You can't always think your way through your problems. And you can't always do your way through them either.

Sometimes the solution isn't about pushing harder—it's about stepping back. Taking a pause. Exploring a different avenue.

I see this most often with stress and difficult problem-solving. That feeling when you're stuck or overwhelmed? Sure, sometimes you need to stick it out—get the deliverable done, check the box, quell the anxiety. But here's the thing: that's not always the right path.

Sometimes, when you're stuck, the best thing you can do is take a break. Go outside for a walk. Exercise. See friends. Give the mind rest and reprieve.

respect the rest

It reminds me of lifting. When you're about to max out, you can't just keep pushing—you need to respect the rest. It's not about going as hard as you can for as long as you can. It's about doing your reps, then taking the recovery you need in between.

And sometimes that rest isn't a minute or three. It's a day. A week.

But that time in between is what allows the muscles to recover and come back stronger. The mind follows the same pattern—giving it room to breathe creates space for the solution to arrive.

thirty minutes in the sun

I felt this today. I was stressed, a pile of things to do, a little overwhelmed. The instinct was to push through.

Instead: 30 minutes in the sun. Jumping rope. Moving my body.

I came back refreshed, calm. And in that space, I could execute again.

signals, not failures

Here's what I'm learning: when the mind gets stuck, flustered, anxious—these aren't failures. They're signals. They function as a compass.

Wait a second. You're reaching your limit.

The same way your muscles tell you they're tired, your brain is telling you it's hitting a wall. And doing something other than obsessing on the task may actually serve the accomplishment of the task.

The path isn't always straight. Sometimes it requires detours—especially when the road ahead gets blocked.