If it drains you, it’s not for you. Always remember that.

Damn, this is good stuff!

How I wish I had known this years ago!

I used to do SO many things that drained me because I thought I “had” to.

Things that “good” mothers do without question or complaint.
Things that “good” friends do without question or complaint.

This is just a tiny sampling of the things I used to do:
I cooked a big meal for my family every night.
I cleaned up the kitchen before I went to bed.
I helped serve lunches at school from Kindergarten through Eighth grade.
I ran the snack shack at football games instead of watching my kid play.
I planned fundraisers for the school.
And, soooo much more!!

Don’t get me wrong; I didn’t hate doing these things all the time.
When I did them sporadically, I actually enjoyed them.

But, these things stopped being sporadic and became overwhelming and draining because I didn’t realize I could say No.

I honestly thought these things were expected of me, and saying No would have been wrong.
I put more and more things on my plate until it was so full I thought it’d collapse.
I fucking exhausted myself!

These were obligations.
Or so I thought.

I had nothing left at the end of the day.

Let me put this into the self-coaching model that Brooke Castillo from The Life Coach School developed because the model is brilliant, and can bring such awareness.

Circumstance- All the things I listed above that I used to do.
Thought- “Good” mothers/friends do these things without question or complaint.
Feeling- Obligated
Actions- don’t make time to exercise, run around like a chicken without a head all day, get snippy with husband and sons, drink to relieve the pressure, stay up too late because night time was my only “me” time, eat too many snacks because they were my “reward,” talk about being “so busy” as if it was admirable…and other things I’m sure.
Result- I was not being good to myself.

Do you see how that works?
Isn’t it mind-blowing!?
My thought and feeling about those tasks was causing me not to put my best interest first.

If I knew then what I know now!

Through working with my life coach and becoming certified, I have learned, “If it drains you, it is not for you,” and I could change it if I wanted to.

If I knew then what I know now, I would still do most of those things, but I wouldn’t do them out of obligation.

I would think about it.
Consider if it would serve me or not.
If I decided it would…then great; I would do it.
If I decided it wouldn’t…then great; I wouldn’t do it. (And I wouldn’t feel the least bit guilty about it!)

This is how I have lived my life for the last few years.
This is how I am going to continue to live my life.

And, I can also teach you how to live your life this way!

You may not believe me, but you ALWAYS have a choice!
Intrigued?
Click on the link and schedule your free 30-minute consultation!
Let’s see if we are a good fit to work together.

As always, please feel free to leave any questions or comments.
I’d love to hear from you.