What is Toxic Productivity?
I recently had a virus that knocked me for six and had to cancel some of my embodiment coaching sessions. Subsequently, I fell into contemplation around just how programmed we are to be productive all the time. How deeply it permeates our thinking and ways of operating.
As a midlife woman, I’ve experienced this personally.
In my work as a Feminine Embodiment Coach, it’s conditioning that I help to unravel in the majority of women I partner with.
Where did this come from?
I believe Capitalism cunningly couples beliefs around worthiness with how much we produce, labour, and accumulate. Subsequently we think the harder we work, the more worthy we are.
In turn this internalises the belief that everything is down to us. When we succeed, it’s because of what we did – yay me!
If we fail it’s because of what we didn’t do – boo me! – which conveniently gets society and those in power ‘off the hook’.
I also believe that we’re programmed to invest in never-ending expansion and consumption. To worry that resources are scarce and should be hoarded. As a consequence, if we economically or socially contract then it’s our fault, and the associated shame and isolation is our punishment.
No wonder we are sleep walking into a dystopian nightmare!
What does Embodiment Coaching say to this?
Feminine Embodiment Coaching invites you to dive deeper into the intuitive knowing that a different way exists.
To open to the wisdom that’s telling you capitalism is making you sick and robbing you of your natural way of being.
It encourages you to follow your natural rhythm. The rhythms of Mother Earth, her cycles, and her collaborative network of systems where everything depends on everything else.
It’s an invitation to question your beliefs around your worth and value in this world, and how to define it using more feminine metrics. Metrics like nurture, creativity, connection, collaboration and love, laughter, pleasure, trust and freedom.
Embodiment coaching and detaching from toxic productivity
Firstly, I invite you to acknowledge your current feelings. Whether they’re loneliness, shame, burn-out, grief, rage, numbness or disconnect. Slowing down and allowing these feeling to be acknowledged can help you feel into where you are and what you need.
Secondly, I welcome you to be compassionate with yourself. Your system is not – and never was – designed to deal with everything that capitalism demands of you. Your current behaviour is how your nervous system has learnt to to keep you safe. This behaviour, and your subsequent orientation to safety, slowness and a new relationship with your worth, can change with the right skills and support.
Thirdly, please know that you are worthy of asking for help and support. Find the right person (whether family, friend, therapist or embodiment coach) to help you. Whether it’s help with labour and ‘to-do’ tasks or help at a deeper level of liberating deep seated beliefs and behaviours. The truth is, you were never meant to do this thing called life all by yourself.
And finally, as you embark on your journey, I invite you to remember, you are a human BEING not a human DOING.
Instead, know that are worthy, loved, and deserving of your hearts desires simply because you exist🌹
