Giving Yourself Grace vs. Making Excuses

You’re struggling to get something done and you’re trying not to beat yourself up but the longer it takes, the more you wonder if giving yourself grace has turned into another excuse. However, the problem isn’t giving yourself grace. Beating yourself up makes it harder to make supportive, intentional choices. So, grace is a critical first step toward taking action but you will feel stuck if you stop there. The next steps are restoring connection to context, capacity, and choice — not from applying more pressure. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the why and what of each of these steps.  Some of what I cover is: What grace actually is, and where it turns into an excuse Why punitive self-talk feels like the only way to motivate yourself How "I am" statements turn a pattern into an identity A step-by-step process for moving forward without beating yourself up   LINKS FROM THE EPISODE: What’s Killing My Motivation?  Deep Self-Care to Shift Habits  Am I Just Making Excuses?  The Energy Leadership Index Assessment   CONNECT WITH VALERIE: Schedule an exploration call Ask Valerie (anonymous form) Sign up for Valerie’s newsletter Apply to be coached on the podcast   This podcast was produced by Valerie Friedlander Coaching Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective Send us Fan Mail Support the show