My mother once told me, “Be the glue, but don’t lose your gold.”

As a child, I didn’t understand the wisdom behind her words. But life has a way of making old lessons resurface, especially when we need them most. And today, that wisdom is needed more than ever, because so many talented women are navigating career transitions, layoffs, and burnout in workplaces that do not fully recognize their value.  And it is in moments like these—when workplaces are shifting and careers are being redefined—that we must remember the difference between being the GLUE and living in our GOLD.

What It Means to Be the GLUE

🌿 GLUE holds everything together.

At work, it’s the person who steps in when projects fall apart, the one who carries failing teams on her shoulders, or the one who smooths over conflicts no one else wants to touch.

In families, it’s the one who remembers every birthday, keeps traditions alive, and fills in the gaps so no one feels the cracks.

In communities, it’s the one who volunteers, organizes, and shows up even when exhausted.

But here’s the more profound truth: while GLUE keeps things together, it can also trap you in places where you no longer belong.

• Organizationally, GLUE can preserve broken systems, uphold biased practices, and maintain policies that don’t honor your worth.
• Personally, GLUE can steal your time, stifle your growth, and silence your unique gifts.
• Spiritually, GLUE can drain your energy, blur your boundaries, and keep you from fulfilling your purpose.

If you’re not careful, GLUE doesn’t just hold things together; it holds you back. 

What It Means to Live in Your GOLD

🌟 GOLD is different.

GOLD is your brilliance. It’s your voice being heard, your name on the byline, your art on the wall, your business thriving, your vision shaping conversations. GOLD is when you aren’t just patching up holes in someone else’s life; you’re flourishing in the fullness of who you are.

And here’s the power of GOLD:

• Personally, GOLD restores your energy, dignity, and joy.

• Professionally, GOLD fuels resilience after layoffs, opens doors, changes conversations, and sets new standards for what’s possible.

• Culturally, GOLD disrupts the status quo, challenges injustice, and inspires others to bring their gifts forward.

GOLD doesn’t just shine; it transforms. And the blessing is, when you step into your GOLD, you make room for others to step into theirs, too.

Not long ago, I spoke with a woman who had just been downsized after nearly twenty years with her company. She had been the GLUE for years. She was the one who trained new staff, stayed late when deadlines loomed, and kept entire departments running smoothly. Her managers praised her dependability but never promoted her.

When the layoffs came, she was among the first to go.

At first, she felt invisible and discarded after years of holding everything together. But over time, she realized something important: they had let go of the GLUE, but they could never erase her GOLD that was encoded in her DNA. The skills, the creativity, the vision that had been overlooked at work for decades were still hers to use, develop, and leverage.  And with new realization and renewed courage, she began building something of her own – something that reflected her brilliance instead of diminishing it.

Her story is a reminder that downsizing does not define you. In fact, career transitions can be an invitation and the catalyst you need to reclaim your purpose, honor your gifts, and step fully into your God-given GOLD.

Her story is a reminder for us all that…

✨ GLUE may protect what exists, but it often does so at your expense. It can leave you overextended, underappreciated, and unseen.
✨ GOLD, on the other hand, fuels new beginnings. It gives you energy, clarity, and courage to create, lead, and live in alignment with your true purpose.

This week, as you consider your own journey, ask yourself:

• Where am I pouring myself out as GLUE, and what is it costing me?

• If I keep holding everything together, what parts of me might fall apart?

• Where in my life do I need to stop preserving and start transforming?

• How would I live differently if I treated my GOLD as urgent, precious, and sacred?

• What’s one bold way I can honor my GOLD this month?

 Remember: Being GLUE isn’t bad; sometimes it’s necessary. But if being the GLUE starts to rob you of joy, peace, and the chance to live fully in your GOLD, it’s time to make adjustments to honor your divine call.

Affirm: I honor my GOLD. Titles or positions do not define or diminish my value. My gifts are alive, radiant, and ready to transform my life and the world around me.