Just do you…release the rest
There’s a quiet kind of freedom that comes when we release the need to perform, prove or perfect ourselves. Sometimes that release happens in the simplest moments, like cooking a meal or softening an old internal voice that says we’re only enough when we’re doing the most. This week, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to just do you, to return to the truth of who we are beneath the pressure. And in that process, something deeper emerged around how fear can quietly steer the show unless we consciously choose something different.
To truly create change in our lives, we can't just think about it, we have to actually move into it. Otherwise, we’ll find ourselves being run by old systems, patterns, energies, and beliefs.
I cook from scratch, so I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, especially when someone’s coming over. I aim to serve food that’s not only delicious and nourishing but also satisfying on all levels. But this week, instead of setting high expectations and stressing myself out over the meal, I let it go. I gave myself permission to let the food be “good enough.” I played with a couple of new dishes, experimenting with infused oils and vinegars, allowing them to be whatever they would be and focused more on enjoying the day.
Was the food great? It was good. Sure, I could pick it apart and list things I’d improve, but honestly I had a lot more fun not being so concerned about it. I wasn’t stuck in the kitchen the whole time (though, yes, I was in there most of the day before). And I wasn’t caught up in whether everyone was fully satisfied according to their individual tastes. They were satisfied enough. We were gathering to connect, not to judge a meal. Releasing the (false) need to prove myself through food was such a relief.
I’m still not going to serve pre-packaged “food” from the store but I am letting myself off the hook from trying to be superhuman. And that feels so much better. Honestly, I don’t think people come over just for the food … but if they do, well, that might change quickly. 😊I’m setting myself free on that front.
And while I’ve been loosening the grip of pressure in the kitchen, I’ve also been thinking about the energy of fear and how it shows up in daily life. Because really, whether it’s about food or something far bigger, what’s running the show inside us affects how we move through the world.
When we’re stressed, blood rushes away from the forebrain, inhibiting any chance of clear thinking. This happens organically so all systems are on alert with the sole purpose of saving our life. We can run fast, fight hard and live to see another day.
But what happens when we’re living in an environment of ongoing fear, chaos, and stress? Intensity … rage … false information … confusion … muddled thinking …
Fear blocks thinking. It blocks creativity, clarity, and new thoughts. In fear, we react. Adrenaline surges. The stress chemistry of the body supports survival, not innovation, so the brain reacts to situations with only safety in mind. Your world gets smaller, tighter and more contained. It’s easier to influence someone in fear because they’ve lost access to the parts of themselves capable of real change. In fear, you don’t have the chemistry you need to break out of the fear cycle.
The fear blocks what is needed to create the chemistry that allows for the ideas we need to lead us to the choices and resources we desire.
How do we break the cycle? We need a spark of something fresh and new that opens a new door. Something that involves stepping into something unfamiliar; something the brain can’t immediately categorize.
When we stretch into a new territory, we activate new neural pathways. We don’t erase the old ones, but we build and strengthen new ones through fresh experiences. This can happen through art, dance, crafting or anything type of self-expression that involves the body.
With painting, when we begin in the energy realm and bring that energy to the canvas, something powerful happens: it’s witnessed by the eyes, translated by the brain, and felt in the body. This is the work of Intentional Creativity. This is how we use image, awareness, and consciousness to reshape how we relate to ourselves, our identities, and our relationships. We are not passive bystanders in our lives.
Your eyes see it. Your brain registers it. Your nervous system responds.
Whether it’s letting go of expectations in the kitchen or shifting the grip of fear in our nervous systems, these moments of self-awareness matter. They’re invitations to soften, to choose presence, and to reclaim our own energy. Returning to ourselves again and again isn’t a one-time decision, but a living practice. One that becomes more easeful when we honor our creativity, our humanity, and the truth that being ourselves is more than enough.
The more we live from that place, the more joy we create not only for ourselves, but for everyone we’re connected to. And when we’re in our joy and gratitude, we step into a frequency that is alive and workable, expansive and inclusive, loving and honest. Creating from that place is a whole different game. We’re empowered, clear and on our path to just do us.
And that is more than enough.
PS: You can find my weekly writings on My Substack.
