How to stop feeling guilty about doing things for yourself

Last week I shared a blog about giving yourself permission to do things just for your joy and pleasure -- no other reason needed. If you missed it, you can read that message HERE.

Today I want to tell you a story with a slightly different take on this theme -- one that will definitely help you stop feeling guilty for doing things for you.

You know, just in case that's a challenge for you 😊

Last fall a woman reached out to me about one-on-one coaching. We hopped on a call to get to know each other and it was fantastic. She was awesome and we had a great connection.

A lot of what she wanted to discuss in coaching had to do with work, so she decided to make a pitch to her company to cover the coaching fees.

Her company said no.

At that moment she decided to forego coaching.

And then four months ago she reached out again. She had decided it didn't matter whether her company was going to sponsor the coaching or not - she wanted to do this just for her.

I wasn't planning to take on any one-on-one coaching clients at the time she reached out to me, but I was so enlivened by her decision that I gave an excited and aligned YES to start coaching her.

We've now been working together for four months. In that time, her boss, leaders at her company, and colleagues have all noticed changes in her.

So much so that THREE OTHER LEADERS at the company have now invested in their own coaches. Including the CEO.

AND the company as a whole is looking into investing in coaching services.

All because she made the decision to invest in herself. For her own development, her own leadership, her own wellbeing.

WOW.

I want to be clear -- this blog isn't an advertisement for my coaching services. I'm not even taking on new coaching clients right now.

This blog is about the power of a woman investing in herself.

My client made the decision to invest in herself just for her. Neither of us could have predicted the extended impact she would have by making that decision.

And yet...I see this happen over and over when women make the decision to invest themselves.

When a woman makes a stand for what she wants and needs and then follows through on those desires -- IT IS POWERFUL.

When you decide to invest in yourself, you give others permission to do the same.

The changes that happen in you trickle out, spreading the impact further and wider than you could ever imagine.

I believe with all my heart you get to invest in you JUST FOR YOU. For your own development, joy, pleasure, and wellbeing.

But I also know it's often easier to make that decision to invest in yourself if there will be a positive impact on others as well.

This story is about coaching, but it can be any kind of investment of your time, energy, or money. When you invest in yourself, it will inevitably have an impact on others.

SO NO GUILT!

Go ahead, do the thing you've been thinking about. Do it just for you. And notice what happens around you.


P.S. If you have no idea what you'd even want to do for yourself, grab a copy of my book on my website or Amazon. An Overachiever’s Guide To Breaking The Rules will show you how to let go of should and supposed-to and reconnect to what YOU really want.