It’s been one of those weeks—or months—or maybe even on of those years. Maybe you closed a deal so big you’re pretty sure you need a cape now. Or you just wrapped up a project that felt like wrestling a caffeinated octopus. Either way, the dust settles, and suddenly...you have no idea what to do with yourself.
The instinct? Fill the void. “Let’s sign up for that pottery class!” or “I’ll start training for a half marathon!” But what if—stay with me here—you didn’t?
Instead of jumping into the next big thing, what if you went back to the basics? What if you did the ultimate working mom power move: absolutely nothing new?
The Permission to Pause
You know the drill. The morning scramble, the back-to-back meetings, the late-night email checks—it feels like you’re running a marathon without a finish line. When life moves this fast, even downtime feels like it needs a purpose.
But here’s the thing: You’re allowed to stop.
Not just slow down. Not just switch tasks. Actually stop.
You don’t need to fill every quiet moment with productivity. You have permission to do nothing—to sit, breathe, and just be. No plans, no projects, no Pinterest boards. It might feel strange at first, but in that stillness, you’ll find the space to reconnect with yourself.
The Wisdom of the Basics
There’s an old proverb that says, “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” It’s a poetic way of saying: life’s magic isn’t in the big, shiny moments. It’s in the grounding simplicity of just being and doing only what’s necessary.
When the high-speed, high-stress season passes, resist the urge to fill the void with more. Instead, embrace the quiet, the mundane, and the everyday:
Fold the laundry (eventually).
Cook dinner without scrolling your phone.
Walk outside and just...walk.
Listening to Your Inner World
Learning to be still is an art. At first, it might feel like you’re doing nothing—and that’s because you are. That’s the point.
Instead of drowning out your thoughts with busywork, let yourself hear what’s happening inside:
What do I actually need right now?
What’s my body telling me?
Is it time for a nap or just a cup of tea? (Both are valid answers.)
When you give yourself space to listen, you’ll start to recalibrate. You’ll remember who you are beyond the hustle.
A Working Mom’s Guide to “Chop Wood, Carry Water”
Here’s what going back to basics looks like in real life:
The Morning Commute Zen: No emails, no to-do lists. Just sip your coffee and enjoy the silence.
The Laundry Meditation: No multitasking. Just fold, breathe, and revel in the fact that no one’s asking you to download a PDF.
The Slow Dinner Ritual: No Pinterest-worthy plating required. Just a simple meal cooked with love.
Your Mental Reset
When you first start this practice of being still and listening to only silience, our inner world can start to feel really loud. It's normal to feel uncomfortable and have our mind fall back into the habit of running a thought marathon where you're reliving every conversation you had from the days before or getting stuck in thought loop patterns where you feel like you're stuck on a wheel having the same thoughts over and over.
This is completely normal. Your brain and body have become accustom to the fast-paced, go-go-go feelings of what you've just been through. We're creatures of habit after all! Instead of giving into the need to fill the void when this happens, follow these simple 7 steps for a mental reset:
Just pause.
Put your hands on your heart.
Plant your feel firmly on the ground. (Close your eyes if you wish.)
Take a deep breath, and bring your focus from your head, into your hips.
Breath deeply for a few minutes into your hips.
Once you feel your full focus in your hips, bring your awareness to your feet and feel your focus go from your feet out into the Earth where your feet meet the ground.
Allow your focus to travel deeper and deeper into the earth, bringing you a sense of calm and groundedness.
We don't have to fill the void. We just have to retrain our brain and body to know that it's ok to be still and it's ok to be in the silence.
The Takeaway
Life as a working mom is a beautiful, chaotic dance between career, family, and personal sanity. When you’ve sprinted through the chaos, resist the urge to fill the void with more. Instead, embrace the quiet, the mundane, and the everyday.
“Chop wood, carry water” isn’t just an ancient proverb; it’s your permission slip to pause. And as you rediscover the beauty in the basics, you’ll find your balance again—ready for whatever life (or the next school project) throws at you.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to chop some metaphorical wood. If you don’t hear from me, assume I got lost somewhere between the laundry pile and a Zoom meeting 🫠.
Ready to Break the Cycle?
If you’re ready to stop the cycle of quick fixes and start living with intention, I’d love to invite you to join UNLEASHED Essentials—my membership program designed to help you dig deeper, overcome burnout, and unleash your full potential. It’s like having a roadmap to finally address the root causes of stress and frustration so you can thrive in every area of your life.
It’s my membership program designed to help you dig deeper, break the cycle of quick fixes, and create a life that feels aligned, empowered, and joyful. Think of it as your roadmap for moving past burnout and finally silencing those feelings of stress and self-doubt.
This is your chance to stop bandaid-fixing your challenges and start building a life that feels aligned, empowered, and joyful.
How to Join:
Visit UNLEASHED Essentials.
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Let’s make this the year we stop rushing through life and start embracing the exhilaration of moving with intention. The transformation you’ve been waiting for is just one shift in mindset away. Will you take that step?
P.S. Want to see a sneak peak of what's waiting for you on the other side of saying yes to choosing you for only less than 10 minutes a day?
About the Author
Hi, I’m Phallyn—a corporate veteran turned entrepreneur, certified Feng Shui & hypnotherapy expert, and working mom with over a decade of experience navigating high-pressure environments. After experiencing burnout and anxiety firsthand, I transformed my life using holistic practices and a commitment to intentional living. Now, I’m passionate about helping women, especially working moms in male-dominated industries, overcome stress and create balanced, fulfilling lives. Through humor, honesty, and actionable insights, I aim to empower others to stop surviving and start thriving.
Let’s create a life that feels as good as it looks! 🥂
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