Imagine making decisions with total confidence – Where saying “YES” to yourself feels good and never leaves you worrying about pausing on your growth or having guilt about taking time away.
Knowing your choices align with your priorities and benefit not just your business, but your life as a whole.
The kind of “YES!” that opens doors, creates clarity, and builds momentum in every area to bring you even more success and impact that you could imagine.
As high-achieves, we are so quick to say “yes” to anything that is for our family and for our business.
But when it comes to things for us?
We question, we procrastinate, we doubt, and then, if we do say “yes”, we feel guilty on the back end of it (or we feel too guilty on the front end to agree to it).
This is your moment to stop putting yourself last and start showing up at your highest potential in your business, for your family, and for your future.
Keep reading for insights from my own journey of navigating this and how you can take well-deserved personal time for yourself without neglecting your family or your business in the process.
My Ongoing Journey as a Mom and Business Leader
One thing you should know is that guilt can affect any business mom, no matter how much you make or what you do.
Even 13 years later, I know how easy it is to get caught up in the rush of running a business while trying to be a present mom.
Earlier this year, I had a moment where I realized I had to stop ignoring the fact that I had grown too much in my business, and I could no longer just “wing it.” I had reached a point where my business required more strategic thinking and planning - I needed a VIP Planning Day for MY business.
Except it sat on my to-do list for two months before I actually did it.
It’s interesting how our minds work because we're so quick to justify something for our business or family without a second thought (like a VIP Day or a retreat for my clients)
When it came to something for me, though, I was really struggling.
I knew I needed this...my clients deserve this. My team deserves this clarity, and I deserve this.
But, even with my most supportive husband encouraging me to take the time I needed, I still found myself justifying it . I kept telling myself that taking the time for me meant he's gonna have to do another school day, another dinner and maybe another bedtime for the kids by himself.
When I finally did have this VIP Day, the results and “ah-has” were worth it and I’m so glad I took that time for myself, my mental health and my growth.
So today, I want to share with you some different things that you can do to actually walk through this guilt and really make you think differently about the things for yourself.
1. Reframing Guilt Into Growth
One of the most helpful things for me that I have done anytime I feel guilty about choosing myself is to notice how I'm looking at the word “guilt” itself and reframe it into a growth mindset.
Of course, after that planning day, I felt so enlightened and excited and proud. When I am clear, my team benefits because then I’m able to provide clear direction. And when I came home to my family, I was in a different state of mind: happy and relaxed.
I think that sometimes we don't see that ripple effect.
When you’re feeling better, more focused, and more energized, everyone around you benefits, too.
Instead of focusing on what you'll “lose” or how it would be negative, which is usually bullshit, focus on what you would gain — both personally and professionally.
Give yourself permission to see the growth that you do have and celebrate that in any way.
2. Prioritizing What Matters
Another thing that's very helpful for me is to think about what truly matters.
If we have health goals, if we have fitness goals, if we have sleep goals, if we wanna sleep more, if we wanna feel better, we have to make ourselves a priority.
“If we want to make more money, if we want to work less, there's going to be some involvement of you needing to do something for yourself.”
For me, maintaining an excellent level of customer service, improving retention rates, and creating a thriving business are top priorities. But to reach those goals, I need clear plans and uninterrupted time for strategic thinking.
Then, when you know your priorities, share them openly with those around you. Even just sharing this with Eric made it easier to ask for what I needed. When I think about the importance of these things, it makes sense that taking a day for this planning would benefit the whole family.
When you know your priorities and share them openly with those around you, it becomes much easier to justify taking the time you need for yourself.
3. Having the Right Team in Place
One of the biggest fears that holds us back from prioritizing ourselves is the fear of leaving things undone.
But when you have the right support – whether it’s your team in business or your family at home – you can rest easy knowing things will be taken care of.
In my business, I know that when I have a strong team and efficient systems in place, I can step away without fear.
This also applies at home. When both partners are working together as a team, it becomes easier to take time for yourself without feeling guilty.
When thinking about your business, as yourself:
What are the things that you're afraid of stepping away from?
What are the pieces that need to be put in place to be unafraid to step away from those things?
4. Setting Non-Negotiables for Yourself
Next is setting non-negotiables for yourself.
We hold ourselves to high standards in our businesses. In order to uphold standards as wives, as mothers, we need to prioritize our own well-being just as we prioritize the success of our businesses.
What are the small habits that you can implement that will help you to keep those standards?
I am not going to just mindlessly scroll on social media when I'm overwhelmed.I’m going to learn how to ask for help, to delegate to protect my inner peace. I am going to get up every morning and spend some time on myself personally and not professionally just because I deserve to grow as a human.
Simple habits of blocking out time for yourself, like your lunches or your workouts, can help you maintain these standards and prevent feelings of guilt.
5. Leading By Example
The last thing you can do is to be the person we want for the ones that mean the most to us.
What we forget as parents is, especially with little kids, they learn by watching.
The most important thing to ask yourself is the question of: What would I want for my kids?
Would you want your kids to just abandon the things for themselves?
Would you want your kids to continuously push their physical health, mental health, things that are connected to their wellbeing, their happiness, their joy, their fulfillment?
Would you want them to not do those things?
The reality is, by showing them how to prioritize their well-being, set boundaries, and invest in their own growth, we teach them to do the same for themselves.
Prioritize Yourself, Empower Your Growth
Just remember, there's always something to gain when you prioritize yourself and push past the guilt. Whether it's clarity, growth, or simply the ability to show up better for your family and business, taking time for you is never wasted.
If you’re struggling with putting yourself first, or if you just want to chat about how to overcome that guilt, consider booking a free CEO Schedule Reset Call. In 30 minutes, you’ll walk away with tailored advice and practical steps to eliminate time-wasters, create space for new opportunities, and move your business forward — without compromising your personal life.
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