Behind the scenes of CreatePositive, there’s a lot of trust, honesty, and real conversation.
Elke and I work in partnership, side by side, but not always in the same rhythm. We both hold other roles, other businesses, other commitments beyond CreatePositive. That means that at different points, we feel different pulls and pressures on our time and energy.
Recently, that’s shown up for me as a feeling I didn’t expect as strongly as I did, guilt.
- Guilt that I haven’t been as present as I would like to be.
- Guilt that I haven’t always been able to give CreatePositive, or Elke, the time and support I feel it deserves.
- Guilt that creeps in quietly, even when there are good, solid reasons for where my energy has needed to go.
What struck me was how quickly that guilt turned inward. Not into curiosity or context, but into self-criticism. That familiar inner voice that says, you should be doing more, you’re letting someone down, you’re not showing up properly.
I know I’m not alone in this.
So many of us, especially those who care deeply and take pride in doing things well, internalise this kind of guilt. When something feels slightly out of balance, our instinct is to carry it ourselves, rather than name it, explore it, or hold it with compassion.
What helped was talking. Really talking.
Naming the discomfort instead of sitting with it. Remembering that partnership doesn’t mean perfect availability, it means honesty, communication, and trust over time. Understanding that capacity shifts, seasons change, and that doesn’t mean commitment disappears.
There’s something very human about wanting to do right by the people and projects we care about, and feeling unsettled when we think we might have fallen short. But there’s also something deeply human, and deeply healthy, about recognising that guilt isn’t always a signal that we’ve done something wrong. Sometimes it’s just a sign that we care.
Behind the scenes, this is the work too. Not just strategy and structure, but reflection, repair, and self-kindness. Learning not to beat ourselves up for being human in complex, full lives.
And remembering that how we treat ourselves in these moments matters just as much as how we show up for each other.
Georgie xx