Welcome, new subscribers!
First, a warm welcome to the newest subscribers to the Owl’s Nest community! it’s so good to have you here.
Whether you found your way here through a friend, a social post, or your own quiet curiosity, I’m glad you’ve landed in this nest. You’re in good company.
Today, I want to share my love of podcasts, this one especially, and something that made me laugh, nod, and has stayed with me.
On a recent episode of We Can Do Hard Things, Amanda Doyle tells a story about a lunch with designer Justina Blakeney. Justina, who doesn't eat dairy, was offered a tray of desserts that had nothing she could eat. Rather than explaining, justifying or asking for alternatives, she simply said: “No, thank you!” Amanda rushed in to offer suggestions and, as women are so quick to do, an apology that there was nothing on that tray for her. Justina’s reply was quick and certain: "No sorrys. It's self-sovereignty. It's for the good of the realm."
She waved her arm dramatically over her metaphorical kingdom as she passed on the tray.
Since then, “for the good of the realm” has become a running theme among the podcast hosts—and, honestly, now in my own life too. Because when you pause to consider what you actually need in a moment: a rest, a walk, a no, a boundary, a different choice, a good laugh or a good cry, you’re not being selfish. You’re tending to your internal ecosystem. And that choice, that clarity, that groundedness, spills out into everyone and everything around you.
This summer, in a time that feels both full and uncertain for many, I invite you to embrace the idea of self-sovereignty. Not as a luxury or indulgence, but as an act of responsibility to your realm. Whether that’s your home, your community, your body, your nervous system, or your people—your well-being affects the whole.
So the next time you close the door to take a nap… or say no to an invitation that would leave you drained… or choose what genuinely supports you instead of what pleases others…
Wave your hand over your sacred little world and say, with full regality:
“For the good of the realm.”
Here’s to living with integrity, resting without guilt, and choosing what truly supports your peace, even if it’s wildly inconvenient to others. Oh! Especially then. Sorry? No sorrys…
With gratitude and a soft place to land,
Sally Clayton
Owl’s Nest Therapeutic Coaching
