The Real Success Story: Embracing Intention & Choice

What if the most successful thing you did today was choosing rest over the pile of laundry staring at you from the couch? 

The Comparison Trap Is Stealing Your Success

Scroll through social media for five minutes, and you'll see it everywhere. Beautiful, organized homes that look like they've never encountered a single dust bunny. Families laughing together in matching outfits (how do they get everyone to cooperate?). Manicured lawns that would make a golf course jealous. And there you are, wondering what's wrong with you because the clean dishes are still in the rack, the folded clothes have taken a week long residence on your couch, and dusting feels like a luxury you can't afford (literally and figuratively).

Here is what we don't see behind those perfectly curated moments - the housekeeper who made that spotless kitchen possible, the three outfit changes it took to get that "effortless" family photo, or the exhaustion that follows trying to maintain an impossible standard.

The real kicker? We're measuring our behind-the-scenes reality against everyone else's highlight reel.

When "Having It All Together" Falls Apart

Today's definition of success feels like a performance where the curtain never falls. We're supposed to have it all running smoothly... advancing in our careers, maintaining a picture perfect home, thriving in all of our relationships, and achieving a noticeable level of fitness and wellness. But what happens when keeping all these plates spinning leaves us feeling like we're barely hanging on?

That gnawing voice kicks in. You know the one. It whispers every time you sit down to rest.

• "You should be doing the dishes."
• "That pile of mail isn't going to sort itself."
• "Everyone else seems to manage this better."

And suddenly, rest feels like failure. Relaxation becomes guilt. Taking care of yourself feels selfish.

This isn't success—it's a recipe for burnout disguised as achievement.

What If Success Looked Different?

Imagine if your definition of success included:

• Choosing rest when your body needs it
• Accepting that some days the laundry wins
• Recognizing that your limitations aren't failures, they're human
• Celebrating the small wins, like making it through a tough day with grace
• Understanding that "messy" and "successful" can absolutely coexist

What if success wasn't about how put-together you appear, but about how aligned your choices feel with what truly matters to you?

The Tiny Shift That Changes Everything

The mindset shift that can transform how you think about success is to focus on intention instead of perfection.

Instead of asking, "Am I doing enough?" try asking:

• "What does my body need right now?"
• "What would feel most aligned with my values today?"
• "How can I honor both my responsibilities and my well-being?"
• "What would success look like if I designed it for my life based on my desires, not someone else's expectations?"

Success isn't about having it all together. It is about making conscious choices that honor both your commitments and your humanity.

Rewriting Your Success Story

The most radical thing you can do today is give yourself permission to be authentically, beautifully imperfect. To rest when you're tired. To leave the dishes for tomorrow if that's what your soul needs. To celebrate the small victories and acknowledge that doing your best looks different on different days.

Your success story doesn't need to look like anyone else's. It just needs to feel true to you while allowing grace for the messy, beautiful reality of being human too.

Ready to rewrite success on your own terms?  Join our Collective, where women are discovering what it means to lead, live, and thrive in ways that feel authentically aligned. Together, we're exploring how to create sustainable rhythms that honor both our ambitions and our humanity. Explore the Collective and start rewriting your success story today.