30 Comments

You went. To Disneyland. Without. A stroller!!!! 😨😱 My heart goes out to you and your poor back!!! Thank you so much for this piece, I laughed and related so much.

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Haha. I knowwwww. Why???? I feel like we kind of wanted to see what would happen. And see we did.

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May 13Liked by Kaitlyn Elizabeth

When you're a kid, you think people are capable of anything and everything. And then you grow up and have a shitty work day and get a flat tire and realize how easy it is to max yourself out. And now I can look back with compassion on the people I've met along the way -- Maybe they were doing all that they could!

Thanks for the shout out!! Big hugs!

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Hahaha, yes. Exactly. I’m constantly reminding myself, we are all just doing what we can to make our best guesses on what we need and how we do this. No one knows.

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You were missed but I assumed you were just enjoying life! We have to live life to be inspired to write no? Trudging thru Disney with a toddler in tow should count as a Spartan Race lol. We rented a stroller actually because these hips ain’t the same despite using my beloved tushbaby.

I enjoyed the honesty of this piece. I like to keep in mind “Just because I could doesn’t mean I should”. I’m a light switch kind of person. I’m either on or off when it comes to doing things. Relieves the guilt or internal conflict when I just assess if my mind body spirit are all lit up by doing something. I loathe overexerting myself because I’m so pitiful after 😭

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Yes. I love that. “Just because I could doesn’t mean I should.” I’ve realized of late, I don’t even ask myself sometimes if I can do something. I’m like, “It needs doing, so I’ll do it.” Which leads me to looking like this🫠🫠

No stroller was…a choice. Like we saved $20 bucks but did we really?

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I STRONGLY resonate with this! I recently joined my work friend in her fitness class. I hadn't worked out in a couple of months and have put on some weight. At times in the beginning I got discouraged at how quickly I felt fatigued doing the exercises. And I needed the low impact versions of them all. But I had a similar "what if I just did what I could?" mindset and got through it. Thank you for sharing, Kaitlyn!

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That shift is real, right? Like, wow I was really fighting with myself there, wasn’t I? So glad it resonated with you, too!

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May 19Liked by Kaitlyn Elizabeth

I love this and I love you. I read this when you first wrote it because I eagerly gobble up all of your writing and it resonated deeply. Now, almost a week later, I’m seeing that this might be an energetic theme for everyone right now. As a Manifesting Generator, I need to remember that it’s ok to not do all the things! And for you, my sweet projector friend… projectors, manifestors and reflectors don’t know when enough is enough.

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This all very much trackssss. Thank you for reading and for always bringing the hype factor 🙏🏼🙏🏼I’m so glad we stumbled upon one another here🩷🩷

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GIRRRRRRRRL. "What if we just did what we could?" needs to be in my affirmations, mantras, whatever we need to call it. In my morning pages this morning I wrote an affirmation I read: you're doing your best and that's enough. But "doing your best" has a negative connotation for me because "best" is a loaded word in my mind. It means high achieving. So then I think I'm not doing my best. So that means I've changed that statement to yours, which is kinder to my mind and soul :) thank you for mentioning my piece, it makes me very happy to know you saw yourself in it.

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I’m so with you about the word best. It gets my back up.

Your piece was so lovely and really spoke to me in all my roles—child, mother, person.

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founding
May 14Liked by Kaitlyn Elizabeth

Heard from a friend that this newsletter was a banger and….it tracks 😌. I expect you to greet me horizontally the next time I come to visit.

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I appreciate you and your little birdie friend v much. 🐴 🦜

And, as you wish, my dear.

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I felt the title of this piece in my bones today. Why is doing what we can such a radical act? Thanks for the reminder that it shouldn't be.

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All I know is that it is 🩷🩷

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May 13Liked by Kaitlyn Elizabeth

I always love the way you explain things. The personal share, the reference piece, and the thought provoking questions. It WORKS! I always feel like I've just had a little hang out with you after reading your articles. You provide such value through your words. Thank you, thank you! To be honest, I think I've been avoiding in-person pilates for like a year because of not being able to show-up like I used to. Comparing myself to previous versions of myself and feeling like I've fallen short. Maybe it's time for me to celebrate being the weakest person in class. 🤍

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I wish we just had a real hang but I’m glad it feels like a good second best. 🩷 I hope you do consider showing up as the weakest one at class. It was honestly such a surprise to me that once I owned it, while I still felt insecure about the fact that I wasn’t crushing it, I felt some power in doing it my own way.

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May 13Liked by Kaitlyn Elizabeth

Thank you Kaitlyn.....this was so good....so helpful...and so readable. I very much enjoy your writing style and look forward to your stories. I am now a subscriber.

Ken

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Ken, I’m glad you’re here. Thank you so much for subscribing and following along. And your words mean a lot to me.

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May 13·edited May 13Liked by Kaitlyn Elizabeth

My dearest Kaitlyn, I adore you and I adore this. Your Mother's Day "whatever" take is possibly my favorite I read this week. My mom's health has overtaken the last two months of my life and now that she's stable, I'm like let's take her out for Mexican food to celebrate and I'm not going to do any navel gazing on the topic ha! In regards to getting stuck, Lord Jesus, yes, my perfectionist streak loves to take any slight difficulty and magnify it so that I have an excuse not to do something that won't be flawless. I'm going to try to keep your words in my head and give it what I've got. To answer the last question about what I always forget - let's just say I've had to Doordash deodorant to a meeting first thing in the AM before! I'm so glad you're back and that you allowed yourself space to take care of you!

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Well firstly, I adore you. And I’m so thrilled to see your words floating through Substack these days. Your comment on navel gazing so resonates. I’m with you. That feels like a version of just being super present with what is right now.

Haha and thank you for answering the what do you forget question. Toothbrush and deodorant are my 2 top ones…closely followed by a razor.

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May 13Liked by Kaitlyn Elizabeth

Love this. Sometimes the enemy of “could” is the “What I should be doing.”

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Yessss 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

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May 13Liked by Kaitlyn Elizabeth

wow loved this and absolutely resonates — I have trouble with turning off too, especially when I feel like something *should** happen. And thank you for the shoutout!!! ❤️

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So glad it resonated—and happy to. I loved it. I could feel it all right there.

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May 13Liked by Kaitlyn Elizabeth

I am mired in a freeze, cower, and avoid phase so THANK YOU!! Definitely need to position myself from the one little step rather than the all or nothing I'm unconsciously inclined towards. Hoping your back is feeling better each day, Kaitlyn xx

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I know that feeling. Weights on the ankles. I hope you find the littlest step that feels available 🩷

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May 13Liked by Kaitlyn Elizabeth

Thanks, Kaitlyn. I really appreciate the solidarity ❤️

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