I had the greatest pleasure of fully enjoying time in England with people I love—soaking in new experiences, spending time with the love of my life, and letting each day unfold spontaneously, without an agenda.

But giving myself permission to completely unplug? That wasn’t as easy as you might think.

There’s that ingrained “hard work” paradigm—the belief that you always have to be pushing forward, keeping your mind on the goal, and earning your break instead of simply taking one.

And no matter how much you accomplish, it never seems to be enough to justify the kind of time off that truly allows you to recalibrate, restore, and return to center—where you actually feel refreshed, re-energized, and, most importantly, free from guilt.

Because there’s always that little voice whispering: 

“But you still need to get X, Y & Z done before the deadline…”
“You can’t afford to take time off.”
“If I don’t keep all the plates spinning—at least mentally—then everything will fall apart, and I’ll fail.”

Sound familiar?

At its core, this fear stems from a deeper, limiting belief: that productivity = worth. 

That if we’re not actively doing, we risk losing approval, falling behind, or—on a more primal level—being left out, ostracized, and, to our nervous system, facing what feels like survival-level danger.

“If I don’t get it all done, I’m a failure.”
“If I stop, I won’t be good enough.”
“It’s not okay to just be—I have to be doing.”

This belief runs deep because, for so many of us, productivity has been tied to our sense of security for as long as we can remember.

The Truth About Rest and Success

Stephen Covey, in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, dedicates an entire chapter to “sharpening the saw”—emphasizing that if you don’t take time to pause, reflect, and recharge, you won’t be nearly as effective when you get back to work.

For years, I understood this concept logically. It made sense. But actually internalizing it? Practicing it? That was another story.

Until now.

Phew! It feels like I’ve finally arrived at a deeper knowing.

Because here’s the thing: I wasn’t taught to prioritize my own well-being. I was taught to put everyone else’s needs first.

So yes, it takes courage to truly care for yourself—to step away from the external demands and redirect that energy inward, toward your own renewal.

And another sneaky belief we carry? That if we give ourselves the nurture we really need, it somehow means we’re taking something away from others. 

That if we fill our own cup, someone else’s will be empty.

But what if that’s not true?

What if, by prioritizing our own well-being—not over-giving to the point of depletion—everything around us actually thrives more? 

What if, instead of running ourselves into the ground, we became living examples of balance, energy, and joy?

A Universal Truth

There’s a principle—one that I’ve come to love—that says: There is no private good.

What does that mean?

It means that the good meant for you isn’t separate from the good meant for others. Life, God, Infinite Intelligence—whatever you call it—wants everyone to thrive. 

It’s not a zero-sum game. Your flourishing isn’t at odds with someone else’s; in fact, it contributes to it.

So, my invitation to you is this:

• Where might you be leaving yourself out of the “circle of good”?

• Where can you start including yourself—fully—in the benefits of the love and work you so generously give to others?

Because the more you allow yourself to receive what you truly desire, the more you’ll have to give. And that is a beautiful thing.

With love,

Cynthia

P.S. We’re going to dive deep into creating authentic success and living a life you truly love at my workshop, “Crafting Your Future” on May 3rd! Click here to learn more and register. 🙂