Living Savvy Episode #8: Cat takes drastic action

When we last spoke with Cat, she was contemplating her already busy life and her fulsome vision board – she had high expectations for herself but was feeling the strain of trying to do it all.

A breaking (or burning!) point

Cat realised that her very full vision board was no longer supporting her in her journey. The feeling of busyness, and the constant reminder of all she wanted to achieve, was getting in the way of simply enjoying what she already had. So she decided to burn it, as a symbol of letting go of those expectations. Cat replaced the gap on her wall, where her vision board used to hang, with pictures of her family. This gives her a softer focus, and is a reminder of what is truly most important to her – creating and savouring joyful times with her husband and two small sons.

Asking for help

Cat recognised that she had been playing the ‘martyr’ role – buying into, while also resenting, the story that she was the one who needed to do it all. A big shift in thinking was becoming aware that she was choosing to do this, to play this role. In reality, she could also choose not to do certain things and either wait for someone else to do it, or simply ask people to help. Letting go of the ‘superwoman’ label can be scary because there is a lot of value wrapped up in that role – being the ‘go to’ person that everyone relies on, without whom the whole show will fall apart.

In Cat’s words…

I realised I just need to go with my life… just go with the flow a bit more rather than trying to do or be something else… Being present with my husband and boys is what my life is about – the rest is almost irrelevant. I knew it was time to do things differently because I was angry a lot of the time… and I was bottling it up. The reason I was angry was that I was putting everyone else first – or rather allowing myself to come last.

What can you learn from Cat’s coaching session?

• Trust your ability to successfully manage whatever comes along in life.
• Let go of the “superwoman” label and take a deep nourishing breath.
• Take responsibility for what you can control, change and manage, including your own choices.

What next?

Do

Create your own ritual for letting go. Are there things in your life that you would like to let go of? Perhaps an old routine or habit you know does not serve you any longer, a long-held hurt or resentment, or a self-limiting belief or story you keep telling yourself? Write or draw it out on a sheet of paper, then create your own ritual to let it go – you could burn it like Cat did, or bury it, or let it float away at the beach. How does it feel to let it go?

Discover

Maria Shriver spent the first 50 odd years of her life spent chasing big achievements and fulfilling other’s expectations – as a part of two famous and revered families (Kennedy and Shriver), as an award-winning NBC newswoman, and as wife to Arnold Schwarzenegger the movie star turned Governor of California. Click here to read how she pledged to let go of the superwoman myth…

Watch Living Savvy Episode #9: Meet Karen and learn how she achieved her dreams

Celebrate & Share

Living savvy is about connecting with others, giving and receiving support, and sharing what you have learned. We love to hear your voice. So leave a comment on one of our posts and join us for more savvy discussion!

Related posts:

1. Living Savvy Episode #11: The living savvy women reveal their secret fantasies!
2. Living Savvy Episode #7: Cat reflects on the cost of trying to “do it all”
3. Living Savvy Episode #6: Meet Cat – starting her life coaching journey
4. Living Savvy Episode #12: How to achieve life goals & find satisfaction
5. Living Savvy Episode #1: Introduction to Living Savvy with Jo Bassett