Confession: I’m not very good at being still. I’ve always been someone who wakes up early. I’m not someone who can regularly nap on the couch or flip through a magazine or binge watch TV shows. The truth is, it feels like my mind is ALWAYS working in overdrive. As a mom, my last thoughts before going to sleep at night usually revolve around whether my two-year-old is okay, whether she’s sleeping soundly, whether I’ve done all the things that need to be done to meet her physical needs for the day. When I wake up in the middle of the night, my mind is swirling with thoughts of spreadsheets and work deadlines, chores around the house, and all the things I didn’t get done the previous day and other tasks that I should be thinking about.

Somewhere during the course of my life, I convinced myself that constantly thinking through my to-do list, constantly multi-tasking, and constantly working harder would yield the fruits of success and stability in my life. And, to be honest, the results have proven my theory of striving to be somewhat true—at least from the outside. I have a good education, a satisfying job, and a growing family. These are all great things and I consider them gifts. However, despite appearances, each of these gifts comes with its own set of responsibilities and expectations, which can be overwhelming, especially to a recovering perfectionist, and if I’m not careful, I start working out of my own strength and become worn down and worn out in the process.