Over the last decade, both personally and in practice with entrepreneurial women, I’ve found that being kind to yourself isn’t just a cute little trite suggestion—it’s a vital strategy for sustainable success and well-being.
Here’s why it’s especially important for women whose brains are wired with perfectionist tendencies:
Enhanced Creativity and Innovation
Your neurospiciness is a powerful asset in business, bringing unique perspectives and innovative solutions. However, the pressure of perfectionism can stifle this creativity.
By practicing self-kindness, you can create a mental environment where creativity flourishes, unhindered by the fear of making mistakes.
Improved Mental Health
Entrepreneurs and executives often operate under high stress, and if you lean toward perfectionism you probably experience heightened levels of anxiety and burnout.
Self-kindness acts as a buffer, reducing stress and enhancing resilience, allowing for a healthier balance between personal well-being and professional aspirations.
Sustained Performance
Long-term, the drive for perfection can lead to burnout, undermining both personal health and business success. By being kind to yourself, you ensure you’re operating from a place of sustainable energy and commitment, so you can maintain high performance over time.
Some ways to be kind to yourself:
Have a “done is better than perfect” mindset.
Acknowledge that the pursuit of perfection leads to procrastination, paralysis, or burnout. Challenge yourself to embrace imperfections every day.
Schedule regular self-care rituals.
Schedule these activities into your calendar as non-negotiable appointments with yourself. Treat these appointments with the same seriousness you would a business meeting. It’s about respecting your need for rest and rejuvenation as much as you respect your work.
Find a truly supportive community.
Find a space where your vulnerability in sharing experiences and challenges is celebrated. Offer support to others in their vulnerability, too, and you’ll find that in giving, you receive even more. This reciprocal exchange fosters a sense of belonging and reduces the isolation that often comes with the entrepreneurial journey.
Decide that you get to journey toward your dreams in healthy, sustainable, and joy-filled ways.
With Love,
Melissa
Leave a Reply