Hello amazing, powerful people!
Today, I want to talk about a personal topic – one that some of you might relate to and struggle with too: BURNOUT and the importance of self-care.
I’m a nurturer with a vision: it’s my mission to inspire others to be their best selves and it lights me up to see and support other peoples’ success! I believe everyone has the capacity to shine brightly and that by fostering a community of heart-centred, like-minded people, together we can make great shifts and create waves of positive change around each of us.
This is why I do my work. My clients are some of the most inspired, focused, driven and generous people out there – big hearts and big dreams – but they’re fighting against their health problems, struggling to push through to still help everyone around them. It’s in their nature to give, so they continue to take on more and more, even as their insides are tearing them apart. And by the time we first speak, they’re at the end of their rope and exhausted.
I know this feeling all too well. I used to think I could push through anything too: I’d pack my schedule until there wasn’t a minute unaccounted for, and still stop to help my friends whenever they needed it. In my head I really thought I could take it all on successfully and not lose anything because of it. I felt pride and accomplishment at being able to juggle so much, and in a way I identified with it. Master-multitasker, helper to all people, limitless and unstoppable.
But this way of being isn’t sustainable, and I learned this lesson the hard way when I developed IBS in university. Once I finally got my IBS under control, I swore never to put myself in that position again and tuned in to my body so I’d know when I needed to pause or slow down.
But then, many years later, my drive took over and I once again put myself in a crazy position of overfilling my schedule: 2 bands, 1 day job, in school to change careers, 0 days off. The universe intervened that time and literally forced me off my feet (I’ll share that story with you another time). I swore up and down again that I’d intensely learned my lesson and that I’d live my best life, in tune with health and wellness so I could lead by inspiration and with integrity.
But recently, I’ve found myself once again on the workaholic runaway train. I feel SO CALLED to do my work that I’ve been pouring my mind, body and soul into making it the best it can be so I can reach as many amazing people as possible. As a healthcare practitioner and wellness advocate, I’ve forgotten the cardinal rule: hold yourself as your number one priority and always refill your cup before filling others.
For the past few months, between my two businesses, I’ve been working 7 days a week, 10+ hours a day. I’m grateful to be doing what I love every day but there is NO REASON for me to be doing it every single day. We attract what we put out there and overworking just attracts more work.
I’m sharing this with you because I know you’re kindred spirits and I really want my self-care message to resonate with you. Today I’m making a commitment to myself to prioritize my well-being and take my weekends back. I will rest, restore, live life intentionally and take in all its beauty, laugh, spend time with my amazingly supportive husband, and feed my mind, body and soul so I can re-align and reconnect, and lead from a place that’s in flow with the universe.
Being limitless and unstoppable doesn’t equate with being overworked and exhausted. Life is a marathon and regular self-care refuels you so you can stand open, expanding with ease in all directions, and still be firmly grounded, supported, full, healthy and happy for a long time to come.
One of the pillars of my coaching program teaches my clients how to be their #1 priority, how to prioritize commitments, and how to set boundaries so they can make sure their IBS never rears its ugly head ever again. I wish this for you too, so I urge you to take this message to heart and put your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health above all else, so you too can be limitless and unstoppable!
I call my workaholic self Robot Wendy and I thank her for her persistence and dedication, but I release her from my energy, and with all kindness and love I never want to see her again.
Your turn: how YOU going to re-commit to self-care? Share with me in our Facebook Community so we can hold each other accountable!