You Don’t Have to Feel Guilty for Living Your Life
This past Easter, I had shrimp and grits. Not a cheat meal. Not a slip-up. It was fully planned, fully enjoyed, and completely guilt-free.
But it hasn’t always been that way.
As a high achiever, I used to equate success with sacrifice. If I didn’t push harder, wake up earlier, eat cleaner, do more — I was slipping. Even rest felt like failure.
One indulgent meal would spiral into self-criticism. I’d start believing I’d ruined all my progress.
I wasn’t serious. I lacked discipline. I was falling behind.
And yet… I was doing everything “right.”
When Discipline Becomes a Cage
We live in a time where every scroll tells you what not to do:
Don’t eat gluten.
No dairy.
No seed oils.
No sugar.
No tap water.
Definitely no plastic.
Even air and sunlight feel like they’ve made it onto the “do not enjoy” list.
Trying to stay well can start to feel like a full-time job. And slowly, your life gets smaller. More restricted. Less joyful.
That’s not wellness.
That’s quiet anxiety masquerading as self-control.
How I Broke Free
These days, I still follow a high-performance routine. I eat clean, train consistently, and honor the structure I’ve built for myself. But I also plan for indulgence.
I make room for joy.
That Easter Sunday shrimp and grits didn’t derail me — it grounded me. It reminded me that culture, celebration, and soul food are nourishment, too.
Because joy is part of wellness.
And freedom is part of discipline.
Plan Your Indulgence — Don’t Wing It
High achievers thrive on structure. But structure should create freedom, not fear.
So I built a framework that balances both:
I’m disciplined Monday through Thursday.
I leave space for celebration on Fridays and Saturdays.
And when moments of joy arise, I welcome them in, not push them away.
When you plan your indulgence, you take back your power.
There’s no guilt. No “I messed up.”
Just alignment. Just life.
A Better Way to Live
If you’ve been stuck in the all-or-nothing mindset…
If you’re tired of chasing perfection and calling it discipline…
If your life feels like it’s getting smaller instead of fuller…
You’re not doing it wrong. You’re just overdue for a better rhythm. Because you weren’t made to be perfect.
You were made to be powerful. And that power comes from alignment, not guilt.
Ready to Reclaim Your Life?
Let’s talk.
💬 Book a free 1-on-1 coaching call with me to explore how you can break free from burnout and create success that feels as good as it looks: Click Here
📖 Plus — download a free chapter of my book, Success Starts Within, and start realigning your life today: Click Here
With you,
Chazz
Chazz Scott | Leadership & Mindset Coach | Founder, Supra Mentem Consulting
Creator of the Rise & Reclaim Blueprint™ – Helping ambitious professionals break free from burnout and build a life that feels as good as it looks.
