in a hustle, hustle, hustle culture “downshift” can seem like a set back, a sacrifice, a negative.
sharing some wisdom from one of the most uplifting social media influencers out there, ma girl Jenna Kutcher: be confident in saying “no” so you can save your best “yes’s” (sp?) for what truly brings you joy and fills you up.
Obviously, we still have obligations. A career, family and friends, children. But here’s something I believe in, dropping some wisdom of my own —
We can have it all, just not at the same time.
We talk about “work life balance” like it’s some mystical unicorn, when in reality, balance is something unique and specific to each and every one of us, and only WE can determine what gets prioritized in our lives.
I’ll sell it to you like an infomercial all day, because, YES, I believe you can have it all. You can be a mother, a team leader, a friend, a wife, a business owner, a coach, a coworker, an athlete, a writer. Absolutely. With just 24 hours day and only so much mental bandwidth though its impossible to have everything at the same time.
Enter the cliche “seasons of life” theory. Essentially it’s the belief that every chapter, every obstacle in your path has a purpose.
I pride myself in my work ethic, which makes slowing down all the more difficult for me personally. I honor the fact that I have hustled, I have made so many dreams of mine a reality due to absolutely, luck and God’s will, but also an incredible amount of hard work and dedication. And slowing down now does not have to mean there will never be “seasons” of hustle again, it’s just… different.
I often reflect in all the ways parenthood has changed me already, and becoming a softer more patient version of myself is the most evident characteristic that I am truly most proud of.
All this to say I’m rambling and reassuring myself, as my baby sleeps in my arms, that slowing down is okay. Sleeping in every now and again isn’t a sign of weakness. This is the most beautiful and wonderful chapter yet, but to a certain real degree, it is much slower than chapters before. And that is entirely okay, welcomed, and celebrated.
Slowing down, a little rest, is good for the mind, the body, the soul. And it doesn’t matter if you have a baby or not — find peace in knowing you can have it all, you can rest and conquer, you can upshift and downshift and then upshift again.
Enjoying every fleeting moment of my maternity leave, while also looking forward to being back to work — is perfectly okay.
Hope you enjoy your own moments of rest and reflection wherever you are at as you read these words! ☕️
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