Dear friends,

I will keep this week’s message to you short, and sweet, as I know we all have so much that we are managing these days, I’d like to take up as little of your precious time as possible!

Let’s have a chat about unnecessary stress, how that’s different than regular life stress, and how we can start to manage and eliminate the these pesky things in life that we just don’t need to go through.

We all know that we are living in a difficult, unprecedented era of time, and there are many, many stresses that we are experiencing that we often don’t have the bandwidth or the tools to deal with, and that is all very real. So please remember, if you’re struggling to process everyday life it’s very okay and very, very normal. A gentle reminder for all of us, in times of extreme difficulty, we must double down on care, which includes prioritizing health, wellness, and boundary setting.

Life, in normal circumstances, is stressful. We are perpetually juggling many things at once, and of course, it takes a toll, and can make us feel scattered, anxious, and exhausted. There is a difference though, between the natural stresses of life, and what I like to call (or what my therapist named for me), unnecessary stress.

Unnecessary stress simply defined, is the stress that is brought into your life that is not yours to carry and is certainly not yours to solve. Unnecessary stress comes in the form of other people (usually toxic), systems, outside entities, and unhealthy habits that we cultivate within ourselves. Unnecessary stress makes our already complicated lives, even more so, and this week I want to give you the permission to release these added burdens that weigh heavy on you.

As empathetic humans, we tend to want to take on battles that aren’t ours to fight, and we burn ourselves out in the process of doing so. If you’re feeling that deep sense of burn out, stress, and extra anxiety, please take some time this week to take inventory of your life and see where unnecessary stress is creeping its way in, and know that you have the power to say no and escort it right out.

In order to take care of yourself in these extraordinary times, it’s required that you set boundaries to manage “life disruptors” that are not yours. You’re allowed to say no to the things that perpetually drain you of your energy, efforts, and resources.

These past few months alone, in my personal life, I’ve had to set extra firm boundaries with people I hold dear, and I’ve had to make major lifestyle changes to protect my mental health and well-being. It’s not always easy to do so, but the relief I feel from making these changes is invaluable.

You will never regret taking aligned actions, to protect yourself, your health, and your energy. Where will you start to release unnecessary stress in your life?

xo, Michelle