Podcast Summary: We Are For Good Podcast

Episode 670: The Power of the Pause – A New Year Self-Sync + Reflection

Hosts: Jon McCoy (B), Becky Endicott (C)
Guest: Lindsey Fuller (A)
Date: December 31, 2025

Episode Overview

In this New Year's Eve episode, Jon, Becky, and guest Lindsey Fuller invite nonprofit professionals and changemakers to collectively "pause," reflect, and imagine how intentional self-care, community, and human-centric approaches can transform the nonprofit sector in 2026. The conversation centers on the importance of embracing “the power of the pause” for both personal and organizational well-being. Through candid reflections, practical insights, and moving testimonials, the trio explores themes of critical hope, authentic belonging, the realities of burnout, and the transformative ripple effects of caring for oneself and others out loud.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Closing Out a Difficult Year: The Need for Collective Exhale

• Lindsey’s Honest Reflections (03:01):
  Lindsey opens up about the exhaustion many felt in the sector, describing 2025 as "so loud. The noise. The noise of, like, unwellness, of discord. Right. Of conflicts internationally, of budgetary trauma..."

  • “It just feels like tanks got a little empty this year and we...we need some...I don’t know if it's elves or what. Come over here and refill me.” (04:03)

• The idea of needing to "collectively exhale" rather than sprinting into the new year is central to this episode’s tone.

2. Belonging, Recognition, and Connection

• Jon’s Story of Finding Belonging (04:28):
  Recently uprooted, Jon shares the profound impact of his son's simple experience being called by name at a homeschool event.

  • “Somebody recognized him enough to, like, use his name. It’s a step of belonging and a step of ‘I'm seen.’ And like, what that did for him... That's so much of all the work that we're trying to do is create spaces where people feel known.” (05:05)

• Lindsey expands, challenging leaders not just to see people present, but also to “say your name when you're not in the room”— championing collaboration over cutthroat competition.

  • “He is the type of leader that said we can both win, our missions can both succeed, our communities can both be served. We're not competing. I'm going to say your name in a room.” (07:53)

3. Critical Hope vs. Toxic Positivity

• The hosts and Lindsey discuss the power of “critical hope”, not as airy optimism, but grounded resilience amid challenging realities. Becky quotes David Orr and Jeff Schuck:
  • “The planet does not need more successful people, but it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers and lovers of every kind...These qualities have little to do with success as we have defined it.” —Becky quoting David Orr (09:25)
  • “Being you is the best thing you can bring to this moment right now.” —Becky quoting Jeff Schuck (09:55)

4. The Power of the Pause: Self-Sync and Recovery as Practice

• The New Year Self-Sync (12:44):
  Lindsey guides listeners through the “three Rs of recovery”:

  • Rest: Prioritize true rest before returning to work (nap, early bedtime, sensory deprivation, etc.)
  • Reinvigorate: Connect with energizing people or activities (call someone uplifting, prayer, reading, etc.)
  • Right-size: Examine and reduce the mental load—not just at work, but in personal and community responsibilities.
  • “It just means make yourself the priority and feel special enough to let your nervous system release so that your greatest wisdom can come through.” (13:06)
  • “Anytime I hear myself saying the word ‘should’, I know that I'm operating under impermanence.” (15:13)

• Start Small, Make It Regular (16:17):

  • Becky suggests extending these practices throughout the year, not just at New Year:
    • “What if we completely rewired our brains…that there are too many other things to do. But what we're saying is this is the thing to do because it's gonna be the thing that sustains the work.” (16:29)

• Citing survey data: 60% of nonprofit professionals report inconsistent or no self-care; 95% report burnout as a critical concern (16:54).

5. Reimagining Recovery, Healing, and Self-Study

• Beyond Bubble Baths (17:43):
  Lindsey pushes for a nuanced self-study—what actually works for you? She shares her recent journey seeking the right workout environment, emphasizing the importance of intention and personal non-negotiables, whether for a gym or a new job.

  • “Don't apply willy nilly. Get your five non-negotiables and anything that doesn’t fit inside of those, don’t apply to it.” (19:55)

• Recovery as a Design Principle (20:57):
  Rather than being an afterthought, recovery should be integral to how we organize our lives and organizations.

  • “So much of recovery as a design principle is saying where do I feel out of balance, out of harmony, depleted, overwhelmed, overextended, and where do I have agency inside of that?” (21:39)

6. The “Ugly” Reality of Healing

• Rebranding Healing (22:49):
  Lindsey candidly shares that healing isn’t always graceful:

  • “Some of the indicators of healing for me are I recognize fatigue cues and I'm able to communicate with myself and with those around me.... Healing can be ugly and can be glorious. And I just wish we could rebrand healing. I think we are actually, we are.” (22:49–24:06)

• Generational Impact:

  • “Because I'm healing, my kids won't have to...We are going to heal up this generation of teachers so the next generation doesn’t have to exist with constant burnout.” (24:40)

7. Ripple Effects—Healing Out Loud

• Testimonial from Amina Mohamed (26:51):
  Amina, after hearing Lindsey on a prior episode, was inspired to pursue somatic therapy and healing:
  • “Immediately my body relaxed and I felt at peace for the first time in a long time. That was like a gift...thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you do in this world, how you show up and the gift that you gave me..." (27:02–28:09)
• The impact of “healing out loud” is highlighted as deeply influential, providing permission and hope for others to do the same.

8. Setting Intentions for Peace

• Lindsey’s Closing Wish (29:13, echoed at 00:02):
  • “I'm praying for a peaceful year on every scale. Like everyone being able to figure out one tool, strategy, service space that increases, dials up, turns the volume up of peace...I'm hoping that this year just ushers in absolute resounding examples of abundant peace. We need this. We deserve it.” (29:20)
• Jon and Becky reflect on their tagline, “What starts here, ripples,” and the importance of nurturing this collective energy into the new year.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It's easy to stay in gratitude. I think it's harder to stay hopeful.” —Lindsey (03:16)
• “We made it through the year. Group air hug, rock and coddle me.” —Lindsey (00:37)
• “What does it unleash when people feel belonging is a huge thing.” —Jon (05:59)
• “Being you is the best thing you can bring to this moment right now.” —Becky (09:57)
• “Are you able? Are you capable? Is there hope yet for the organization, this small team that you're on? Can y' all do work differently? Can you do relationship differently? Because it is a wild abyss, job seeking, and it is soul sucking.” —Lindsey (11:35)
• “Some of the signs of healing though are really ugly. I wish someone had told me that...The win is that I recognized it. I named it, I intervened, I decided I needed help. I did something differently. It's just not all glossy and shiny and fluffy and light and easy.” —Lindsey (22:49)
• “Let's go make some good trouble.” —Becky (32:44)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening Reflections & Need for Peace: 00:02–03:35
• Year-End Reflections, Belonging Story: 03:53–06:22
• Collaboration Over Competition, The Hector Story: 06:33–07:53
• Critical Hope vs. Toxic Positivity: 08:10–10:24
• Power of Self-Sync & Three Rs of Recovery: 12:44–16:17
• Making Recovery a Practice, Burnout Statistics: 16:17–17:53
• Self-Study, Non-Negotiables, Finding Community: 17:56–20:57
• Recovery Design, Outsourcing Rest: 20:57–22:49
• Rebranding Healing, Generational Impact: 22:49–24:41
• Listener Testimonial (Amina Mohamed): 26:51–28:09
• Ripple Effects, Power of Healing Out Loud: 28:11–31:00
• Setting the Intention for Peace: 29:13–31:00
• How to Connect with Lindsey and Gather at the Well: 32:51–33:15

Conclusion: Themes to Bring into 2026

• Center genuine rest, recovery, and agency in your rhythms.
• Let healing be messy and imperfect—model it out loud for others.
• Champion genuine connection and collaboration.
• Infuse your spaces with critical hope and a “volume up” on peace.
• Remember: what starts here, ripples.

Find Lindsey Fuller: LinkedIn, theteachingwell.org

Explore More: Listen to all three seasons of Gather at the Well and join the We Are For Good Community for ongoing inspiration.