People often ask me where the name “Unburdened” came from; our lawyer wanted us to have something like “Weston Consulting Group,” but that didn’t seem like us. We had one name and only one name from the beginning: Unburdened.
The name is one my husband, Derrick, has had for years. It started as a name for a support group on self-care for clergy people. It has morphed into our coaching, consulting, and communications business that supports my work as a leadership coach and trainer and his work as a writer, speaker, and teacher.
When you look up Unburdened in a dictionary. Wait, do we have dictionaries anymore? Does anyone still “look something up in a dictionary?” Let me rephrase: when you Google the definition of Unburdened, you get synonyms like Divested, Freed, and Released.
Unburdened doesn’t just imply; it exclaims that the weight you were carrying is laid down. Anxiety and stress are taken away. Or at least shared.
Maybe we should have called it “Unburdening” because I’m not sure it’s realistic to think it will never be taken away, but the declarative sounds better.
Our logo image is just as powerful for me. I’ve always been drawn to the image of dandelion seeds blowing in the wind. It feels like the definition of freedom. Unabandoned. Unburdened. It is so easily weighed down yet flies so freely through the air.
Dandelions are some of the first food for bees in the spring; they are edible and beautiful. They have also been declared weeds by makers of lawn chemicals and my next-door neighbor, who hates that our lawn is full of them. Therefore, they have become a symbol of rebellion and resilience.
Fun fact: if you google unburdened and dandelion, you get a quote from a romance novel, and I must admit, it makes me even more proud of the name and logo.
Divested, Freed, Released, Rebellion, Resilience. These are the “why” behind our name. As leaders, you should have these qualities and promote them. And quite frankly, Derrick and I know how important it is to have people around you to get you there.
Because none of this would have happened without a community of people guiding and lifting us along the way.
Derrick and I have worked big jobs in helping professions since we were young. We understand the Burden of Leadership no matter what age, but we also understand that those of us in helping professions, especially women and people of color, have additional burdens that weigh us down.
So we’re here to help. You’re not alone. That’s why Unburdened exists.
Questions to get you started:
So, what’s weighing you down today? What barriers must be removed to help you feel free, released, and resilient? Who can accompany you on that journey and help hold you accountable?
Ready to get started? Contact us below:
Shannon Weston 