This blog post started out as a journal entry. Usually in times of confusion and frustration, I turn to my journal in order to explore my feelings in a productive way that brings me peace and clarity. I decided to share my thoughts on hustle culture on my public blog with the hope that other people who are experiencing something similar see that they aren't alone. I also want to inspire my readers to embrace a more authentic and heart-based approach to balancing work and life.

Here it goes:

I’m feeling anxious after scheduling my social media posts for the week. Why? Because it was “too easy.” Yup. I’m freaking out inside because I’ve heard things like “No pain, no gain” and “You have to work hard to get the things you want.” my entire life. As a result, now that I’ve finally found work that I love and aligns with who I naturally am and what makes my heart happy, I’m feeling like I’ve done something terribly wrong because “work isn’t supposed to be easy.”

Go figure. 

This is so stupid. 

The society we’ve been molded by really is a mess. No wonder so many people are constantly upset, living their lives on autopilot, and feeling ill on so many levels! I chose my healing journey and built my business to get out of that way of living because I felt firsthand how harmful it was. 

So, why are these pangs of guilt and not-enoughness kicking in now that I’ve found myself in a space where I’m seeing and feeling my dreams come to fruition? 

Well, my experience and studies have taught me that the brain doesn’t really like when we change our habits and so our minds will find ways to keep us in a state of familiarity, even when the familiarity is pure hell. I’m not letting that b.s. pull me back in and I know that those thoughts aren’t the truth. 

We’ve been engrained with the horrible and sad belief that in order to succeed, we’ve gotta suffer– work our fingers to the bone and put our blood, sweat, and tears into our work. But why? 

How did success and suffering get paired together?

I'm not going down that rabbit hole, but I’m choosing to live softly, slowly, and with plenty of pleasure. I once prided myself on my ability to stay up working all night, hustling ‘till the wee hours of the morning, but now I think hustle culture is toxic and it’s nothing to brag about.

Needing a nap at 11:00 am, and inhaling coffee and energy drinks to stay awake isn’t something to be proud of. Honestly, it’s stupid because it’s abusive to the mind and body. Not to mention, it’s spiritually draining and causes burnout. So, what is the true benefit of working your fingers to the bone? Money? Okay, but can you actually enjoy that money when you’re a sluggish mess or ill?  

I’ve decided that neither work nor life has to be an overwhelming, painful, or complicated experience. Yes, I know it can’t be sunshine and roses all day every day. I’m not delusional! But “life’s a bitch” isn’t true either. Life is a fucking blessing… to those who allow it to be one.

For anyone who is experiencing a similar situation to the one I started this post with-- If you’re feeling like you’re not working hard enough or that you’re not doing a good job because completing work or another task was easy for you, pause and think about how special you are.

We’re all operating at different levels with different natural talents and learned skills. Your work is valuable, even if it feels "easy" to you. And the truth is that there are people out there who think what you do with ease is an impossible feat for them to accomplish. Embrace your gifts and really allow yourself to feel the value in them. 

You don’t have to overcompensate or fit into the norm by burning yourself out. It simply isn’t worth being stressed or upset.

Oh, and another thing, you don’t have to wear yourself out in order to be considered worthy. You’re worthy just because you’re you.

You can have fun, take inspired action, and receive. You can relax and allow things to manifest and work out in your favor.

Your thoughts are not the truth. They run on autopilot based on your past experiences. Thoughts are meant to easily come and go without attachment, but they become beliefs when we hold them hostage and repeat them.

So really, it’s up to you to decide what you believe in and you can achieve that by becoming mindful. Pay attention to the thoughts that linger and find out what you truly believe, not what your mind is telling you.

I could have continued feeling like I wasn’t doing enough and then I could have moved into doing more work to overcompensate for what I was feeling, but I didn’t because I chose to find the lie in what my thoughts (and society) had been telling me instead.

You can do that too. You don’t have to believe anything you don’t want to believe. Your mind is meant to be a peaceful, safe place that belongs to you. It's time to undo society's brainwashing and shift your paradigm for yourself.