The digital marketing and creator space is one where you can go from feeling excited and inspired to jaded and exhausted in only a few weeks.

I’m going to stay away from the advice we’ve all heard about productivity and routines because I agree with most of it… and that’s not what this is about.

Plus, I don’t subscribe to the idea that there’s “one” right way to do anything.

There’s only a “right way” for you.

In the 15.5 years I’ve had my online business, I’ve had periods of extreme focus and consistency and other periods when life has knocked me on my ass. In those moments, I simply did the best I could.

Albeit not without some self-judgment, which is something I’m always working on.

I now understand, at a deep level, that self-judgment will come up… that’s part of being human. My goal now is not to feed it. As my mentor often says, acknowledge it, bless it, and move on.

In other words, don’t feed it.

The best way not to feed self-judgment is to ensure I’m true to myself.

This can be tricky in the digital marketing and creator space.

Here’s what I mean:

I have zero use for regurgitated content from 20-something men who have done listicle posts about the creators, books, or gurus who have inspired them the most on their journey.

Why?

Because they consist of lists made up entirely of the same men.

Over and over and over again. 🥱

HANG ON… don’t leave or roll your eyes thinking this is going to be about bashing young men or the men they follow.

We all have experiences and perspectives that contribute to who we are and how we view the world. Who am I to judge what drives and inspires someone else?

These things don’t resonate because I’m not their target audience.

I know, duh.

At least not in the sense of demographics.

A few key points:

• I was widowed at 32 with a six and a two-year-old (I’m now 53). The last thing I’ve ever needed was anyone telling me to “work harder” – let alone men with no responsibilities to anyone but themselves or a wife at home who took care of everything else (Yes, I know. I’m a bit of a martyr here, but also… #facts.).
• At one point, I subscribed to Western culture’s mantra: “You are what you have and what you do.” As a proud GenXer, the war cry of the 80s (SUCCESS!) wasn’t missed on me. We’re always supposed to be striving. 🤮
• Life experience: I wish there were a better way to say this, but most women I know who are my age (and older), around 50, start caring a whole lot less about what other people think while at the same time having far more compassion and empathy for people in general.
• I’ve accepted that:
• Life is hard
• Life is unfair
• Life is messy
• Most people are genuinely doing the best they can
• It goes by a lot faster than you think
• Life is beautiful
• We’re all worthy of love & belonging (thanks, Brené Brown!)
• There’s always something to be grateful for
• Meditation is magic 😉

So much of my journey has been about trying to do what others were doing.

I don’t mean that I was trying to be someone else, but when I hired a coach, bought a course, or read a book, I would tend to feel like I had to do it exactly like it was being taught.

After all, that’s what worked for them, right?

For example:

Last year, I invested five figures in a coaching and training offer. It was a combination of courses, one monthly call with the instructor, and weekly calls with her coaches.

Fair enough. The content was great, and her coaches were well-trained and very knowledgeable.

One of the strategies they taught was to require an application for a free webinar.

This didn’t resonate with me, but I did it anyway because I had committed