Some opportunities look amazing on paper—fundraisers, volunteer projects, community campaigns—and as business leaders, we’re often the first to say yes. But what if those “good things” are actually stretching you too thin? In this episode of Off Your Plate, Karine Parthenais is talking about the hidden cost of unaligned opportunities. She shares what she's witnessed over the years, why she's become more careful about overcommitting, and how to check in with yourself before you say yes to something that might not serve you. If you’ve ever felt guilty for protecting your energy or saying no to a “great opportunity,” this one’s for you.

Takeaways:

• Just because an opportunity is good doesn’t mean it’s yours.
• People will praise you for doing it all—but protecting your capacity rarely gets celebrated (and still matters more).
• Overcommitting for visibility or validation can derail your focus and impact.
• Setting boundaries around time, energy, and priorities is a leadership move.
• Use a simple gut check to decide: Does this align with your goals and season? If not, pass with confidence.

Summer comes with pressure—pressure to slow down, pressure to show up, and pressure to make the right move in your business. In this episode, Karine Parthenais talks about letting go of that pressure and making a seasonal choice that’s aligned with you. Whether this is your moment to build something big or your chance to finally rest, you don’t owe anyone an explanation. Whatever you choose—build or break—you deserve to feel clear and confident about it.

Takeaways:

• You don’t need to justify your summer plans—whether you're going all in or stepping all the way back.
  
  
• Every season doesn’t have to look the same. Your business, energy, and goals can shift, and that’s normal.
  
  
• Clarity comes from alignment, not from matching someone else’s pace.
  
  
• A short capacity check-in can help you decide whether this is your season to build or your season to breathe.
  
  
• Trust yourself to choose. That’s leadership.

Ever find yourself asking “Is this enough?” about the thing you’ve poured your heart into? In this episode, Karine Parthenais is pulling back the curtain on some recent thoughts she’s had about The Work VACAY—and the sneaky pressure to overcomplicate something that’s already working. She’s talking about the quiet brilliance of a well-crafted idea, and how doubt can make us chase shiny distractions that dilute our momentum. If you’ve been wondering whether your offer, idea, or product needs more bells and whistles to be worthy… this one’s for you. Let’s take the pressure to prove off your plate—and start trusting what you’ve already built.

Takeaways:

• Your idea doesn’t need bells, whistles, or constant reinvention to be valid.
• Doubt often leads us to complicate things that are already working.
• Chasing the next thing can dilute the power of the idea you’ve already built.
• Simplicity can be the most sustainable—and effective—strategy.
• Trusting what you’ve created is a leadership move.