I’ve been working with a business coach for the past two months and something really hit last week.

While coaching isn’t therapy, we oftentimes have to explore the past to uncover how to use themes to move forward.

One thing that came to light was that one of my deepest desires in life is to be seen for who I truly am, but I’m afraid to show my authentic self out of fear of being rejected, judged, or dismissed.

Early on in my corporate career, it was really hard for me to voice my opinion, develop my POV, and own my work. I would willingly agree to what others would say and was afraid to speak up in meetings.

As I got more senior, I worked hard at improving this, but I also started to change myself to adapt to the corporate work environment. I got really good at making slides, selling internally to teams, building executive presence etc etc but boy, was all of it exhausting.

Now that I work for myself, I realized I don’t need to pretend anymore, but I do need to start showing up as my true, authentic self—the most playful, creative, introspective, sometimes-anxious, silly, ambitious version.

So how am I showing up differently this month?

A lot of people think building a business is about hustling and grinding and don’t get me wrong, there are late nights and weekends involved.

But when you’re building something you believe in—something that the world needs more of (in my case, connection)—it doesn’t feel like work. It feels like play, lightness, and ease.

Tapping into your truest self means figuring out what you makes you unique and boldly sharing it with the people around you.

You don’t have to start by sharing on social media. You can start small with your inner circle of friends.

Think about a time when you’ve felt most true to yourself. Write down all of the adjectives you can think of. Now ask yourself—how can I embody more “[insert an adjective]” in my conversations with my [friends, family, colleagues, partner]?

Each time I put something out in the world—a post on LinkedIn, a story on Instagram, this newsletter—I’m sharing a piece of who I am directly with you.

Just know: I don’t have it all figured out. It’s not easy for me to post sometimes. But I do it anyways. You’re not alone, and we’re on this journey together. ❤

How will you show up more authentically this week? Email me your reply! I’d love to hear from you.

This week was busy, emotional, and enlightening. I was also working a bit more than the first week as I’m wrapping up projects with one of my clients and ramping up on a few other events for the fall.

I spent a lot of time with myself this week—long walks, yoga, sauna, movement in general—which always helps me work through things and move forward.

On Saturday, I went to this picnic with a mix of all sorts of people. We did everything from volleyball to acroyoga to badminton and was such a wholesome afternoon. I’m loving the slower pace here… if anyone has lived in London for an extended period of time, I’d love to chat with you!