Boundaries in Birth Work: Client Goals
- Hannah Norton
- May 24
- 2 min read
I'm going to be the best doula this world has ever seen! I'm going to be booked out six months in advance! I'm going to take every inquiry that comes my way! I'm going to hold the most certifications! I'm going to be popular. I'm going to be sought after. I'm going to be the best!
Sounds out of reach, huh? Yet often this is the familiar tune in our heads.
Unfortunately, in the doula world, many times competition reigns. We try to market or promote more than another doula. We jump on inquiries hoping to set ourselves apart from our competition. We overreach and overreact. We may even stoop as low as to push up our image and push down the image of another.
When we find ourselves grasping for more exposure, more clients, more money - the greedy heart can take over and our truest, deepest selves get lost in the hustle. Once our hearts are buried deep beneath the game, we lose ourselves - our identity, our dreams, and why we really began this career anyway.
So here are some ideas:
* Take a break, turn off your phone, stay off social media, and reimagine why you got into this career in the first place
* Determine three key words that describe what you want to offer you clients (strength, empowerment, education, quality, presence, compassion, hope, beauty, sacredness, grace, etc.).
* Look at what you're currently doing - promoting, marketing, responding to inquiries, educating, etc. and determine which of those line up with your key words
* Stop worrying about beating out your competition, and simply focus on improving you
* Consider your lifestyle, your other commitments, and where you need time and space and set a cut off for how many births per month you can take and maintain balance.
* Consider taking a sabbatical month (or two) each year to refocus on your goals, improve your education and skills, and rest
* Yearly, revisit your key words and evaluate if everything you are doing aligns with who you are and who you want to be
When we begin to realize that we are more than just our client numbers, we can excel at what we are offering to those around us and become the best (non-burnt out) version of ourselves as we do this life we love!
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