Does this sound familiar?
I hear it so often from my coaching clients. I heard it from myself for years too. A feeling that has to be "more" to life. There HAS to be more than work, work, rush, rush, sleep.
I had to believe that even in the thick of raising kids, running a household, and holding a full-time job there had to be more to it. Another way to enjoy this life, another perspective to beat the burnout.
Desperately wanting "more" in (and out of) life but having no energy to think about what that means, let alone do anything about it.
More balance between work and life.
More energy to do things I want to do.
More time to enjoy my kids.
More rest without guilt.
More joy in the small things of life.
More emotional support and resilience.
More headspace to dream, think, and create.
Ultimately, more without doing more. More of the good stuff in life.
It's not about a vacation (although that would be nice), a massage (also a treat), or a date night. It's about a deeper desire to connect to what really brings you peace and happiness, provides for your family, and allows you to still be you.
Working full time, two elementary school kids, working husband, dog, household, all the things that make up the American Dream, right?
It's a double-edged sword, you want more but you literally have no margin in your physical, mental, financial, or emotional life each day to think about what that really means.
No margin to dream about what work-life balance may actually look like. No room to say "no" to something and "yes" to one hour a week for yourself.
Here's the thing though: What is it costing you to remain wanting more but having no energy to seek it out?
Consider what a more balanced partner looks like for your spouse.
What does a less-frazzled mom look like for your kids?
How might your coworkers be impacted by a less stressed team member who smiles more?
What part of the real you would come to life? How would being present for the important stuff in life and enjoying those moments change your outlook?
What's it worth to live a better future?
Last spring, I took a leap and invested in a health coach. It was a three-month program, one "live" hour a week, and access to her video training and support in between.
My initial goal was to lose 10 pounds, but still enjoy a beer and slice of pizza here and there.
What I ended up with was a community of other women working toward a version of that same goal for their lives. I found encouragement from my coach and a shift in my perspective that I knew I needed deep down but had no energy to find myself.
I found that one hour a week dedicated to the live session gave me SO much energy to get through the other one hundred sixty-seven hours in the week.
I was able to sleep through the night consecutive days in a row, something that had not happened in years which gave me the ability to think more clearly at work without as much brain fog and burnout.
It allowed me to genuinely enjoy the after-school shuffle of homework, dinner, lunch making, and more.
I did lose the 10 pounds but gained so much more. All from investing ONE hour a week on myself.
A new sense of the meaning of "you matter" and THAT is my drive forward every day since.
