The Newsletter
Want an email that makes you feel a little less alone in the nonprofit squeeze?
Same. And I think you're in the right place.
Most of us have inboxes full of best practices, urgent appeals, and webinars we'll never watch. We're over-saturated with information and starved for real conversation about the human cost of the work we do.
I'm Abbey Harlow. I send a bi-weekly(ish) letter to nonprofit humans who are trying to lead with integrity inside a system that often prioritizes "more" over "healthy." These emails aren't about leveraging synergies or hitting your KPIs. They're about unlearning the efficiency trap and remembering how to do this work like a human being.
How I write: the seasonal cycle of leadership
Winter: Rest & Deep Roots
This is when we talk about burnout: what causes it, what it costs, and what it looks like to rest on purpose. Not as a reward for finishing everything, but as part of the work itself.
Spring: Re-entry & Planting
The pause is over and now what? We look at how to start fresh without just recreating the same patterns.
Summer: Rhythm & Cultivation
This is the doing season — fundraising campaigns, team culture, annual reports. We talk about how to keep things moving without running everything on urgency and adrenaline.
Fall: Harvest & Reflection
Slowing down before the year ends to reflect back on what happened. What worked, what didn't, what you want to do differently. The stuff that gets skipped when you go straight from October to January planning mode.
What to expect
Reflections on capacity, power, and strategy. Practical questions that help you see your team, your board, and your own energy a little differently. The occasional children's book, haiku, or image that gets sprinkled in. And first access to new workshops, Winter Roots registration, and Coaching Sprint openings.
