Contrary to popular belief, there is such a thing as being too ambitious. If you’re an over-achiever like me, then you know what it’s like to get addicted to the thrill of accomplishment. Sometimes I do it because I’m type A and love the feeling of “checking things off,” but other times (I’ve realized more recently) I do it to avoid the chaos around me. I haven’t been on here in a while. That’s been intentional. Honestly, there has been so much important information that the world needs to hear, I didn’t want to cloud the airwaves. It was only yesterday as I was experiencing hangover symptoms from over-achieving so hard the day before, that I realized I may need to tell other people about the secrets I use to reset & reground myself.

Your anxious for no reason. You can’t turn your mind off. You keep going over check lists in your head. You feel empty without your planner. The tension in your neck and shoulders won’t go away and you’re clenching your jaw more than you realize. If you’re experience even one of these symptoms, your body is probably fighting against itself. Part of you is saying “um hello… I need rest!” While another part is saying, “we need to keep going… there’s more for us to do!” I’ve always had friends say they wish they could be a “goal getter” like me, but the grass is always greener. While I love my ambition & wouldn’t be the same without it, sometimes it goes into overdrive, & I really need to force myself to turn it off.

Here’s a few things I do to set boundaries against that hyper-active version of me & gain some solace:

• Yoga/ Stretching with lots of deep breaths
• Cooking or baking, especially comfort food
• Drawing on my iPad
• Writing in a journal
• Putting my phone in another room with the ringer on + “do not disturb” (this takes the anxiety away and means I’ll hear anyone in my “favorites” calling)
• Playing tennis
• Singing (especially Whitney Houston, but we’ve all got our favorites)
• Binging a show that will keep me interested & distracted (usually True Crime)
• Go for a walk and take pictures with my polaroid
• Listen to a podcast with a candle lit & a glass of wine in hand

Everyone will have their own escape and the ones above are by no means the end all be all, but the important thing is finding yours. You have to be careful to not schedule the time to unplug either, because that’s just making it one other thing to check off your list. It’s about having an internal conversation and know when you deserve a minute (or 90) to focus on yourself. Being ambitious is amazing, but if you’re in ambition overdrive for too long, your engine is going to burn out. With everything going on in the world right now, this is a friendly reminder that it’s okay to focus on you and not keep pursuing new things to stay pre-occupied. Now go watch Queer Eye, eat pizza, & drink as many glasses of wine as you want (yes, I’m projecting).