Do you ever feel like if you slow down, if you step off the hamster wheel for one damn second, that everything you’ve built will crumble around you? Maybe you’ve heard the same broken record recited by your parents, your teachers, your coworkers, and even yourself — that hustle is the only path to success, that hard work = achievement, and that’s all she wrote.

It sounds perfectly sensible, doesn’t it?

If I do more, I will achieve more.

But at the heart of this mentality, you’ll find nothing but endless striving + toxic trade-offs.

I feel vulnerable speaking so openly on this topic, because my beliefs are now largely misaligned with everything our culture teaches us. And I bet some of you will resist this concept, heavily. You might think I’m somehow “special” or entitled or totally disillusioned. Or, you might open your heart & mind to the possibility that there is another way forward.

I’ll tell ya right now: I’ve been where you are. I am the quintessential Enneagram 3 (The Achiever). My default mode is go-go-go, let’s dream big, let’s do more. And I’ve got the résumé to back it up. With three businesses & multiple brands currently under my wing, it may seem counterintuitive that I’m preaching a do-less mentality. But I wouldn’t be where I am without being willing to slow down, be still, and strive less.

If you walk away with any pearl of wisdom today, choose this one:

When we feel good & listen to the quiet urgings of our minds and bodies, we attract more of what we desire.

I’m not the first or only one to speak this truth. Call it woo-woo, call it tapping into the universe, or simply rooting into your own truth, but there is an entire world out there that believes & lives from a place of attracting and manifesting, as opposed to forcing and striving.

And the more time I spend there, the less time I want to spend climbing the endless mountain.

Here are the specific things I’m learning & embracing:

• That when I slow down and prioritize rest & joy, I attract more of what I want (and it usually comes along much faster than I’d ever anticipated!)
• That when I practice purposeful morning + evening rituals, I feel like a badass (and sleep like one too!)
• That when I take my first solo retreat in the woods, I will feel bored and anxious and restless at first (that’s a sign that I need the detox!)
• That I don’t have to feel overwhelmed or anxious in order to be “doing life right”
• That I have the power to create white space in my calendar & protect it
• That “the woo” is worth pursuing — even if you’re typically pragmatic or Type A or any number of black & white self-appointed labels
• That everything is made of energy, and when we focus on elevating the quality of our own energy, we receive support in mind-blowing ways

 

Now, Imagine this:

You’re in the ocean, dog-paddling for your life.

You’re treading water, consuming all your energy fighting the waves. You’re not on the bow of the ship; you can’t see the horizon, you can’t see what’s possible. You can only see the next big swell coming your way. And it’s drowning you.

Let’s pan out for a second. Yes: I believe there are plenty of practical ways to get help, whether it’s outsourcing, delegating, hiring, or creating systems and workflows that save you time & energy. OF COURSE. But when you’re being tossed around in a violent sea, you don’t have the time or energy to create helpful life rafts for yourself. That’s where slowing down & shifting your perspective becomes so valuable. Once you get above the fray — on the bow of the ship, if you will — you can see things more clearly, and creative solutions (like the ones listed above) will start flowing to you. They will suddenly become possible and real.

THIS is why slowing down is so damn necessary. It’s why I build white space into my calendar, not just once a year, but always. It’s why I take solo retreats into the woods, with no agenda but to disconnect & recharge. It’s why I’m writing this. Not because I have all the answers, but because I’ve been hitting snooze on this message for far too long — and the universe keeps telling me: Share it. Share it. Share it.

 

ASK YOURSELF:

What are you hitting snooze on?

Do you understand what you’re sacrificing by not slowing down?

What are you going to do about it?

 

Here are the books I’ve found helpful & illuminating:

• Super Attractor by Gabby Bernstein
• Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

 

Here are the apps & practices that have opened my mind + restored my body:

• Ego Eradicator Meditation
• Lifting the Veil Meditation (free download included with Super Attractor listed above)
• Headspace app

 

Find me here on Instagram so we can chat more about this & all the other magical ways to be a business owner!