The Winding Road to Self-Compassion and Self-Care as a Library Leader

We bring a lot to, and expect a lot from, our work lives. Yet it is generally the case that work or organizational life may never give us all that we need to be happy and fulfilled as people. This article offers some reflections on one library leader’s growing recognition of the value of self-care, self-compassion, and creating intentional boundaries between work life and personal pursuits in an effort to be more effective and fulfilled across both of these dimensions. Research in health-oriented leadership, well-being, leadership behavior, and self-compassion provide a theoretical foundation for these reflections.