The Pressure to Be Her and the Presence That’s Actually Making Me Her
✨ What I'm Learning About Pressure vs Presence
Starting something new always comes with pressure.
Pressure to be perfect.
Pressure to create something that takes off.
Especially now—when people can blow up overnight from literally anything—it’s easy to wonder:
Will I be the one who pops? Or the one who has to slowly, painfully, birth something into greatness?
That kind of pressure? It doesn’t help.
It disconnects you from your own rhythm.
And honestly, sometimes self-abandonment and grace can look the same.
This week, I almost didn’t make a blog post.
Not because I didn’t want to—but because I felt like I had to show up perfect.
Like I’m some wise person who has it all figured out.
But the truth?
The more steps I take, the more confused I feel.
Confused because…
What if what I want takes too long?
What if I give up halfway?
What if I pour my heart into something that doesn’t go anywhere?
I see the vision clearly.
I know the life I want to live and love.
But the road there? Sometimes it feels too windy, too unclear, too hard.
Luckily, I showed up anyhow.
Imperfect. Confused. Drained.
But real.
Because the truth is—you won’t always feel like taking the steps.
But that version of you you’re becoming?
She’s shaped by what you do even on the days you don’t feel like doing it.
That pressure I put on myself almost disconnected me from her.
But I no longer want to live in the sadness of my comfort.
So I chose presence.
What I’m learning is:
Pressure is loud. Presence is quiet.
Pressure rushes. Presence breathes.
Pressure says “prove it.” Presence says “feel it.”
I’m softer when I’m present.
I don’t have to be profound to be real.
🪞How I’m Learning to Tell the Difference
Pressure looks like:
Feeling rushed or anxious when I’m not producing
Wanting to show something off for validation, not pride
Comparing myself to others and questioning my timeline
Presence looks like:
Giving myself grace and listening to my higher self
Letting failure be a teacher, not a punishment
Trusting my inner knowing, even when results aren’t immediate
I know firsthand how hard it is to stay present in the middle of pressure.
But I also know:
Your future self is clapping for you—every time you choose presence over perfection.
Every time you get up again.
She’s proud of you for choosing her, even when it’s hard.
💌 A gentle reminder for your weekend:
Be gentle with yourself.
Let your truth be the softest kind of grace.
🌷 Thank You for Reading
If you made it this far, thank you for holding space with me.
I hope this entry reminded you to hold space for yourself, too—gently, honestly, and without apology.
You’re doing better than you think. And she’s so proud of you for not giving up. 🌷
📝 Soft Return Reflection Prompts:
Where am I confusing perfection with presence?
What would it look like to show up with what I have—not what I think I should have?
Who am I trying to protect when I push instead of pause?
✨ Affirmation Set
I don’t have to rush what’s already unfolding within me.
I release perfection and return to presence.
I am already becoming the version of me I used to dream about.
My softness is sacred. My truth is enough.
“Knock me down 9 times but I get up 10.” – Cardi B
Whether this is your 6th, 9th, or 20th fall—get back up.
What you want is on the other side of what you fear.
In this life, you don’t get what you want.
You get what you’re willing to stay soft enough to work through.
