Somewhere in the middle of taking care of everyone else, a lot of women lose track of themselves. Not all at once. A little at a time — the meal skipped for someone else’s schedule, the rest that never came, the mirror that shows someone tired instead of someone home.
That’s not a personal failing. That’s a pattern of self-abandonment that builds quietly over years of caregiving, and it’s one I’ve watched in women over 40 more times than I can count.
In this video, I talk about what it takes to come back to yourself — not a personality overhaul, just small, steady attention pointed back at you for once.
If you’re ready to start, the no-cost 7-Day Fat Loss & Blood Sugar Reset is a gentle first step: https://lindawadud.com/7-day-reset/optin
Full Transcript
Why I Started Coaching 0:13
Why did I really start doing the Why did I really start doing the coaching as a health professional in the coaching as a health professional in the coaching as a health professional in the world doing all the teaching classes one world doing all the teaching classes one world doing all the teaching classes one on-one? Oh my gosh, I I was crushing it. on-one? Oh my gosh, I I was crushing it. on-one? Oh my gosh, I I was crushing it. Loved it. But I was also a caregiver at Loved it. But I was also a caregiver at Loved it. But I was also a caregiver at home. I had two loved ones I was taking home. I had two loved ones I was taking home. I had two loved ones I was taking care of. They were quite sick.
care of. They were quite sick. care of. They were quite sick. Well, let me tell you what I would say
Caregiving and Losing Myself 0:31
Well, let me tell you what I would say Well, let me tell you what I would say to everybody. I'm fine. All good. Yep. to everybody. I'm fine. All good. Yep. to everybody. I'm fine. All good. Yep. I'm good. Yep. I got it. I'll be good. I I'm good. Yep. I got it. I'll be good. I I'm good. Yep. I got it. I'll be good. I got it. Oh, yeah. Don't worry about me. got it. Oh, yeah. Don't worry about me. got it. Oh, yeah. Don't worry about me. That's what I would say when every That's what I would say when every That's what I would say when every whenever anybody came up to me. Yeah, whenever anybody came up to me. Yeah, whenever anybody came up to me. Yeah, I'm good. Uh-huh. And they were watching I'm good. Uh-huh. And they were watching I'm good. Uh-huh. And they were watching me manage two sick people in and out me manage two sick people in and out me manage two sick people in and out hospitals, rehabs, dressing changes, hospitals, rehabs, dressing changes, hospitals, rehabs, dressing changes, caregivers at home, and I'm like, "Oh, caregivers at home, and I'm like, "Oh, caregivers at home, and I'm like, "Oh, yeah. got it. But let me tell you yeah. got it. But let me tell you yeah. got it. But let me tell you something.
something. something. I didn't have it. I had wish someone I didn't have it. I had wish someone I didn't have it. I had wish someone came along and said, "Hey, Linda, let's came along and said, "Hey, Linda, let's came along and said, "Hey, Linda, let's take a look and see what your pattern
Recognizing Stress and Burnout 1:09
take a look and see what your pattern take a look and see what your pattern looks like for Linda." And so, one day I looks like for Linda." And so, one day I looks like for Linda." And so, one day I was passing a mirror and I looked at it was passing a mirror and I looked at it was passing a mirror and I looked at it and I was like, "Who is she?" I didn't and I was like, "Who is she?" I didn't and I was like, "Who is she?" I didn't even recognize myself, ladies. even recognize myself, ladies. even recognize myself, ladies. I thought I had the stress under control I thought I had the stress under control I thought I had the stress under control and my eating habits and I didn't. So and my eating habits and I didn't. So and my eating habits and I didn't. So when I started putting together why do I when I started putting together why do I when I started putting together why do I coach women? Why am I in this field?
coach women? Why am I in this field? coach women? Why am I in this field? Because I've seen a lot of women
Why I Coach Women 1:38
Because I've seen a lot of women Because I've seen a lot of women similarly to me. They may not have been similarly to me. They may not have been similarly to me. They may not have been a caregiver of two loved ones that are a caregiver of two loved ones that are a caregiver of two loved ones that are sick, but they may have been taking care sick, but they may have been taking care sick, but they may have been taking care of their jobs and their own health and of their jobs and their own health and of their jobs and their own health and their family health.
their family health. their family health. So it may look a little bit different So it may look a little bit different So it may look a little bit different for you, but what did we see happen is for you, but what did we see happen is for you, but what did we see happen is that you lost track of yourself. So when that you lost track of yourself. So when that you lost track of yourself. So when you rushed into the doctor's office and you rushed into the doctor's office and you rushed into the doctor's office and the doctor said next, you're like, the doctor said next, you're like, the doctor said next, you're like, "Okay, well, I just need a refill or I'm "Okay, well, I just need a refill or I'm "Okay, well, I just need a refill or I'm just here." And they're just treating just here." And they're just treating just here." And they're just treating you just like something like a revolving you just like something like a revolving you just like something like a revolving door. And I know that's what I hear all door. And I know that's what I hear all door. And I know that's what I hear all the time and I see it. They only had 15 the time and I see it. They only had 15 the time and I see it. They only had 15 minutes for me, Linda.
minutes for me, Linda. minutes for me, Linda. That's a different story. So, I had a a
A Client's Health Turnaround 2:17
That's a different story. So, I had a a That's a different story. So, I had a a client who came to me and she said to client who came to me and she said to client who came to me and she said to me, "I don't want to be like my family me, "I don't want to be like my family me, "I don't want to be like my family because right now they're just sitting. because right now they're just sitting. because right now they're just sitting. One's in a nursing home, one had passed One's in a nursing home, one had passed One's in a nursing home, one had passed away before her time." And as we started away before her time." And as we started away before her time." And as we started looking at her pattern, making small looking at her pattern, making small looking at her pattern, making small adjustments, her A1C was over nine, A1C adjustments, her A1C was over nine, A1C adjustments, her A1C was over nine, A1C came down, she lost weight, kept it off.
came down, she lost weight, kept it off. came down, she lost weight, kept it off. But she said what she liked more than But she said what she liked more than But she said what she liked more than importantly was that importantly was that importantly was that she could do it. she could do it. she could do it. She confidently felt good in making She confidently felt good in making She confidently felt good in making those changes. And so sometimes in life, those changes. And so sometimes in life, those changes. And so sometimes in life, it's about that small change you may it's about that small change you may it's about that small change you may need. But let me tell you what I call
The Wobble and the Restart Cycle 3:06
need. But let me tell you what I call need. But let me tell you what I call this whole thing that I'm talking about. this whole thing that I'm talking about. this whole thing that I'm talking about. I want to talk to you about that wobble. I want to talk to you about that wobble. I want to talk to you about that wobble. I want to show you a picture of what it I want to show you a picture of what it I want to show you a picture of what it looks like because in my world what I looks like because in my world what I looks like because in my world what I teach to keep it something simple. I teach to keep it something simple. I teach to keep it something simple. I like to follow a pattern.
like to follow a pattern. like to follow a pattern. At first, people are guessing and At first, people are guessing and At first, people are guessing and restarting cycle. I call it my Monday restarting cycle. I call it my Monday restarting cycle. I call it my Monday restart all the time. I call it the restart all the time. I call it the restart all the time. I call it the Monday restart, but mostly most people Monday restart, but mostly most people Monday restart, but mostly most people are restarting throughout the whole are restarting throughout the whole are restarting throughout the whole week. It's not even just Monday.
week. It's not even just Monday. week. It's not even just Monday. And so guessing, think about this. And so guessing, think about this. And so guessing, think about this. Hm. Hm. Hm. What do I What do I need to focus on? What do I What do I need to focus on? What do I What do I need to focus on? All right. Let me go do some research. All right. Let me go do some research. All right. Let me go do some research. We know you can Google anything and We know you can Google anything and We know you can Google anything and everything you want cuz that's what everything you want cuz that's what everything you want cuz that's what you're doing. Okay. All right. All you're doing. Okay. All right. All you're doing. Okay. All right. All right. I think I need to work on Okay. I right. I think I need to work on Okay. I right. I think I need to work on Okay. I think I need to work on this plan think I need to work on this plan think I need to work on this plan because they said this one will work. So because they said this one will work. So because they said this one will work. So now you're guessing and you're switching now you're guessing and you're switching now you're guessing and you're switching because you know the plan I was working because you know the plan I was working because you know the plan I was working on for like three or four days didn't on for like three or four days didn't on for like three or four days didn't work. So I'm now on a new plan. So what
Why Steadiness Beats Constant Switching 4:17
work. So I'm now on a new plan. So what work. So I'm now on a new plan. So what happens is that you're switching a plan, happens is that you're switching a plan, happens is that you're switching a plan, right? And you're restarting again. right? And you're restarting again. right? And you're restarting again. That's called a gas and restart cycle. That's called a gas and restart cycle. That's called a gas and restart cycle. Cuz listen, your body responds to Cuz listen, your body responds to Cuz listen, your body responds to steadiness, steadiness, steadiness, not chaos. So when you keep switching not chaos. So when you keep switching not chaos. So when you keep switching all the time and your movement, I've all the time and your movement, I've all the time and your movement, I've done it. I've been guilty, but I met a done it. I've been guilty, but I met a done it. I've been guilty, but I met a lot of other women who are guilty with lot of other women who are guilty with lot of other women who are guilty with the same thing. Oh, that looks like oh the same thing. Oh, that looks like oh the same thing. Oh, that looks like oh yeah, let me try that. Let me order yeah, let me try that. Let me order yeah, let me try that. Let me order this. So I had a client and she would this. So I had a client and she would this. So I had a client and she would whenever things became I don't know, whenever things became I don't know, whenever things became I don't know, things are not working, she would things are not working, she would things are not working, she would restart. Okay, I need a trainer. She get restart. Okay, I need a trainer. She get restart. Okay, I need a trainer. She get a trainer. Do that for a while. Oh yeah, a trainer. Do that for a while. Oh yeah, a trainer. Do that for a while. Oh yeah, wait, wait, wait. Well, I need to have a wait, wait, wait. Well, I need to have a wait, wait, wait. Well, I need to have a different eating p plan. Well, wait a different eating p plan. Well, wait a different eating p plan. Well, wait a minute. Well, how about if I ordered minute. Well, how about if I ordered minute. Well, how about if I ordered some food in, then she get someone to some food in, then she get someone to some food in, then she get someone to order. She have an ordering plan going order. She have an ordering plan going order. She have an ordering plan going on. And then it may be, well, well, on. And then it may be, well, well, on. And then it may be, well, well, maybe I need to skip a meal.
maybe I need to skip a meal. maybe I need to skip a meal. And she would go back and forth. And you And she would go back and forth. And you And she would go back and forth. And you know what? She finally recognized after know what? She finally recognized after know what? She finally recognized after we worked together, let's just change we worked together, let's just change we worked together, let's just change one small thing and let's have some one small thing and let's have some one small thing and let's have some accountability. But you know what accountability. But you know what accountability. But you know what happened? In no time, it was so nice.
happened? In no time, it was so nice. happened? In no time, it was so nice. her weight loss came down, her blood her weight loss came down, her blood her weight loss came down, her blood sugars came down, medication started sugars came down, medication started sugars came down, medication started coming off, and she started doing things coming off, and she started doing things coming off, and she started doing things that she know she needed to do at home. that she know she needed to do at home.
that she know she needed to do at home. Because for many folks, when you're off Because for many folks, when you're off Because for many folks, when you're off track, it could be weight. It can be track, it could be weight. It can be track, it could be weight. It can be blood sugars, blood pressure, blood sugars, blood pressure, blood sugars, blood pressure, cholesterol, energy, eating and cholesterol, energy, eating and cholesterol, energy, eating and snacking. It occupies so much of your snacking. It occupies so much of your snacking. It occupies so much of your mind, you find yourself just totally off mind, you find yourself just totally off mind, you find yourself just totally off track. Has anybody been like that?
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