07/09/2025
In 15 years of consulting for social change, I’ve “broken up” with four clients out of hundreds – and they all had one thing in common.
Every single one brought sleepless nights and second-guessing.
You weigh the pros and cons.
You rehearse the conversation in your head.
You worry about the fallout.
And then – you do it. You take a deep breath and have the conversation.
And every time, without fail, I’ve felt immediate relief.
Not because it was easy. But because deep down, I already knew.
I knew that holding on would cost more than letting go.
That neither I nor the client was well-served by a relationship that no longer fit.
That my energy was being drained.
That my team was feeling it too.
That the stress was no longer worth it.
And most of all – I knew I couldn’t ignore the quiet signal that something was off. That gut instinct we so often try to talk ourselves out of.
It’s not always obvious from the outside.
And honestly? It’s not always obvious from the inside, either.
What I’ve learned is this:
Most of the time, we do know what we want.
We’re just afraid of what it will take to get there.
We ignore the signs. We silence the instinct. Because doing hard things is, well – hard.
But every time I’ve found the courage to act, I’ve never regretted it. Not once.
So if you’re facing a tough choice, try this:
➡️ Separate how you feel about the outcome from how you feel about the steps it will take to get there.
It might just give you the push you need to end something you already know needs to end.
