“Don’t build for their approval at the cost of your own peace.”
This is advice I share with many business owners, and something I have to remind myself of often. Because it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle. To exhaust ourselves while chasing what social media and online advice tell us we should want, and what we need to do next to keep leveling up.
Over time, that pressure adds up. Guilt, comparison, and a constant sense of falling behind start to creep in. And that’s exactly how we end up burned out instead of feeling fulfilled by the work we do.
The Real Problem: Misalignment
Burnout rarely comes from a lack of effort. It usually comes from saying yes to things that don’t feel aligned. Like the extra clients we take on because we think we should. Or the offers we keep because they worked once, even though they drain us now.
Burnout also happens when we scale just to say we’re scaling. Growth can look impressive from the outside while quietly eroding our health, energy, or family time. People pleasing plays a role here, too. When we prioritize keeping everyone else happy before checking in with ourselves, resentment builds fast. Eventually, the business can start to feel like an obligation instead of something we chose.
Peace doesn’t come from pushing harder. It comes from clarity and alignment. That’s why I encourage looking at your business decisions through a PEACE lens, not just a productivity one.
Why Your Season of Life and Values Matter
This is something I come back to often, both personally and with clients: Nobody is you, and nobody is in your exact season of life.
That means you don’t need to push yourself because someone else isn’t doing school drop-off. You don’t need to match the pace of someone with a completely different support system. And you don’t need to ignore your real life just to prove you’re committed.
This is especially important for working moms, caregivers, and women navigating big life changes. You are allowed to build a life-led business that supports the season you’re in right now. Growth should not come at the cost of your peace.
Controlling Shiny Object Syndrome
Shiny object syndrome is a chronic state of distraction, where you chase the next opportunity (shiny object) at the expense of your current projects. It doesn’t usually stem from a place of curiosity; rather, it’s rooted in uncertainty or unclear goals. When you don’t feel grounded in your direction, everything starts to look tempting.
However, when your values are clear, staying in your lane becomes easier. You stop feeling pulled in ten different directions. Boundaries feel less restrictive and more protective. And that’s where self-trust starts to grow. Knowing your why also helps you filter decisions. It makes it easier to say no without guilt and, most importantly, helps you build a business that actually feels like yours.
Journal and Reflection Prompts
Take a moment to journal or reflect on these questions:
- What is actually doable for you at this stage of your life?
- What does success look like for you right now?
- What’s something you’ve been chasing that doesn’t truly align with your values or your current season of life?
- What is your why, or the driving motivator behind what you do?
Awareness alone can be incredibly clarifying. And remember, these answers are allowed to change. Your business is also allowed to change with them.
Your Business Can Love You Back
I wrote Build the Business That Loves You Back to give business owners like you a framework for realignment. The PEACE Strategy inside is designed to help you build profit without sacrificing yourself in the process.
This work isn’t about doing less just for the sake of slowing down. It’s about being intentional. It’s about building a business that supports your life instead of competing with it.
You don’t need to follow someone else’s blueprint to be successful, my friend. A peaceful, profitable, values-aligned business IS possible. And this book can help you get there.
