Have you ever had those days where you feel like you have a tiger by the tail or the tail is wagging the dog? Yeah, me too. I’ve noticed a particular pattern emerges when I’m in that state, and I affectionately call it the “whack-a-mole” approach to getting things accomplished.

Here’s how it feels in my body when I’m whack-a-moling: shallow breathing, lack of focus, jumping from one thing to the next in an attempt to “get it all done.” I’m sucked into a vortex of doing.

When I notice that I’m in that state, I do something you may not expect: I slow down. Go for a walk. Toss on some music and dance. In other words, I step away from all I have to accomplish and focus on being.

Why Step Away?

During my healing journey, I realized that I suffered from what Brené Brown calls, “Hustling for your worth” syndrome. More projects meant I was busier—and more stressed out—and the more I said, “yes,” the more I expected people to respect and admire me.

Yes, I became known as “Debby Gets It Done.” The bigger problems were I didn’t feel a deep sense of satisfaction or connection to what I was doing. I also burnt out. Big. Time.

I discovered that when I slowed down, I could hear my intuition. I could feel emotions and where they showed up in my body. And by doing so, I invited into my life expansiveness. I took projects that lit me up and worked with people whose missions turned me on. And my business grew, and—more importantly—I grew. My sense of joy deepened.

Imperfect Action

I still find myself in times where I’m living a “whack-a-mole” life. The major difference is I recognize what I did to get me there, I pay attention to my intuition and body, and give myself permission to slow down. Rather than playing several rounds of “whack-a-mole,” I might play one. Sometimes I catch myself picking up the proverbial mallet and stop the game before it ever begins.

That’s progress and not perfection.

Here’s How I Did It

First, I gave myself permission to take breaks when I needed them. I tuned into my intuition and body, which gave me clues. I honored them (and, consequently, my intuition has amped up and gotten much stronger).

I sat with my feelings and emotions and dug deep into why I hustled for my worth. I focused on how I wanted to feel, unapologetically.

Then, I celebrated when I noticed and make a different choice, regardless of where I was in the process.

Want to Know More?

You’re invited to schedule a free 30-minute coffee date with me where we can discuss when you’re “whack-a-moling” and what might change if you decided to do things differently.