Being an incredible super hero that can do it all, be happy, and get all the accolades…it sounds great at first, right?

 

She looked like a superstar to the rest of the world, especially on social media. She was up at 5am working out, her home was perfect and everything in place, her kids were always dressed to the nines with perfectly packed lunches in Bento Boxes she purchased from Etsy. 

 

She cooked every night for her family, she made the reels, she grew her business, she worked out everyday.

 

She looked like she had it all, but she was dying inside… empty from giving so much to others.

 

This used to be me – to some extent.

 

I was so all in on the hustle, building my empire, making it BIG, that I lost sight of things.

 

Like my health, the little things, time off, rest, the present moment.

 

I found myself in the very thick of it, planning the 2nd Boston Business Women Conference and growing a national lip balm brand at the same time. And by God did I do it all (with an amazing team who were also probably stressed out by my pace).

 

Two sold out 1,000+ attendees at each conference, celebrity speakers, the best sponsors, and a “yes” from every retailer in the United States.

 

You would think I would be on cloud 9, right?

 

 

At the end of that year, I wasn’t even truly enjoying my successes or celebrating what I had accomplished, because I felt like I sold my soul to achieve what I did. I was downright exhausted. 

 

I was officially burnt-out.

 

I didn’t have motivation or energy to go at it again. I felt a bit lost. I learned that working off adrenaline, like I did for years, depleted my adrenals, messed up my cortisol levels, and I was dealing with chronic fatigue and a slew of other health issues.

 

I spent the next few years moving slower. At a normal human pace that felt good & enjoyable to me.

 

I did a lot of inner work, and focused on seeing the value in myself when I wasn’t productive, away from my career—it’s still something that I, and most overachievers/type-a’s, need to consistently work on.

 

And guess what? My business still grew, but on my terms, on the things that I enjoyed.

 

I am here to remind you, and myself, to not always say “yes”.

 

For me, the answer this year is “no”

 

No to a podcast, no to building out my own TikTok, no to launching my personal brand.

 

Why? Because I am only 37. Because I am a new Mom and want to enjoy all the moments and be happy and present, and not exhausted and overwhelmed. 

 

3 Major Realizations & Lessons I have learned while retiring from “Superwoman” status are..

 

⚡️ Be protective of your time & Pause before you say “yes.” Is this a good use of my time? Will this drain or increase my energy? Will it bring me joy? Do I look forward to it? Does it feel stressful? I started saying “yes” to new ideas ONLY if they were enjoyable, not because I think I’m “supposed to” be doing them (like TikTok…lol)

 

⚡️ My value is NOT determined by how productive I am, by how much I’m creating, or how much I’m doing. My value is inherently determined by me and it was crucial for me to sit down, do the inner work, and realize this. I am extremely valuable EVEN if I decide to never create anything ever again.

 

⚡️You don’t have to do it all right now. Go slow. I have been an entrepreneur for 10 years and probably have another 30+ to go. Getting more things done is not worth my health or mental peace. I wait until ideas feel like a resounding “YES!!”, when I feel up to it, and when it doesn’t feel overwhelming to add another thing to my plate.

 

So my advice today is to go slow. 

 

To pause and take time to go inward and ask yourself, am I doing this because it brings me joy? What am I truly getting out of it? Am I taking enough time off and away from my career to enjoy everything else that this beautiful life has to offer? 

 

So tell me…what is something that you are saying NO to this year?

 

Let us know in the blog comments!

 

6-Figure Startup Success Academy is here!

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Boston Business Women’s Inner Circle

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From our networking events, members only dinners, promotion packages, and more—our group is growing fast. If you’re a woman working in NE, you belong here! 🦞 Find your business lobster, (I didn’t think Friends was going to get involved in this…but if the claw fits?) your clients, and your peers when you join the inner circle.

 

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