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Hey Reader, Years ago, my husband hit me with a comment that stopped me in my tracks: “You’re just like your dad. You never stop working, and it’s always your way or the highway.” ​ It felt like a punch to the gut. I admired my dad, so hearing that stung. But part of me knew it was true. I loved working. I liked getting things done and, yeah, I was particular about how they got done. ​ At the same time, I believed I was adaptable, open, and curious. So, I didn’t think the “hard worker” in me was a problem… until it started hurting my relationship with the person closest to me. ​ The truth is, I thrived on gold stars (you know…the ones your 1st grade or piano teacher gave out for doing well on something). Being busy felt natural—like it was just who I was. But was it really? ​ It had become so second nature that doing anything relaxing—watching TV or simply being still—felt pointless and frivolous. Somewhere along the way, work started to feel safer than simply being… ​ Safer than being playful. Safer than laughing or relaxing. Safer than cultivating real connections with my family. ​ And, in the process, I wasn’t really living. ​ I was becoming my dad. Now, don’t get me wrong—I love my dad and am grateful for everything he’s taught me. For him, farming is joy, purpose, and retirement all rolled into one. 🚜And that’s great for him. 🐂 But for me? Hiding in my work became my way of avoiding what wasn’t working inside me. ​ Specifically: my nervous system. ​ Here’s the thing: “Stress isn’t about what happens to you—it’s what happens inside you as a result of what’s happening to you.” ​ I didn’t know it at the time, but my nervous system was stuck in overdrive. Staying busy was my way of avoiding that discomfort. ​ And the clues started piling up: 🥹 My body wasn’t getting pregnant, even though there was nothing medically wrong. 🥹 I was on anti-anxiety and depression meds. 🥹 Joy felt nonexistent in my life. 🥹 I felt isolated and unsupported in my marriage. 🥹 And worst of all, I pushed away the support my husband was trying to give me, thinking I could just work my way through it. ​ But that’s not how the nervous system works. 🛑 Your body is trying to tell you something right now. ​ The restless nights, the constant need to fill your time (or your appetite), the anxiety, the need to do everything yourself—they’re signals. This is your moment to stop pushing and start listening. ​ Inner peace doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from slowing down, feeling safe in your own skin, and finding the courage to face what’s really going on inside. ​ It’s messy. It’s uncomfortable. But when you do the work on yourself, everything else—your relationships, your life, your overthinking, even the things you swore would never change—starts to shift. ​ 🔥 Your body won’t wait forever. Are you ready to listen? ​ Cheers, Cathy P.S. If this message resonated with you, take a breath. Start small—just ask your body what it needs today. Then listen and act on that. That’s where the real work begins. 🌱 |
