Hi guys! Welcome to Episode 580 of the Wildly Successful Lifestyle podcast! I’m Heidi, and its so good to be with you guys, It’s awesome to know we are part of a community that are wanting to be more intentional in their lives which goes a long way in limiting the overwhelm it’s easy to feel. If you’re new, welcome Im glad you’re here, I publish twice a week and episodes are mostly 15 minutes or less so be sure to hit subscribe or follow the show so that you’re notified every Monday and Friday when they com out. I’m grateful for you.
Ok Does anyone else feel like the world is moving at warp speed sometimes? Do you feel that way? Between news cycles, social media, and our own to-do lists, it’s like we’re all sprinting to keep up. Just the other day, I was scrolling through X, and I saw a post that said, “Why does it feel like everyone’s doing more than me?” I had to stop for a second because I felt so seen. Because honestly, I’ve felt that too. Like I’m supposed to be launching a new project, mastering a new skill, and posting a perfectly curated life update—all before breakfast! But here’s the thing: that pressure to keep up? It’s a trap. I’ve started realizing that slowing down really does feel like the way to feel really good about my life. The other thing is to realize that when I see people online that seem ahead of me, I am comparing myself to a fictional idea of what the person wants me to see about their life. Could we be feeling behind because we have created this idea of what success is based on what our mind has created due to too much content and how we automatically create in our minds that the girl with the perfect design post has a perfect design business to go along with it, which leaves us feeling inadequate when we have no idea what’s behind that post and it doesn’t matter anyway.
It’s frustrating, isn’t it? This feeling that we’re always behind. I hear so many people say it but behind according to what? The faux standards of instagram life. And I get it. I’ve been there. As an interior designer and podcaster I see the other designers and podcasters online and they seem like they have everything figured out and they are super successful and I’m over here sometimes looking at that thinking “am I dong this wrong?” Never stopping to think someone else might be looking at what I’m doing thinking the same thing.
We’re bombarded with this idea that we need to be everywhere, doing everything, all the time. And if we aren’t we are behind or something is wrong with us. Social media doesn’t help—posts on X show people launching startups, traveling the world, or looking like they’ve got it all together. But what we don’t see is the behind-the-scenes: the late nights, the doubts, the trade-offs.
Here’s a little reality check: nobody does it all. That post you saw about someone’s “perfect” morning routine? They probably didn’t show the part where they spilled coffee on their yoga mat or forgot to feed the dog. The pressure to keep up is real, but it’s also an illusion. And the sooner we let go of that, the more space we create for what actually matters.
So, how do we break free from this cycle of feeling behind? How do we stop measuring our worth against someone else’s highlight reel? I’ve been thinking a lot about this, and I want to share three practical steps that have really helped me shift my mindset and live more intentionally. These aren’t just fluffy ideas—they’re things you can start doing today to feel more grounded, focused, and honestly, happier.
First, we need to get clear on what success actually means to us. Not what X or Instagram or your neighbor’s cousin thinks it should be, but what feels true to you. I used to think success as an interior designer meant having a feed full of perfectly styled rooms and a waitlist of clients. But when I really sat down with myself, I realized success for me is about creating spaces that make people feel at home, having time for my family, and enjoying the process without burning out. That’s my version of success—it’s not flashy, but it’s mine.
Here’s a quick exercise you can do: grab a notebook or even the notes app on your phone. Write down three things that make you feel fulfilled. Not things you think you should want, but things that genuinely light you up. Maybe it’s spending time with your kids, finishing a project you’re proud of, or even just having an hour to read a book without interruptions. Those are your guideposts. When you’re clear on what matters to you, it’s so much easier to tune out the noise of everyone else’s “perfect” lives. You’re not behind—you’re just on a different path, and that’s okay.
The second step is to be ruthless about what you let into your brain. Social media, news, even the conversations you have—they all shape how you feel about yourself. I noticed that when I was doom-scrolling on X, I’d start feeling anxious, like I wasn’t doing enough. But when I unfollowed accounts that made me feel inadequate and followed people who inspired me without making me feel less-than, it was a game-changer.
In 2025, we’re more connected than ever, but that also means we’re drowning in information. A study I came across recently said the average person consumes the equivalent of 174 newspapers’ worth of information every day. No wonder we feel overwhelmed! So, try this: do a quick audit of your social media. Scroll through X or wherever you hang out online and notice how each account makes you feel. If someone’s posts leave you feeling like you’re not enough, hit that unfollow button. It’s not personal—it’s self-preservation. Replace them with accounts that spark joy or teach you something useful. Maybe it’s a designer sharing real, unfiltered behind-the-scenes of their process or a podcaster talking about mental health in a way that resonates. Curate your feed like it’s your mental garden—only let the good stuff grow.
The third step is my favorite, and it’s probably the most countercultural: slow down on purpose. In a world obsessed with hustle and productivity hacks, choosing to slow down feels almost rebellious. But here’s the truth: you don’t have to do it all, and you don’t have to do it all now. When I started giving myself permission to focus on one or two things at a time instead of trying to juggle everything, I was amazed at how much more I enjoyed my work and my life.
There’s this concept I love called “monotasking.” It’s the opposite of multitasking, which, let’s be honest, usually just means doing five things badly at once. Monotasking is about giving your full attention to one thing at a time. For example, when I’m designing a client’s space, I try to block out distractions—no checking X, no answering emails. Just me, the project, and a cup of coffee. It’s incredible how much more creative and present I feel when I do that. And the best part? It spills over into other areas of life. When I’m with my friends or family, I’m not half-listening while scrolling my phone. I’m there, fully.
Try this for a week: pick one task each day that you’re going to monotask. It could be something small, like eating lunch without your phone or working on a project for 30 minutes with no interruptions. Notice how it feels to give that one thing your full attention. I bet you’ll find it’s not only more productive but also more satisfying.
I often have people ask me how many listeners I have or I see podcasts grow so much faster than mine and I think I should be doing more to promote it, but when I start to do the doing more part the other things in my life start falling behind and the doing more isn’t bringing me joy the way just creating each episode and delivering it the best way I can does. So I have found that for now, I am content and happy to just continue creating episodes that mean something to me and I hope that you enjoy and they make life just a little better for you.
At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to keep up with the world’s pace—it’s to set your own. You don’t have to be everywhere, doing everything, to be enough. You already are. When we let go of comparison, get clear on what matters to us, and give ourselves permission to slow down, we create space for joy, creativity, and real connection. That’s what a wildly successful lifestyle looks like to me—not a perfect Instagram grid, but a life that feels good from the inside out.
That’s my challenge to you today is to ask yourself “Am I setting my own pace or am I allowing the world to set it for me?” There’s a peace that comes with being ok knowing you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be and things are working in your favor. Sometimes we block that peace because we are trying to pace ourselves with the seemingly unusually driven influencer we see on Instagram. Live the life you are meant to live, you’ll know you’re doing that if you feel a sense of peace. It even feels good just saying that…imagine how it feels to live it. Share this with 3 people who want more peace in their lives. I love you guys, I’ll talk to you in a few days!
