The Power of Grace: A Humbling Reminder of What It Means to Be Human
Yesterday was one of those days that humbles you in the best way.
I had the privilege of speaking at the Greater Raleigh Chamber Women’s Leadership Conference 2026: Amplify Your Influence, and I walked away deeply grateful. Grateful for the conversations, the vulnerability people shared, and the openness to the message I brought. Truly, it was one of those moments that fills your cup—the kind that makes all the preparation, nerves, and late nights worth it!
And then…life reminded me what being human actually looks like.
At 2 a.m., my son woke up violently sick.
Suddenly, the night became three hours of cleaning and comforting—walls, floors, rugs, hair… all of it. Parents, you know the drill. Sleep? Gone. Energy? Gone. Pride in my presentation? Temporarily replaced by sheer exhaustion and the realization that life doesn’t pause for our schedules or agendas.
Normally, my instinct would be to power through the next day. Push. Perform. Check the boxes. Keep the momentum. That’s what leadership often asks of us: to show up, keep moving, and make things happen no matter what.
But today, I gave myself something I talk about often—grace.
After a big day yesterday and a long night caring for my kid, I gave myself permission to not do. I gave myself permission to slow down, to take care of what mattered most, and to let everything else wait.
Because here’s the truth: our to-do lists aren’t always the priority. Sometimes the most important thing we can do is set the cape down for a minute and just be human.
Ironically, nothing will make you feel human faster than cleaning up puke from places you didn’t know puke could reach. And yes, I include walls in that list.
Yesterday, after the session, a woman came up to me and shared something that stuck with me. Her team has a code word: “grace.”
When someone says it, it means:
“I need a minute.”
“I’m not on today.”
“Give me some space to regroup.”
No explanations required. Just acknowledgment. Just permission.
What struck me most is this: we are often generous with grace when it comes to others. We can give our team, colleagues, friends, and family the benefit of the doubt, the space to pause, the understanding to recharge. But how often do we extend that same grace to ourselves?
We live in a culture that celebrates doing, achieving, and “pushing through” as marks of strength. Yet sometimes, the strongest thing we can do is step back. To recognize our limits. To care for ourselves with the same kindness we offer to others.
So here’s the reminder I needed today—and perhaps one someone else needs too:
Give yourself grace before life forces the dramatic reminder.
Pause. Breathe. Let yourself be human. The emails can wait. The deadlines will survive. Your to-do list will still be there when you’re ready—and you’ll be better, sharper, and more present when you return.
Leadership isn’t just about the work we accomplish—it’s also about how we show up for ourselves and others. And sometimes showing up means pausing, acknowledging your limits, and choosing grace over perfection.
So, if you take one thing away from my night of cleaning, comforting, and reflection: allow yourself the code word. Use it. Protect it. Honor it. Because giving yourself grace isn’t a weakness—it’s an essential act of human leadership.
The aftermath…..
