A behind-the-scenes look at my own unfiltered shenanigans from the marketing trenches. A real-life, no BS view of what it's really like to market a small business and ideas to make it all feel a whole lot easier!

This year I embraced my witchy tendencies.

And yes, there is a slightly witchy side of my personality - ha!

During Yule I did a 13-day intentions ritual in lieu of trying to make New Years resolutions.

It's pretty simple - you write down 13 intentions for the year, fold them up so you can’t see them, mix them together, and then for 12 days you burn one each day.

The last remaining intention is the one the universe decides you’re meant to focus on for the year.

Here's what I started with:

I say no to anything that isn’t a hell yes, without over-explaining
I am 70 percent owning my business and 30 percent working in it
I make space for myself without guilt
I make one daily choice that benefits my 80-year-old self
I am not responsible for everyone else’s happiness
I share the mental load and offload at least 20 percent of it this year
I choose simplicity and balance over perfection
I am kind to my body for what it has done and what it will continue to do
I stop apologizing for things that don't need an apology
I do not dwell on what I cannot control
I protect my reputation and the quality of my work
I recognize effort and intention, not just outcomes
I do one less thing in the areas of life that cause the most stress

The intention that made it all the way to the end?

“I make space for myself without feeling guilt.”

Of course it did 🙄

Because if I’m honest, I don’t actually know how to do that, and more specifically, I have no idea how to relax.

If I have five free minutes, I fill them. I wipe the counter again. I start laundry early. I do a task tomorrow-me would appreciate. I’m always working toward this mythical future block of time where everything will be done and then I’ll relax.

Spoiler alert: that time never comes.

Someone gets sick. A project pops up. We have to travel. I get sick. Something always happens, and the rest I’ve been saving never gets used.

So this year, my very unglamorous intention/resolution is to finally learn how to relax - to make some space for myself without feeling that inevitable guilt that I am not being productive enough.

A couple weekends ago I tried this out.

I forced myself to sit on the couch in front of the fire, put my headphones on, and listen to an audiobook. Two hours. No multitasking. No “just one quick thing.”

It was incredibly weird.

But slowly, the kids wandered in. Someone snuggled up. A movie went on in the background. And somehow, without planning it, the afternoon turned into something really cozy.

I’d love to tell you that I didn’t feel guilty.

I did (still do right now). That part is still very much under construction.

And yes, I can’t help but see the marketing parallel here.

There’s so much messaging that tells small business owners they must do everything right now or risk falling behind. Every platform. Every tactic. Every trend. Every day.

And I don’t actually believe that. You don’t need to be productive in your marketing 24/7. You don’t need to do everything. You don’t need to earn rest by burning yourself out first.

I can see that clearly in my work.

I’m still learning how to apply it to my life.

This isn’t a Chirp where I wrap everything up with a tidy lesson and a three-step framework. It’s more of a genuine question: how did you learn (or are learning) how to relax? How did you stop feeling like productivity was the price of rest?

I suspect I might be a lot more enjoyable to be around once I figure it out 😅

If you have wisdom, send it my way!