Louise Westra - Three Lifetimes in One: Breaking The Cycle of Perpetual OverreachingApply to Speak

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Three Lifetimes in One: Breaking the Cycle of Overreaching

Hello everyone! I’m Louise Westra, a naturopath with a wealth of experience working with women and organizations. Today, I'll enlighten you about the importance of personal strategies in combating the cycle of overreaching – a pressing issue for modern women. Without a personal strategy alongside their professional one, many women fall into the habit of overreaching without even recognizing it, compromising their health and becoming part of increasingly grim burnout statistics.

Understanding Overreaching

We must understand and address the pace and reach of our lives to ensure our wellbeing and resilience. I came to be aware of the concept that women today are living the equivalent of three lifetimes in one. If you think about the lives of your grandmother or great-grandmother compared to your own, you will begin to realize how much more we juggle home lives and professional lives. While opportunities have grown for women - and that is a wonderful thing - it also means more chances to overreach and risk fatigue, exhaustion, and burnout.

Rethinking Success

My first advice to you is to start questioning what success means for you. Rather than blindly following societal definitions, try to understand your own vision of success. Not doing so might lead you to live out someone else's idea of success rather than your own.

Regaining Balance: Identifying the Signs of Overreaching

Recognizing the signs of overreaching is essential in managing personal health. Let's explore these signs to help you maintain a balance between your personal life and professional commitments:

  1. Regularly Waking at Night: If you consistently wake up in the middle of the night, it's a sign that you're not switching biologically from doing to being, often indicating a need to slow down.
  2. Non-Stop Activity: If you are constantly on the go without breaks, it's a clear sign your nervous system needs a break.
  3. Being a Born Worrier: Constant worrying and pondering over "what ifs" indicate mental and emotional depletion, requiring holistic treatments.
  4. Waking Up Unrefreshed: A sure sign of physical stress is to wake up feeling drained even after a full night's rest.
  5. Increase in Dependence on Stimulants: If you find yourself reaching for coffee and other stimulants more frequently, it's often a signal that your body is struggling to generate energy consistently.

In Conclusion: Be Curious, Understand Your Strengths, and Honor Your Body’s Needs

To avoid the cycle of overreaching, it is essential to get curious and define your success; understand your strengths; set boundaries; and monitor the signals your body gives you. By following these steps, you can build resilience, preserve your health and thrive in your professional and personal life.

Do connect with me on LinkedIn if you found this information useful and would like to learn more.

Enjoy the rest of the conference and remember to put yourself first!

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