No One Gives Out Awards for Self-Abandonment

Voted "Most Likely to Burn Out Quietly"

I bet you had a pretty good Holiday break.  

Even if you had family staying with you that you weren’t sad to see leave…I bet you still had a bit of downtime... necessary. Restorative.  

And now it’s time to get back to ‘normal’.   Routines.  Work.   Schedules.  Discipline. 

But here’s the thing…if you go back to doing the same routines you were doing before the break, you’ll end up with the same workflows, the same results, and the same emotional state.  Is that fine?   Is that what you want?

Overfunctioning.   Over-scheduled.   Over-working.   Over-reacting.  Over-tired.  Over-done. 

Noise.  Busy mind.  Hustle mode. 

Stressed.   Irritable.   Impatient.   Even angry and resentful.

In your role as a business owner or busy professional, it’s not typical to have boundaries and be well rested. 

As a matter of fact, there’s usually a whole pile of guilt or inner critic judgement that comes along with having blank space on your schedule.  

How does it feel being in hustle & grind for extended periods?   Who honors you with the trophy that reads, “Best Hustle & Grind Award Winner”?

If you are done with the hustle and chase for some semblance of your worth, let it go.   To some things you just have to say, “I’ll chuck it in the fuckit bucket”. 

Start small with the daily energy drains that you don’t even realize you’re hauling around.  Something easy to chuck. 

Examples of small things to chuck first - low emotional risk, high relief:

• Immediate responsiveness

Replying instantly to emails, texts, Slack, or DMs to look competent or reliable.

• Over-explaining decisions

Justifying every call so no one feels uncomfortable.

• Keeping up the “I’m fine” act

Always needing to sound confident, certain, and on top of things.

• Being the go-to person

Needing to be indispensable to feel valuable.

Examples of bigger things (where meaning, pride, and fear live):

These are the ones people swear they “can’t” drop…but wouldn’t miss very much at all.

• The version of success you inherited

Someone else’s definition of winning, scale, or achievement.

• Projects that once mattered but no longer do

Old goals kept alive by sunk cost and identity.

• Being admired for endurance

Pride in how much you can handle.

• Roles you’ve outgrown

Leader, expert, fixer, provider…that no longer fit who you’re becoming.

The fuckit bucket isn’t signalling you’re giving up.  It’s about putting down what you’ve been carrying to try to prove your worth.   Besides… it’s not even possible to get from others something that you can only embody for yourself.

Start with something small.  Build the muscle.  Then work your way up to the things you swear you can’t drop…until you do.

No one gives out awards for self-abandonment. But your body, your relationships, and your self-leadership all keep score.

One conversation can often be the turning point...reach out: info@coachingwithchris.ca

coachingwithchris.ca

Coaching with Chris Wilkinson | Life and Results Coach

Hey, I'm Chris, a no BS Business Coach. I partner with people who are bravely walking the self-discovery journey while boldly building a business with impact. I can help you identify blind spots that hide your inner wisdom and create a life that money can't buy.