One of my biggest claims to fame is my even temperament. I am unflappable in even the most chaotic and crazy-making situations.
At least that’s what most people think.
Except maybe my husband…
and my kids…
and probably my mother cause she’s known me the longest.
They know the truth and until now, I would’ve have probably tried to lock them all in a closet before letting them spill the beans that I am in fact prone to freak outs and melt downs.
It turns out that I’m just like everyone else in life who experiences moments (or days, or weeks, or seemingly endless periods) of feeling stressed out, overworked, confused, unfocused, and overwhelmed.
Running a business, being a therapist, writing, coaching, parenting, marriage, taking care of our 3-legged dog {don’t ask}, trying to cook healthy meals… oh yeah and laundry {I can never keep up with laundry!!}
Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for everyone one of these things. They are fantastic and joyful parts of my life {except maybe the laundry… we really aren’t friends.}but from time to time any of these things (or a combination of them) can create inner turmoil that I work like crazy to keep under wraps. After all what would people think if I fell apart and let it show?!
But here’s a secret that so many of us {including un-flappable me} don’t remember often enough-
losing it, freaking out, having a total melt down is NOT failure.
In fact when we freak out the “right” way, it can be incredibly liberating and provide perspective on how to clarify our priorities and figure out what’s next. But don’t take my word for it… check out this article from Erika Napoletano. {I love her tip about creating a place that’s “scary safe”… so important!}
She is a business genius, bestselling author, TEDx talker, American Express columnist, and by all outward appearances wildly successful and put together. Except for the mini-meltdown she had a few weeks ago…
on stage…
while giving a talk to 400+ people.
The great news is she discovered some rather important lessons and even better news- she shared them with all of us!
Read her article, What you could gain by losing your mind, and then tell me about your freak outs and melt downs in the comments below.
Today’s post is an email that went out to our special Dig Deep & Get Unstuck email list. This list is for people who feel stuck, stagnant, frustrated, and are ready to do the hard work of being vulnerable and having some honest self-reflection in order to get clear about what’s next in their lives.
It’s a place where I share resources, tools, and personal insights about what it really means to live authentically and bravely even when it’s scary {and let’s face it, that’s most of the time!}