Behind the Laptop // 008: I have a weakness 

This is a weekly behind-the-scenes series where I share raw stories, real decisions, and the mindset that shaped my brand from the inside out.

It was 3am, again.

My body was covered in sweat from another series of hot flashes.

The migraine pounded through my skull, wrapping around my head like an anaconda squeezing the life out of it’s prey.

That prey, being me.

My sanity.

The oh so elusive desire for sleep escaping me.

A few years back, during my first year living in Bali, I used to have crippling migraines roughly every other week.

I didn’t think that much of it, my attention was on expanding my business from six to multi-six figures and just being of incredible service to my clients and my audience.

And well,

My momentum was unstoppable.

A tiny migraine couldn’t stop me from world domination, and the 3x weekly massages each week along with daily yoga, ice baths, and meditation practice really helped me keep my sh* together.

But as I got older,

(and far wiser)

I realized that my migraines (and all health issues) were simply a manifestation of my own creation.

That my headaches (along with everything else in my life) were simply self-creations meant to fulfill a means.

Whether that be to protect me, to help me remember to prioritize myself, or as a means to punish myself unconsciously, I learned to take deeper ownership of my own state and it’s that same level of self awareness and mastery that led me to quickly scaling my business in my early 20s.

Flash forward to 2 days ago.

There I was sitting straight up in bed at 2.34am, hands gripping around my temples, thumbs pressing into my acupressure points. Just praying for this migraine to release.

I knew the exact reason too.

Little ‘ol me forgot to schedule time off.

I had been so wrapped up in launching my new Brand Archetype Methodology along with website and blog that I didn’t listen to the whispers when they came in the day before.

I got my first internal nudge during the middle of the day, when I sat there staring blurry-eyed at my monitor trying to piece together my dozens of content ideas into coherent, ready to distribute content for my socials.

The ideas were there and ready to go.

My motivation was fully intact.

I was sitting at my desk, fingers on my keyboard primed to go.

But there was no energy to move.

I had no gas left in the tank because I forgot something important.

One thing that— ironically— I teach all the time.

A lesson I apparently needed a big flick in the forehead to remember.

(or I guess you could call it a giant migraine sized reminder)

When you finish a big project, you have to mark it as complete.

Not just with a two-second mental checkbox, but with an actual pause.

Where you take an entire day off (hell make it a week if that’s what you need)

Where you actually tell yourself, good job, you did it, it’s done, congratulations.

Because if your brain doesn’t register that something is done you don’t get the dopamine of completion along with the wave of satisfaction that both fuels and resets your nervous system.

This is where I see most high-achievers go wrong time and time again.

Shooting yourself in the foot.

Wondering why your launches aren’t making six-figures+ cash in the bank.

Because as soon as you launch a new offer you’re still stuck on “go.”

Your body is in output mode and your nervous system hasn’t had a chance to exhale.

That’s why you feel tired, foggy, uninspired and exactly what’s repelling your dream clients and socials to blow up with dream leads straight at your doorstep.

This is what happens when you condition your system to believe success only counts if you immediately start the next thing.

When you never give yourself permission to rest and to just be done.

You keep sprinting forward, chasing a finish line that you’ve already passed.

Time for a self check-in. When was the last time you took a real pause and gave yourself permission to mark your current projects as complete?

Whether that be content creation, setting up your YouTube channel, launching a new offer, or off-boarding a client. When was the last time you de-loaded your business without actively thinking, planning, or stressing about what’s happened, what’s happening, or what’s next.?

A few simple prompts to guide your self-reflection:

• What have I accomplished this week, month, or quarter:

• What projects are complete that no longer need to take up space in my mind:

• What’s my rest and recovery rhythm moving forward: (Weekly rest day, weekend away, quarterly rest week)

Your next quantum leap has never been about more effort, it’s always required more integration.

Irisel xx.

That’s it for this edition. I share a new one every Monday. Join the list here so you don’t miss the next drop.