Thankfully executive functions are coachable skills

People tell me I look like a lady of leisure - calm and cheerful every day.
If only they knew what my life actually looks like.

💆‍♂️I'm a caregiver to an advanced stage cancer patient - emergencies (5 in just last year, for the record), hospitalisation, out-patient reviews, cooking, groceries, house chores - and choosing joy where we still can. Cheering for life, even when life is fragile.

👩‍💼A solopreneur building from scratch while learning to do what I am not good at (eg publicity!), investing effort in deserving credentials. Writing daily, posting weekly, showing up online and in-person. Following up enquiries. Hosting exploratory calls that may or may not lead anywhere. Building something from scratch - thoughtfully, intentionally.

👩‍🏫A leadership coach who holds multiple clients' multiple challenges while managing multiple of my own outside the room.

👧A daughter who flies home every 3 months for ageing parents overseas - practising the hardest skill: doing nothing in their presence.

👩A big sister who sits with her brother weekly as his buddy through his struggles.

👯‍♀️A friend who makes time for quality time, deep conversations with local friends and overseas besties across time zones - connection isn't a luxury, it's a commitment.

👐I volunteer 3 hours a week at a spiritual organisation.

⛑️And ~ not forgetting my own health challenges.

You think it's a lot? It is.

But I don't experience my life as stressful.

Instead, I ground myself in joy and gratitude.

Grounded doesn't mean life is quiet.

👉𝐈𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐈 𝐚𝐦.

That’s executive functions at work - supported by neural training: spiritual practice, body care, solo travel, grooming and pleasure that reminds my system that life is safe.

When chaos hit - medical emergencies, caregiving logistics, work demands colliding - I don't reach for control. I reach for 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Strong executive functions don't mean doing everything perfectly. They mean doing things well enough, at the right moment - without unhealthy emotions.

They teach my nervous system how to return to baseline faster, stay anchored in the body when the mind starts sprinting, notice fear without letting it hijack decisions.

Clarity beats completeness.

When planning, emotion regulations, and stress recovery work together, 👉 stress becomes data, not danger.

This matters for emerging leaders with busy brains.

Good news?
They are coachable skills.