Building While Balancing
There’s this phrase I’ve been carrying with me lately: “Building while balancing.”
It sums up everything I’ve been feeling in this chapter of my life—where I’m learning, leading, stretching, and yes, sometimes stumbling, all at once. It’s not a season of perfect clarity. It’s a season of layered progress.
Let me explain.
I’m currently working full-time as an E&S General Liability Claims Specialist, which on its own demands a high level of focus, organization, and strategic thinking. But that’s just one piece of what I’m building.
On top of that, I’ve been preparing for my CAPM certification—because I want to expand how I think, how I solve problems, and how I lead. I earned my Google Project Management Certificate over a year ago, which gave me a strong foundation in planning, communication, and stakeholder management. Now, I’m deepening that knowledge by pursuing PMI’s CAPM, which builds on those concepts through the lens of formal project methodologies and global standards. At the same time, I’ve enrolled in a Leadership Development program through Yale, where I’m learning what it means to lead with purpose, clarity, and emotional intelligence.
Because learning is a process—and I’m all in.
I’m also actively involved in leadership spaces. I serve on the Young Professionals Network at my company and was selected as a committee member for RISE Professionals this year, where I collaborate with other insurance leaders across the country. These roles are teaching me what leadership actually looks like—not just speaking up in meetings, but building connections, creating opportunities for others, and learning when to lead from behind.
But here’s the truth no one really tells you: trying to grow in multiple directions at once is hard.
There are days I feel energized, clear, and confident—and then there are days I feel completely stretched thin. I’ve had moments where I’ve stared at my to-do list and thought, Is all this really adding up to something? Or am I just busy?
That’s when I come back to the why behind it all.
I’m building because I want options. I want freedom in my future. I want to lead teams, contribute to something bigger than myself, and maybe even shape how others experience work. I want to make space for creativity and strategy to coexist. And I want to keep proving—to myself more than anyone—that I can grow with intention.
And as for balance? I’ve learned that balance isn’t this perfectly timed routine or color-coded planner. It’s fluid. It’s being honest with what you can take on and when you need to rest. It’s knowing your limits without forgetting your potential. Some weeks are about action. Some are about reflection. Both matter.
Here are a few truths I’ve picked up lately:
You don’t have to be fully confident to begin.
Being a “work in progress” doesn’t disqualify you from showing up with leadership.
Quiet growth is still growth.
You can build something meaningful even if it’s happening in small steps.
You are allowed to pivot—even if you’re already “on track.”
I’m not writing this because I’ve figured it all out. I’m writing it because I want to document the in-between. The part where you’re becoming.
So if you’re also in a season of building—whether it’s in your career, your confidence, or your clarity—just know, you’re not alone. We don’t always get to build from solid ground. Sometimes, we build while balancing.
And that’s okay.
