You're should-ing all over yourself...

I heard myself say something a while back that stopped me cold:

“I’m sick of letting my future self down.”

Gut punch, hey?

Because in that moment, I realised I'd been living in this constant state of mental debt. Always owing tomorrow's version of myself something I didn't deliver today. Always carrying this weight of unfinished tasks, unmade decisions, and unstarted projects.

I was exhausted – not from working too much, but from thinking about work constantly.

Here's the thing: It's not actually doing everything that's exhausting you. It's thinking about it. All. The. Time.

It’s the mental calories you’re burning on constant background processing, not the physical ones.

And I’m here to tell you – that voice is a liar.

You’re not behind. You’re not failing. You’re just should-ing all over yourself, and frankly? It’s exhausting.

“I should be posting daily.”
“I should have responded to that email yesterday.”
“I should have my whole funnel figured out by now.”
“I should be further along.”

Stop. Breathe. Listen up for a hot minute.

Here’s what we’re gonna do when you’re stuck in this spiral (and yes, we’ve ALL been there):

First – Take a real break​
Not a “scroll Instagram while mentally planning your content calendar” break. I mean a break that forces your brain to focus on something completely different. For me, that's hitting a Zumba class where I have to think about moving my body (I literally have to switch my brain over to follow). Reading my 58th book since August last year, where I'm so absorbed in someone else’s story that I can't think of client work. Your mind needs to be occupied with something that isn’t your business.

Second – Set your minimum viable marketing plan ​
Three posts across whatever platforms you want. Or one blog post and five outreach emails. Define what "enough" looks like so you're not constantly chasing some impossible standard. The key here? Make it so minimal that even on your worst week, you can still hit it. Because consistency at 60% beats perfection at 0%. When you hit your minimum? You're done. No guilt. No "but I could do more." You met your commitment to yourself and that's what builds momentum.

Third – Close the loop on one thing completely ​
If there's one thing I have forced myself to get better at this past year, it's finishing things I start. Send that proposal AND follow up a week later. Write that post AND schedule it. Have that discovery call AND send the recap email. One complete cycle from start to finish beats ten half-finished attempts every time. Because every open loop is mental energy you can't get back until it's closed.

Here’s the truth nobody tells you: When you try to do everything, you end up doing nothing well.

And worse? You start resenting the business you’re trying to build.

You are allowed to make this easier.

You are allowed to stop carrying the weight of your entire business in your brain 24/7.

You are allowed to choose what matters today and let the rest wait.

That’s not lazy – that’s strategic. That’s sustainable. That’s how you build something that lasts.

So what’s it gonna be? Are you ready to stop should-ing and start choosing? Your business will thank you. Your brain will thank you. And honestly? Your future self is already proud of you for reading this far.

Now go be the badass I know you are – one intentional choice at a time.

You got this.

P.S. – That thing you think you “should” be doing right now? It can wait. This moment of clarity is more valuable than any task on your to-do list.