Have you ever felt that “I’m not ready yet” voice pop up right before you’re about to take a big step in your business? One of my clients noticed this every time she was about to do something that felt risky or required her to step into more visibility. Such as…Launching a new offer, selling her high-ticket services, or sharing a side of herself she’d never shown publicly. On the surface, it felt like intuition. Her gut and body sensations told her: wait, not yet. But when we looked closer, we discovered her nervous system was in conflict.

I still remember the morning of my first speaking engagement years ago. I had been mentally preparing for weeks, and was soo excited for this opportunity because I knew I was meant to do this work. During multiple guided somatic visualizations, I had seen a vision of myself holding a microphone (pregnant) on stage, and I knew deep down in my bones this was a great next step for me. 🤰🏻🎤 But the night before, I felt a tightening sensation in my stomach, tingly nervous energy in my arms and feet...and I wondered if I was actually ready.

Ever catch yourself saying, “I just need to refine it a little bit more” and suddenly it’s three hours later…and you still haven’t posted the thing? Maybe you have something special to offer, and a part of you is ready to share. But another part says wait. Let’s refine it more. Let's prepare just a bit more. Plan out exactly what I'm going to say. Do some more market research. Make sure it's good enough. Make sure it’s safe. All that thinking, all that planning…it can feel like forward motion. Like you’re doing the right thing without risking too much.

As an eldest daughter/Capricorn rising/first gen immigrant who’s used to being very future-focused and goal oriented, always looking at the next goal and the next milestone, it’s taken A LOT for me to be able to celebrate my micro wins and the present moment. But it’s also been one of the most powerful rituals for me to feel more proud of myself, more peace, confidence, and trust knowing that what I’m doing is working, and have more evidence to show my brain and my body that things are happening. This is why my clients and I regularly celebrate their wins, and I’ve seen this transform their relationship to themselves, how they see themselves and their work, and their momentum to keep going.

If you grew up learning to constantly read the room, consider other people’s feelings over your own, and stay humble as a courtesy…visibility and expansion can feel complicated. I hear versions of this often: “What if I share my true, unfiltered self, and they think I’m too much? Or what if they judge me and don't take me seriously? What if I shine bright and take up more space, and people don't like me anymore? What if I raise my prices and people think I’m selfish? What if they can’t afford it?” Under the questions lives a deeper concern: belonging. For daughters of immigrants, community isn’t just nice to have, but how we’ve always stayed safe.