This Isn’t Sparta. It’s Thursday. And You’re Tired.
Hustle culture in Lululemon? No thank you!
Yesterday, I woke up on fire.
Woke up at 6am. Deep work before 9am. Gym session that left me buzzing. Protein breakfast that looked like something out of wellness girlie Instagram. I felt unstoppable.
Last Tuesday?
Very different energy.
Spent the whole day in gym clothes without actually leaving my house, eating cereal straight from the box at 9pm, dehydrated, overstimulated, and somehow managing to both do too much and nothing at all.
The reality of running a coaching business, juggling client projects, and teaching on weekends? Some days are flow. Some days are straight-up survival.
And here’s what I’ve realised: both versions of me are valid.
But only one gets celebrated online.
When Did Wellbeing Turn Into a Performance?
Somewhere along the way, health became another thing to get right.
The 5am club. The ice baths. The “no excuses” content that makes you feel like a failure for sleeping in or needing a rest day.
I grew up hearing “Il faut souffrir pour être belle.”
You have to suffer to be beautiful.
At seven, I totally internalised it: oh, okay. So discomfort = worthiness.
That belief followed me for years.
Into my workouts, into my routines, into how I “improved” myself.
But here’s the truth:
You can’t hate yourself into better habits.
Not habits that stick. Not habits that actually support you.
The Real Problem With “Tough Love”
Think about the last time you made a meaningful change by shaming yourself into it.
Not a crash diet. Not dragging yourself to the gym out of guilt.
I mean real change.
Change that lasted. That felt good. That actually made your life better.
Can’t think of one?
Neither could I.
The whole “no pain, no gain” mindset feels powerful, but it’s it’s toxic.
It keeps you in the loop: push, burn out, blame yourself, start again.
And repeat.
So What Actually Works?
In this week’s podcast episode, I’m breaking it all down:
The neuroscience behind why self-compassion isn’t “soft”, it’s smart
What happens in your brain when you don’t feel safe
And the tiny mindset shifts that help you build better habits without losing your mind in the process
One of the tools I talk about comes from Shahroo Izadi’s Kindness Method. It’s based on one ridiculously simple question that changed the game for me.
Want to hear it?
🎧 Listen to the full episode here.
And if you’re done with white-knuckle wellness, my Habit Reset Starter Kit is your next step. It’s the exact framework I use with clients to help them build habits that actually last.
No guesswork. No guilt. No 12-step morning routines required.
Because this isn’t Sparta.
It’s Thursday.
You’re tired.
And you’re still showing up.
That’s not failure. That’s human.
With Love,
Noemie
🎧 Subscribe to Unwritten Potential on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🧠 What’s your version of muesli for dinner? DM me, I want to hear it!
📱 Also: let’s hang out on Insta → unwritten.coach