The Decision I Delayed in My Business: Trusting Myself
When I first started my business, I thought my biggest problem was confidence.
I had ideas. I loved creating. I loved helping people. But I didn’t trust myself to make the right decisions.
So I did what many new entrepreneurs do: I asked everyone else.
Every coach. Every mentor. Every friend in business.
And then I tried to follow all of their advice.
Looking back, the real problem wasn’t a lack of ideas or even a lack of confidence. The real problem was that I hadn’t learned to trust my own voice yet.
Where It Started
Before starting my business, I was a teacher.
And if you know anything about teaching, you know the boundaries are… blurry.
Teachers are expected to be everything: the educator, the counselor, the nurse, the encourager, the problem-solver. You worry about whether kids are eating. You worry about what’s happening at home. You carry a lot of responsibility that goes far beyond the classroom.
Because of that, I entered entrepreneurship without strong boundaries.
And that showed up in ways I didn’t expect.
I let scope creep happen.
I let clients tell me what they wanted to pay instead of standing firm on my pricing.
I worried more about keeping clients happy than protecting my own time and energy.
And for the first two and a half years of my business, I attracted some truly awful clients.
The Clients Who Taught Me the Hard Lessons
One client agreed to pay me $1,000 for a project. After the work was finished, she told me she had only paid the full amount to “get me to do the work” and planned to file a chargeback for half of it.
Another client knew I was leaving for a leadership retreat in the woods with limited service. I had told her multiple times.
While I was gone, she messaged me saying she had tried to call three times that day and if I didn’t respond within the hour, I was fired.
I hiked half a mile up a hill to get cell service just to call her.
When we finally met, she told me the relationship wasn’t working and that she planned to fire me.
I smiled and said, “That’s perfect. I actually scheduled this call to fire you.”
For the first time, I realized something important.
We weren’t in alignment.
And I was allowed to choose who I worked with.
The Moment Things Started to Shift
Over time, I began exploring brand growth and business strategy. I started leaning into storytelling and helping people uncover the experiences that shaped their work.
As my business slowly grew, something surprising happened.
I started trusting myself.
And the more I trusted myself, the more things began to change.
I started writing a book.
Then life threw me a curveball when my mom passed away. That season forced me to rely on my own judgment in a way I never had before.
My personal life felt like it was on fire, and I didn’t have the energy to keep pretending everything was polished and perfect.
So I stopped trying.
I started being honest.
I shared what I was thinking. I posted the content that felt real. I finished writing the book and eventually published it through Kindle Direct Publishing.
And something interesting happened.
The more real I became, the more my audience grew.
My email list gained new subscribers.
My Facebook group doubled.
People were responding to the authenticity.
Letting Go to Grow
A few months ago, I made another decision that would have terrified the earlier version of me.
I cleaned my email list.
I removed about 60% of the subscribers because they weren’t opening emails or engaging with anything I shared.
Three months later, my email list is nearly back to where it was before.
But this time, it’s filled with people who actually want to be there.
That experience reinforced something I’ve learned over and over again in business.
Sometimes growth requires letting go.
The Lesson I Wish I Had Learned Sooner
For years, I thought I needed more confidence.
What I actually needed was trust.
Trust in my instincts.
Trust in my boundaries.
Trust in the message I felt called to share.
And once I started trusting myself, my business began to simplify.
Today my focus is clear. I’ve narrowed my work down to a couple of core offers and a few strategic services.
Instead of constantly creating new ideas, I’m focusing on showing up consistently and serving the right people well.
Your Tiny Win
If you’re feeling stuck in your business, ask yourself this question:
Where am I ignoring my own instincts and waiting for someone else to validate my next move?
Then take one step forward anyway.
Not perfect action.
Just honest action.
Because confidence rarely shows up before you start.
Most of the time, it’s something you build along the way.
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Ready to Trust Your Own Voice in Your Business?
Many entrepreneurs think they need more confidence before they can make bold decisions.
But more often, what they actually need is permission to trust themselves.
If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed by advice, or unsure which direction to take next, a strategy conversation can help you find clarity.
Book a Free Strategy Call and we’ll talk through your business, your story, and the next step that makes the most sense for you.
