finding balance with Keisha
Keisha is a mother, mental health therapist, business owner, and author. But her proudest accomplishment is overcoming anxiety. A lifelong overachiever, she began to suffer anxiety attacks because of her inability to set boundaries.
“What I often say to people is I’ve realized that really what was happening was I was pouring out way more than I was pouring in. And that deficit led to what had been kind of this undercurrent, now rising to the top,” she says. “The thing that needed to change is I had to balance better—because I was way out of balance.”
Now, Keisha strives for balance by setting boundaries and communicating her needs. She also admits when she is struggling. Here’s what she has to say about setting boundaries, what she stands for, and how she eliminates the nonsense in her life.
How do you achieve balance?
I have learned to embrace “no.” Even when I’d like to do something, even if I’m good at it, even if someone is desperate for me to do something, I have learned that if I’m pouring out more than I’m pouring in, then I could end up back where I was, and that’s just not worth it to me.
It is challenging, because boundaries have a cost. Sometimes the cost is that people are upset. Sometimes the cost is that you miss out. Sometimes the cost is that you lose people or opportunities.
But boundaries are so rewarding because they create a healthy environment for whatever relationship you’re in. Whether that be a romantic relationship, parents to children, you and your boss, you and the people who work for you—whatever the relationship is, boundaries help establish and maintain the health of that relationship. So, it’s worth it. Your “no” is worth it.
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“I have learned to embrace ‘no.’”
How do you eliminate the nonsense in your life?
By being bold, having balance, and living a life of freedom. Which means that there are moments when I say, “No.” It means that there are moments when I’m unraveled. But I allow myself the space to be very human. And as a result, it gives me the opportunity to then pick up the pieces in a way that allows me to live life well.
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“I allow myself the space to be very human.”
If you had 30 seconds to address the world, what would you say about who you are and what you stand for?
By being bold, having balance, and living a life of freedom. Which means that there are moments when I say, “No.” It means that there are moments when I’m unraveled. But I allow myself the space to be very human. And as a result, it gives me the opportunity to then pick up the pieces in a way that allows me to live life well.
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