How to Shift Old Patterns to Make Space for Aligned Growth

By Cait Finn | Leadership & Strategy Advisor for High Achievers

This is a question that’s been coming up again and again. I hear it from clients who’ve done deep work to step out of burnout, and with folks in my community who’ve been walking the line between ambition and exhaustion:

“Is it really okay to slow down when I want to grow my business?”

My answer?

Yes. ANNNDDDDD let’s talk about what that actually means.

You've Been Moving Fast for a Long Time

Recently, a longtime client came to a session feeling stuck. She’s done incredible work over the last year: healing from deep burnout, breaking out of survival mode, shifting habits that no longer serve her.

And now, she’s craving ease in her business. She wants to expand, but… she’s tired. There’s a part of her that just wants to be still and enjoy the summer.

She was second-guessing herself: Shouldn’t I be pushing harder now that I finally have some momentum? Can I really grow if I slow down? 

The old patterns and conditioning were sneaking in on her. And when I mentioned that she got really frustrated with herself. 

Here’s what I reminded her, and maybe what you need to hear too:

We’ve lived in extreme patterns for decades.

Many of us have spent 20, 30, 40 years operating in survival mode. High output. No pause. Hustle as default. Because we thought it was the only way. 

So when we start to unlearn that way of being, it’s not surprising that we swing into the opposite extreme, slowness, rest, quiet.

And that’s not wrong.

That’s part of the healing.

And its also normal that it feels scary. Its new! And you’re unlearning decades of patterns and conditioning. It takes time! 

Give Yourself Permission to Be in the In-Between

That in-between season, where you crave rest but still want growth, is tricky. And it’s also necessary.

You may not stay in the slow season forever, but you might need to stay there long enough to let your nervous system recalibrate… so that when you do choose to grow, it’s sustainable.

This is what I mean when I say “repatterning.”You’re not just learning how to build a business.

You’re learning how to build a business that doesn’t run you into the ground.

That takes practice. Time. Compassion. Grace. 

Yes, You Can Slow Down and Grow. But Check Your Expectations

Let’s be real: you absolutely can grow while slowing down. But your version of growth might look different than it used to.

Growth doesn’t always mean more clients, more revenue, more output right away. Sometimes it looks like:

• Strengthening your foundation

• Clarifying your offers

• Creating margin in your calendar

• Building your capacity to rest and lead

You get to grow on your terms, but that requires checking in with what timelines, pressures, or expectations you’re carrying. Are they yours? Or are they old stories trying to sneak back in?

You Don’t Have to Earn Rest by Hustling First

You don’t have to burn out to “deserve” a break.

You don’t have to be productive 24/7 to prove you’re committed.

And you don’t have to choose between resting and rising. You can hold both.

So if you’re in a season where the pace of growth feels slower, more gentle, more rooted… my friend… that’s not failure. That’s wisdom. That’s leadership.

Need help building a business that honors both your ambition and your nervous system? Explore ways to work with me here.

Or leave a comment and let me know… what season are you in right now? I’d love to hear.

—Cait

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