Ali Singer is a writer, mother, former lawyer and overachiever and the light behind the blog Beacon & Joy.

Ali always thought that having a well-thought out plan would prevent surprise and carry her beyond any difficulty she’d experience. She started planning out her life, and planning early, and for a long time she thought perfectionism was the route to happiness and fulfillment. She always felt that she needed to stand out and prove her worth. Enter law school and her plan to become the first female president of the United States. Shortly after law school the cracks in her plan started to reveal themselves, and after graduation she practiced law for 5 years before beginning a PhD in Women’s Studies.

After her daughter was born with special needs, Ali’s life path shifted from the pursuit of perfection to a quest to find joy in the everyday, love herself as she is, and radiate kindness. Her daughter helped her reframe her focus away from achievement of the impossible goals she set for herself and self-judgment, and choose compassion, joy, and self-acceptance instead. Ali is truly inspirational, and her journey recognizing that our value far exceeds what we do or what we produce is relatable and honest. Her choice to choose gratitude, self-love, and inner acceptance will leave you seeking out these small moments in your life too.

Ali’s reflections on the weight of perfectionism and its affect on her health, happiness, and sense of belonging in the world will remind you that you’re not alone. Her understanding that we are so much more than what we achieve, that our value is inherent, and that we have nothing to prove will inspire you to reframe the inner dialogue you’re having with yourself. It’ll also inspire you to let go of the rigid plans and path that you’ve set forward for your life, and instead choose the beautiful plan and path that is waiting for you.

“Our value isn’t based on our importance or the impossible goals we reach. Instead, our value is inherent. It’s not something that we have to prove to other people or convince anyone of. It’s ours from the start, and no one can take it away from us, much less grant it to us. It is god given regardless of what other people do or think of us.”

— Ali Singer

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7bZHrtjAzbksbLWNaak1NM

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stories-of-inspiring-joy/id1510488632

Stories of Inspiring Joy is a production of Seek The Joy Media and created by Sydney Weiss. To learn more and submit your story, click here.

*Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Stories of Inspiring Joy.