March News
Musings on productivity & regulation, only ONE week away from our webinar on creating a home for your loved one & exciting news about a new project!
Hello Friends,
Recently, a big shift has occurred for me in the way I approach productivity, and I can trace it back to when Luke moved into Hope Farm.
Many of you know that when we moved him into a group home two years ago, I hit the wall hard. My body had been screaming at me for years. I had lived in constant hyper-vigilance, constant caregiving, and constant productivity because for me, all of the pain had to mean something. It had to be turned into something positive for us and for others. And when I was no longer Luke’s full-time caregiver, my body simply stopped. It finally felt safe enough to collapse and enough to heal.
In these past two years, I’ve noticed I move slower now and more intentionally. There’s softness in me and around me. More space in my days, but the most profound shift has been in how I relate to productivity.
When I lived in survival mode, I was never done and prided myself on not having a procrastinating bone in my body. If I finished my to-do list early, I didn’t celebrate. Instead, I moved straight onto tomorrow’s list. There was always more to do. More to prove. More to accomplish. My nervous system was so dysregulated that rest felt unsafe and stopping felt lazy. Enough didn’t exist.
Right now, I’m under contract to write my fifth book (YAY!) but to finish on time, I have to be very intentional about how many chapters I work on each day. Yesterday, I met my quota early. Two-years-ago Jessica would have plowed straight into the next day’s work and would not have been satisfied with simply meeting the goal. She would have pushed harder, because productivity was how she coped.
But yesterday was different.
I finished my quota, closed my laptop, and smiled. I knew I was done for the day. And that was enough.
Instead of forcing more output, I imagined simple pleasures: sipping tea while reading a book I recently received or perhaps pulling out a craft project I’ve been postponing because of my writing schedule. There was no urgency chasing me and no internal voice demanding more.
In that quiet realization, I recognized something beautiful.
I have healed.
Not perfectly or completely but deeply.
Productivity is no longer the proof of my worth. It’s simply a tool I use, intentionally and gently, and when the work for the day is done, I allow it to be done.
And that feels like growth.
Just keep livin
xoxo
Jess
ALSO - We are less than a week away from our Webinar on March 14 from 10-12 (EST) called Creating a Safe Home for Your Disabled Loved One. We’d love to have you join us!
The Uncertain Film is SO close to being completed!
To learn more or help us get over the finish line, check out the link below.
I am now booking speaking events for 2026. If you have an event that you think I might be a good fit for, please fill out the request form below. I would love to join you!
Want to explore future residential options for your disabled loved one? Or perhaps how to write that book you’ve been putting off for years? I’d love to help. Learn more about coaching services here.
All of my books are available on Amazon. If you would like to hear how the story began, I encourage you to check them out! These would make a wonderful gift for the caregiver in your life!
If you're interested in partnering with me, please send an email to jessplusthemess@gmail.com.
So happy to read this.