Hello and welcome.
I want to start with a question.
When was the last time someone asked you how you were doing and you responded with?
I've got so much going on right now.
Things are really crazy.
Or exhausted.
For many of us,
Those responses have become almost automatic.
And what's interesting is that we often say them with a strange mixture of frustration.
And pride.
Almost as if being overwhelmed proved something.
Almost as if being exhausted means we're important.
Almost as if being busy means we're doing life correctly.
Brene Brown once said.
This is a quote.
Exhaustion is a status symbol because we desperately want to be seen.
We desperately want to belong.
We want to believe we're lovable.
End quote.
And this bug really landed with me.
Because I know I can get caught up in being busy as a way of feeling important.
I know that my self-worth can get tied up with how much I do.
So in this video.
I want to explore what's beneath the conversations we have about productivity,
Time management,
And stress.
Because I believe there may be something deeper going on.
Now,
I'm aware that many of us grew up receiving messages about achievement.
You know,
We learned that hard work is praised.
Accomplishments are celebrated.
They get a lot of attention.
And winners get the rewards.
And there's nothing wrong with that.
The problem comes when our brains quietly begin to connect our worth with our output.
So without realizing it.
We start to believe.
If I accomplish more,
I'll feel better about myself.
If I'm productive enough,
I'll finally feel worthy.
If I'm helpful enough,
Generous.
Responsible enough?
Maybe then I'll feel like I am enough.
And so we keep pushing ourselves.
We keep striving.
We keep adding things to our to-do list.
And we say yes way too often.
We're hoping that the next accomplishment will finally give us that feeling that we're looking for.
But the trouble is that the finish line Keeps moving.
Did you ever notice that?
I mean,
You complete one project and then there's another project.
You clean the house.
Needs to be cleaned again.
You reach a goal.
Then you immediately start focusing on the next one.
And then,
You know,
If you finally have a free afternoon.
Instead of enjoying it,
You find yourself wondering whether you should be doing something more productive.
So I've certainly seen this in my life.
And I've seen it with many of the women I've worked with over the years.
And the goal isn't the problem.
The problem is believing that our worth exists on the other side of the goal,
Or even that we have to somehow prove our worth.
And because when that happens,
We never arrive.
As I usually like to ask,
How can mindfulness help?
Well,
One of the gifts of mindfulness is that it helps us notice these patterns.
You know,
We can start to hear that voice in our head that says,
You should be doing more.
Or everybody else is ahead of you,
Or you can't afford to rest.
And rather than automatically believing those thoughts.
We learn to simply observe them.
Just be aware of them.
And then we can also become curious about those thoughts.
You know,
We might wonder,
Where did that belief come from?
Or we might ask ourselves.
Is that thought actually true?
Or we might consider What would we say to a friend who is carrying the burden of so much to do?
And over time,
Mindfulness can create that little space that I often talk about,
The space between us.
And the beliefs,
The space between something happening and our reactivity.
Because in that space,
That's where new things become possible.
And we can even create a different definition of success.
You know,
Like what if success wasn't measured?
Only by what we accomplished.
What if success included?
How present we were.
How kindly we treated ourselves,
How connected we felt to the people we love.
Or whether our choices align with our values.
Or what if success included?
Whether we noticed beauty today.
Or whether we allowed ourselves to rest when we needed rest.
Because all of those things matter.
One of the reasons I created this channel is because I've learned that many of us are struggling with the same things.
And I know that I need repeated reminders for how to live more mindfully.
Otherwise.
.
.
We may think we're alone in our self-doubt.
Alone in our perfectionism.
Alone in our tendency to overcommit.
Alone in our fear?
About not doing enough.
But when we start talking openly about these experiences,
Something powerful happens.
We discovered that these struggles are shared.
And when we share our insights.
We feel more connected.
And perhaps that's where the healing begins.
So this week.
I'd invite you to notice something.
The next time you hear yourself saying,
Oh,
I'm so busy or.
.
.
I'm exhausted.
Pause for just a moment.
And ask yourself.
What am I coping this means about me?
And then gently remind yourself.
Your worth has never depended on how much you accomplish.
And you are much more than what you produce.
You are more than your to-do list.
An exact.
You are a nut.
Even when you rest.
Thank you for being here.
And I hope I can see you at the next video.
