In this first episode of Bosscraft, Whitney shares the personal story that sparked the entire project — the moment she realized that the grass wasn’t going to be greener on the other side because the gardener hadn’t changed.
Through multiple burnouts and a chronic-illness diagnosis, she unpacks how overfunctioning, internalized pressure, and our cultural obsession with “doing enough” can quietly erode our wellbeing.
This episode traces the shift from striving to tending: discovering real self-care, reclaiming boundaries, making space for hobbies, and learning how essential community is in any healing or reimagining process. These lessons became the foundation of the Bosscraft philosophy — that the work we build has to honor our humanity, not fight against it.
This first episode is free to all subscribers. Future episodes will be available to paid subscribers on Substack and members of our Bosscraft community.
In This Episode
Early signs of burnout and why “doing more” stops working
The illusion of greener grass when you change jobs but not habits
How chronic illness forced a new definition of “enough”
The unexpected importance of hobbies, rituals, and honoring capacity
Lessons in real self-care, boundaries, and community
The birth of Bosscraft and what it means to “build the work you want”
Takeaways
Self-care is structure, not reward. Build a life that doesn’t require constant recovery.
Boundaries protect creativity. Peace is a productivity tool.
Community is medicine. We heal and grow faster when we stop pretending to do it alone.
Change starts small. You don’t need a new career—just a new way of tending to yourself.
Reflection Prompt
What season of work are you in right now—growth, rest, or rebuilding?
And what’s one boundary or ritual that could help you tend your own garden this week?
Mentioned & Related
Join the Bosscraft Community: bidboss.org
Instagram: @mybosscraft
LinkedIn: Whitney Kippes
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