Hey beloved!
Welcome back to this week’s 🌿 Rooted & Rising! If you’ve ever caught yourself pretending everything’s fine when it’s definitely not, or planning six months ahead while missing what’s right in front of you, this one’s for you.
This week’s themes:
Real humility vs performing humility
Slowing down to actually build well
Staying present instead of living in the future
Want to work directly with me? I help overwhelmed creators and founders show up confidently online while building systems that actually work for their life. If you’re ready to stop the planning spiral and start showing up for yourself, book time here and let’s chat!
But first…
🥭 A Spiritual Snack🥭
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
Where I Got Checked This Week ✅
October is a month of fasting at my church, and this year’s theme is “Humility, the Path to Exaltation.” It’s been messing me up in the best way because I’m realizing: am I actually humble, or have I just gotten really good at seeming humble?
There’s a difference between being genuinely humble and being too proud to ask for help. I’ve been catching myself pretending things are fine when they’re not, struggling alone because reaching out feels like admitting I don’t have it all together. But here’s what I’m learning: being a founder and a creator full-time WILL humble you. It’ll bring you to places where you need to ask people for help just for the sake of your business and your sanity.
Coming back from Japan, I realized I wasn’t in love with it for the food, people or cleanliness - I fell in love with the pace. Everything moved slow enough for me to enjoy it without feeling like it was coming AT me.
New York (even outside the city) operates on “great you did X, now what about Y?” energy. It’s constant survival mode. And while that works for a season, it’s not sustainable. I realized that living in the future, always plotting, planning - is just anxiety dressed up as productivity. No amount of planning will tell me what’s actually going to happen.
So I’m learning to slow down and focus on the present. When I catch myself spiraling into “what’s next,” I ground myself FAST. Maybe it’s the sounds of birds chirping it up on a walk, or taking a deep breath and remembering what I actually sat down to do right now.
Let’s Break It Down: Practical Strategies 🤏🏾
1. Real Humility Means Asking for Help
Last week, I had to get very honest with co-founders and collaborators about what I could realistically continue to do. I realized I was only taking on so much to prove I was a good collaborator - someone anyone could work with. The irony was I wasn’t being a good partner OR collaborator by saying yes to everything when my cup was already full.
I’m learning being humble isn’t about downplaying your gifts or pretending you’re not talented or even trying to prove that you are. It’s about being honest when you’re on the struggle bus and asking for help before you crash out completely.
Try this: Identify one area where you’ve been pretending things are fine but they’re really not. This week, reach out to ONE person who could help - a mentor, a friend, a coach, even a fellow founder. Just say “Hey, I’m struggling with this. Can we talk?”
2. Slow Down to Speed Up
At Culture Con this past Saturday, on How to Curate Healthy Support Systems, when Dr. Raquel Martin was asked how she maintains her support systems she gave all the credit to slowing down. She said she doesn’t like to have to apologize and that just by slowing down, she ends up having a lot less reasons to.
That panel coupled with my time in Japan taught me that moving slower doesn’t mean you’re doing less - it means you’re actually present for what you’re building. When you’re always running ahead, you miss the details that matter. You also can’t enjoy the journey of building.
Try this: This week, pick ONE task and do it at half your normal speed. Notice what you catch that you usually miss. Whether it’s editing a video, writing an email, or prepping for a meeting—slow down and see what happens.
3. Ground Yourself When Your Mind Races Ahead
Planning? Cute. Hot. We love her. But anxiety disguised as planning? Not it. When you catch yourself spiraling about the future, bring yourself back to RIGHT NOW. This one is very straight forward and something I’ll be practicing intensely moving forward.
Try this: When you notice yourself planning ahead or worrying about “what’s next,” pause and name THREE things you can sense in this exact moment. What do you hear? What do you see? What are you physically doing right now? Then give thanks that you can hear, see, and do. This has been helping me and can help you to pop back into the present.
Monday Move 💃🏾
Pop on this playlist, take a moment to stretch, and leave with a reminder for the week ahead
Your playlist:
*new* Your stretch routine:
* Remember to keep breathing deeply throughout!
Shoulder Rolls (30 secs each direction)
Gently roll your shoulders up, back, and down in a circular motion. Reverse after 30 seconds.
Neck Release (20 secs per side)
Drop your right ear toward your right shoulder and hold. You can gently press down on your head with your hand for a deeper stretch. Switch sides.
Seated Twist (30 secs each side)
Sit tall, place your right hand on the back of your chair, and gently twist your torso to the right. Breathe deeply and repeat on the left side.
Forward Fold (30 secs)
From your chair, scoot forward, plant your feet, and slowly fold over your legs, letting your arms dangle. This stretches your back and releases pressure in your lower spine.
Wrist and Finger Stretch (20 secs per hand)
Extend one arm forward, palm up. Use your other hand to gently pull back on your fingers. Flip your palm down and repeat.
Your Reminder: Humility isn’t weakness, it’s strength wrapped up in honesty. Slowing down isn’t falling behind - it’s building with intention. And the present moment is the only one you actually have control over, so please focus on and enjoy it!
“You know what just dawned on me?” 💭
Y’all…I was prepping for Sunday School on Saturday and it hit me: Joseph’s brothers really wanted to KILL him over a dream. Like actually end his life because he told them what God showed him. That’s genuinely INSANE behavior.
I broke this down more in this TikTok but honestly, it’s a good reminder that not everyone needs to know your vision, especially when you’re still in the beginning stages.
Reply to this email - I read every response and love hearing from you!
Forward this to someone who needs permission to slow down and ask for help ✨
Want to work directly with me? I work 1:1 with founders and creatives who want to build an authentic online presence without burning out. If you’re interested in support with building a website, coming up with a content strategy that works for YOU or nailing down your personal branding or messaging - reply directly to this email. I’d love to help!
Stay rooted in who you are. Keep rising in your calling!
Here for the journey with you ✨,
