Did this week go by fast to you?  

I swear it lasted 3 days, max! 

We had several days of rain in LA (my fave) which lent itself to hot soups, teas, lots of cozy spots writing, reading, and working.  

I’ve doubled down on creativity lately – especially with my art – and it feels so nice to enjoy that way of expressing mySELF. 

I picked up the book, The Work of Art: How Something Comes From Nothing this week and it’s been such an interesting read. Plus, it makes a beautiful coffee table, albeit a bit small.  

I also used the rainy weather to cozy up and get my nails done with a pink-on-pink French mani. They’re spring chic! 

In other news, the kitties are growing and thriving. BUT… I’m finding it impossible to find modern, aesthetically pleasing cat toys and furniture! 

Seriously, do you have any tips or resources? If so, send them my way! 

Otherwise, I’m going to have to start another company and no one needs that. 

Oh, another thing I noticed this week is… I’ve gotten really good at boundaries.  

Like… REALLY good.  

I have no issues setting them and sticking to them now but that was NOT true for me in the past. 

I wanted to be there for everyone, do all the things, and show up at all the places. 

The problem was there was never time for me.  

Today, I’m going to share what I’ve learned through this process in hopes it helps you too. I’m sharing how I FINALLY stopped feeling overwhelmed. 

Enjoy! 

Cynthia 

PS Please send modern, aesthetically pleasing cat recommendations – stat! Thank you in advance!  

How I FINALLY Stopped Feeling Overwhelmed  

If I had a dollar for every time someone (friend, client, colleague, random stranger in Starbucks) said to me, “I’m just overwhelmed”, I would be writing to you from my own private island. 

I get it! 

I used to think I was overwhelmed too—like I just had too much on my plate and not enough time to handle it all. 

Too many things to do and many people needing me.  

Too many responsibilities pulling me in a thousand directions. 

But then I realized something that hit me right in the face—I wasn’t overwhelmed. I just had zero fucking boundaries. 

And I let people take my time like it was theirs to own.  

I responded to every request, every message, every little thing that wasn’t even my problem like I was some kind of human suggestion box.  

And guess what? It drained the life out of me. (Shocking, I know.) 

I wasn’t tired because I was doing too much.  

I was tired because I was doing too much of the wrong shit—other people’s shit. 

And if you’re constantly feeling like you’re drowning in obligations, let me tell you: It’s not because there’s too much on your plate—it’s because you keep letting people pile more on it. 

Boundaries Are a Self-Respect Game

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my many years on this planet, it’s this…  

People will take as much as you allow.  

That’s not them being assholes—that’s human nature.  

If you don’t set the line, they won’t see one.  

And the truth is, I didn’t respect my own time enough to protect it. 

The Moment I Got My Time Back

I remember the exact moment I snapped.  

I was sitting in my car, exhausted, answering texts I didn’t want to respond to, agreeing to things I had no business saying yes to, and feeling completely drained.  

So I took a deep breath and opened the next email that started out (I shit you not), “I’d love to pick your brain.” 

When I tell you I wanted to throw the phone across the road…  

In my head I thought… “Whyyyyy would she think this is ok???” 

And then my head answered… “Because you’ve let it be ok you dumb bitch. Respectfully.” 

I know… my own head is an asshole sometimes. But it also is compassionate and it does not lie.  

That’s when it hit me… 

I hadn’t had a single hour to myself in weeks.  

Every waking moment was filled with someone else’s needs. 

So right there, in my car, I made a decision.  

I pulled up my calendar and blocked out entire days just for me—non-negotiable, untouchable time. No calls or meetings. No obligations. 

And you know what happened? 

Nothing. 

Fucking. Nothing. 

The world didn’t end.  

No one came to arrest me for ‘not being available.’  

The only thing that changed was me—I had more energy, more clarity, and more peace. 

At first, I felt guilty—like I was doing something wrong.  

But then, almost instantly, I felt free.  

Like I had just taken back something that was always mine but had been stolen from me.  

And then? I felt powerful. 

Because when you own your time, you own your life.  

And the people who actually matter will respect that.  

The ones who don’t? They were never your people anyway. 

So, today, I invite you to ask yourSELF…  

Where in my life do I need to set a boundary – today? 

And am I ready to actually keep it? 

Then, take action.  

Or… not. The choice, as always, is yours.