Hey Reader,

Last week, I confessed that I’m in the messy middle.

That space between where you are and where you want to be.

The space between deciding what you want and actually having it.
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Nvigating this sepace personally, nd talking with clients and friends—,

’ve noticed one word keeps showing up over and over again.
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WHEN

I’ll rest when…

I’ll ask for help when…

I’ll take a day off when…

I’ll hire help when…

I’ll prioritize myself when…

I’ll leave when…

I’ll finally be happy when…

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For years, I told myself some version of these same stories.

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I’ll delegate when I know they can do it as well as I can.

I’ll ask for help when I really, really need it.

I’ll take a day off when I finally have a good reason.

I’ll rest once everything is done.

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The problem?

“When” never arrives.

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The goals are achieved and the goalpost moves.

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The promotion comes, and now there are greater expectations.

The vacation ends, and now we’re desperately waiting for the next one.

The tasks get done, but for every one we cross off, three more get added to the list.

The list is never-ending.

Life keeps moving.

And before we know it, we’ve spent years postponing parts of our lives while waiting for permission to live them.

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What I’ve noticed is that high-achieving women rarely struggle with discipline.

We rarely struggle with focus.

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What we struggle with is permission.

Permission we already have.

Permission to rest before we’re exhausted.

Permission to ask for help before we’re overwhelmed.

Permission to take a day off before we’re sick.

Permission to choose ourselves before we completely fall apart.

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Somewhere along the way, many of us learned that our needs only matter once we’ve reached a breaking point.

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That rest must be earned.

That exhaustion is normal.

That carrying everything ourselves is proof of our strength.

That asking for help is a sign of weakness.

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But what if those are just stories?

What if you’ve been following rules you never consciously agreed to?

What if you’ve been waiting for permission that nobody was ever going to give you?

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Here’s a question I’ve been sitting with lately:

If you could do anything you wanted for the next seven days—with no guilt, judgment, and repercussions—what would you do?

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Not someday.

Not when things calm down.

Not after you’ve earned it.

This week.

My guess is you already know the answer. You just haven't given yourself permission yet.

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With love,

Nikia