Happy Holidays to you and those you love. I hope you're able to be calm and cozy, and get some rest.

Thank you for a wonderful year of being curious about how to put yourself first, prioritizing your well-being, and becoming more aligned with what lights you up....and being WILLING to feel everything that comes along on that ride. We both know, it takes a courageous and soft heart.

In last week's blog, A Question Worth Asking (I'm fangirling over my own choice of name), I asked you, "Why is it easier to disappoint yourself over someone else?"

I answered the question for myself and here is what I wrote:

I will disappoint myself because I don't think my ideas are important or I'm worthy of chasing them. Chasing is an interesting word to use because I don't want to chase anything. When I'm chasing anything, like a speaking gig, networking with a specific person, or happiness, I tend to feel the most disappointed. That's because I'm forcing the situation and not letting things come to me. I want to explore my ideas from a grounded and curious place and I want the process to feel fun. An "Oooh, what could this lead to?" energy.

I disappoint myself because focusing on what other people need seems easier. I can feel unsure or confused about what I need or want, and I don't want to do the work to figure it out. My feelings are also normal for me so I have a higher tolerance for them. For example, I spent a lot of years chasing money in order to feel worthy in business. As a result, I tolerated a lot more dysfunction around my money behaviors because it was my version of comfortable chaos. It was easier to disappoint myself in this way than call it out for what it was.

Today, however, I'm well-attuned to the pain of disappointing myself and it's not something I want to experience. Inevitably, I will, because I'm human, so I've learned, and I'm learning, to be compassionate with myself give myself grace and correct the actions that led to my disappointment when I can and let go of the rest. Sometimes that process alone is long and painful. Most of my pain with myself comes from me doing or saying something that isn't totally true for me so that someone else will like me and accept me. As I literally just told a client a few minutes ago, I want to have the courage to belong to myself more than anything. And if that means disappointing you, I'm down, although it's scary at times and equally as exhilarating. 

So, let me ask you…
Where in your life are you choosing to disappoint yourself in order to avoid disappointing someone else?

Take a moment. Sit with it. Be honest—softly honest.

And here’s the real question worth asking: What would change if you choose to belong to yourself instead?

It’s not easy. It’s courageous. It’s life-giving.

As we head into the holidays and a new year, I hope you give yourself the gift of listening to what’s true for you. Let it be messy, let it be imperfect, let it be yours.

Because a woman who is full of herself—full of her own truth, power, and worth—is a beautiful thing.

If you’re tired of feeling stuck—like you’re juggling success on the outside but wrestling with self-doubt, perfectionism, or exhaustion on the inside—let’s talk. Last spots for this year open this week. In your free session, we’ll explore how letting go of the pressure can help you speak up in the boardroom, set boundaries without guilt, enjoy your success without the constant stress, and show up as the leader, partner, and woman you want to be."

If you want to attend one of my signature Pump Up Sessions and kick your year off with a bang, consider attending this free event on January 22nd from 4-6pm at Give Yoga in Clintonville in partnership with Key Bank and their Key 4 Women program.

With Love and Gratitude for 2024. I'll see you again in your inbox on January 7th.

With Love,

Sarah x