The other day a coaching client, who is a holistic healer and mompreneur, began our session with this statement:

"I cannot manage my professional time and this realization has hit me like a truck!"

As we peeled away each layer of her distress, it became evident that she was suffering from what I call "analysis paralysis."

You see, my client LOVES to write lists. Writing down ALL the things she needs to do helps her feel organized, but she recognized that she wasn't DOING much (if anything) on her business goals list. For her, writing lists felt productive, but was in many ways keeping her stuck in place because she wasn't taking action on what mattered most to her. Not taking action (because she was so overwhelmed by the copious lists of things to do for the family) left her feeling like an "unsuccessful" businesswoman which further froze her from creating the forward momentum she craves.

Diving deeper, we unearthed that the lists were in part being created because she is deeply bone tired and uses her lists as a system to help her "stay on track." Sadly, she was feeling completely derailed and her sore shoulders and clenched jaw were screaming for rest!

When I find myself trapped in the folds of analysis paralysis, it's time to press pause and come back into my body. I might take a walk or put on some salsa music and dance around my house. Sometimes I take a nap! Since I know this works for me, I invited my coaching client to explore a few ways she too might pause, reset, and stop the ruminating.

Before our session ended, my client named and committed to a few tangible action steps. Nothing overwhelming and absolutely no list writing! They included the following:

• DO the head and neck self-massage video I had sent in a previous weekly newsletter. My client knew it was sitting in her inbox and it was "on her list" of things to do. I created this 8-minute guided video on the fly to help people take that respite and reconnect with their body.
• Ask the Universe or Spirit to take care of the details for a few days so she could take a much-needed break.
• Recite and believe the mantra, "REST IS AN ACTION STEP!" (After hearing this and writing it on her kitchen white-board, my client committed to a nap!)

Helping women explore the roots of their overwhelm is one of my superpowers. While it isn't scientifically proven, I'd say about 90% of the women I work with are putting everyone else in their lives first and feeding themselves the scraps. And, if they are list writers like my client, the items that support their wellness are often found waaaaaay below the 99 other "more important things." This is not sustainable and is one of the chief reasons my clients express dissatisfaction and unfulfillment with their lives.

This is also why I am offering a FREE 5 Day Sensual Exploration called "Pathways to Pleasure" starting on Monday, May 10, 2021. Delivered by email, each day of the exploration will offer you an opportunity for self-discovery partnered with a simple action step you can take to embrace pleasure and the joy of living more deeply attuned to your senses. My intention is that this tapas-style taste of how I live and work will whet your appetite to prioritize YOUR personal well-being first and own the powers of your sensuality. I can almost guarantee that small shifts OUT of your head and INTO your body will make your life a good deal sweeter!

Click here sign up for Pathways to Pleasure!

Registrants who enjoy community support and connection will be invited to join my private "Pathways to Pleasure" Facebook group. {And please note: while the registration link indicates a start time of 7:00 a.m., there are NO formal meetings!}

Invite a friend to join you for the 5 day exploration! You can do that by sharing this email with them.

In closing, I am a list-writer and believe in the power of a mindfully created list. But, I've learned how to take aligned action so that I have the pleasure of crossing items off the list and journeying forward with ease.

Hope to see you on your pathway to pleasure,

Jen