#MotivationalMonday

Living Perfectly

Hey y’all, it’s Jasmine! I promised Tanya a newsletter, so here we are! Time to get a little vulnerable. Honestly, this was hard to write. Not because I didn’t have anything to say, but because I was afraid I wouldn’t say it right. I wanted it to be meaningful because I find this space to be so precious, but the pressure to make it perfect almost convinced me not to write it at all.

It got me thinking about all the ways anxiety shows up and what it quietly costs us.

Anxiety has cost me opportunities. It’s held me back from conversations where growth and understanding could’ve occurred. It’s kept me small and hesitant when the outcome felt uncertain. It’s made me trade presence for control, just to feel safe.

Maybe you’ve felt it too. Holding back from sharing something real with a friend or partner because the risk of being misunderstood felt too high. Or parenting from a place of fear trying so hard to keep your child safe that you unintentionally stifle their growth or create resentment.

Lately, I’ve been learning to let go of what I can’t control: other people’s emotions, their timelines, their opinions.

Control can be a coping strategy that offers false certainty: If I do everything perfectly, no one gets hurt. But real freedom has been in loosening my grip. Being honest even if it disappoints someone, releasing perfection so there’s room for joy, and remembering I can choose my actions and presence, not the outcome.

Wherever you are in your journey:

• You don’t have to control it all to be okay.

• You don’t have to manage everyone’s feelings to be loved.

• You don’t have to be perfect to be worthy.

Here’s to the courage of letting go and the peace waiting on the other side.

I’ll be honest this isn’t just something I talk about with clients. It’s something I wrestle with personally, too. As a therapist, a mother, a friend… anxiety has crept in during some of my most tender seasons, especially postpartum. I’ve had to learn (and re-learn) that I’m allowed to be human, that even the healer needs healing. That I can offer compassion to others and still need to remember to practice it for myself.

Each season of life invites deeper surrender. And while letting go can feel scary, it’s where peace and freedom live.

May you find courage in releasing what’s not yours to carry and discover how deeply supported you truly are.

Here’s to letting go of the pressure of always getting it right.

Questions for reflection and/or journaling.

What is anxiety costing you right now?

Is there a place in your life where letting go even just a little might make space for growth?

Do you know someone who could use motivation? Have you encouraged them to join this newsletter?

Please Share!

So What's Happening?

Chamber Time

Something we don't talk about much is the involvement and continued dedication as a Board Member of my local Chamber of Commerce. In this photo, Tanya Jones-Awolusi, LCSW, is being installed as a board member after already over a year of service on the board.

Check Out the Chamber