Rejuvenate: Coming Back Strong
How To Use the Summer to Transform Your Communication Skills
Remember our discussion about how exhaustion literally affects our ability to speak clearly? Well here's the thing—rest and relaxation was just step one.
Today I want to share something that would be remiss if this isn’t the next step: intentional rejuvenation.
Because here's what we've discovered working with executive women: While rest addresses the immediate need for recovery, rejuvenation goes deeper. It's about deliberately restoring the energy, clarity, and presence.
What creates lasting transformation is intentional rejuvenation—and this isn't another "treat yourself" message. This is about showing up as the leader you know you can be.
Why "Just Resting" Isn't Enough Anymore
We've all experienced the weekend crash-and-burn recovery cycle. Sleep in, maybe get a massage, and hope it sustains us through another intense week. But that's reactive recovery—we're just putting out fires.
This year, I decided to treat August like a recharge station—a deliberate pause to restore my focus, deepen my wellbeing, and prepare to lead with the kind of clarity that makes others lean in when I speak.
Intentional rejuvenation is different. It's about deliberately building the kind of presence that makes people stop multitasking when you start speaking
How to Embody Executive Presence
Here's what made the difference in building both my executive presence and communication effectiveness:
1. Intentional Rest
Forget guilt-ridden relaxation. Some mornings I do yoga because my body needs to move to feel powerful. Other days? I unapologetically claim quiet time because my mind needs space to think clearly.
Here's what I've learned: movement gives me the physical energy to command a room, while stillness gives me the mental clarity to say exactly what I mean. Both are non-negotiable for executive presence.
2. Curating Your Energy Circle
I've been unwavering about spending time with people who actually energise me rather than drain me. You know the difference, right? Those conversations that leave you feeling sharper, funnier, more like yourself?
These aren't just social connections—they're communication practice. Every meaningful conversation sharpens your ability to articulate ideas, challenge thinking, and connect authentically. It's like the best leadership development program, disguised as lunch with a friend.
3. The Morning Pages Practice
One journal, one coffee, one question that cuts through the noise: "What presence do I want to bring into my communication today?"
This isn't just reflection—it's preparation. Clear thinking creates clear speaking. And clear speaking? That's where your executive presence lives.
4. Turn Down The Noise
Less email checking and fewer "urgent" notifications that aren't actually urgent. Way less news consumption that just makes me anxious. More time outside where my brain can actually process instead of just react.
The result? When I'm in meetings now, I'm actually present instead of mentally juggling seventeen other things. And presence—real presence—is magnetic in leadership.
5. Deep Listening Development
Whether I'm with friends, family, or grabbing coffee alone, I've been practicing something that sounds simple but is actually revolutionary: being completely there. Not checking my phone, not mentally preparing my next response, just... listening.
This might be the most valuable communication skill you never learned in any leadership program. Because when people feel truly heard by you? They trust you. They follow you. They remember what you said.
What This Really Means for Your Leadership Style
Here's what nobody tells you about executive presence: it's not about being the loudest voice in the room or having the perfect outfit (though let's be honest, a great blazer is an investment).
It's about showing up with the kind of grounded confidence that only comes from taking care of yourself like the valuable asset you are.
When you're genuinely rejuvenated:
Your voice doesn't shake when you disagree with someone senior
Your thinking stays clear under pressure
You can hold silence without feeling awkward
You listen without preparing your defence
People actually remember what you said after the meeting
The Bridge to Intentional Leadership
August isn't just a time to escape our routine—it's a bridge into becoming the intentional leader and communicator you want to be when you return.
It's preparation for the kind of executive presence that doesn't require you to perform or pretend, but simply to show up as your most grounded, articulate, and influential self.
The investment you make in rejuvenation now will reflect in every meeting, presentation, and crucial conversation that lies ahead. Because when you lead from a place of genuine renewal rather than depletion, others notice—and they follow.
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At Vermillion Coaching, we believe that sustainable leadership effectiveness starts with strategic self-investment. When you lead from genuine renewal rather than depletion, the transformation is unmistakable—and measurable.
Ready to develop confident executive presence and communication influence? Our leadership programs are designed specifically for those who want to command attention and lead with authentic authority. Let's explore how strategic development can transform your leadership impact.
