🗣 An HR Love Letter to Creative Burnout

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🎉 Yo! Ever taken a year long writing sabbatical? It’s time to POP OUT again.

My peeps! I’ve missed you all, WTHelly was I thinking? I’m back in your inbox with fresh energy and zero HR chill.

This is a special newsletter that dives into a personal story from May 2024. It serves as equal parts mid-year check-in and equal parts keeping it all the way real about job transitions.

To all the new subscribers 👋🏽 I’m sending you a huge YO! and thank you for joining the collective.

Our mission here (if you choose to accept it) is to deviate from the traditional systems and disrupt with compassion.

From the talented HR individuals to the creative 9-5ers to the sidepreneurs - you all have the secret sauce. Your unique stories are the anchors to your success out in the world.

THIS IS WHERE YOUR HUSTLE MEETS YOUR FLOW. 

🗣 Special Sound Off: Big shoutout to a mentor + friend in the HR space. She’s a huge reason this newsletter ever started. Tap in and check her newsletter out below.

The Secret Weapon for HR

The best HR advice comes from people who’ve been in the trenches.

That’s what this newsletter delivers.

I Hate it Here is your insider’s guide to surviving and thriving in HR, from someone who’s been there. It’s not about theory or buzzwords — it’s about practical, real-world advice for navigating everything from tricky managers to messy policies.

Every newsletter is written by Hebba Youssef — a Chief People Officer who’s seen it all and is here to share what actually works (and what doesn’t). We’re talking real talk, real strategies, and real support — all with a side of humor to keep you sane.

Because HR shouldn’t feel like a thankless job. And you shouldn’t feel alone in it.

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⛽️ Fueling creativity + community + connections ⛽️

I've been gone longer than I intended, but sometimes you need to step completely away from the noise to hear what you're actually supposed to be building. 🧱

One of my main jams is talking about creativity. But what happens when you get burnt TF out? Creative burnout is real and incredibly common. I was the Director of People at a pretty cool sneaker trading startup, but I was grinding hard in the wrong direction. I was caught in a trap of 'hustle equals impact’. In real time this looked like my YES was in abundance while my own creative spark was slowly dying out. Then the ‘L’ word happened quickly. LAYOFF.

Honesty hour? This felt devastating at first, then a bit liberating, then absolutely clarifying. As it turns out, the forced stillness can be guiding light to redirecting your path. Not to mention, imposter syndrome was dragging me. How could I post all about creativity in motion if I really wasn’t feeling that ish AT ALL? I had hit a stand still in more ways than one. Ultimately, creative burnout can be sneaky.

While I plan to devote a whole newsletter to the job search (spoiler alert: it turned out great), I was in the trenches of a special kind of mental gymnastics. I had to find a job AND find a way to recalibrate what I was good at alongside what actually energized me. I used the pause to audit everything: goals + values + the whole blueprint.

So what did I learn? 

• I had started running on autopilot versus intentionally creating

• I was missing the inspiration that can be found in everyday life (we don’t ever lose our creativity)

• I found myself reacting to problems versus creating solutions

From there, my HR network became a compass and I used curiosity as a career strategy.

💡 The breakthrough moments came from connecting unrelated ideas.

Here’s what became crystal clear during my time away…

Most People/HR peeps get stuck in response mode when we should be in creation mode.

We're incredible at solving today's problems but can easily get stuck at designing tomorrow's solutions. We're caught up as debuggers when we should be architects. Ask yourself - when did you last find joy in building as part of your day-to-day role? Reply back with your answer so we can vibe.

This leads up to what I’ll be writing about in Q3 and Q4. I want to walk through some concepts and ways to apply them as the creative HR person you are. 😎

A quick preview of what’s going to be in the design lab on ‘Yo. You’re on Mute.’

• My fave HR/Marketing intersection + how People teams need a GTM strategy

• Creative ways to think about (and accelerate) AI building in HR (read: impact)

• Ways to translate creative practices into strategic thinking

Very important note: you don't need to be a "creative type" to lean into this. You just need to be willing to approach familiar problems with fresh frameworks.

🪴 We could all use weekly affirmations, right?

Even Grammy award-winning rapper Lil Jon talks about the importance of affirmations to combat negative self-talk. Grab one [or as many as you need] of these affirmations below. Don’t forget that sharing is caring.

1️⃣ Your blessing isn’t always tied to your busyness.

2️⃣ Each step I take brings me closer to the right opportunities.

3️⃣ My skills and experiences are unique gifts to the world.

4️⃣  I allow myself to rest and recharge, knowing that self-care fuels my success.

5️⃣ Each rejection is a redirection, guiding me towards a role that aligns with my values and aspirations.

🎙 Sounding off in the HR group chat.

We've been underestimating ourselves for way too long.

Because here's what I know for sure - your creative thinking in motion is exactly what your organization has been missing.

The layoff taught me something I wish I'd understood years ago: Your career isn't something you react to - it's something you intentionally architect. And architecting requires creativity, strategy, and consistent action. Not just one element, but all three working in harmony.

Welcome back to an evolution of this newsletter. Even HR needs a hypewoman from time to time. 😎

✨ This is a reminder to fill your cup (literally and figuratively because we all need to drink more water TBH). 

⚡️HR SOUND BITES

The HR/People Operations landscape is evolving. Check out some of the happenings below + oldies but goodies.

• From CIA to Corporate, Cassandra Babilya is one of my favorite HR disruptors.

• PeakHR is all about changing the game for HR x learning. Don’t sleep.

• I got to vibe on the ‘I Hate it Here’ podcast ~ a throwback and worth a listen!

👟 SNEAKER SOUND BITES

You could say sneakers + streetwear is my thing. If you enjoy sneaker culture - this section is for you.

• My sneaker wish list is in full effect, these are in my e-cart now.

• This PUMA commercial is all about getting high.

• CNK DAILY pays homage to Juneteenth through style.

🎧 A SONG I DIDN’T SKIP ON MY PLAYLIST TODAY

I had the privilege to see the QUEEN perform this past weekend in Houston.

All I can say is Beyonce is amazing and an EXPERIENCE. No words. 😍 Taking us back to H-town’s Beyonce Bowl below.

🎤 Outro musings. 

This will be a special quarter for Yo. You’re on Mute.  I talk about creativity often, but what does that actually mean and how does it show up in the workplace?  Free lunch is back in session.

A special shout out to new beginnings. I’m grateful for the opportunity I had to work at the coolest sneaker startup, and even more joyous to be able to flex my creativity at a new startup that has a mission rooted in making small businesses unstoppable.

While it felt too soon for THAT ‘L’ word (read: layoffs), I was able to remix the journey by taking away the right Ls (read: lessons).

This space is truly for y’all. Thanks for letting me back into your weekly routine. If you made it this far, you’re a real one for reading.