Create joy and satisfaction by giving yourself grace

Hey there,?

This summer, I’m allowing myself grace. I feel the anxious tug of grind culture urging me to join the drudgery. But the universe is sending me a different message, “you are okay right where you are.”

It’s a tough lesson to take in. I’ve been hustling since I started babysitting and selling Girl Scout cookies at nine years old. When I created my business, I wanted to teach people that productivity is a pathway to joy, ease, and satisfaction.?

I want you to know, deeply in your bones, that your worth isn’t measured by what you produce. And yeah, I know it’s hard. We’re even asked to turn our deep joys into ways to make money. I know my purpose on this earth isn’t to be a little machine. I’m here to find satisfaction and experience my life fully.?

As I approach my 50th birthday, I’m gently uncovering where I can find grace, joy, and rest in my life. I’m batting away any anxious thought that tells me to join the grind.?

Here are 3 ways I’m practicing grace and radical rest in my life right now:

• Spontaneity in publishing this “monthly” newsletter
• Using my gifts as a facilitator to gamify productivity for my business
• Allowing myself to feel ambivalent about being around people ??

I still have big goals and dreams. But I know that this mindset shift is critical to making them possible. So give yourself a little grace. You can dream big and take care of yourself at the same time, I promise.?

I’m always learning, listening, and reading. The links below are on my nightstand, in my podcast queue, and saved to my bookmarks.?

• Birthing Creativity with Rea Frey: Dr. Avanti Kumar-Singh interviews Rea Frey on creativity. I love their discussion on the difference between creating, consuming, and producing. Hint: Being creative without an intended outcome is healing.?
• Aiko Bethea’s Street Lights Newsletter: Aiko’s weekly newsletter keeps taking the words right out of my mouth. I recommend these three articles in particular–Values As Anchor, Nailing Boundaries, Without Accountability, Throw It Away.?
• LaTonya Wilkins’ Leading Below the Surface Newsletter: If you’re not paying attention to LaTonya, you’re missing out. Her recent articles–The Relationship Between Psychological Safety and Accountability and If I Were the CEO of Target or Budweiser–are especially good.

Remember, grace and rest, my friends.?

Your business domme,?

Stacey Saunders