I think about rest… and honestly, it stopped me in my tracks.You’ll hear me discuss:* How my daughter’s off-hand comment revealed a deeply ingrained family belief that “doing” equals worth* Why rest can’t just be about recovering so you can work harder again* The difference between pushing through as a strength and pushing through as a liability* The subtle early signals our bodies give us when stress is building and why catching them matters* What natural biological rhythms look like and how they can guide smarter, more sustainable performance* How forcing our bodies to match our calendars erodes creativity, wisdom, and compassion* Why tiny experiments (not big overhauls) create real and lasting change* The simple nighttime practice I use to stop rumination in its tracks* How revitalization becomes an act of humility and even a spiritual reset* Questions you can start using today to notice your patterns, shift your rhythm, and build rest back into your leadershipWinnie da Silva on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/winnie-da-silva-1b8414/) | On the Web (https://www.winniedasilva.com/) | Substack (https://winniedasilva.substack.com/) | YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@winniedasilvaleadership) | Email - winnie@winnifred.org (mailto:winnie@winnifred.org)Learn More About Sapiens* Overview of Sapiens - A short video introduction to Sapiens and their mission to help people in intense jobs manage stress and sustain performance.* Video: The Diagnostics Journey - See what it’s like to go through the full Sapiens Stress & Resilience Diagnostic and Human Performance Journey.* Sneak Peek: Sapiens Workshop - Get a behind-the-scenes look at a real Sapiens workshop with a CFO team.Mentioned Studies* Impact of long exhales on down-regulating the nervous system and improving mood (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36630953/)* Impact of microbiome composition on social decision making (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11093127/)* The connection between stress and empathy (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763422004924)* Link between empathy and inflammation (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889159124003131?via=ihub)Special Offer for ListenersJan-Philipp Martini, founder and CEO of Sapiens, is offering Transformative Leadership Conversations listeners a 20% discount on the Sapiens Stress & Resilience Diagnostic and Habit-Change Program, valid through the end of 2025.