The Power of Deliberate Leadership with Kelsey Sumner

If you’ve ever felt buried under a mountain of tasks, juggling so much that you can't even lift your head up to see the big picture, you're not alone.

Today on Leading With Heart, I sat down with my friend and organizational expert, Kelsey Sumner, to talk about something that every leader (and frankly, every human) needs to hear: how to get organized in the midst of chaos.

This isn’t about color-coding your calendar for fun. This is about building real systems to reclaim your time, energy, and leadership power, so you can thrive instead of just survive.

Let’s dive into the major takeaways from today’s episode.

The Hard Truth: If You’re Drowning, You Can’t Lead

One of the biggest aha moments from our conversation was realizing that when you're buried in the chaos, you simply can't prioritize. You're stuck putting out fires. You're reactive instead of proactive. And the people you're leading? They can feel it.

The first step toward reclaiming your energy and effectiveness is getting organized, not in a Pinterest-perfect way, but in a way that allows you to breathe again and lead with intention.

Step 1: Recognize the Chaos

Before you can fix anything, you have to see it clearly.

We talked about how important it is to recognize all the things you're juggling without judgment.

• Write it all down.
• Don’t edit yourself.
• Don’t minimize how much you’re carrying.

Acknowledging the load is the first step toward taking control of it.

Step 2: Break It Down

After you recognize the chaos, it’s time to break it down into manageable parts.

• What specifically about each task or responsibility feels overwhelming?
• Where is the real pain point?
• What’s urgent, and what’s noise?
  
  

We can't tackle the big picture until we’ve made the complex a little bit simpler.

Step 3: Reorganize It Into a Manageable System

Once you've named the chaos and broken it down, the next move is building a system that works for you.
It doesn’t have to be fancy.
It just needs to be: Repeatable, Sustainable Flexible

This could be a spreadsheet, a project management app, sticky notes on your wall, whatever helps you SEE what’s on your plate and lead it effectively.

Why Getting Organized Is ACTUALLY a Self-Care Practice

Organization isn't just about productivity.
It’s about reclaiming your peace.
It’s about shifting from drowning to breathing.
It’s about creating space for your real leadership skills — clarity, decisiveness, and compassion, to shine through.

When you’re organized, you’re no longer scrambling. You’re leading.

Final Thoughts: You Are Not Alone

Friend, if you feel overwhelmed right now, take a deep breath.
You are not behind.
You are not broken.
And you are definitely not alone.

Start by recognizing the chaos.
Break it down.

Build a system.
And give yourself permission to lead with heart, not just hustle.

If today’s conversation resonated with you, make sure to listen to the full episode and share it with a friend who might need it too. And don’t forget, you are enough, no matter how messy your inbox or to-do list looks right now. 💛

If you want to chat more about this topic, I would love to continue this conversation with you, over on Instagram, or in my Facebook community!

RESOURCES:

Connect with Kelsey Sumner:

https://thislittleconsultingfirm.com/

Workbook: https://thislittleconsultingfirm.kit.com/products/overwhelm-to-action-workbook

Use code  TLCF15 for 15% off of the workbook!

Join the Strong and Resilient Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/336774597179247

SHOW NOTES: https://www.christinamattisonyoga.com/blog/episode68