How much time do you actually deserve?

Why this is worth your 5 minutes

Hey, this is for you if you’re juggling work, relationships, expectations, and are feeling the pressure to “hold it all together”. Izzy Silvers’ story is the reminder so many of us need as busy professionals living the grind in London: you don’t have to be the strong one all the time.

3 Lessons You Can Apply Today

Here are the three most transferable lessons for those who want steady, intentional growth.

1. You don’t need to be in a crisis to ask for help

Izzy only realised she needed outside help when she found herself

“in the hotel bathroom at 4 a.m., crying… thinking, I can’t go on like this.”

That moment pushed her to speak to her friend, book a doctor’s appointment, and start therapy and medication - all choices she now calls “life-changing.”

The lesson? Help shouldn’t be the last resort.

Try this:

Text one person today: “Hey, could I talk something through with you?”
You don’t need a meltdown to justify the ask.

2. Rest is a skill

Izzy jokes that her biggest lesson is something we all know but ignore when things get busy:

“If I rest, I will get better quicker.”

Rest wasn’t natural for her as she was always doing, saying yes, rushing, reacting. Learning to slow herself down became emotional survival, not indulgence.

Try this:

Pick one plan this week to say no to. When you do, say out loud: “I’m choosing capacity, not guilt.” How does that feel in your chest?

3. Sitting with your emotions is uncomfortable… and freeing

When Izzy started therapy, she didn’t yet understand her emotions, just that they were overwhelming. Over time, she learned to pause and ask:

“I’m reacting emotionally to this… why? What’s underneath?”

This self-inquiry changed everything: her dating life, her friendships, her ability to make decisions that don’t betray herself.

Try this:

Next time you feel overwhelmed or reactive, ask yourself what the real thing you are feeling under the surface is. Pause and feel where it sits in your body. No need to fix, sometime just acknowledging what’s there is enough.

The Messy Truth Behind Izzy’s Success

Behind being a BAFTA Connect member, award-winning journalist, and founder of the Mixed Messages Newletter, Izzy is someone who felt she had to be “the strong one” until life overwhelmed her with grief “once removed,” anxiety, and sleepless nights. Sure, her career as a journalist is demanding, but her success wasn’t built from always being switched on. it was built on acknowledging when she needed help, and building emotional skills that serve her.

Annie’s Anecdote

I was struck by how Izzy applied the natural inquisitiveness she has as a journalist, to self-introspection. Her openness about the time it takes to heal - even when it is “grief once removed” - showed me that time itself is a privilege.

I used to think that running on fumes is a) a must for any founder, and b) a badge of honour. Now I realise real progress is when you give yourself permission to slow down, and give yourself the same compassion you’d give anyone else.

ChatGPT drafted the first copy of this article before I came in to edit. If ChatGPT was my intern, my feedback would be: need a stronger hook at the beginning, why should readers bother? otherwise mild edits.