Burnout, Overwhelm, Self-Care, Self-Love
If your body had an actual voice, what would it say?
Would it thank you for feeding it nutritious foods and giving it time to rejuvenate?
Or would its voice be faint from the exhaustion and tension it’s enduring?
Sometimes you get so caught up in the daily grind — fulfilling your priorities and chasing your goals — that you forget about your constant companions…
Your body and mind.
When you neglect them, you neglect your needs… I’m talking about needs related to your well-being — sleep, nutrition, self-care.
When you ignore what your body is asking of you, you’ll quickly burn out. The burning fire that motivates you fizzles out and you’re left with ashes.
Instead of reaching the point of (almost) no return, you can build a healthier relationship with your body. When you learn how to honor your needs and desires, you can recognize and fulfill what YOU require to claim a life of greater ease, balance and growth.
What Does It Mean to Honor Your Needs?
Honoring your needs is respecting your mind and your body. You prioritize your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being by:
- Understanding and respecting your limits
- Creating healthy boundaries to protect your time and energy
- Distinguishing your needs from the needs of others
- Grounding yourself in your values and priorities
- Learning how to manage your time, so you create enough space for self-care
When you fulfill the above priorities, you can achieve well-being.
But maybe you already know this…
If so, then what is stopping you from following through on your good intentions?
The One Thing That Stands Between You and Honoring Your Needs
It’s simple, really.
You make self-care negotiable.
Instead, you think you have superpowers and you can just push through the exhaustion.
You believe you can power beyond your limits indefinitely.
You overwork yourself because you believe the ends justify the means.
Yet, think about this.
What happens when you achieve your goals, yet…
- Anxiety wracks your mind
- You feel uncomfortable in your skin
- You suffer from exhaustion and tension
- You’re unable to recognize your self-worth
See, life isn’t about “hustling” every waking hour. Even an ambitious woman, like yourself, needs time to honor the needs of your body and mind.
If you struggle with honoring your needs, these three tips will help move self-care to the top of your priority list.
How to Honor Your Needs: 3 Practical Tips to Make Self-Care a TOP Priority
#1 Be Ruthlessly Honest With Yourself
Self-care is about preserving your well-being and protecting your needs and desires. That means dedicating time — one of your most valuable resources — to care for and love yourself.
However, your time is finite.
Contrary to what mainstream media says, you can’t do it all.
Think about it.
You have 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In order to give 100% at work, at home, in your relationships, and to yourself, it’s essential to be conscious of how you’re investing your valuable time and energy.
So, be honest with yourself when you consider taking on additional obligations, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Realizing that you can’t do everything isn’t necessarily “bad.” And it’s useful to be aware of how you spend your time and energy.
That’s why understanding your values and priorities is essential. While you may not get to everything, you can at least fulfill what’s most important to you.
This naturally leads you to create stronger boundaries. You start distinguishing between meeting the needs and desires of others and fulfilling your own.
And when you clearly understand the moments when you’re caring for yourself and not caring for yourself, you can make decisions about what you allow to enter into your life.
#2 Say “No” to Others, Say “Yes” to Yourself
Saying “no” might not sound like self-care but it is. Because saying no is a gift to preserving your well-being and manifesting your priorities.
Each time you take on a new project, a new task, a new favor that’s outside your priorities, you’re taking time away from yourself.
And this may lead you to feeling resentful, annoyed and frustrated not only with other people, but with yourself.
Because you know better.
You know that you won’t have the time for healing and developing yourself when you’re giving it away freely to other people.
And that is why being ruthlessly honest with yourself is the first tip — your resources are limited and you want to conserve them for healing and self-growth.
Otherwise, you will say yes whenever somebody asks something of you.
“When we say yes to everything and do not set boundaries with people, we can feel stressed, overwhelmed, and burned out,” said Jennifer Rollin MSW, LCSW-C in Psychology Today.
Instead, flip the dynamic.
Instead, start saying “no” to others, so you can start saying “yes” to yourself. Each time you say yes to yourself — even if it’s declining someone else — it’s a vote for honoring your relationships, intimacy, honesty and the truth.
So, which things should you say “no” to?
Look at what’s most important to you.
If your current needs align with giving your body the rest it needs, then you might need to say “no” to drinks and dinner with friends and co-workers after a long day at the office.
If you want to start feeling more energy and vitality, it might mean improving your diet and getting at least eight hours of sleep each night.
Your values and priorities offer a guideline on how to invest your time.
#3 Make Self-Care Intentional
Your time is finite and if you don’t spend it mindfully, you’ll throw it away on activities that don’t align with your purpose.
(That often looks like hours of phone scrolling or staying up late binge-watching your favorite series!)
After creating stronger boundaries, be intentional about when you schedule your priorities into your life. Calendar blocking helps you maximize the precious time you have, so that you’re setting aside time to honor your needs.
Start with making a list of everything you do and the times you want to do it. Your calendar blocks might look like:
- 7:00 – 8:00: Morning routine
- 9:00 – 10:30: Work
- 10:30 – 10:15: Stretches during break
- 10:15 – 12:30: Work
- 12:30 – 1:00: Lunch and ten minute walk
- 1:00 – 3:30: Work
- 3:30 – 3:45: Stretches during break
- 3:45 – 5:30: Work
- 5:30 – 6:00: Commute home
- 6:00 – 6:30: Relax (you deserve it!)
- 6:30 – 7:30: Make dinner
- 7:30 – 9:00: Dinner and spend time with family
- 9:00 – 10:00: Self-care
This is only one example. You might need to make changes to accommodate when you wake up, work, and go to bed.
Calendar blocks are another way of creating healthy boundaries so that you’re creating space and time to honor your needs and priorities. Blocking even one hour for nightly relaxation and “me-time” can soothe your mind and body.
Dissolve Your Limiting Beliefs
Making self-care negotiable… Putting your needs secondary to others… Not valuing yourself…
These are all limiting beliefs that are obstructing your pathway to growth. And they didn’t show up overnight either. They slowly formed over years of…
- Telling yourself that other people’s needs come before yours
- Pushing self-care to tomorrow multiple times
- Not giving your strengths and self-worth recognition
What these things have in common is that your needs don’t matter. With a belief like this, you diminish your potential for growth and restrict your access to the lifestyle you desire.
Burnout, Overwhelm, Self-Care, Self-Love
Do most days feel like a struggle just to make it to the end?
You’re overworked and overwhelmed. Even laying your tired head against your soft pillow does little to diminish the buzzing in your head.
Deep down, you know the remedy has nothing to do with the softness of your pillow. The more likely culprit is that you’re neglecting your well-being.
You’re not making YOU a priority.
You already know that taking care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually is critical. Each is a pillar to well-being — when one falls, the others are soon to follow.
So why do you continuously swing back and forth between periods of overwork and overwhelm to “catching up” on sleep and relaxation? Play this game for long enough and you’ll seriously burn out.
Follow the tips in this article and you could finally break that cycle and make self-care a daily priority.
Truly Understanding the Consequences of Self-Neglect
Are you experiencing any of these symptoms of self-neglect?
- You’re on autopilot: Your day feels like a blur. You’re going through the motions, each action absent of creativity, purpose, or joy.
- Other people’s needs come before yours: You continuously serve others before serving yourself. Now you’re noticing that your well is drying up and you have nothing left to give.
- Every day feels like playing catch-up: It feels like you’re always behind in attending to your responsibilities, and you just can’t catch up. This frantic pace keeps you feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
- Your mind swings between haze and chaos: Some days, you feel like you’re trapped in a thick brain fog. Other days, you feel like your mind is racing at a thousand miles an hour.
- You’re physically burned out: Long-term stress and overwhelm lead to body aches, muscle tension, and low energy. Your mental and emotional overwhelm have become physical manifestations.So often, we get stuck in autopilot, scrambling to get things done, and we don’t notice muscle tension or mental exhaustion until it’s too late.
So often, we get stuck in autopilot, scrambling to get things done, and we don’t notice muscle tension or mental exhaustion until it’s too late.
Recall the times within the past few months when you’ve experienced these symptoms. Remember the heaviness in your lids as you pushed yourself to work another hour. Experience the haze in your mind as you reread the same sentence over and over. Feel the intense desire to stay in bed, so you could hide from the day’s responsibilities.
I ask you to relive these scenarios because this is what happens when you neglect your body. These are the risks you assume when you “postpone” self-care.
Maintaining your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health is not a chore to push aside. It’s not a thing on your to-do list that you’ll get to “when you have time.”
Your body is a living organism worth honoring — not another item on your checklist.
Yet, why do you continue in these self-sabotaging cycles?
Why Do We Continue to Neglect Our Well-Being (Even When We Know Better)?
Much of it has to do with guilt or shame around valuing yourself.
Often, people mistakenly believe that self-care and self-compassion are selfish. After all, shouldn’t you focus your energy on helping others rather than yourself?
If you’ve been putting self-care on the back burner, you might be feeding this negative stigma. However, this mindset is working against you.
“When we fill our time with responsibilities and constantly prioritize the needs of others over our own, we can drain ourselves of energy and desire,” says Lisa Firestone, Ph.D. in Psychology Today.
Caring for yourself is one of the most incredible things you can do for yourself and others. When you empower yourself, you’ll have greater strength, energy, and desire to share your gifts with the people around you.
Each time you find yourself feeling guilty, tell yourself, When I care for and love myself, I am better able to care for and love others.
But self-care isn’t going to magically weave itself into your daily life. These tips will help you take conscious actions that make your well-being a priority every single day.
3 Tips That Encourage You To Make YOU a Priority
#1 Check in With Your Body More Often
A common reason why you might be pushing yourself too hard is that you don’t listen to what your body is saying until it’s too late. This often happens when your brain runs on autopilot — each day blurs into the next, as you focus on checking things off your to-do list.
A mental body scan helps you tune into your body. Follow these steps to help you experience what your body is telling you:
- Lay down.
- Take several deep breaths into your belly, breathing in through your nose and exhaling slowly from your mouth.
- Bring awareness to your toes. Observe any sensations such as tingling, pain, or tightness.
- As you become conscious of these sensations, breathe into them and notice what occurs. You may feel the sensation subside or even receive a message from this area.
- Repeat this process throughout your body, moving from your toes to the crown of your head.
Try doing this once each day – find a time that works best for you.
The more you listen to your body, the better you will understand what it’s asking of you. For example, a tense neck and shoulders might tell you to stretch more if you’re sitting at a desk all day. Or you might get the message to drink more water.
#2 Make Weekly Appointments with YOURSELF
Lack of time is one reason why so many women fail to take care of their bodies. That’s why I recommend putting it as a non-negotiable event on your calendar.
You make appointments with your doctor, attend meetings for work, and show up for family-related events.
You’re always showing up for others. What about showing up for yourself?
Prioritizing yourself is about putting YOU on your calendar and showing up on time, ready to care and love yourself.
Therefore, set a dedicated time for self-care. I’m serious! Go to your calendar and write in “self-care”. It may be your entire Saturday, or it may be for an hour every day after work. Try experimenting and choose what works for you.
But most importantly, stick to your self-care appointments. Some days, it may be tempting to cancel on yourself and squeeze in another hour of work. However, self-care will only make a noticeable difference when you declare it as a non-negotiable practice in your life.
#3 Seek Support When You Need It
Earlier, we talked about feeling guilt or shame around valuing yourself. You may feel similar emotions when asking for help.
Instead of relying on the help of others, you attempt to shoulder everything yourself.
But receiving help isn’t a sign of weakness. In fact, asking for help can be one of the kindest things you choose for yourself because it helps you show up even more for those you love. If you’re still struggling to make yourself a priority (even though you’re aware it’s what you truly need to do), getting more support may be exactly what’s required for you to experience more balance and fulfillment.
So, if you’re practicing self-care regularly and not experiencing the peace and renewal you desire… Or if you need more guidance to bring additional structure and balance into your life…
Ask for the assistance you need and allow yourself to receive it.
If you’re ready to overcome self-neglect and embrace self-care as a lifestyle, and require additional support, claim a Complimentary “Prioritize Yourself Breakthrough” Discovery session with me.
In this 60-minute consultation, you’ll:
- Reveal a clear and compelling vision of what else is possible for your life when you’re no longer neglecting yourself
- Get simple and practical tips for how to prioritize yourself with ease (starting immediately)
- Tap into self-care for greater energy, ease, and joy
- Explore how having a partner on your journey will provide a shortcut to all that you desire.
Click here now to claim your Complimentary “Prioritize Yourself Breakthrough” Discovery session.
Special note: I’m so excited to unveil a preview of Accelerated Evolution, my most effective coaching tool! Accelerated Evolution has changed my life and can change yours too. That’s why, at the end of the month, I’ll give you an opportunity to have an experience of these tools firsthand. So stay tuned…
And in the meantime, if you’re ready to find out how these tools can help you now, click here to schedule a “Breakthrough Struggle to Claim Ease” Discovery session with me.
Burnout, Overwhelm, Self-Care, Self-Love
2020 is a dramatic shift from the daily life you knew just one year ago. Sometimes, it’s hard to believe all the challenges we’ve had to overcome in only a few months…
Experiencing a pandemic. Sheltering-in-place. Wearing masks. Navigating heightened awareness of racial tensions.
In response to the adversities we’ve faced this year, we’re undergoing what clinical psychologist William Richard Miller calls quantum change. Quantum change is “a vivid, surprising, benevolent, and enduring personal transformation.” In response to recent events, this change is evolving our consciousness and revealing new possibilities for ourselves and for society.
Within those possibilities is a more empowered you.
Yes, you’ve been hard at work as a mother, a career woman, and a partner. You push yourself to limits trying to grow your career and provide for your family. Yet, you burn out in the process.
What about you and providing for your well-being?
Quantum change is creating a mindset shift:
- You can still pursue self-development without burning yourself out.
- You can share love and compassion with the people around you and express it to yourself.
- You can still fulfill upon your list of priorities while putting YOU at the top of that list.
Let’s explore how quantum change is empowering you to uplevel and care for yourself and the effect it has on the world.
Why Self-Development is the Path Forward
It might not be the answer you were expecting. You might even think it selfish — with all that’s happening in the world, why focus on YOURSELF?
Yet hear me out.
Self-development is the catalyst for positive change in the world. In his book Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod wrote, “Our outer world will always be a reflection of our inner world. Our level of success is always going to parallel our level of personal development.”
What does he mean?
It means that the impact you have on the world will reflect the efforts you put into growing yourself. After you nurture and manifest your gifts, you can share them with others. Gifts like deep compassion and an abundance mindset can be shared with your loved ones, your community, and even your country.
But what happens when you fail to make YOU a priority?
The Dangers of Neglecting Yourself
You already know.
- You suffer signs of burnout.
- Life feels overwhelming.
- You feel isolated and disempowered.
- Every day is a struggle just to get things done.
- Your potential goes unrealized.
Have you ever heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
In his Hierarchy of Needs, Maslow discusses what it takes to reach self-actualization — the peak of human experience. The foundations of that pyramid are securing your basic physiological needs (food and water), feeling safe in your environment, and cultivating reliable support systems.
Yet, in these uncertain times, you might feel vulnerable at all levels.
If you’re a woman of color, you might fear for your safety due to recent racially-charged tragedies. If you were laid off due to business shutdowns, you might worry about providing for your family. And the time you spent in quarantine might have led you to experience loneliness and isolation.
Times are challenging, I know. But all is not lost.
Cultivating a sanctuary of self-love and self-acceptance within yourself teaches you to embrace yourself as you are. And if you need any help to feel confidence and love in your own skin, support is available if you ask.
Create Quantum Change By Prioritizing YOU
Recent events have confirmed my worldview — the power to change your environment begins with creating positive change within yourself. Before I could properly support and empower other women, I had to start with supporting and empowering MYSELF.
This is why I became a Certified Accelerated Evolution coach — to inspire women to break through their mental and emotional blocks with greater ease and to more fully own their power, the same way I used these tools to help myself.
Do you feel guilty about taking time for yourself? Do you judge yourself because you know you can somehow summon the resources to work another hour, do another task, or pursue another project?
I certainly did.
This emotional and mental block can be difficult to identify and dissolve, because striving — even if it means burning out in the process — seems like a virtue.
Yes, self-development can mean putting in the work, yet it also means taking time to rest. Because your potential to manifest your gifts and share them with the world also relies on the care and attention you put into your well-being.
The positive change you desire in your outer world springs from the well of abundance and compassion you cultivate within yourself.
So, start there.
Start with caring and loving YOU.
Are you ready to lessen your struggle and choose ease in all areas of your life?
Quantum change is creating a mindset shift that reminds us: self-care isn’t negotiable.
Self-development is the path forward, yet it doesn’t have to mean achieving your goals at the risk of your health. You can manifest the change you desire by prioritizing self-love, self-care, and balance.
When you’re truly ready to make this shift in your life, sign up for a Complimentary 60-minute “Breakthrough Struggle to Claim Ease” Discovery Session with me.
In this 60-minute consultation, you’ll:
- Reveal a clear and compelling vision of what else is possible for your life when you’re no longer struggling and are enjoying your life again
- Get simple and practical tips for how to break free from your symptoms of overwhelm
- Tap into greater ease, energy and inspiration
- Explore how having a partner on your journey will provide a shortcut to all that you desire.
As I mentioned previously, Accelerated Evolution changed my life and it can change yours too. In October, I will let you know of an opportunity where you can experience these tools firsthand. So stay tuned…
And in the meantime, if you’re ready to find out how these tools can help you now, click here to schedule your complimentary “Breakthrough Struggle to Claim Ease” Discovery Session with me.
Overwhelm, Self-Care, Self-Love
Chronic pain. Fatigue. Lack of focus.
These were all things I struggled with after a car crash a few months ago. As if COVID-19 wasn’t taking up enough space on my plate, I was now dealing with insurance companies, getting medical treatment, hiring an attorney, and buying a new car.
(I’d say I felt overwhelmed, but that would be an understatement!)
Eager to feel balance again, I tried meditation, deep breathing, and Emotional Freedom Technique. These were all helpful… but temporary.
I wanted lasting peace and spaciousness.
Thankfully, I’d been studying a modality – Accelerated Evolution (AE) – which targets and dissolves mental and emotional blocks. I had seen and heard amazing things about how well these AE processes work.
Even though I knew how to use the AE tools, I was also aware that receiving support would accelerate my results. So, I decided to have a Certified AE Coach run a process on me… and it was life-changing.
My breakthrough was so simple and yet so profound. I was empowered to see – yet again – that I choose everything in my life. That I’m not at the effect of anything. And this allowed me to shift out of overwhelm – and stay out of overwhelm – more effectively than anything else I’d tried.
The AE approach to healing is so swift and effective that I decided to become certified as well so that I can share these transformational practices with my clients. They build upon all the work I’ve already been doing while deepening the results that are now available to us all.
My Background in Metaphysics and How It Relates to Self-Growth
For over 3 decades, I’ve been on this continuous journey of learning, growing, and evolving. The knowledge I’ve accumulated – through my studies in metaphysics, including Accelerated Evolution – has yielded powerful tools for creating positive and lasting life change… for myself AND for my clients.
Much of my personal and professional philosophy is rooted in metaphysics. (If all goes well, I’ll obtain my Ph.D. in metaphysics by early 2021!)
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that explores the non-physical realm, diving into our origins, existence, and understanding of self. Interestingly, many metaphysical elements overlap with what it means to thrive.
A vital intention of both metaphysics and personal development is for you to understand yourself. Because the way forward is revealed by looking inward. Yes, there are many external obstacles you’ll face. Yet, many of your challenges will be internal.
Have you ever felt any of these emotions?
- Paralyzing self-doubt
- Debilitating fear of the future
- Feeling chained to a memory from the past
- Helplessness
- Overwhelmed by life
- Loneliness due to lack of support systems
- Fear of stepping outside your comfort zone.
Perhaps you just don’t know what to do next.
Recognizing that many women suffer from these mental and emotional blocks, I began to provide coaching and spiritual counseling that address these issues. My vision is for all women to fully embrace self-love so they may heal and share their gifts with the world. I regularly ask myself, “How do I elevate my services and empower women to tackle these challenges with greater confidence?”
Then I was introduced to Satyen Raja and the Accelerated Evolution Academy.
What Is Accelerated Evolution (AE)?
You probably already know that receiving regular self-care and ongoing support is essential to your well-being.
So, what’s stopping you from fully accepting the benefits available from these practices?
Most likely, it’s your mental or emotional blocks that act as walls and keep you from experiencing a sense of well-being. It’s why you might experience low self-esteem or lack of motivation, even when you regularly exercise and practice gratitude. Your potential for personal growth can be limited by internal obstacles.
But once you dissolve these walls and overcome your mental and emotional blocks, something magical happens. You can finally experience the bounty of your self-care efforts in terms of self-development:
- Clearer purpose
- Increased confidence
- Peak performance
- Greater freedom
- Emotional abundance.
Gaining mastery over yourself, your emotions, and your mindset grants you access to greater opportunities. You can finally pursue a life that YOU love.
Thanks to Satyen Raja, founder of the Accelerated Evolution Academy, AE is dramatically evolving what I’ve already been choosing and experiencing. His mission is “to share the most direct, swift and effective methods that create instant, core and lasting change in people’s personal and professional lives.”
I’m excited to share that I am now officially a Certified Accelerated Evolution Coach! As such, I can use these techniques to help my clients end struggle and claim ease.
Sounds incredible, right?
So what is the process behind Accelerated Evolution? How do you go from struggle and overwhelm to freedom and ease? Let’s find out.
How Does Accelerated Evolution Work?
Many of our problems are internal — buried beneath our mental and emotional blocks.
AE techniques remove our inner resistance through verbally-guided experiences. With each mental and emotional block dissolved, you’ll discover more of who you really are and open yourself to greater ease, joy, and peace.
AE is about tapping into the essence of who you are.
And the process works remarkably fast. It is possible to address a limiting belief and experience more freedom and new possibilities around it in just a few hours!
How Accelerated Evolution Changed My Life
As I mentioned earlier, one AE process – as facilitated by a Certified Accelerated Evolution Coach – helped me recover from my car crash-induced overwhelm in about 30 minutes. Mental and emotional challenges are often defined by two polarizing thoughts or emotions. In my case, the emotional polarities were ‘overwhelm’ (what I was currently feeling) and ‘spaciousness’ (what I wanted to feel instead).
After letting go of overwhelm, I realized that I also had a belief that there wasn’t enough time to get everything done. I’d even feel guilty when I took time to have fun (even though I KNOW better, I still saw how this block was holding me back). After receiving another AE process, I was able to release this belief and now I have the freedom of choice to have fun without guilt. (In fact, I’m on vacay with my husband this week at a fancy resort so we can enjoy some FUN, together!)
I’ve been experiencing some amazing personal transformations through the AE processes. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, I now consciously choose to have more spaciousness and abundance in my life. Because I am stronger in mind, body, and spirit, I’m also in a more empowered position to help YOU achieve the same results.
My approach to coaching and spiritual counseling is also evolving, as I’ve added AE to my already powerful coaching and counseling toolbox.
My Mission to Help YOU Thrive Is Rooted in My Own Journey of Self-Growth
As I partner with my clients, I speak from the experience gathered through my own self-growth journey. I am better able to help you when I’m aware of what it took to help myself.
And what I’ve learned is that AE techniques work. By removing inner resistance and dissolving mental and emotional blocks, you’ll gain a greater understanding of yourself and more freedom than you’ve ever felt before. You can finally tap into the bounty of self-love, self-acceptance, and self-advocacy.
As you move through life, you can at times feel like a pendulum swinging between tranquility and chaos. When struggling, you try some “quick fixes” to feel better, but the effects are temporary. Soon, you’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed again.
Accelerated Evolution will liberate you from your mental and emotional chains, so you can transition from overwhelm and anxiety to a life of ease and empowerment.
What’s keeping YOU from accelerating your evolution and becoming the woman you want to be?
Are you tired of swinging between struggle and ease?
Is it time to try something that has the potential to provide powerful and lasting relief?
If so, I invite you to a Complimentary 60-minute “Breakthrough Struggle to Claim Ease” Discovery Session.
In this 60-minute consultation, you’ll:
- Reveal a clear and compelling vision of what else is possible for your life when you’re no longer struggling and are enjoying your life again
- Get simple and practical tips for how to break free from your symptoms of overwhelm
- Tap into greater ease, energy and inspiration
- Explore how having a partner on your journey will provide a shortcut to all that you desire.
Accelerated Evolution changed my life and it can change your life too. In October, I will give you an opportunity to have an experience of these tools firsthand. So stay tuned…
And in the meantime, if you’re ready to find out how these tools can help you now, click here to schedule your complimentary “Breakthrough Struggle to Claim Ease” Discovery Session with me.
Overwhelm, Self-Care, Self-Love
Have you ever predicted that something undesirable would happen to you, and it came true?
For example, when you believed you were going to have an awful day and then it happened — your dog got sick on the new rug, you spilled coffee on your blouse on the way to the office, you were late to your important client meeting because you had to return home to change… you were irritable and overwhelmed the entire day.
But… was it premonition? Or… was it a self-fulfilling prophecy?
It might be hard to hear… but the truth is, these kinds of negative self-fulfilling prophecies are setting you up to fail. What if you could use them to set yourself up for success instead?
In this article, we’ll explore the self-fulfilling prophecy — what is it, how it can harm you, and how you can use it to access the joy and ease you desire.
What is a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?
A self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when you predict an outcome, and you then take actions that effectively create that end result.
A self-fulfilling prophecy can be hard to spot because you often perform those actions subconsciously. You don’t realize you’re going against your well-being in the moment.
For example, if you have low self-esteem, you might feel you’re unworthy of love and joy. Because you believe you’re unworthy, you stop loving and caring for yourself and building support systems.
Unfortunately, the above scenario is unconducive to personal growth and limits the potential for love and joy in your life.
The Harmful Effects of a Negative Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
If your self-fulfilling prophecies tell you that you’re not smart enough or pretty enough or not worthy and you believe it, it can seriously harm your well-being. You may experience:
- Anger
- Helplessness
- Hopelessness
- Shame
- Depression
- Social withdrawal
- Substance abuse
Self-fulfilling prophecies confirm the powerful connection between your belief and actions. Your thoughts influence your actions, and your actions perpetuate your beliefs.
Once these limiting beliefs take hold of your life, the cycle repeats. Your thoughts tell you you’re not good enough, you take actions against your well-being, and your reality then confirms your beliefs.
When you’re stuck in this loop, what can you do about it?
Breaking the Cycle
As with anything, awareness is the first step toward breaking this cycle. By acknowledging that this pattern exists, you can then take steps to change it.
The following tips will help you curb your self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviors. Then you can choose beliefs that empower you instead.
Create a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy That Empowers You
#1 Stop the All or Nothing Mentality
Have you ever experienced thoughts like this?
- I always screw things up.
- I will never find someone who loves me because I can’t even love myself.
- This always happens, no matter what I do.
Your language influences your beliefs. Words like “always” and “never” contribute to self-limiting phrases that make it easy to perpetuate what isn’t true. This binary makes it easier to fall prey to unwanted self-fulfilling prophecies.
But here’s the thing, life isn’t an all or nothing scenario.
Life may not go your way 100% of the time, but you can still influence what you do and how you react. If you fail once, it does not mean you’re destined for failure forever.
You are not a victim of your circumstances.
The next time you experience a setback, accept that it happened. Then, find the lesson and use it to your advantage in the future.
#2 Acknowledge and Embrace Your Strengths
If I asked you to create a list of your strengths, how difficult of a task would it be?
Would you have to think for a moment? How long would your list be?
See, we often create self-fulfilling prophecies because we believe we’re without strengths.
However, that is untrue.
Each woman — yes, that means YOU — has the capacity to grow, receive love, and experience joy. You can manifest your gifts and share them with the people around you.
I invite you to list all your achievements and strengths now. Your strengths could be interpersonal, like amazing listening skills, or professional, like impeccable time management. List all of them.
If you’re struggling with your list, ask a trustworthy friend what they experience as your strengths. Seeing yourself through the eyes of a cherished companion can help you recognize the value and worth hiding behind your self-critical dialogue.
#3 Visualize Success
We often associate self-fulfilling prophecies with adverse outcomes. But what if you could, instead, predict a favorable scenario? Instead of imagining failure, you see yourself overcoming your challenges.
When you visualize success, you prime your mind and body to manifest that outcome. “The brain is getting trained for actual performance during visualization,” said AJ Adams, MAPP with Psychology Today, “It’s been found that mental practices can enhance motivation, increase confidence and self-efficacy, improve motor performance, prime your brain for success, and increase states of flow.”
So, how do you do it?
Focus on sensory and emotional details:
- Visualize the setting. (Where are you? Are you alone or with people? Is it the morning or afternoon?) Be specific.
- Imagine each individual action necessary to manifest your success.
- Picture yourself successfully performing those actions.
- Experience how you’d feel completing each action.
- Embrace the glow and pride you’d feel when you’ve accomplished your goal.
When you imagine yourself taking the actions and experiencing the rewards of success, you can manifest that vision as your reality.
#4 Overcome Your Mental and Emotional Blocks
Despite your best efforts, it can sometimes feel like you’re getting nowhere. Unfortunately, you may have some type of mental or emotional block hampering your growth.
If so, you will need to dissolve those mental and emotional blocks to claim the life you desire. Until you do, you’re more likely to experience undesirable self-fulfilling prophecies.
For additional support with overcoming those blocks and manifesting greater ease and joy in your life, claim your Complimentary “Overcoming Overwhelm” Discovery session with me.
In this 60-minute consultation, you’ll:
- Reveal a clear and compelling vision of what else is possible for your life when you no longer have so much on your plate and are enjoying your life again
- Get simple and practical tips for how to break free from your symptoms of overwhelm
- Tap into greater energy and inspiration
- Explore how having a partner on your journey will provide a shortcut to all that you desire.
Click here now to schedule a Complimentary “Overcoming Overwhelm” Discovery session.
Burnout, Overwhelm, Self-Care, Self-Love
Are you wondering if there’s more to life than feeling overwhelmed?
Do you desire more space because your schedule is packed?
Is stress affecting your health and relationships?
If you answered yes to any of these, you’re not alone. Sometimes, it feels like you’re stuck in a cycle of overworking yourself, coping with the signs of burnout, and praying for relief. When you’re trapped in the cycle for long enough, your motivation wanes, your relationships become strained, and your performance suffers.
You want to create positive change, but chances are, you won’t break the cycle overnight.
Still, you can create mini changes one day at a time.
One small habit at a time.
Last month, we talked about letting go of the things that weigh you down:
This week is different. Instead of sharing what to let go, I’m sharing mini personal habits that you can embrace. When you practice these habits for long enough, you do more than exit the burnout cycle — you claim a life of greater ease.
The Power of Habits
When you form personal mini habits, you’re not just adding something else to your to-do list. You’re becoming a more resilient version of who you are.
For example, waking up 30 minutes earlier to do something that benefits you on a physical, mental, or spiritual level is more than just getting out of bed early. When you create this habit, you’re becoming someone who cares deeply about herself.
James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, shares the relationship between habits and identity. “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become,” Clear wrote. “No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.”
In other words, one day will hardly make a difference. But weeks of faithfully practicing your habits can manifest the incredible and beautiful changes you desire. While each woman’s goals may vary, the following six habits will lead you to greater joy and ease.
6 Personal Habits to Practice Daily for More Joy and Ease In Your Life
#1 Have A Morning Practice
Before calls, texts, emails, and children beg for your attention, the morning offers a moment for silence and reflection. While the world sleeps, use this time to tune into your body. Before fulfilling what other people ask of you, first listen to what your mind and body ask of you. Their request might be physical, like more water and sleep. Or it might be emotional, like a deep and heartfelt conversation with a close friend.
A morning practice looks different for everyone, yet it need not be complicated. The following activities can help you tap into your inner dialogue:
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Journaling
- Prayer
- Reading
- Walking outside
Each of the above activities will strengthen your mind and body over time. Each morning you choose to fulfill upon your practice, you’ll feel a little more grounded and balanced. This resilience enables you to maintain a positive mindset throughout the day, which provides the opportunity to move closer to achieving your goals with joy and ease.
#2 Set An Alarm For Bedtime
Alarms aren’t just for waking up. You can also set an alarm for when it’s time to get ready for bed.
When following a morning practice, don’t make the mistake of sacrificing quality sleep. When your sleep suffers, you feel tired, irritable, and unmotivated. Getting adequate sleep — 7 to 8 hours — will keep you energized and motivated as you pursue your goals.
Making your sleep a priority is one way to love and honor your body. Just as your morning alarm tells you when to get up, your evening alarm reminds you that you can rejuvenate your body by preparing for a restful night’s sleep.
#3 Name 5 Things You’re Grateful For
Manifesting more joy in your life begins with acknowledging the blessings that already exist.
The bare minimum you need to survive is food, water, and shelter. Anything beyond this is a gift. Whether it’s nutrition, shelter, a healthy family or good friends, these things are all worth acknowledgment and appreciation.
Each day, pause for a few seconds.
Think of 5 things that you’re grateful for at this very moment. Then express your appreciation by saying aloud, “I am grateful for ______.”
I’ll share 5 things I’m grateful for right now: “I am grateful for my loving family, my cuddly cat, my comfortable home, my caring friends, and my fabulous mentors and coaches.”
Even during times of overwhelm, there is still much to appreciate. This daily gratitude practice will remind you to be joyful in the present while being open to receive the abundance yet to come.
#4 Reach Out And Connect
Powerful support systems contribute to a life full of love, warmth, and joy.
But we sometimes take the people we cherish for granted.
The truth is that our loved one won’t always be there. Our time on this physical plane is finite.
These recent months of self-isolation may have distanced you from those special people. It’s time to rebuild those bridges.
Take advantage of every moment you can to reach out and connect.
Time may feel insufficient, but love and joy can be infinite. Manifest both of these in your life through the relationships you keep. A simple text message or a phone call is all you need to keep those support systems strong.
#5 Eat A Home-cooked Meal
Your body is something else you might be taking for granted.
The time spent sheltered at home may have had you ordering take-out or delivery more often than is healthy. To show your body more appreciation, start feeding it delicious and nutritious foods.
Head to the grocery store and pull out your kitchen apron. Or, if you’re like me and want someone else to do the legwork, sign up for one of the meal delivery services that provide all the ingredients. Then, all you have to do is put the meal together. Eating a healthy home-cooked meal (don’t skip the vegetables!) will build the daily habit of respecting your body.
Your body will reward you with more energy, a sharper mind, and brighter skin over time. And as you enjoy this increased vitality and desire, you will manifest your vision with greater ease.
#6 Step Outside
While many non-essential businesses are reopening, many gyms remain closed.
Fortunately, you don’t need a gym to get your steps in.
You can step outside, feel the warm sunshine, and breathe in the fresh air — all without the price of a monthly gym membership.
According to Lifehacker, stepping outside can also promote mindfulness and reduce stress. “When things get overwhelming, as they so often do nowadays,” they wrote, “putting on a pair of comfortable shoes and going for a short walk—while maintaining proper physical distancing of course—can help bring a little calm to a chaotic world.”
This can be especially true if you’re working from home. Leaving your home to embrace the outdoors can bring much-needed separation from stress triggered by your work-from-home environment.
Don’t Let Overwhelm Block You From Your Best Life
2020 hardly feels like living your best life. Coping with COVID-19 and social injustice introduced new challenges and stressors that may reinforce the burnout cycle.
Yet you don’t have to postpone inner peace to 2021 and beyond. These daily habits teach you that even small actions, when done daily, can introduce powerful and long-lasting change — change that will create more joy and ease in your life.
Your journey doesn’t have to be a solitary one either. If you need additional support, claim a Complimentary “Overcoming Overwhelm” Discovery session with me.
In this 60-minute consultation, you’ll:
- Reveal a clear and compelling vision of what else is possible for your life when you no longer have so much on your plate and are enjoying your life again
- Get simple and practical tips for how to break free from your symptoms of overwhelm
- Tap into greater energy and inspiration
- Explore how having a partner on your journey will provide a shortcut to all that you desire.
Click here now to schedule a Complimentary “Overcoming Overwhelm” Discovery session.
Page 2 of 6«12345...»Last »
