6. Redefining Productivity: Finding Value Beyond the Hustle
What if being bold didn’t mean being busy? In this soulful episode, I unpack the deeply wired connection between productivity and self-worth - and how it can quietly sabotage our creativity, clarity, and joy.
In this episode, I share personal stories from my upbringing, corporate life, and healing journey to explore how hustle culture seeps into our identities, even in the name of ambition. Together, we unravel the scarcity loops behind over-productivity and explore the transformative power of slowing down, creating space, and honouring the generous, expansive present moment.
If you’re navigating a season of change, this is your permission slip to let go of proving and remember the value that already lives within you.
Topics Covered
- How hustle culture hijacks our sense of boldness and self-worth
- The energetic difference between purposeful action and scarcity-fueled productivity
- Why creating space is essential for accessing intuition, creativity, and clarity
- How to tap into the present moment as a portal to possibility, wholeness, and flow
⮕⮕⮕ BOOK A READING - Limited spots!
Craving clarity? Book a channelled reading and receive guidance on your next big move. Only a few spots are available each week, so grab yours here: www.andimatthies.com/channelledreading
LET'S CONNECT
Come say hi on my main Instagram, my new art feed @pathandnine or on Threads.
You can also explore my writing on Substack or discover how we can work together here.
Transcript
I'm Andrea Lee Matthies, writer, photographer,
2
:and Clairvoyant Medium, and this
is the Bold, Brave Woman Project.
3
:This podcast is a living, breathing,
unfolding of what it really
4
:means to step into our becoming.
5
:Born from the ashes of a failed YouTube
channel, this weekly podcast brings you
6
:real unfiltered moments of failure, of
bravery, and of deep intuitive knowing,
7
:so that you too can step into who you are
becoming with even more trust and bravery.
8
:Let's dive in.
9
:Welcome back to another episode
of The Bold, brave Woman Project.
10
:I wanna talk a little bit today about
the connection between productivity
11
:and boldness, because often the line
between these two things gets very,
12
:very blurred and we often feel like we
need to hustle and we need to be super
13
:productive in order to really have our
dreams come true and be super bold.
14
:You know, these two energies get
really, really intertwined and it can
15
:be quite hard to separate the two.
16
:If I feel into my own version of
productivity how that's manifested
17
:in my life over the years, I haven't
always had a great relationship with it.
18
:Growing up, I was surrounded
by productive people.
19
:My parents ran multiple small
businesses, and my grandparents on
20
:both my mother and my father's side
came from backgrounds of having to work
21
:really, really hard for what they had.
22
:hustling and pushing and being productive
and tying your value to how much you
23
:got done or how much you achieved was
something that they very much lived,
24
:and this became embedded in my psyche
very, very early on that to have value
25
:and to prove yourself in the world or
to even just have the things that you
26
:want, you had to be very productive.
27
:And downtime was not really a thing
for my parents or my grandparents,
28
:purely because they had to keep going
simply to survive, but also to keep
29
:feeling like, like they were good
parents, to keep feeling like they were
30
:good daughters or good grandparents.
31
:You know, they kept themselves busy.
32
:They kept themselves pushing
towards bigger and bigger goals.
33
:and filling the time and filling
the space with lots of productive
34
:things and activities and businesses.
35
:that showed what a good human was
like, you know, that showed what a, a
36
:good human, a good member of society,
someone that was valuable, someone
37
:that works hard and creates things
with either their hands or their minds,
38
:and therefore will have a good life
39
:You know?
40
:And this embedded so deep into my
psyche from such a young age That I
41
:too naturally just fell into a life
of productivity, of always pushing,
42
:always striving, of always being brave.
43
:And I naturally associated boldness and
braveness and going after your dreams
44
:with this energy of hustle, with this
energy of making sure that I was always
45
:doing and I was always contributing
value, so that as a bold or a brave
46
:person, I therefore had value in society.
47
:I was therefore worthwhile of
employing, of working with,
48
:and this is really exhausting.
49
:And also, this is such a tricky
space to fall into because we start
50
:to move into a space where our
value is tied to these external
51
:metrics, to these external approval.
52
:If someone sees us being productive
or sees us going after our dreams,
53
:We get their approval, we get their
recognition, we get societal esteem,
54
:and before we know it, we've fallen
into this matrix or this pattern.
55
:Of associating productivity and external
approval as validation, and it starts to
56
:fuel that need for more and more of that.
57
:And we think that we are being brave
and we're being bold, and we're
58
:going after these things being super
ambitious and super high performing,
59
:but it's actually just a muddled energy
of needing this external validation
60
:that's fueling this behavior of ours.
61
:And one of the only ways to really
break out of this is to start
62
:deconstructing productivity,
when we really strip it all back.
63
:this real need to be productive
is a scarcity energy.
64
:And don't get me wrong, there are
times where we wanna be purposeful,
65
:where we wanna be driven, But this is
a very different energy that's driven
66
:by scarcity, that's driven by this need
to feel something or to be something.
67
:And one of the most powerful ways
to start to break this cycle and
68
:shift out of these scarcity patterns.
69
:is to learn how to sit and
create space and spaciousness.
70
:And this can be so challenging,
particularly when you are used
71
:to being in that hustle, in that
wheel and that hamster wheel.
72
:You know, sometimes we, we don't even
realize that even when we're trying to
73
:be mindful or meditative or have good
wellbeing or mental health practices,
74
:we're actually embedding them into
a very productive or structured way,
75
:and it is still fueling this need for
external validation You know, we can
76
:have these beautiful intentions of
creating this time and this space to
77
:really just deconstruct and sit with
ourselves, but we are still doing it.
78
:Within that,
79
:I'm gonna be productive by making
sure I have my wellbeing and my
80
:wellness time inside all of this
other stuff that I'm still gonna do.
81
:Learning how to just really sit
and carve out spaciousness in our
82
:minds, in our bodies to allow this
productivity and this external value
83
:to start really dropping away can be
so, so powerful because there is a
84
:big difference between space and time.
85
:I was reading recently about the
astrological properties of Saturn,
86
:and in this article it talked
about how Saturn is one of the
87
:planets that represents structure.
88
:But it also went on to say how time
is one of the biggest constructs
89
:and structures that we have
created as man in our society.
90
:We measure how much we have achieved
in a certain amount of time, and
91
:then we associate value with that.
92
:And that can be really heavy sometimes,
particularly if you are in a certain
93
:stage of your life where you're
feeling a little lost or you know
94
:there's a big change coming, but
you're not sure what step to take or
95
:you're trying to access this bravery
or this clarity around your purpose
96
:or your mission here on the planet.
97
:It can not only be exhausting,
but it can be really defeating,
98
:And so coming back to starting to
deconstruct this need to be productive,
99
:In every single present moment of
time, regardless of what the clock
100
:says, regardless of what is expected
or required of you in that moment,
101
:creating that ability to just sit and
feel and sense, all of a sudden you'll
102
:start to feel less of a need to be
productive, to push to hustle because
103
:you'll realize how much already exists,
not only within you, but around you.
104
:Dr.
105
:Joe Dispenza talks a lot about the
present moment and just how expansive
106
:that is and how precious that is.
107
:You know, based on our past, based on
everything that exists or around us and
108
:our perception of everything going on
around us, we can usually and fairly
109
:scientifically predict the future,
particularly if we don't change anything.
110
:But this precious, generous,
expansive, present, that is where
111
:all of the possibility lies.
112
:That is where everything, that is
potential that you could create,
113
:that you could step into exists.
114
:And even if we can't see it, and even
if when we stop into that moment,
115
:our minds wanna reel and our minds
wanna tell us all the things that
116
:are wrong with us because we're not
continuing to do, we're not hustling.
117
:We're taking a break.
118
:How dare we that diatribe of negative
preconditioned, usual thoughts
119
:that berate us and barrage us.
120
:If we can take that moment to just sense
and just allow ourselves to really see
121
:what exists in this moment, which is
everything, every potential combination.
122
:Every possibility, because around
us is this incredible energy
123
:field, this incredible quantum
field that is beyond our senses.
124
:We can't feel it, see it,
taste it, touch it from a.
125
:Tactile human perspective, but in this
beautiful, generous, present moment,
126
:there is so much else that exists beyond
our senses, beyond this human realm
127
:That when we tap into it, just in those
moments, even if it's just a micro
128
:moment, you can just pause for a second
and drop that need to be productive
129
:and just breathe and be like, yes.
130
:Oh my gosh.
131
:I feel the potential.
132
:I feel the possibility that exists
here even although it's not in this
133
:moment, and I can just sit with it.
134
:I don't have to force it.
135
:I don't have to hustle.
136
:I don't have to try and tap into
bravado or forceful energy or a
137
:masculine energy, which we often
associate with big, bold moves.
138
:I can just sit because
boldness really is just trust.
139
:It is a trust of what exists around me
in each and every moment, and it is a
140
:trust that I, as a human, as a soul, as
a consciousness, I have the ability to
141
:tap into what I really wanna do, and know
and feel about myself and about the world
142
:to move in the directions that really
bring me joy and bring me happiness.
143
:And so creating space and tapping into
that allows that stuff to start to
144
:raise to the surface with feminine flow.
145
:When we tap into that space and we drop
the hustle, the doing, the pushing,
146
:the straining, and we tap into energy,
we all of a sudden feel the balance.
147
:It's not something that we choose to have
to see balance or have to acknowledge
148
:balance, but it just clicks in.
149
:And I'm not saying that we should abandon
all time or all timelines like that
150
:is not how society works But if we're
able to tap into what already exists
151
:within us and around us in each moment.
152
:we can really source this incredible
energy that exists to move us forward,
153
:to propel us forward without having
to be productive, without having to
154
:push or squeeze or force ourselves.
155
:And in those moments where we're able to
move into a different way of being and a
156
:different way of moving, all of a sudden
the value comes from what already is.
157
:We start to feel the potential that
exists within us and that starts to fuel
158
:this feeling of, I already have this.
159
:I am already whole.
160
:I don't need to try and prove
myself to others to feel that
161
:wholeness or to feel that value.
162
:I already have that within me, and that is
a beautiful and incredible space to be in.
163
:But we need to create that spaciousness
for these feelings, for this bravery,
164
:for this bold, and for this clarity
of the next step that we're going
165
:to take to be able to drop in.
166
:Because when we're, when we are moving at
such a click, or we are filling our lives
167
:with so many things to try and feel things
or achieve things, It can be really hard
168
:to feel that value on our own because
we're so distracted or we're so meaning
169
:for the world around us to reflect back
what we wanna feel that we miss, that we
170
:actually can feel it ourselves all along.
171
:And one of the other things that
I've found that productivity can do,
172
:particularly when we're in that real
scarce hustle version of productivity,
173
:is that it can push us into the trap of
actually becoming or mirroring someone
174
:else or someone that we don't wanna be.
175
:I remember getting into
corporate environments where
176
:everybody was productive, where
everybody was very driven and
177
:had big goals and big ambitions.
178
:and I naturally started to match that.
179
:I naturally started to shape my
identity, the way that I showed up,
180
:the things that I valued in my life
and the activities that I had outside
181
:of my work based on what was expected
of me within that culture, and it's
182
:so easy to become lost in that.
183
:we can also develop these patterns
of scattered energy or of hustle.
184
:I don't know if you've ever gone to
make a bold move or you've gone to set
185
:a new dream and you've taken a first
step or a big step to get there and all
186
:of a sudden an opportunity or a yes.
187
:Or a door opens and then you start
to feel this huge surge of like
188
:unsettled, scattered, oh my goodness,
now I have to work even harder.
189
:Now I have to prove myself.
190
:They've said yes to this thing that I've
asked them, whether it's a collaboration
191
:or an opportunity or a conversation,
and you get into this proving energy
192
:of, well, now I need to be really
bold and I need to be over the top
193
:and I need to prove and tap dance.
194
:And it can feel really
scattered in your body really.
195
:scattered, really anxious, real.
196
:I like to think of it like.
197
:Like it feels like slipping
on the ice, on ice skates.
198
:You're like running, running, running,
running, slipping, slipping, slipping,
199
:but you're not getting anywhere.
200
:You're staying in the same spot.
201
:And if you're not careful, you just fall
and collapse because you've absolutely
202
:burnt yourself out or you've become, and
you've acted and behaved in the way that
203
:you think someone else needs you to be,
to prove something, to feel something.
204
:And you've digressed so far from
where you actually wanna be.
205
:And before you know it, you wake up
and you're like, how did I get here?
206
:Who did I get?
207
:Who did I become in the process?
208
:And why am I so tired?
209
:So being really conscious of, oh.
210
:Allowing ourselves to make bold
moves or get these yeses or have
211
:these opportunities, but really
hold ourselves in the power of, I
212
:don't need to be hyper-productive
or hustle to make this work.
213
:I'm gonna walk forward knowing,
like I said, in that spacious
214
:moment of I'm already whole.
215
:And I have this excitement, this
magnetism, this drawing forward into this
216
:opportunity that I'm just gonna trust and
I'm gonna follow the flow of the energy,
217
:regardless of the parcel of time that is
required for it, and just step into this
218
:authenticity and allow my boldness to be
sourced from this beautiful, balanced,
219
:energized, masculine and feminine state.
220
:I'm not gonna become a bulldozer.
221
:I'm not going to get into this
incredibly accelerated hustle energy,
222
:and I'm not talking about slowing
timelines down or not speeding up in
223
:terms of quantum timeline collapsing.
224
:Those things happen when we're
in spaciousness and we're in
225
:connection with ourselves.
226
:I'm talking about being in a calm
state of flow that allows us to
227
:progress and create these incredible
sources of value without this false,
228
:fake, or scarce version of boldness.
229
:And I know everybody's at a different
part of their journey with all of
230
:this, with being able to sit and tap
into and connect with this energy,
231
:with this spaciousness that exists.
232
:But one of the most powerful things
that you can do is just allow yourself
233
:a parcel of time, a morsel of time,
a moment where you can just sit.
234
:And you can just zone out.
235
:I love to go and sit somewhere where
I have a view as long as I can see the
236
:sky and some clouds and some trees like
looking out across a field or a park,
237
:or maybe it's out towards the ocean.
238
:just sitting in a space that
feels quiet and having a moment
239
:to just sit and sense what's here
in this generous present moment.
240
:And then I wanna allow myself to tap
into my imagination and my senses
241
:that allow me to feel and sense
what exists beyond the tangible.
242
:Beyond what I can see, smell, taste,
And just taking the time to start
243
:to train yourself to tap into that.
244
:Because the present moment it is the most
expansive place you'll ever tap into.
245
:And you can do it with your eyes open.
246
:You can do it with your eyes closed,
whatever feels really powerful for you.
247
:I love to do it with my eyes open.
248
:I like to just spend a moment to notice
the way the sunlight hits something.
249
:Or the way the butterflies move through
the grass or the way the clouds slowly
250
:shift across the sky and really sense
into the energy behind that, the
251
:vibration that makes up the atoms and
the particles and the matter that I see,
252
:but also everything that I don't see.
253
:I allow my imagination, my third
eye, my visualization ability to
254
:just start to see the potential.
255
:I might be looking at an oak tree, but I
can also see through the oak tree, beyond
256
:the oak tree, into the energy that exists.
257
:I know this might sound wild.
258
:Like if you're listening to this
for the first time and you're like,
259
:what on earth is she talking about?
260
:This is insane.
261
:Like I can't see anything
beyond the physical matter.
262
:Trust me when I say that is
a normal thought to have.
263
:Like being in time and being in
productivity and being in the usual
264
:expectation of what it means to have a
life as a human and have responsibilities.
265
:Feeling that and thinking that is
totally normal, but when you start to
266
:tap into some of these principles and
these ways of thinking and accessing
267
:what exists for you beyond the physical.
268
:It gets easier and easier and you
start to feel it, and as you move
269
:through your day, you'll notice
coincidences start to collapse in.
270
:You'll notice yourself getting into these
moments of like, ah, I can see everything,
271
:or I can, I can sense everything that
exists here in this moment beyond this
272
:frustrating conversation or beyond
this school pickup line, or beyond
273
:the thing that I'm in at the moment.
274
:I feel that there is potential
that exists beyond it, and
275
:I'm gonna start allowing it.
276
:Into my present moment so that
my frequency and my magnetism
277
:can start to match that.
278
:And you will be so surprised over
time how the two things start
279
:to collapse in on each other.
280
:And the things that you visualize
and that you focus on in those
281
:moments of spaciousness, they'll
start to show up in your day.
282
:Your everyday existence and
you'll start to think, oh my
283
:goodness, how did this happen?
284
:How did I all of a sudden start
to manifest this relationship or
285
:this opportunity, or this bravery?
286
:Like where did all this bravery
and this willingness to move
287
:forward and take action with.
288
:Without scarcity, without hustle,
without external validation or
289
:value, where has this come from?
290
:And it's simply because you're allowing
the space in to drop away some of these
291
:old beliefs and these old patterns
that you've been in to access the
292
:potential and the possibility that exist
in every single moment of your life.
293
:And you're changing the way that
you show up every day so that your
294
:life and your dreams, that you
know that you're destined for.
295
:It can start to happen.
296
:I hope this has been such
a helpful conversation.
297
:Don't forget anytime you can
connect with me on Instagram.
298
:I love hearing your stories, your shares,
anything that you are working through,
299
:If you have any questions or there are
any topics you want me to dive into,
300
:send them over to me and I'll get to work
on creating some episodes around them.
301
:Until we chat again, have a beautiful day.
302
:You're an incredible, bold, brave
woman, and I cannot wait to see what
303
:you create when you make some space
to tap into the present moment today.
304
:I love you and I'll see
you in the next episode.
305
:Thank you so much for
tuning into today's episode.
306
:If you wanna check out all of the
behind the scenes content for this
307
:podcast, make sure you subscribe to my
Substack channel, the Becoming Archive.
308
:You will also be able to find me on
Threads and Instagram at andi.matthies.
309
:Make sure you're connected and
stay up to date with what's coming.
