Yes, I Teach Stress Management... and Still Get Stressed the F Out

TL;DR (with embedded SEO keywords):

• Stress relief for women entrepreneurs isn't one-size-fits-all.
  
• As a neurodivergent business owner, I still get hit with overwhelm.
  
• Recognizing stress triggers (like decision fatigue or hyperfixation) is key.
  
• Moving through the full stress response cycle creates space for growth.
  
• My go-to tools include the Stress Relief Toolkit, Self-Care Plan Workbook, and Stress Relief Coloring Bundle.
  

What Stresses Me Out as a Neurodivergent Entrepreneur

(...and How I Move Through It Without Losing My Sh*t)

Let’s just be real right now: stress doesn't go away just because you’ve studied it, taught it, or built your entire business around helping other people manage it.

I know because I’ve done all three… and yet? Sometimes I’m still white-knuckling my way through a Wednesday at 2pm wondering why I’m trying not to cry over realizing that I only have the big square spoon left in the drawer.

Yeah. That one spoon. That horribly clunky, aesthetically offensive spoon that derails my whole morning.

Welcome to my brain.

I built Jewels of Teaching to help women entrepreneurs streamline their systems, manage their mental load, and build a business that actually feels good to run. But just because I’ve got the tools and the teaching background doesn’t mean stress doesn’t still sneak in and slap me upside the head with a heavy dose of overwhelm.

Let me give you a few more (ridiculously human) examples...

Here’s What Stresses Me Out (A Totally Non-Exhaustive List):

• When I hyperfixate so hard on a new client’s system set up that I forget to eat
  
• When I see how expensive it is to go to Disney and instantly question all my life choices
  
• When my cat gets sick and I don’t know how to help (cue the panic spiral)
  
• When my disability ends up actually disabling me and I have to cancel work I care about
  
• And worst of all… when a potential client and friend says “I don’t think I need systems, I’m doing just fine” and I know behind the scenes they are running around like Henry Cavill just became single and they have a shot at the Witcher/Superman combo from their book boyfriend dreams
  

(If you get it, you get it.)

The truth is: I’ve come a long way from the version of myself that cried on the kitchen floor between the stove and fridge. But that doesn’t mean I’m stress-free. It just means I have better strategies for coming back to neutral without crashing into burnout.

Why Stress Hits Harder for Neurodivergent Business Owners

If you’re neurospicy like me, you already know our stress responses don’t play by neurotypical rules.

For years, I’d spiral wondering why I “couldn’t just do the dang thing” like everyone else. But the problem wasn’t me, it was that I was trying to use systems built for people who don’t operate like me.

I’ve since learned that:

• I’m prone to both freeze and fawn responses when overwhelmed
  
• Decision fatigue can wreck my whole evening
  
• The moment I crave a nap despite 8 hours of sleep? My brain is shutting down
  
• And if I don’t recognize the signs early, I push until I crash
  

(We actually talk about the full Stress Response Cycle in this blog, if you want to learn more.)

How I Move Through the Stress (Instead of Letting It Take Me Out)

I’ve learned that stress doesn’t go away because you know how it works.

Even after building a whole business around stress and systems, I still find myself holding my breath while trying to untangle a complicated tech automation… or crying in the corner of the kitchen between the stove and the fridge (yes, that’s my designated safe cry spot). It’s not about whether stress exists, it’s about what I do when I feel it creeping in.

Sometimes it starts with something small: like realizing that I only have the big square spoon left in the drawer and suddenly feeling like the world is too loud. Other times, it’s bigger: my cat gets sick, or my disability flares up, and everything I had planned that day gets thrown out the window. 

That’s when I have to pause and ask myself: what do I actually need right now?

Sometimes the answer is a snack, because I’ve hyperfixated so hard on a client system setup that I forgot to eat. Other times it’s a walk, a dance break, or five minutes with a heating pad and zero notifications. I check in with my capacity, not my to-do list. I ask my body what it’s telling me instead of pushing harder. That’s how I reset.

And no, I don’t always get it right. But the more I tune in, the more I trust myself to come back from stress faster and without the shame spiral that used to follow me for days.

Why You Need to Personalize Your Own Stress Plan Too

We all get sold this idea that we’re supposed to be “high-performing,” “resilient,” and “graceful under pressure.” But screw that.

What we actually need is:

• Systems that work with how our brains operate
  
• Language that acknowledges real-life stress
  
• Room to fall apart without losing everything we’ve built
  

We talk about this a lot in the blog Understanding Stress Triggers and Neurodivergent Success Tips too.

Because building a sustainable business requires more than hustle. It requires rest, repair, and emotional clarity.

Final Thought: I’m Not a Machine (and Neither Are You)

If you’ve ever judged yourself for not being able to “handle more”: let me gently (and lovingly) say: you don’t need to be able to handle more. You just need to handle what’s yours, with support.

You can start small. Download the Free Stress Relief Toolkit, play with the Coloring Bundle, or walk through your own burnout patterns in the Clarity of Self Workbook.

Check Out the Stress Relief Toolkit

You’re allowed to be a mess and a leader.
You’re allowed to laugh at the damn spoon and hit your revenue goals.
You’re allowed to rest.

And I’m here to help you build a business that lets you do just that.