What the Actual!

When you've done everything right, how can you still be living an Economy life..?

We were discussing an upcoming trip when Karine turned to me and said:

“Why am I still in economy?”  Frustrated and saddened at the same time.

It wasn’t a joke.
It wasn’t even really about the seat.

It was a moment.
A question that landed like a punch.

Because both of us had done everything ‘right.’

We’d climbed the ladder, negotiated the salaries, taken the responsibility, cleaned up the messes, held the strategy, delivered the outcomes, and still…

There it was... The delightful thought of another business trip crammed in like sardines, knees to the seatback, executive titles… economy seat.

The Corporate Contradiction

Companies hire senior leaders, expect global agility, and demand high performance across time zones... yet restrict travel to the cheapest possible option.

Because “there’s no budget.”
Because only C-suite qualify.
Because flying is expensive.

Fine.

But if you want leaders to fly across the world to build and lead global strategies, don’t expect them to arrive jet-lagged, dehydrated, and crumpled.  

Leadership isn't just about the meeting... it’s about how your people arrive at the table.

And frankly, travel policy is part of compensation.  If you're hiring great talent, you're not just paying for their time, you're paying for their energy. Their presence. Their brain.

If you're not supporting how they get there, you're undermining what you want them to do there.  

And the same stands for every part of your life... doesn’t it?

Is Your Life Still in Economy?

That question Karine asked... it lingers, doesn't it?

Because it’s not just about the plane.

It’s about your whole life.

Your work.
Your relationships.
Your daily habits.
Your energy.
Your boundaries.

Ask yourself honestly:

Are you still living in economy?

• Are you always available for others, but never for yourself?

• Are you accepting crumbs in relationships, calling it realistic?

• Are you exhausted but still afraid to rest in case someone calls you lazy?

• Are you running a business but pricing like an intern?

• Are you surrounded by people who drain you, yet still showing up out of guilt?

That’s an economy life.
And you didn’t work this hard to stay in it.

Business-Class Energy Starts With You

Business class isn’t about champagne and better food.

It’s about how you’re treated, and how you treat yourself.  It's about becoming and acting like the woman you want to be. 

It’s saying:

• I deserve space.

• I need rest.

• My comfort matters.

• I no longer pay for things with my wellbeing.

And you don't need a boarding pass to make that decision.

You need clarity.
You need nerve.
And you need to stop waiting for someone to tap you on the shoulder and say, “It’s your turn.”

It’s already your turn.
But no one’s going to upgrade you if you keep showing up like you belong in the back in seat 37B!.

Final Boarding Call

You’ve done the work and proved your worth.

Now ask yourself:

Why are you still in economy?

And if the answer is, “Because I didn’t realise I had a choice…”

Let this be the moment you do.

Because the real upgrade?  It doesn’t start with the plane.

It starts with how you value your own life.