"When I started out, I signed up for so many freebies, got on lots of email lists, took a variety of courses, and followed hundreds of coaches on social media. There was so much I felt I needed to learn about marketing and selling, and I thought the best way to do that was to take in as much information as possible. It was overwhelming.

Rather than helping clarify what I needed to do, I only felt more confused. There are as many opinions about best practices as there are people teaching them, so I received a lot of conflicting advice. It slowed me down and reduced my confidence.

What I wish I could have done was trust my intuition/instincts. In the end, I know myself and my business better than anyone else. When I get quiet and check in with my gut, I know whether something feels right for me. Eventually, I whittled down to just one expert in each area of concern. I trust what they say, but I now always check in with my own inner knowing to decide if or how I want to follow their advice.

Once I quieted the noise and allowed myself to do only what feels right for me, my business grew. Most important, I felt less stressed and better about running a truly values-aligned business of which I can be really proud."