You’re not too much. You’re not too late. You’re right on time.

Hello!

I’m Madeleine — founder of The Ember Tribe and creator of Living Better, Not Busier.

I believe in a slower, softer way of living.
A way that honors the ember still burning inside you — even if it feels buried under responsibilities, timelines, and the pressure to be “more.”

You don’t have to start over to start living differently.

The Truth Behind the Tired

I didn’t follow the neat, linear path.

I earned my first degrees in what I loved — a liberal arts journey fueled by passion.
But passion didn’t pay the bills.

I stalled. I scrambled. I felt like I had missed my window.

So, a little later than “everyone else” — or so it seemed — I went back.
I got another degree. One that paved the way for jobs that paid the bills.

And for a while, I thought I had finally "figured it out."

But then the quieter ache rose:
Is this all there is?

Work.
Chores.
Sleep.
Repeat.

I realized it wasn’t just about making a living.
It was about making a life.

Hustle culture had taught me to turn every spark into a side hustle, every joy into a job.

Not every ember needs to be a fire you monetize.

Some passions are meant to be tended quietly, for your own sake alone.

I stopped trying to turn my loves into proof.
I started letting myself breathe again.

You don’t have to earn your right to joy.

And that’s what I want for you, too.

Not a new set of tasks.
Not a bigger to-do list labeled “self-care.”

Just a soft tending — to the life that’s already waiting inside you.

What I Believe

You are not broken — you are buried under too many expectations.
Small steps create real change.
Work can support your life without becoming your whole life.
Your ember is still alive — waiting for breath, not burnout.

If you're ready to breathe a little deeper...
To trust that your ember is enough...
To live softer, not busier...

You’re already one of us.

Welcome to The Ember Tribe.

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