Have you been sacrificing your energy, health, dreams, or even your sense of self to gain external rewards—like financial security, societal approval, or meeting obligations that don’t align with your purpose?

Today, a colleague and I discussed how easily we equate money with success. The assumption? More money means greater success, fulfillment, and character. But often, even those who “have it all” aren’t scratching the surface of what’s truly possible for them.

What about you? Are you giving yourself away for a “should” that no longer serves you?

“Shoulds” seem harmless at first:

• Taking on roles to meet obligations, telling yourself you’ll pursue your dreams as soon as you… [fill in the blank].
• Following someone else’s definition of success because they should know—after all, they’re the expert.
• Pushing your dreams further and further away because you’re too tired to try, or too scared to fail.

Over time, the cost adds up. You disconnect from your essence, your creativity dims, and you start ignoring red flags—your health, relationships, and joy—all because external validation begins to matter more than your internal fulfillment.

You get so far removed from yourself, you can no longer hear—or trust—your own voice of reason.

This is how you know YOU have become the cost:

• You’re constantly exhausted, leaving no energy for your passions.
• You feel empty, even when your career or finances look “successful” on paper.
• You’re experiencing burnout—physically, mentally, or emotionally.
• You’re resentful, asking yourself, “Why am I even doing this?”

In all of these scenarios, you are the currency being traded. You’re not just giving time, effort, or skills—you’re giving away your identity, purpose, joy, and health.

The cost isn’t financial; the cost is you.

Reclaim your life before the cost becomes too great.

The truth? Most people don’t realize they’re “paying with themselves” until they’re exhausted, burned out, and disconnected from who they really are. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

You can stop sacrificing yourself to endless “shoulds” and start reclaiming your energy, joy, and purpose.

Your first step? Clarity.

If you’ve been asking yourself:

• “How did I get here?”
• “What do I really want?”
• “How can I shift without losing everything I’ve built?”

I invite you to schedule a Clarity Session. In this 60-minute, focused conversation, we’ll:

• Pinpoint where you’re giving too much of yourself away.
• Identify what no longer serves you.
• Map out the first steps to realign with your Must—your true purpose—while honoring your current reality.

This is your opportunity to take back control and stop the drain.

Because when you are the cost, the stakes are too high to ignore.

[Book Your Clarity Session Now]