Meet Amy Capello | Life Balance Strategist, Certified Life Coach, TedX Speaker, Professional Badass

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amy Capello and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amy, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Balance is at the core of my existence and the center of my business. I used to live in such a chaotic way, though ironically, I was praised for it. People thought that the lifestyle I had – burning the candle at both ends – was some kind of achievement. I would hear praises like, “You have such a strong work ethic” or “You’re such a hard worker.” It felt good to hear those accolades, and I was promoted and got raises. I thought I was winning at life.

Behind the veil, I was exhausted. I was giving my son the crumbs of energy I had left over. I was not eating much, and when I did, it was mostly unhealthy – little treats I told myself I earned with all the work I was doing. Despite being exhausted beyond belief, I wasn’t sleeping at night. I would lay in bed, and yawn and yawn and yawn. My eyes would get heavy. And then I would remember that I didn’t send that email, didn’t wish that person happy birthday, didn’t get groceries like I said I would, so now I’d have to do it tomorrow. The onslaught of mental tasks kept me awake, even though my body and my mind yearned for rest.

I would drive to work and listen to a worship song that something like, ‘you will find rest’. It seemed like some unachievable pot of gold at the end of a rainbow I could never find. Instead of inspiring me, the song made me so sad. What was I doing wrong, when I was doing everything right, that I just wanted the world to stop spinning for a few days so I could catch up and get myself back on track. Back on the hamster wheel – the ultimate goal to just keep working myself to death? It just didn’t make sense. This can’t be what life is; what an empty existence.

Desperate, I decided to start putting in boundaries. I think sometimes we only start doing the things we need when we get desperate, right? At the end of the proverbial rope and have to find something new to try. So I started with boundaries around my time. I stopped coming in early and stopped staying late. It was awful. I hated it so much. It actually felt like I was going to get further behind and therefore make my life that much harder. I was already staying late, working extra, and was still behind – so I had zero belief that working less hours was going to help.

I got further behind. I did. No lies.

But, what shocked me the most was….. no one cared. The world didn’t burn down. The tasks didn’t kill me in my sleep for not getting them finished. I didn’t get fired. It was….. okay.

The biggest challenge I had to face was my own mind. My own expectations. My own need for external affirmation of being a good employee. I was the one who created the mess, and I was the one keeping it alive from my own unhealthy mindset. Yes, my boss played into it. Yes, my coworkers added in a dash of expectation. Yes, society awarded me for it. But I freakin’ created it.

Hi. It’s me. I’m the problem, it’s me.

From that realization, from the place of starting new boundaries, from the desperation of wanting a life that I could be proud of and not exhausted from, I started figuring out what other boundaries I needed to create a life of balance. It’s been about ten years on this journey and I’ll never be done. As seasons change and life changes, I need new boundaries, new rules, new expectations of myself. But I’m learning that it’s safe to do so and I’m the creator of any prison I put myself in, and therefore I’m the one holding the keys to get out.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What makes me different is I am a mompreneur myself so I know the struggles that come with this territory. It’s not for the faint of heart. I’ve seen people sharing lately on socials that if you want to really learn to trust God, become an entrepreneur. They’re not kidding.

Having lived through cancer and a second marriage while creating a business, and also still being the AP of the largest school in the state, I know what it means to hustle and grind. I also know what it means to value rest and balance – and that if I don’t, it comes at a cost – financially, mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritual. No hustle is worth that.

I know how hard mompreneurs are on themselves and how hard it is to wear all the hats all the time, and can give a safe space for clients to be themselves and show their softer, more vulnerable side without judgement. Entrepreneurs and mom bosses often feel like they have to wear a mask and stay positive and professional (because society requires it of us, right?), but I provide a space where they can bare it all and really open up about how hard it is, how much it sucks, and how we think about burning it all to the ground at least once or twice a week. Cause…. #same.

I also have stepped into that scary space of prioritizing myself more often than not, so I know how to do it well and I also know the pull that’s always there calling you back to the autopilot hustle game. The whispers that I “should” be working more, doing more, and having more and how tempting that is because it’s what the outside world sees.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Savannah is a beautiful city. I love Treylor Park (the peanut butter & jelly wings sound horrible but are God’s gift to appetizers). I love walking along River Street, people watching and boat watching. Sometimes you even see dolphin’s down in the river – reminding us of the interconnectedness of our port city to the world.

I also recommend sitting in a square, eating ice cream, no matter the time of year. It’s always a treat.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have several coaches who have been integral to getting me to where I am today – Bridget Paddon and Rita Goodroe to name two. I’ve also been impacted by two books in a big way – the first is Made for This by Jennie Allen. This is the book that actually led to me doing this work when I thought coaching was dumb and useless. Also, Chill and Prosper by Denise Duffield-Thomas.

Website: https://www.purejoylifecoaching.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purejoylifecoaching/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycapello/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amy.capello.33

Image Credits
A Different Light Photography
Callie Beale Photography