The Unexpected Freedom of Not Holding Back
Core Article: The Unexpected Freedom of Not Holding Back and Sharing Your Truth
Paragraph I’m Pondering: I used to worry a lot about voice…
Powerful Affirmations to Inspire: “Money comes to me in expected and…”
Book Review: Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon
Cool Stuff: If you’re curious what the word “tarnation” means – you know what to do…
AI Info & Resources: Hmmm, AI is now making wine??? (Maybe it’s good I stopped drinking when I did—Ha!)
The Unexpected Freedom of Not Holding Back and Sharing Your Truth
Have you ever wondered if you’re holding back? Do you share all you need or want to share?
I listened to Mel Robbins’ podcast about phone addiction and how social media is curated to highlight everyone’s amazing life. It got me thinking—how much of what we post is the real us? And how much are we carefully crafting?
Maybe you’ve felt this too. You want to share, yet something stops you.
For me, I don’t post as often as I’d like, and when I do, I want it to be meaningful. I tend to avoid oversharing because I don’t want to be one of those people who put everything out there.
What does that even mean? And where’s the line between being authentic and feeling exposed?
Maybe it’s fear—fear of being too much. Fear of judgment.
I’ve shared openly that I’m in recovery, yet I haven’t always talked about the challenges I’ve faced in business. I curated that part, worried that if people knew the full truth, they would judge or even unfollow me…
What about you?
Are there parts of your story and what you share that you keep hidden?
Maybe it’s cuz you’re afraid of how they might be perceived.
It’s funny, isn’t it?
We tend to want to control what people think of us…
Like we can ever do that – ha!
Yet, we still work so hard to manage how we’re seen.
So why do we hold back?
For me, I realized there are things I’ve simply buried out of shame.
When I was growing up, my parents were always in debt, and I never learned how to manage money or relationships—both escaped me until I was in my early 40s.
What about you? Are there things you keep buried cuz you don’t want to deal with the questions, the assumptions, or the weight of sharing?
Let’s shift this a bit: Is there a place where you do show up fully?
Here’s what I’ve noticed: I don’t hold back in my work.
My dream clients mean everything to me. Once you’re a client, you’re a client/colleague for life. I shared this last week. Two former dream clients reached out for help.
And I gave them what they needed and more. That’s what I do. I overdeliver. When you become a client or invest in my programs, you’re in my community for life. I will do whatever I can to support and guide you. And that also goes for you reading this.
Even if you haven’t ever invested in a program, or offer from me, you will always have my support. My hands will always be at your back. It’s not about money. It’s about connection, sharing, and adding value.
This totally made me think—what if you showed up fully like this? What if you gave just to give without second-guessing yourself? And kudos if you’re already doing this!
This might be a good time to look at where you hold back in your life or business. And where do you show up without hesitation?
The Shift That Changes Everything
One of my mentors taught me this, and I do it to this day, and it makes all the difference— The goal of every interaction is to leave someone just a little better than when you found them.
That stuck with me cuz when you’re focused on making someone’s day a little better, you stop holding back. You stop worrying about how you’ll be perceived. You just show up. Turning off that inner critical voice and just being can be so freeing.
I wasn’t always that way. I remember telling my coach I was a better person when I was with him. If he saw me in the “real world,” he might not like me.
Wow. I had forgotten that part of my life.
Now, I live from the inside out. My morning ritual keeps me grounded. I high-five myself in the mirror and say, ‘I believe in you!’
If I know the day will be hard, I put my hand on my heart and remind myself, ‘I am okay. I am safe. I am loved.’
Do you have something that grounds you? Something that reminds you to be present, to show up fully, to stop holding back?
What I do sometimes is get out of the house and end up connecting and following my coach’s advice…
Some days, I go out and connect—with people like Gary in the Safeway produce department, who always steers me toward the freshest fruit, and we share stories about our hikes or his kids. Or the cashier who asked if I could help bag my groceries because they were short-staffed.
I said, “Of course!”
When we finished, he looked me in the eye and gave me a heartfelt thank you.
I smiled and told him I’m a person who loves to help. There was no way I would stand there and watch him bag my groceries while the line just kept growing.
As I left, I noticed people in line smiling. Maybe I made a difference just by not holding back.
Or maybe I even inspired someone to see their experience differently.
Have you had a moment—big or small—where showing up fully made all the difference?
Maybe it’s a
- …conversation you almost didn’t have and then did.
- …story you were afraid to share and did.
- …simple moment of kindness that changed the energy in the room.
Let’s both work on how we can be fully ourselves and not hold back…
Hands at your back always…. 🙂 XOX
Paragraph I’m Pondering
We’re always being told to find your voice. When I was younger, I never really knew what this meant. I used to worry a lot about voice, wondering if I had my own. But now I realize that the only way to find your voice is to use it. It’s hardwired, built into you. Talk about the things you love. Your voice will follow.
~ Austin Kleon, Show Your Work.
Powerful Affirmations to Inspire
- “I am aligned with my purpose, and every step I take brings me closer to my vision.”
- “Money comes to me in expected and unexpected ways, always increasing my prosperity.”
- “Success is my natural state, and I attract opportunities that align with my vision.”
Book Review
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon
Cool Stuff
- If you like words like I do, you’re gonna love this article: “What in tarnation is ‘tarnation’?” The writer of this article definitely thinks Yosemite Sam, the small red hat, gun-toating cartoon outlaw.
- Do you ever wonder why this happens? I wanna know, too! “Why do some people wake up at 3 or 4 am?” Hmmm
- Do you know what the abbreviation a.m and p.m. mean? Well, I thought I did, and it turns out I was dead wrong — here’s the answer – on one of my favorite sites:
AI Info and Resources
- How AI Collaboratives are helping wildfires and food security.
- Have you used AI to plan a trip yet? Here’s an example of using AI to plan a trip to NYC. Note this on the NY Times site; you may have to create or log into an account.
- Who knew? AI is now helping make your wine. Interesting. It’s too bad I don’t drink anymore. Hey, someone tell me if this wine is any good. 😉
Weekly Photos
Yep, it was snow week. We got some serious cold, wet weather and lots of pics to show for it – enjoy!
- Yep, that’s my dog, always looking out the window longingly cuz she lives to go outside. 🙂
- We got some snow this past week. It only hung around for 24 hrs, and it sure was pretty.
- Emma and Stayed indoors and watched the snow on “Emma TV,” aka, the front window.
- We did get enough snow to sag the little palm tree, and it was shading our little pink flamingo.
- This dog lives to be on cozy couches and on blankets for photo ops…
- And, of course, the weeks are always more interesting when I find the money. This week, it was a nickel.
- Our little adventure on the back deck during the snowstorm, where Emma had to check out the white stuff. She hasn’t seen it in a while…
P.S. Whenever You’re Ready: Here are 3 Ways I can make an impact on creating greater success in your business using marketing that’s aligned with your mission and values without feeling like you’re selling your soul.
1. Make Money Now Sheet – It’s one of the bonuses in my 7-Step Soulful Marketing System. I wanted to give it to you for free to help you create more success.
2. Love Books As I Do? – I’m always reviewing the best nonfiction books – Where Buddha Meets Business.
3. Get my proven 7-Step Soulful Marketing System. It gives you the framework you need to implement authentic and connected marketing using online customer experiences and launching your products, services, or courses. It will help you create greater success.
It’s a simple system, especially if you love to read like me. There’s no video or audio. Plus, you get my proven templates, tools, and worksheets, all with tremendous value. And I’m pricing it incredibly low so it can be more accessible to more people. 🙂
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