I should be able to handle this better.
Do you ever tell yourself, “I should be able to handle this better”?
“This” could be many things, maybe it sounds like:
“I should be better at managing my time — I don’t know why this is so hard for me.”
“I should be able to get up early and work out — other people do it every day.”
“I should be able to keep up with the house — my sister has a full-time job and her place is always spotless.”
“I should be able to stay calm — my partner never gets overwhelmed like I do.”
Those thoughts don’t actually help. When you pile that kind of negative self-talk on top of the real challenge, like managing your time, sticking to workouts, or keeping up with the house, it makes you less likely to do the thing. Instead of motivating you, it drains your energy and keeps you stuck in shame and comparison.
The shift is to notice that “I should be able to handle this” is just a thought, not a fact. And it’s optional. What if you tried something lighter, like: “This feels hard right now, and I can figure it out step by step.” That small reframe clears away the extra weight and actually makes it easier to move forward.
PS: “They” probably aren’t doing it any better than you are.
WORK WITH ME
Make Space for the Life You Actually Want ✨
You know that feeling when the clutter around you seems to mirror the chaos in your mind?
That’s exactly why I created The Fall Declutter Challenge—a 5-day guided reset designed to help you clear both your physical and mental space so you can breathe easier.
For just $17, you’ll get:
Daily Podcast Episodes: Short, powerful lessons and micro-decluttering challenges.
A Pretty Workbook: Track your reflections, progress, and wins along the way.
Community Connection: Send in your questions and wins—I’ll be answering real ones on the podcast during the challenge.
And also, Prizes! Each time you submit a win or question, you’ll be entered to win one of our prizes. You could win the Sunday Basket (listen to this episode if you don’t know what I mean), a cute label maker (I had to get one for market research and I’m delighted about it), or a free coaching session with me.
This isn’t about spending hours cleaning out your whole house. It’s about making small but meaningful shifts that reduce overwhelm, one step at a time. By the end, you’ll feel lighter, calmer, and more in control of your time, space, and energy.
The challenge runs September 15–19, and you can join today.
Click here to sign up now for just $17.
MOOD SHIFTER
Think about someone who made a positive difference in your week. Maybe it was a coworker who covered for you, a friend who made you laugh, or your partner who did something small but thoughtful. Now pause and send that person a quick text to say thank you. Just a sentence or two.
Gratitude isn’t just good for the receiver, it’s powerful for the sender too. Research shows that expressing appreciation lights up the same reward pathways in your brain that activate when you experience joy yourself. It boosts serotonin and dopamine, the brain chemicals tied to happiness and motivation.
In other words, you don’t just make them feel good — you give yourself a real-time mood lift, too. It’s like a double dose of positivity, all from a thirty-second text.
Go ahead: send that message right now. :)