Have you ever uttered these words to yourself?
I most certainly do and I have no idea where it came from! I stub my toe on the table and ask myself, “What’s wrong with me? How did I not see that table?”
But it can happen with the more serious stuff too. When it comes to achieving your goals, being resistant to stepping outside your comfort zone and prioritising YOU.
So why do we say such things to ourselves?
Firstly, we are assuming there is something wrong. Secondly, we assume this thing must be us. We are under so much pressure to be a complete woman.
To balance everything
Be interesting
Be intelligent
Have the perfect body
Have the perfect home
Be the perfect wife
Be the perfect mother
Be the perfect employee/business owner.
Is it then surprising that we are left feeling like we are not enough? We believe we are not doing enough, and what we are doing is not good enough. We then feel the need to prove ourselves, which leads us to doing all the work and feeling overwhelmed, underappreciated, and undervalued.
I see so many women feeling less than, questioning their abilities (despite being very “successful”), and letting fear get in the way of stepping outside their comfort zones.
I see it so clearly because as a high-flying lawyer in a previous chapter of my life, a current business owner and mum, I have been through the exact same experiences and feelings.
So what is the answer?
To control the controllables. THIS makes you stronger.
- Instead of trying to save everyone else and put all the fires out around you, stop. Take time to consider what is in your control. Like your diet, your fitness, your business/career decisions.
- Find the strength to let go of the stuff that’s not important and/or is outside your control. We can’t control how other people view us, or behave. And do you really need to spend hours tidying your house every week when you could be spending that time focused on you and your goals (and no it’s not selfish)?
- Prioritise what is really important to you and what is within your control and get laser focused. Stop procrastinating and finding distractions. Step into any discomfort you feel and keep moving through it.
- Be prepared to work hard for it. We can’t expect success to land in our laps. It takes commitment, effort and an unwavering faith.
You CAN achieve anything you set your mind to. You are enough. There is nothing wrong with you.
Sarah is the founder of Breaking Ballet, a unique online ballet fitness programme for busy women.
