What does it mean that sovereignty and service?

From a position of sovereignty you can serve others without losing yourself.

Example: A senior engineer mentors three junior developers. She sets clear office hours, says no to ad-hoc requests outside those hours, and during mentoring sessions gives her full presence and expertise. Her mentees get better guidance than they would from someone who says yes to every interruption but is chronically depleted and half-present. She serves more by protecting her capacity to serve — not by sacrificing it.

Try this: Identify one way you currently serve others — mentoring, volunteering, emotional support, a recurring favor. Write two columns: 'What I give' and 'What it costs me.' Then ask: Is the cost regenerative (I feel energized afterward), neutral, or depleting? If depleting, write one specific boundary you could set that would preserve the giving while reducing the cost. This is not about giving less. It is about giving from a position that doesn't erode your ability to keep giving.