"When I first started out as an online creator and entrepreneur, I spent over eight hours each day on social media. Showing up authentically felt very scary, and I would spend hours reviewing my captions, making sure my graphic designs were perfectly aligned, reading other creators’ content, and researching the topic I selected to ensure I got all the information right. There was a fear of being called out, being judged, or not appearing to have it all together.

Not surprisingly, I eventually reached a state of burnout. My system couldn't take the stress of putting myself out there all the time, the perfectionism and excess energy that I had to put out on a consistent basis. I took a long time off, started my personal healing journey, and began recognizing all of these perfectionistic, achiever tendencies as over-functioning parts that meant well, but were getting in the way of my mission.

Eventually, I got to a space where I felt calm and connected. I began sharing content from a vulnerable, authentic space. The response from my audience has been nothing but positive. I wish that I knew from the beginning that I don't need to show up perfectly, and that showing up as myself is really what helps to build an authentic connection with my audience. When I create content from this space, I feel less pressure to post daily, feel more excitement towards my business, and have a better work-life balance."