As a creative business owner and activist, I try  to come up with really good excuses for not prioritizing self-care.

Last week, I kept saying to myself, “I just literally don’t have time for that.”

Another good one I use: “If I focus on me, then the important stuff won’t get done on time.” And when I do make the time, yes there exists a hint of guilt around it.

Just the other morning, prime example, I saw a few emails that I missed over the weekend for a client project. My internal response: “Well if you hadn’t took that afternoon fiesta to go to that brunch, this would’ve been taken care of.”

My inner voice was almost screaming thru my skin. “You know better JoAnna!”
I felt like a low-key fraudulent entrepreneur. “How can anyone even take you seriously if it takes you so long to respond to emails?” The inner voice was trying to win the guilt trip battle. It was winning….for a moment.

Now that I look back on it, I’m thinking, shame on me for even believing that I didn’t deserve that afternoon fiesta! Because the brunch event was actually a good one and worth the $35 I spent! I made a few good contacts and reconnected with some other amazing women entrepreneurs.

When I finally got the nerve to send my client an apology email, the director quickly responded saying it was all taken care of. In a light-hearted way, she assured me that I was not fired after all. I felt so relieved! And….Forgiven! Then I took a moment to also forgive myself. I did not fail myself and I did not flake out on my creative passions.

After realizing that I wasn’t fired, I proceeded to tell my guilt-trippin ego to hush. Huuuush! It is good at making us regret something good we feel doing sometimes. Like we don’t deserve it – where in the world does that even come from?

I hope I’m not alone here and I hope you know too, that you are not a fraud simply for taking time out for yourself this week. You are not a fraudulent human being. You are not selfish, by any means, for this time you have taken. Taking care of you does not disqualify you at all from being the creative and ambitious BOSS that you are.

You are still in your own right, killin it in these streets. So own up to your flaws, forgive yourself, and pledge to some uninterrupted me time – Guilt free.

Until Next time, Pledge to Self-Care
JoAnna ☮️

P.S. This was originally sent as an email to those who want to maintain clarity and accountability on their personal self-care journey. You can join in too and get the same monthly newsletter straight to your inbox. Sign up here.