For the past few years, I’ve been trying to build an online presence. Not only for this blog, but for myself. Over the years, I’ve done direct sales through Younique and Beachbody. I’ve tried to push products and services that I use. I wanted to inspire people to be the best version of themselves, all the while struggling to attain that myself. I see “top sellers” and “star coaches”, and mimic their every move to try to replicate their success. I share my “easy makeup tutorials” and “quick, but effective workouts”, but for what? In each of these endeavors, I was never consistent. I didn’t show up every day and give it my all.
It led me to ask myself, why? Why am I chasing this goal, and for who?
And that’s when I decided to stop.
It took YEARS for me to realize that I can admire women who have made success in these roles and not have to accomplish it myself. I can watch them on Instagram and cheer them on without joining them. You don’t have to turn something you love into a side hustle, you can just love it and be content with that.
I love working out, but when I tried to make it into a side business and recruit people and SELL, it took the love out of it. When I got off track of a workout schedule, I felt like a failure and that’s when I didn’t show up. I would restart again and again, but why? I finally made the correlation between working out for me versus working out for the people watching.
I love makeup, but I found myself buying products just to buy them, just to share them with others. It wasn’t fun anymore because each month I didn’t hit a goal, my confidence took a hit as well.
I’m not sure when the shift happened. When, as a society, we turned every interest into a business. We’ve got Etsy shops for the crafty, direct sales options up the wahzoo, influencers and followers, and the possibilities go on for eons.
I went to school to become a Counselor and I never intend on leaving that profession. I love what I do and I think that’s why some people might turn their interests into businesses. Sure making money off of something I’m doing anyway seems easy, but I don’t want another job. Full Time Counselor and Mom of 2 is more than enough for me. I’m not looking to stay at home and build my own business, I need to be out of the house and have something for myself.
So, I’ll continue to watch from afar and admire these women who are building businesses. I’ll cheer them on and support them by following, liking and even buying products when I truly want/need them. But I won’t, I tell you, I won’t be Instagram famous. I’m okay with that and I feel a huge relief by living and posting for me and only me now.
