Nonprofit leadership is tough, but it doesn’t have to break you. You dedicate your time, energy, and heart to serving others. But who takes care of you?
In this episode of Nonprofits Are Messy, guest host Glennda Testone sits down with licensed clinical social worker and trauma specialist Mariam Habib to explore what it truly means to sustain yourself while leading with purpose. They discuss the mental and emotional toll of leadership, the importance of self-care, and practical strategies to build resilience and longevity in the nonprofit sector.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, exhausted, or uncertain about how to sustain yourself in your leadership role, this episode is a must-listen. Mariam’s insights offer tangible strategies to ensure you can lead with clarity, energy, and resilience for years to come.
TUNE IN TO LEARN:
- WHAT BOUNDARIES REALLY MEAN. “I love the Adrienne Maree Brown quote about boundaries: Your no makes the way for your yes.” (Mariam Habib)
- THE DANGER OF THE MARTYDOM TRAP. “It’s really easy to fall for the romanticization of overwork and the idea that that is somehow indicative of your goodness, of your depth, of your dedication. It’s like a major pitfall, and it’s like a huge hole in the sidewalk as soon as you step out the door…” (Mariam Habib)
- FOUR PILLARS OF RESILIENCE. Identity, Belonging, Purpose, and Path—these concepts can sustain you in your leadership role.
- HOW TO BELONG TO YOURSELF. “I really believe the most important thing about belonging is figuring out how to feel a deep sense of belonging to yourself.” (Mariam Habib)
- THE SECRET TO LEADERSHIP SUSTAINABILITY. “Sustainability is doing the work for as long as you want while staying whole and in your integrity.” (Glennda Testone)
- ON SELF-CARE FOUNDATIONS. “The basics are the basics for a reason. Nourish your body with food, water, medicine, movement, and touch. Attend to your mind with reflective practices and self-inquiry.” (Mariam Habib)
ABOUT GUEST:
Mariam I. Habib holds courageous, generative space for growth and transformation. She is a therapist, facilitator, and educator rooted in the liberatory power of love, empathy, and human dignity. As a queer bicultural person, Mariam is well-versed in helping people navigate the complexity of identity, culture, belonging, purpose, and path. She works with individuals, leaders, teams, and communities, using relational, contemplative, and somatic practices to help people move through difficulty and return to their inherent wholeness.
Mariam holds a particular commitment to trauma survivors, queer folks, immigrants, and people of color, and strives to help all her clients develop an authentic and joyful sense of self. She brings an intersectional and anti-oppressionist perspective to all her work.
RESOURCES:
- Mariam I. Habib LinkedIn
- Nonprofit Leadership Lab
- Joan Garry’s Guide to Nonprofit Leadership – 2nd Edition by Joan Garry
- FREE WORKSHOP: Let’s Build the Nonprofit Board of Your Dreams!
- FREE WORKSHOP: The 5 Practices of Outstanding Nonprofit Leaders
- Music by Jukebox the Ghost
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