FREE Reframe Your Mindset Masterclass - Tuesday, October 20th @ 10am PST - https://josieanderson.co/mindset/

Do you wait until everything feels "ready" before you start, and then wonder why you're stuck?

Do missed naps, chaotic mornings, or missed deadlines at work make you feel like you're not enough?

Mental health isn't a buzzword. It's something so many of us are quietly carrying, and I have a special place in my heart for moms who feel the shame and guilt that come with mental load. Years ago I hit burnout and anxiety so hard that I was snapping at my kids and dreading work every single day. What I didn't expect was that burnout would become my superpower, because it taught me to spot the patterns underneath: perfectionism, tying my worth to my productivity, control as a coping strategy, and people pleasing.

This past month, perfectionism showed up for me again. I pushed back a project that really matters to me because I didn't feel ready. Then I got sick and took a life break. Rest was exactly what my body needed, but too much slowing down gave me all the time in the world to overthink. And mama, sitting in your thoughts too long is never good.

In this episode, I'm sharing how perfectionism shows up in your everyday life (the perfect morning routine, the nap that won't happen, going above and beyond at work so you don't let anyone down), and how it quietly turns into procrastination and then self-doubt. Then I walk you through the three-step mindfulness reframe I use to get out of it:

1. Become aware. Notice where the feeling shows up in your body, name the emotion, and catch the automatic thought and subconscious belief underneath it. This is where emotional regulation and nervous system awareness start.
2. Reframe it. Trade the old thought that keeps you small for one that expands you, like "I am valued just as I am."
3. Take messy action, and don't do it alone. Ask for support, delegate at work and at home, and remember: you either win or you learn.

If you're the ambitious mom, the high achiever doing it all, and it still never feels quite good enough, this episode will help you drop the pressure to be perfect, set boundaries with that inner critic, and show up as a more present mom for yourself and your family.

Note: If you're in a dark place right now, you don't have to carry it alone. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Journal Prompts

1. What is one thing I can do that truly goes against my normal, and will I do it anyway?
2. Where is perfectionism showing up in my body, and what automatic thought came with it?

• FREE Reframe Your Mindset Masterclass - Tuesday, October 20th @ 10am PST - https://josieanderson.co/mindset/

With love and gratitude,

Josie Anderson