Being a strong, smart, capable woman comes with a certain sense of pride: you’re resourceful, you can to handle it all, you’re the rock everybody comes to when they need help.
Always being in Superwoman mode is flattering in a way but it is also very draining: you’re always on the edge, operating at full capacity and you’re often letting yourself down because after fixing everybody else’s problems there’s no time left for yourself nor for your aspirations.
It’s the highway to burning out, and to feeling resentful and unfulfilled.
And, it certainly is not the most elegant way to live.
In the words of Maya Angelou: ‘surviving is important. Thriving is elegant.’
Let’s look at 3 ways for you to overcome Superwoman syndrome for a more balanced lifestyle.
1| Overcoming Superwoman syndrome: Putting yourself first!
Before we even go further, let me clarify what I mean by putting yourself first: I do not mean to say you that should be selfish, haughty or callous.
I’m not encouraging diva fits.
I am coming from the perspective of the Superwoman who puts everybody else’s needs first: work, the children, friends and family, community, boards…
- That woman with the insanely busy schedule.
- That woman who has time for everyone but herself.
- That woman who feels guilty when she takes a 2 minutes bathroom break.
This is not about selfishness, this is about balance.
As I mention in this 21 day stress release challenge, you can’t thrive when you’re depleted.
You might be able to function, to cope, to survive but after a while something is going to give.
You won’t be able to be your best self or live up to your ideals when you no longer have the bandwith nor the patience.
Hello cranky mama…!
Hello snappy best-friend…!
This is not probably not who you intend to be…
However, you simply cannot perform at your best when you’re running on empty. So, do yourself (and your loved ones!) a favor, make sure to carve some space in your life for yourself.
2| Setting boundaries
Do you recognize yourself in this?
Squeezing a last minute meeting on the evening when you had a date night to see your favorite singer?
- ‘Sure, I’ll stay! Not a problem.’
Accepting a huge file that comes in on friday night with a monday morning deadline when you had plans for a family weekend?
- ‘I didn’t have anything special planned. Not a problem!’
Taking your tablet to bed to finish one more crucial update for your business?
Ok, that one is me… Hey, we are all growing here…
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Stressed-out mode should not be your default mode
In career or in business, things sometimes call for a push and you do have to suck it up and go the extra mile. However when it becomes a habit or a way of life, then it is a matter of boundaries and self-sabotage.
There’s no need to be resentful or jealous of your colleage who always manages to enjoy uninterrupted weekends or of your best friend who gets to spend quality time with her family when it’s your own choices and what you are willing to accept that are sabotaging you.
Whether your lack of boundaries comes from you being uncomfortable speaking up or from you being completely passionate about what you do, you are still in control and you have the power to change things and that’s where the focus you should be.
While it may not be possible to change things right away, pay attention to where your Superwoman syndrome is making you to deliver more than you can comfortably handle and start drawing limits.
3| Being more leveraged
Yes, I know it kind of feels empowering to pull out the power drill, crank up some girl power bouncy tunes and put up a set of shelves like a modern in-de-pen-dent woman who can handle her sh*t and doesn’t need any help.
However is that really the best use of your time and energy?
There’s a point where independence turn into a liability: that is when you’re exhausted, depleted, and you’re doing things you have no business doing in the first place i.e. things other people can do better than you and enjoy doing!
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of intelligence: knowing when to leverage the strength of others from a place of cooperation to get where you want to go faster and without overwhelm is a smart move.
For example, I’m pretty good with a power drill but when shelves need to go up you can bet that my sweetheart will be on it. He’s taller than me, he has bigger arms than me, and he loves doing it.
It’s just easier.
Why would I exhaust myself to prove that I can do it as well as he can?
Smart ladies are team players.
I know you’re strong and that you can handle it but are you coping or are you thriving?
It can feel good to be the fighter, the survivor, the Superwoman, however make sure that it doesn’t get in the way of you living your life purposefully.
The next steps
Superwoman syndrome is one of the many ways women sabotage themselves and allow the unimportant to take precedence over their true aspirations. Constantly having to put out fires is the perfect excuse to ignore your dreams and the perfect setup for be unfulfilled.
While it’s important to find ways to mitigate this sabotaging pattern, if you recognize yourself in this situation the critical question to ask yourself is what Superwoman syndrome is costing you.
Being constantly on the edge has an impact on your health.
Always putting yourself last has an impact on your happiness.
Superwoman syndrome is the tree that hides the forest and let’s you know that something in your life is completely out-of-alignement and that it’s time for changes.
The shortcut!
Regain balance!
Balanced living tips and tricks can only take you so far when it’s your mindset that sabotages you and leads you to being overwhelmed.
This premium challenge lets you level up your mindset to go from frazzled to poised in just 21 days.
Change your life!
If things have been out-of-alignement for too long, you may come to the realization that your life needs a complete reset.
I know this can feel overwhelming so I have created powerful solutions specifically designed with busy women in mind. They will get you quickly off the ground, and let you reinvent your life at the speed of light and without overwhelm.
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Looking a self-paced, budget-friendly solution? Then these bite-sized actionable virtual workshops and premium challenges are for you.
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