Let’s talk about the grind.

For a long time, I was deep in it.
I was in sales, and I was good at it.
Closing deals, climbing leaderboards, pushing myself to hit goal after goal.

But here’s the truth: I didn’t really have a reason why.

I didn’t have a vision.
I didn’t know what kind of life I was building.
I just wanted more.

More money. More success. More recognition.
Because more meant I was winning… right?

But if I’m being honest, even when I was stacking up achievements, I didn’t feel satisfied.
I felt anxious. Unsettled. Like no matter how much progress I made, it wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t until I started coaching that I really began to understand why.

Anchor Your Progress to Your Purpose

There’s a powerful story I often come back to—
The story of Desmond Doss.

Desmond was a WWII combat medic who refused to carry a weapon because of his convictions.
He was ridiculed for it. Threatened. Called a coward.

But when his unit was sent into one of the bloodiest battles of the war,
Desmond stayed behind—alone—on a ridge to save the wounded.

He kept praying, “Lord, help me get one more.”
And he kept going back. Again and again.

He saved 75 men that day.

He wasn’t driven by promotions or accolades.
He wasn’t motivated by what others thought of him.
He had a crystal-clear vision of who he was and what he believed.

That was what allowed him to move forward—
Not with fear, but with peace.

It’s the same for us.
When our progress is rooted in pressure, we burn out.
When it’s rooted in purpose, we come alive.

Peace Follows Alignment

That shift didn’t happen overnight for me.

But as I started asking better questions—
What do I actually want? What am I building? Who am I trying to become?—
the noise started to quiet down.

And now? I still work hard.
Still chase goals.
Still have moments where I feel behind or unsure.

But I’m more at peace than I’ve ever been—
because I’m not chasing just any kind of progress.

I’m building a life that actually aligns with what matters to me.
And that alignment feeds everything else: my energy, my focus, my joy, my direction.

So if you’re feeling scattered, stuck, or just worn out from the grind…
Maybe it’s time to stop asking, “Am I making progress?”
And start asking, “Is this aligned with who I want to be?”

Because your peace isn’t proportional to your progress.

It’s proportional to your alignment.

I was working with a coaching client recently—an entrepreneur who’d built a fantastic business. She came to me for help setting up sales systems and strategies.

Nothing unusual so far.

But as we dug into her process, we hit a snag.

She hesitated for a second, then said, “I just don’t want to be annoying.”

Ever thought that? That if you follow up once, twice… five times with no reply, you’re being that person?

It’s one of the most common fears I see.

Because surely if someone wanted to work with you, they would’ve responded by now… right?

Not so fast.

Let’s look at the numbers:

• Only 2% of business happens on the first contact.

• 50% of people don’t follow up more than once.

• But 80% of business happens after 5+ follow-ups.

So here’s the same question I asked her:

👉 How much business are you leaving on the table?

She realized—like a lot of folks do—that the answer was: a lot.
And not following up wasn’t protecting her relationships.
It was costing her real revenue.

So what did we do?

We reframed follow-up completely.

Most people treat follow-up like:

“Hey, wanna buy my stuff now?”
“What about now?”
“Now??”

That’s annoying.
That’s chasing.

But following up with value and consistency?
That’s leadership. That’s service.

✅ Step 1: Add Value

If they’re not replying, how do you know what they need?

Because you know your business better than anyone else.

So ask yourself:
What questions do people ask me all the time?
Grab a notepad or your phone and write down 5.

That’s your starting point.
Create short posts, reels, stories, or emails answering those questions.

My client ran a boutique.
Her customers always asked:

• What’s the most flattering shape for my body type?

• How do I find the right size?

• What materials are low maintenance?

• Which dresses have pockets??

So that’s what she talked about.
Again and again.

🔁 Step 2: Stay Consistent

The first time they see your message? They might be busy.
The second? Distracted.
The third? Just not ready.

But the fifth time? You’re there when they are.

Consistency keeps you top of mind—and when it’s time to buy, you’re already the one they trust.

That’s where follow-up systems, CRM tools, rejection handling, and message planning come in.
And yes—it can feel overwhelming at first.

That’s why I put together the Entrepreneur’s Sales Toolkit.
It’s totally free, and it walks you through:

✅ Building a follow-up system that actually works
✅ Choosing and using a CRM (without the overwhelm)
✅ What to say—and when
✅ Handling rejection without losing momentum

👉 Grab your free copy right here → [LINK]
(It’s free. It’s simple. It works.)

And hey—if nobody’s told you today?

You’re a rockstar.
Even on the days you don’t feel like it.
Believe it. I do.

Feed The Foundation

Ok, what does that ☝️ even mean?

A while back, I was working with a coaching client stuck in one of those bad-fit jobs. You know the ones—where it sounds amazing at first… until you’re actually doing it.

She was traveling nonstop. And it burned. Her. Out.

She was exhausted. And to top it off, her boss was… let’s just say not the most supportive person. Yikes.

She knew she needed a change, but she couldn’t make the jump right away.

So we started a daily gratitude practice. Every day, she would text me one new reason she was grateful. But here’s the kicker:

She had to find something to be grateful for about the job she hated.

Some days it was a big win—like a breakthrough moment with someone on her team. Other days, it was simply this: “I’m grateful I have a paycheck. I’m grateful I have food on the table.”

She was Feeding the Foundation—the foundation of who she is and what she wants to focus on in the world.

So what does that actually look like?

Look—life gets heavy. Work can drain you. Circumstances can throw you off. But you don’t have to wait until everything’s perfect to feel grounded or strong again.

That’s where Feeding the Foundation comes in.

This is about building habits—small, intentional, good things—that support the version of you that you actually want to be. Not just when you’re crushing it. But especially when you’re not.

A daily gratitude practice is one way to feed the foundation. When you train your brain to look for the good, you’re building resilience. You’re choosing to root yourself in something stronger than frustration or stress.

Here are a few other ways to feed the foundation:

• Weekly family meals. Not just for the food—though food helps—but for connection. That hour around the table might be the only time in a crazy week where you actually breathe and be together.

• Daily movement. Even if it’s just a walk around the block. You’re reminding your body: “Hey, I care about you. We’re in this together.”

• One small task completed. Make your bed. Wash the dish. Respond to the email. Something tiny—but finished. It reminds you that progress is possible.

• Spiritual practice. Prayer. Meditation. Scripture. Silence. Whatever reconnects you with what matters most. Feed it.

None of these things are flashy. They probably won’t make your highlight reel. But when life is unstable, they are the slow-burning fuel that helps you stay upright and keep moving forward.

Because when the world shakes, your foundation matters.

So how will you Feed The Foundation today?

Remember the gym?

HA! Me too.

We’re almost halfway through the year—how’s your health looking?

Ope. Did the tension tick up a bit? No? Just me then.

Let’s talk about it.

If you’re anything like me, sticking with the gym consistently can be a struggle. It’s not just the workouts—it’s everything else. You need a plan: lifts, cardio, reps (to failure? what does that even mean?). And oh yeah, you actually have to go there.

Gross. I go places all the time. Now I have to go to the gym too?

So what happens when you don’t feel like going?

That’s when we start relying on our great old friend: Motivation.

Gross again.

But seriously—what is motivation?

Let me grab my dictionary real quick:

Motivation – the act or process of motivating… awesome, thanks. Super helpful.
Motivating – to provide with a motive… okay, hold on, isn’t that cheating?
Motive – something such as a need or desire that causes a person to act.

BINGO. That’s something I can work with.

So when I wake up so early I don’t know what day it is, what I really need… is a reason. A need or desire that drives me to move.

But let me ask you something:

Is motivation a feeling… or is it a result?

Or…

What do I do when I just don’t feel like it?

Ever asked yourself that?

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Motivation doesn’t show up first. Action does.

If I wait around to feel motivated, I’m gonna be waiting a long time. But when I do the thing—when I go to the gym, when I open the laptop, when I hit publish—that’s when motivation shows up. Not before.

So how do we do the thing when we don’t feel like it?

You make it easier to start.

Remove friction from the thing you want to do. Add friction to the thing you don’t.

Lay your gym clothes out the night before. Put your journal next to your toothbrush. Log out of social media on your computer if you’re trying to focus. Whatever it is, make the path of least resistance lead to the thing that actually moves you forward.

Because most days, we don’t need a full life overhaul. We just need one tiny win.

And here’s the truth—you won’t remember that you didn’t feel like doing it.
You’ll just remember that you did.

And that’s the difference.

Who’s with me?

Let’s talk about mindset.

EW! Gross! Who wants to talk about mindset?

I get it. We talk about mindset a LOT in the business world. We tell people, “You just need to change your mindset. Just shift your mindset. It’s all about mindset!” Yeah, yeah. There’s a lot of noise out there.

But let me ask you:

What stories are you telling? 

Because the stories we tell shape how we see the world—and what we let stick to us.

So again, what stories are you telling?

Back in school, I was working at a men’s formalwear store. Great gig. Taught me how to sell, how to talk to strangers, how to match ties without looking down.

One day, this guy comes in to buy slacks. Totally normal. I get him measured up—he smells… interesting—and he starts trying stuff on.

And he’s just being a butt. Rude. Dismissive. Treated me like I was nothing. Ever been there?

I got him taken care of. He bought a couple pairs and walked out.

But on my drive home, I was stewing. Just mad. Mad that I had to be nice to someone who clearly didn’t care how he treated people. Mad that I let it affect me.

And then I started telling my roommate the story. Colorful language may have been involved. Maybe.

But halfway through retelling it, I paused.

Why am I even telling this story?

This guy’s gone. I’ll never see him again. So why am I giving him this much space in my life?

That drive home was the start of a new question I started asking myself whenever something frustrated me:

“Is this a story I’ll even tell a week from now? A month from now? A year from now?”

Most of the time?
The answer is no.

That question became a filter. A way to sort what was actually worth holding on to—and what wasn’t.
If it’s not a story I’ll still be telling in a year, maybe I don’t need to carry it all day today.

And when the answer is yes? When it is something worth remembering and learning from? Then I slow down, pay attention, and take the time to reflect on what it’s teaching me.

It’s not about ignoring what hurts or brushing off hard moments.
It’s about choosing what takes up space in your story.

So let me ask you:

What is taking space in your story??

Build a Flexible System That Actually Works

Let me be real with you…

I used to rebuild my weekly schedule like a kid knocking down Lego towers just to start over. Every week felt like a new mess to figure out — even when I was “planning ahead.”

I was treating my calendar like it existed in a vacuum, forgetting that life (and chaos) doesn’t follow a plan.

Then one week, I looked back at the chaos I’d tracked.
And I realized — most of it wasn’t unpredictable. It was just unaccounted for.

Calls were always popping up on Mondays. Energy crashed every Thursday afternoon. Friday mornings were total dead zones.

I didn’t need a new system.

I needed a flexible one that included the chaos.

Build a Flex System That Expects the Unexpected

Now that you’ve blocked for Chaos Time, tracked what’s showing up, and identified patterns — it’s time to bake that insight into your calendar.

Here’s how I do it:

1. Add Pre-Decided Flex Blocks
   Instead of treating chaos like an interruption, give it a place to land.
   Example: I now build in 30-minute “buffer zones” around my most frequently interrupted blocks.
2. Group Your Common Chaos
   Did most of your chaos time involve returning messages or rescheduling meetings?
   Create a dedicated hour each week just for that.
3. Don’t Over-Schedule Deep Work
   If you need focused time but chaos usually hits in the afternoons, block deep work for mornings.
4. Leave Space to React (Strategically)
   Build your week to be about 80–85% full. That last 15–20% is sacred. That’s your catch-up. Your cushion. Your sanity.

Flexibility isn’t a lack of structure — it’s the right structure.

After I built in those flex zones, my productivity didn’t just improve — it got more sustainable.

I wasn’t constantly scrambling to “catch up.”
I wasn’t resenting every call that popped up mid-task.
And I wasn’t burning out trying to fit real life into a fake perfect schedule.

Now, my calendar reflects reality — not just my ambitions.

And ironically, I get way more done.

You’ve made it to the final post in the Chaos Time series!
If this helped you rethink how you manage your time, let me know.

Better yet — send this series to a friend who’s always overwhelmed. They might just need a little Chaos Time in their life.

And if you want help putting a system together that actually fits you — let’s chat. I do this kind of thing with clients all the time. Grab a totally complimentary call here.

How to Time Block for the Stuff That Keeps Stealing Your Time

The Same Fire, Every Thursday

I remember this stretch where every Thursday at 2:00pm, my day would go sideways.

It didn’t matter what I had planned—deep work, writing, coaching prep—it always got blown up.

Someone would call needing something last-minute. A client would shift their schedule. I’d realize I forgot to send something earlier in the week and scramble to fix it.

It didn’t feel like chaos. It felt like firefighting. And I was good at it. But I was also exhausted.

The funny part? I kept blocking my calendar for “deep focus” like nothing was going to happen.

I finally sat down one day and looked at my Chaos Time log. And guess what? That Thursday 2:00pm pattern had shown up three weeks in a row. I’d just never stopped to notice.

It was time to stop playing defense—and get ahead of the chaos.

Use Chaos Time Patterns to Shape Your Calendar

If you’ve been tracking what keeps popping up in your Chaos Time, you’re sitting on gold.

Because chaos leaves clues.

Once you start spotting the patterns—recurring last-minute requests, consistent energy dips, calls that keep creeping in—you can plan for them instead of getting steamrolled by them.

Here’s the process I used:

1. Review Your Chaos Time Journal – What came up? When? From who? Why?
2. Spot the Themes – Is it a certain client? A type of task? A specific time of day or week?
3. Reblock Your Calendar – Proactively create space for those things before they hijack you again.

Maybe it’s client “overflow” time every Thursday afternoon. Maybe it’s a 20-minute admin block after every coaching call to catch your breath and send follow-ups. Maybe it’s planning for low-energy work at 3pm because that’s when you hit a wall.

Your calendar should reflect your actual life—not just your ideal life.

From Firefighting to Flow

Once I started blocking out “Flex Time” every Thursday from 2:00–3:30, everything shifted.

That block became a pressure release valve.

Sometimes I’d use it for follow-up calls, sometimes for errands, sometimes to catch up on stuff I’d dropped earlier in the week. The point is—I stopped pretending my life was going to run on a perfect track.

I started respecting the patterns my life was showing me.

And when I did that, something wild happened:

I actually had more energy and focus during my real deep work times… because I wasn’t bracing for the next fire.

The Unexpected Gift of Interruptions

When I first started blocking Chaos Time into my day, I thought I had it all figured out.

“Ah, yes. I’ve planned for the unpredictable,” I told myself with a proud little nod, like a coach who’d just drawn up a flawless play on the whiteboard.

And then came reality.

A client needed to reschedule. A friend called in crisis. I got a random spark of inspiration for a blog post. And somewhere in the mix, I spilled coffee on my shirt and had to change before my next call.

Chaos Time absorbed it all.

But here’s what hit me after a few weeks: I wasn’t just surviving the chaos—I was learning from it.

Because here’s the thing…
Chaos isn’t random.
It’s revealing.

Track What Comes Up in Your Chaos Time

If you want Chaos Time to become more than just a buffer—if you want it to be a tool—you’ve got to start tracking what actually happens during that time.

• What’s pulling your attention?
• What’s popping up again and again?
• Where are the interruptions really coming from?

You’re not just collecting data.
You’re uncovering patterns.

And once you see the patterns, you can start planning for them.

This is about turning surprises into strategy.
It’s about seeing what your calendar doesn’t show you.

My Week of Chaos Revealed My Weakness

Let me give you a real example.

I spent one week jotting down everything that happened during my Chaos Time blocks. I used a simple note on my phone and just captured the gist:

• Monday: Coaching client emailed with a question I’ve been asked 3x this month.
• Tuesday: Spent 20 mins rewriting a blog CTA that should’ve been templated.
• Wednesday: Had energy dip mid-afternoon, ended up doomscrolling.
• Thursday: Two follow-ups for podcast guests I hadn’t emailed yet.
• Friday: Prepping social posts last minute again (not new).

Looking back, it was like watching a highlight reel of my avoidances and inefficiencies. Painful? A little. Helpful? Absolutely.

So what did I do?

I created:

• A saved response for that FAQ email.
• A few templated blog CTAs to reuse.
• A recurring calendar block to follow up with guests weekly.
• A rule to batch social posts earlier in the week.

I didn’t need to overhaul my schedule—I just needed to learn from what Chaos Time was already teaching me.

Start Your Chaos Tracker Today

Don’t let your day run you. Start tracking your Chaos Time.

👉 Block 30 minutes.
👉 Take note of what actually happens.
👉 Look for patterns.
👉 Make one small adjustment next week.

That’s it. Small experiments. Big growth.