From Overachiever to Aligned: Breaking Free from the Hustle

Download your from overachiever to aligned workbook: https://app.typeset.com/play/9RZRQV

From Overachiever to Aligned is the podcast for ambitious women who are tired of living on autopilot, running on empty, and measuring their worth by their to-do list. Host Maxine Bingham takes you on a soulful journey to release constant hustle, rewrite your inner narrative, and step into a life that feels grounded, spacious, and aligned.

Each episode blends real talk, personal stories, and practical tools to help you slow down, set healthy boundaries, and rediscover what truly lights you up — without guilt or burnout. Think of it as your weekly permission slip to stop proving, start breathing, and create a rhythm of life that honors you.

If you’ve ever felt exhausted from chasing success, secretly wondered if there’s more to life than this, or longed for peace while still pursuing your purpose — this show is for you.

Boundaries & Empowerment
#HealthyBoundaries
#EmpoweredLiving
#WomenWhoLead
#PurposeDrivenWoman
#UnapologeticWoman 

Transcript

0:01

Hey, friend, do you know that feeling when you're constantly running on this crazy treadmill of life? Juggling a million things. You're racing against the clock and you still feel as though you are not doing enough. I get it. I am Maxine, and I am so happy that you are here with me on soulfully aligned. Today we are going on this amazing journey together. Let us do something together right now. Whatever you are doing, go ahead, hit that pause button for a second. Take this deep breath with me. Breathe in now. Let it all go. Did you feel how your shoulders melt down? That is it. Consider this your permission slip to stop running. Do you know why I call this episode from overachiever to aligned? It is because it's not some fancy title. It is my story and I have a feeling it might also be yours. Let's be real. You are probably that person that everyone can count on. Am I correct? The one who is always reliable, who always says yes, and there is that little voice in your head that keeps whispering to you. Just one more thing. One more project. One more task. Then you can rest. I know that voice so well, but here is the thing that I have learned the hard way, and it's that this cycle, it never ends. It keeps going and going. Do you know what is crazy? It is not even about all the stuff that we get done. It is about this invisible backpack that we are carrying. Yes, it's heavy, it's stuffed, full of expectations, weighing down your peace, stealing your joy, crushing your spirit. Today we are having a real heart to heart. It's you and me talking about how to break free from this exhausting dance of trying to prove that we are enough. We are going to talk about what it really means to live in tune with God's vision for us, not as these performers desperately trying to earn love. But as his beloved children who are already worthy just as we are. Picture us sitting at my kitchen table together now warming our hands around some steaming coffee. This is not some fancy presentation. This is us girls who get it, who understands the struggle. We are going to dig into the real cost of being an overachiever. They are very sneaky. Figure out why we keep getting stuck in this exhausting cycle and discover what it feels like when we are truly aligned with who we were meant to be. But don't worry, I've got some practical steps that will help you walk in this freedom. Every single day, I wanna share something with you that might hit close to home. I was getting ready for this dream vacation, it was really a stay at home vacation, but nevertheless, it was my time to rest. But instead of being excited, my stomach was in knot. I was physically sick. Why? Because I was letting the weight of responsibility totally crush my joy. I was pushing myself to work extra hours frantically trying to make everything perfect before I left because heaven forbid that I left anything unfinished or slightly inconvenienced anyone. I can see you nodding because I know you've been there too. That desperate need to be perfect even when it is killing our wellbeing. By the time I dragged myself home each night, I was beyond exhausted, empty. My body was begging to rest, but my mind, it was like a hamster on a caffeine rush, spinning and spinning. The what ifs were endless. Did I forget to label that file? What if they needed something while I am gone? What if everything falls apart without me? Night after night? I would lay there held hostage by my own perfectionism. When my vacation finally came around, I was running on fumes. I was staying up till midnight every night. To keep it all together. And you know what's crazy I was resting at home and where was my mind? You guessed it. It was still stuck back at that office, still carrying all that weight. You are nodding right now maybe it is not a vacation for you. Maybe it is that family gathering that you couldn't really enjoy because you were so caught up in making everything perfect or that extra project you said yes to when you were already drowning in your own work. This need, we have to overdo everything. To overachieve, to be everyone's everything. It is stealing our piece right from under our noses. Sure. From the outside we look like we have it all together. People are always saying, I don't know how you do it all, but here is what I really want to ask you is all that praise worth losing your joy, your health. Your peace of mind. I have learned this the hard way, and that's no amount of gold stars or good jobs can fill up what exhaustion takes away. Can we do something together right now? Yes. I'm talking about right this second. Go ahead and put your hand over your heart. I want you to feel that steady rhythm. That is not just a heartbeat. That is your life force, your energy, your precious vitality. Now I'm going to ask you something really personal, and I want you to be totally honest with yourself. What is this constant push to achieve really stealing from you, those sweet, quiet moments with your loved one? Those peaceful nights of sleep, that vibrant health you used to take care of, used to take for granted. I know that it's hard, but we have got to get real with ourselves. Seeing these hidden costs is not given up. It's actually the first brave step toward getting your life back. Let us get real about why we keep pushing ourselves to the breaking point. That force that makes us say yes when everything inside of us is saying, no. Let me share something that happened to me and I want you to picture this. I was already drowning in deadlines, burning the midnight oil every single night when my boss called me and you guessed it, asked me to do another task. My calendar was already full, but what do I do? I plaster on that smile and say those three little letters that would come back to haunt me later. And that was, yes, but here is the million dollar question. Why? Why on earth did I say yes when I knew I couldn't handle it? Nor did I have the time when I ponder on it, the truth hit me like a ton of bricks. I said yes because it was fear raw, primal fear cosing through my veins. I was terrified that saying no would make me look incapable unreliable and disposable. That simple. Yes. Became my prison sentence, sleepless nights, tossing and turning stress, eating away at my joy and those moments behind closed doors when nobody could see my mask crumbling. Yeah, I know that you have also been there. And here's the crazy part. My boss would've been totally fine if I had said no. The earth would not have stopped spinning. The company would not have collapsed. But my goodness, how our fears can spin these wild stories in our heads. I can see you nodding right now. Because you have totally been there too, haven't you? You know that moment your heart is screaming no, but your mouth betrays you with a yes. When disappointing someone feels much scarier than the exhaustion that is already crushing your spirit. Let us get super real about these fears that drives us. The terror of becoming invisible. That panic of not being enough, that cold sweat that breaks out. Just thinking about slowing down. Yeah, but here is a truth bomb for you. Fear is literally the world's worst GPS. It keeps us running in these exhausting cycles like a hamster on a wheel. Never getting anywhere, but we are too scared to jump off. So I'm going to challenge you. What is the real fear hiding underneath all of this? Let's talk about that scary thing that keeps you running. You know that monster under your bed? Is it that not in your stomach? When you think about slowing down that fear, if you have not constantly, if you're not constantly moving, you'll somehow become invisible. Or maybe it is that terrifying thought of being replaced or that people just won't get you. I want you to listen because what I'm about to say next, it is very important. Your worth is not measured by how many boxes you check off your to-do list or how many extra hours you put in. You are valuable just as you are. As simple as that. You are uniquely, wonderfully. You. And you know what? That is absolutely enough. You know that voice in your head telling you that you need to earn love by working yourself into the ground. It is lying to you, my sweet friend, and it's time that we shut that voice down once and for all. Let me share something with you, a little glimpse of what it feels like. When you're truly aligned, I want you to picture this with me. It's Saturday morning and I did something kind of crazy instead of grabbing my phone like it was my morning coffee. You know what I mean? Right. A lot of us do that when we wake up. I just left it in another room. No emails yelling, Hey, look at me. No falling down the social media rabbit hole, me embracing the morning. I got up and I took my dog for a walk. I breathed in that fresh air and actually felt the world waking up around me. When I got back home. I did something that I hadn't done in a while, and so it felt almost foreign. To me, I sat down and enjoyed my breakfast. I know exactly what you're thinking because I also felt it, it was that weird itch, like something was missing that pull toward my phone. What if there is an emergency? What if someone needs me? But then something happened. As I sat there tasting my food, this amazing feeling came over me. It was the feeling of peace, the kind of peace that had become such a stranger in my life. It felt like bumping into an old friend that I had not seen in forever. This my friend, is what alignment feels like. It is not about that suffocating pressure of endless tasks or running yourself ragged trying to keep up. It is that sweet relief of finally being able to take a full deep breath and let me be clear about something. Choose alignment. It is not taking the easy way out. It is you being brave. It is standing up and saying. I am done trying to prove my worth through being burnt out. I am honoring my B boundaries. I am enough right here, right now, exactly as I am. So close your eyes with me for a second, and I want you to think about these questions. When was the last time you felt truly at peace? Maybe it was that perfect morning, quiet watching steam curl from your coffee cup before the world got crazy, or maybe it was during one of those deep, genuine belly laughs you had with a friend where time stopped That feeling that is not calm, that is alignment in its purest form. It is like dancing to your soul's rhythm instead of that demanding drumbeat of pressure, and here is the beautiful truth. Alignment is not something you need to chase after it is already part of who you are. It's woven into your DNA. Let's talk about something that could change everything. Your personal journey from hustle to alignment. I know what you're thinking. Okay, but how do I do this? Don't worry, I have you. Let's break this down into some real doable steps that will transform your daily life. Your first mission. It starts with something simple. And that's five sacred minutes of stillness each morning. That's all it takes for you to begin five minutes to breathe and check in with yourself. Let this sink in. You don't have to earn today. You don't have to prove that you are worthy. You woke up this morning already carrying everything that you need to be enough. Let me share your second power move. I call it the sacred. Yes. Here is something that I want you to try before you say yes to. Anything. Anything or anyone take a breath, check in with yourself. And ask, am I saying yes because I really want to, or do I feel pressured? It is time to guard your time like it's precious treasure because it actually is you setting boundaries. It's not about your being difficult, it is about you're taking care of yourself. It is the ultimate way to show yourself some love. Now, let's talk about rest. I am going to burst open wide a myth. How we sometimes feel guilty when we rest like we are being lazy? That is total nonsense. Every time you rest, what you're doing is you are actually. Being brave. You are saying, Hey, I trust that the world is going to keep turning. Even if I take a break. Here is something I want you to try at the end of your day instead of obsessing over your to-do list I want you to ask yourself something different. Ask, when did I. Feel really truly alive today. When did I feel most like me? And here is the thing that makes me so excited to share with you. You do not have to flip your whole life upside down overnight. It is called baby steps, one tiny change at a time. Why not start? As soon as we are finished chatting, pick one thing that has been sucking the life out of you and practice saying, not today. Maybe it is finally sticking to that bedtime you keep promising yourself. Or maybe it is actually enjoying your lunch without your phone buzzing every two seconds. These might seem like they're really small things, but I want you to trust me. These little choices that you are making, they are like building blocks for your new life and each tiny step toward peace. It's not movement. It is you coming home to yourself. Let's get real about something that might make you squirm a little. Do you know that dance we do between trusting and trying to control everything? I wanna share something personal with you. My biggest struggle was not with outside stuff. It was my own need to control every single thing. I want to tell you about this huge project that I was working on instead of doing my part. What happened? I turned into the self-appointed everything checker. You're probably one or you work with one. I was that person obsessively, double checking everyone's work, rewriting stuff that wasn't even mine to touch. Sending emails at midnight, like some kind of work zombie. Did anyone ask me to be that superwoman? No. But there I was totally convinced the whole thing would crumble if I was not holding it all together. By the end, I was completely wiped out, but here is the plot twist that blew my mind. The project was a huge success, but I want you to get this. It wasn't a success because I worked myself into the ground. It would've been as amazing without all my late night stress sessions and control freak moments. Are you sitting there nodding? Because this sounds familiar. Maybe your version is not about work stuff. Maybe you are that family member who plans vacations down to the minute. Color coded spreadsheets. Anyone know what I'm talking about? Or the who has to cook every holiday dish because nobody else can do it like you can. Here's the truth. All this overachieving stuff, it makes us feel like we are in control, but it is sneaking in and stealing our peace. When we are not looking, and the world keeps right on spinning. Even when we loosen our grip a little. People are way more capable than we give them credit for. Life has this amazing way of working itself out without our intervention. So here is what I want you to ask yourself. Where are you holding on so tight that your knuckles are now turning white? What would it feel like to let go to trust that you are supported even when you are not the one that's running the show? Let's say this together and I want you to make it your mantra. Write it on your mirror. Stick it on your fridge, here we go. I don't have to control everything to be safe and loved. Now, let us dream a little about where this journey takes us to this beautiful place called freedom. So close your eyes with me. I want you to paint a picture of your tomorrow. And I am not talking about any tomorrow, but your radiant beautiful tomorrow. Go ahead and envision this It is a regular Tuesday morning, but here is the thing. It feels completely different to you. You know that heavy feeling you usually wake up with. That anxious rush that hits before you even get out of bed, it is gone. Instead, there is this amazing sense of peace flowing through you and your morning. It is like this beautiful, effortless dance, that cup of coffee. It is not just your morning caffeine fix anymore. It is this beautiful moment of pure joy because you are tasting it and you are savoring every sip. You are breathing deeply and you're feeling grounded. You are not just going through the motions. You are really living right here, right now. The most amazing thing that I have learned through all of this is that living free is not about making everything perfect. It is about breaking those chains that we have put on yourselves. That constant need to hustle and prove ourselves. Instead, we are choosing to live from this place of love. Not desperately chasing it. So when this finally clicked for me, everything started shifting. Those urgent emails that I thought I had to answer right away, they could wait. Those notifications that constantly kept pinging, they didn't control me anymore. The world did not come crashing down. What happens is it opened up. I suddenly had all this energy for things that really made my soul happy. This freedom that we are talking about, it is not just some far off dream. It is actually yours for the taking right now. Right here it is about getting back to your joy. Letting yourself rest and becoming who you are always meant to be. So I want you to say this with me and I want you to feel it in your bones, and I want you to mean it. Are you ready? I am gloriously unapologetically enough. I choose peace over pressure. I choose alignment over endless achieving. I walk free because I am already whole. You see, this is not just some fancy words that I want you to say. This is your freedom song, and if what we are talking about here. It has been stirring something deep inside of you. If it is waking up this hunger for a different way of living, I do not want you to keep it to yourself. I want you to share it with a friend of yours who has been running on empty, who has forgotten just how amazing she is. So let us wrap this up with a prayer together. You can either say these words with me. Or you can just let them sink into your heart. Dear God, I am letting go of this heavy load of trying to prove myself. I am choosing your peace instead of the world's pressure. I am embracing your perfect plan instead of my exhausting hustle. Help me rest in who you have created me to be. Guide me as I walk in freedom. My dear friend, we have come to the end of our chat together as you go into this week. I want you to please remember that you do not have to carry the weight of this world. You do not even need to earn your place. You are already enough, already worthy. Already so loved. So until next time, I want you to walk in peace, dance in alignment, and soar in your freedom. Thank you so much for sharing this space with me. I am so grateful we had this chat together.