There are moments when you must step back—an unexpected flare, a caregiving emergency, or a day your brain simply won’t cooperate—but leaving a role can feel like admitting failure. In this 10‑minute episode Dr. Disruptor opens with a quiet scene: the lingering guilt after a missed Sunday shift. Then he offers a compact, dignity‑first tool: the One‑Line Absence Note. Learn a three‑part micro‑instruction pattern (one compassionate notice line, one essential instruction, one simple who‑to‑contact) that fits a text, a pinned note, or a tiny printed card. The episode equips listeners with three ready templates for faith volunteers, classroom aides, and workplace roles, privacy rules to avoid oversharing, and a 60‑second rehearsal to draft your own absence note now. The goal is to preserve relationships and reputation while protecting energy—small, steady practices that let you belong even when you can’t be present.