Mackenzie Smith

One of the hardest things I’m doing right now... is taking a vacation.

Which is kind of the problem😂

I’ve conditioned myself to live in a constant fight or flight state.

Always waiting for the next fire, constant pressure, always “on”

To the point where I cannot relax - physically and mentally.

And honestly... a lot of the issues I’ve been dealing with lately stem from that.

So this week, I’m doing something that goes against how I’ve operated for years.

I’m unplugging completely from my phone and work and gonna get out in nature, connect more with God, reflect and process things.

I need at least a few days where no one needs anything from me.

And that’s hard for me to even say.

Because part of me feels like I shouldn’t need that.

But I’ve trained myself for the last 8 years to be in go-mode so I have to learn how to come out of it.

It feels dumb to say and it’s uncomfortable but I know if I don’t… nothing else gets better.

Because no one can keep building, leading, and showing up from a constantly stressed, depleted state.

At some point, you have to reset the system.

I think a lot of people are operating like this and don’t even realize it.

Always pushing.
Always on edge.
Never actually recovering.

And then wondering why nothing feels right.

Sometimes the work is simply learning how to slow down enough to come back to yourself.

That’s what I’m working on right now.

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P.S. I'm Mackenzie → I've helped 200+ busy professionals lose 20-50 lbs without giving up their social life or working out 2+ hours a day.

Follow for daily tips that actually work in the real world (not just in theory)

People tell me they're too busy to get in shape.

Meanwhile I've worked 60+ hour weeks for the last 6 years, worked 3 jobs at once, and built a business from scratch.

Here's how I've stayed lean through all of it:

1. I stopped waiting for life to calm down.

This is the biggest one because there was always a reason to wait. You have to learn how to take care of yourself in the middle of the chaos.

2. I made my health a priority instead of an afterthought.

Most people fit their health around everything else. I do the opposite.

3. I stopped relying on motivation.

Motivation is temporary. I don't go to the gym because I'm motivated. I go because it's what I do.

4. I have non-negotiable anchors.

When life gets busy, I don't try to do everything. I focus on a few anchors I can always control:

5. I made food stupid simple.

Most people spend way too much mental energy on nutrition. I eat a lot of the same meals or base ingredients. The less decisions I have to make, the easier consistency becomes.

6. I prepare before I need to.

Most people try to make good decisions when they're stressed, hungry, tired, and busy. That's a losing game.

7. I track when I need to.

People act like tracking food is some massive burden. I'd rather spend 3 minutes tracking than spend years frustrated wondering why nothing is working.

8. I optimized for consistency, not intensity.

I've never cared about what works for 30 days. I care about what works for 30 years.

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Life isn't slowing down.

Work isn't getting less stressful.

There isn't some magical season where taking care of yourself suddenly becomes easy.

At some point you have to stop waiting and decide it's important.