These are notes from the inside — of leadership, of change, of staying whole in the face of systems that often ask us not to be. The Olive Pages is where care and clarity meet, one reflection at a time.
The Olive Pages
Fieldnotes on care, clarity and staying whole.
The Myth of Resilience in Humanitarian Work
We praise humanitarians for being resilient — but rarely ask what it’s costing them. This post rethinks resilience as survival, silence, and sometimes self-erasure.
"If your strength is measured only by how much you can endure, we’ve already failed you."
Am I Still Called… or Just Conditioned?
If you’ve ever quietly asked yourself, “Am I still called… or just conditioned?” — you’re not alone. Sometimes, staying becomes survival. This post is for those ready to ask the deeper questions about who they are becoming in the work.
“You don’t have to stay loyal to a role that no longer reflects your truth.”
We Don’t Talk About Moral Injury — But We Should
What you’re feeling might not be burnout — it might be betrayal. Moral injury is real, and it shows up when our work asks us to abandon what we believe in. We need to talk about it. And we need to heal from it.
“You can’t resilience your way out of betrayal.”
The Humanitarian Reset Isn’t Coming - It’s Already Here
The humanitarian reset isn’t something we’re waiting for — it’s already happening. What many people are calling burnout is actually a deep, quiet shift in values, clarity, and direction. The work is changing. So are we.
“This isn’t collapse — it’s contraction. The pulling back of what no longer fits.”
What Burnout Isn’t: Rethinking the real causes — and why your exhaustion might be something else entirely
We’ve been misdiagnosing burnout for years. It’s not just about working too much — it’s about working in ways that cost you too much. This is a reframing for those still trying to make it all work in systems that weren’t built for care.
“Burnout is not a personal failure. It’s a very reasonable response to long-term mismatch, moral tension, and neglect.”
The Olive Pages: A Place to Be Seen, Heard, and Whole
The Olive Pages is a heartfelt space for humanitarian workers to find hope, healing, and community. Created from personal struggle and deep care, it’s about staying whole in a broken world.
“Our work is not just a job. It’s a calling that deserves care — for ourselves and for each other.”