Without fluff, life becomes mechanical, transactional, and ultimately unsustainable. And nonprofits, perhaps more than any other sector, need fluff—because they are built on human connection.

Frazzled and burned out have never been sustainable ways of working or living. They don’t support our best thinking, our creativity, our happiness, or our ability to make an impact. Instead, they lead to stress-related health problems, distraction, turnover, mistakes, and disconnection. A constant state of busyness is not a measure of success; it’s a red flag.

So much of my early work as an activist and changemaker was rooted in fighting. Fighting the power. Fighting for change. Fighting for...