When Leadership Hurts (and How to Keep Going)

No one really tells you what leadership feels like when it hurts.
You step into it wanting to serve, to build community, to help families thrive. And while all of that does happen, there’s another side to leadership that few people talk about…the part that tests your heart.

Sometimes people misunderstand your intentions.
Sometimes they leave.
Sometimes they talk about you. And it hurts in ways you didn’t see coming.

I’ve lived through a season like that. It was confusing and painful, and for a while, I questioned whether I wanted to keep leading at all. But as time has passed, I’ve realized that even through the heartache, something deeper was happening. God was refining me. Teaching me to lead with more grace, wisdom, and strength than I knew I had.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

• You can do the right thing and still be misunderstood. That doesn’t mean you were wrong.
• Boundaries are not unkind. They’re necessary. Protecting your peace helps you lead from a healthy place.
• Healing takes time. The pain fades slowly, but it does fade, and the lessons last.
• True leadership is quiet strength. It’s showing up even when it’s lonely, and choosing to stay kind when it would be easier not to.

If you’re leading a homeschool co-op or any kind of community and it feels heavy right now, I want you to know, you’re not alone. Leadership can be beautiful and fulfilling, but it can also be lonely. That doesn’t mean you’re failing; it means you’re growing. If you’re the founder like me, it is your calling to follow the vision God laid on your heart. Stick to that without wavering.

Keep showing up. Keep doing good. Keep trusting that God can bring beauty from even the hardest seasons.

You’ll come out stronger, wiser, and more grounded than you ever imagined.

Just like trees that grow deep roots in rocky ground, your leadership is being anchored in purpose and faith. The hard seasons don’t break you, they strengthen you.

(And if you need support navigating a tough leadership season, that’s what I help with. You don’t have to carry it alone.)