Biz's BLOGFor Sensitive Wise Women
Resources and inspiration from Elizabeth Cush
Feeling Stuck and Unfulfilled: Longing for Deeper Connection
For highly sensitive women in midlife, you’re particularly attuned to your inner life and emotional experiences. But instead of feeling freeing, midlife can be overwhelming if you’re feeling unfulfilled, out of alignment, or just burned out.
Being Highly Sensitive is a Gift
Did you know that 15-20% of people are highly sensitive people (HSPs)? For years I attributed my high sensitivity to my anxiety. And I didn’t have a lot of compassion for when I felt overwhelmed or stressed out. I felt that I was the “problem.”
Trusting Your Self
I think women in particular struggle with this more than most men for lots of reasons. I think men from an early age are almost encouraged to set boundaries, where women are encouraged to be people pleasers— kind, willing to compromise, saying “no” nicely. And when you’re taught to be a people pleaser, always taking care of other’s needs, it’s hard to be true to yourself.
Opening Space for Growth and Move Through Burn-Out
When we’re busying ourselves because we want to feel productive—not because we have the energy and creativity for it—it’s a sure-fire way to end up burned out. And burnout leads to a lack of motivation and avoidance.
Shameless in 2022
Our shame lessens, and its power diminishes when we bring it into the light. When we explore the fears that lie behind the shame, it gives us a chance to see our shame with a little more compassion. And as we share our pain and our feelings of shame with the people we trust, it lightens. We’re no longer carrying the burden alone.
Moving Through Self-Doubt, Imposter Syndrome and Shame
I like to imagine the Imposter like the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz. When Toto pulls back the curtain and he’s frantically pushing buttons for the sound, smoke and light effects, and he says, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”
Just like the Wizard, the Imposter makes you feel like you need to make a dazzling light show or a smoke screen to distract everyone’s attention away from you, because although you might look like you have it altogether, you really are a poser and at any moment everyone will find out.
The Hidden Magic of Halloween
Halloween is fast approaching! For me, Halloween has always been a sign of fall, cooler weather, and the beginning of the holiday season.
Dressing up, wearing costumes, play acting, and improvising give us a chance to try on and inhabit the different parts of ourselves that we might feel uncomfortable exploring in our everyday life.
Sea Changes: Learning to Go with the Flow
Change is hard, especially when it’s abrupt. And change is also beautiful. It allows us to grow, to step beyond our comfort zone and move in new directions.
I recently watched a program about music in the year 1971. The episode focused on Carole King. The narrator described her as the “sea change” for female singer/songwriters. The show noted that King opened up space for more women to be recognized, to step into their power and reach a place on the Billboard Top 40 charts.
King’s decision not just to sell her music for others to perform, but to showcase herself along with her songs, must have been hard in such a male-dominated field. I imagine it took a lot of courage.
That phrase, “sea change” stuck with me.
Creating Space for Your Dreams
How often do you take the time to follow a dream—either a daydream or your remembered dream when you wake up?
How often do you let yourself be creative, have truly free time, or read a book because you want to?
Let’s Stand Fully in Our Self Worth
Has a part of you ever felt like you’re a fraud or not truly worthy of the respect or admiration that others give you? Do you shrug off compliments because it’s hard to receive them?
Can you change your relationship with your inner critic?
What if we could do things differently? What if we could change our relationship with ourselves, and make it a habit to be kinder, gentler, more fiercely protective of ourselves?
Learn to Support Yourself With Healthy Boundaries
Do you struggle with setting boundaries? Or work hard to avoid conflict? If so, you may be doing yourself a disservice. I’m much better at setting boundaries these days than I used to be, but it can still be a struggle—although I have learned that it’s worth the effort!
