What Story Are You Telling Yourself
First a note: A New Monthly Leadership Note (No Fluff, Just Real Life)
Starting in January, I’m adding something new to the No Bullshit Marketing website: a once-a-month leadership thought—the kind of lesson you don’t always learn from a book, but from running a business, leading people, making decisions when you’re tired, and figuring it out anyway.
Here’s why I’m doing it: business ownership can be incredibly rewarding… and surprisingly lonely. Even when things are going well, it’s easy to think you’re the only one carrying the pressure, second-guessing your choices, or wondering if you’re doing this “right.”
You’re not.
So on the first Monday of every month, I’ll share one idea—something practical, honest, and relatable—that helps us lead better, think clearer, and remember we’re not alone in this game.
No jargon. No highlight reel. Just real leadership, from the trenches.
What are you telling yourself?
I’ve been thinking a lot about how much our words reveal—especially the words we say on repeat. Because for a long time, I didn’t realize how often I was telling a story that gave the power to everyone and everything except me.
I used to believe that if certain people would just change, or if life would just cooperate, then I’d feel better. Less stressed. Less triggered. More confident. More at peace.
You are the only person you can control.
But here’s the hard truth I’ve had to learn (and re-learn):
We cannot change the people around us.
We can communicate, set boundaries, and absolutely remove truly toxic people from our lives.
But most of the time, the real shift happens when we get honest about what’s actually in our control:
how I respond
what I allow
what I assume
what I avoid
the meaning I attach to things
the story I keep telling myself
And I’ll be the first to say: I did not arrive at this perspective through a motivational quote and a good night’s sleep.
It’s been work.
It’s been years of being willing to look in the mirror instead of looking for a villain. It’s been coaches and therapists helping me notice patterns, challenge the stories I clung to, and take responsibility for the parts that were mine to own.
You alone have the power to change your life.
The shift for me has been this:
My life got better when I stopped waiting for the world to change—and started choosing what I could change.
So lately, I’ve been using a question that cuts through the noise fast:
If nothing and no one else changes… what choice can I make that moves me forward anyway?
Sometimes the answer is a boundary.
Sometimes it’s a conversation.
Sometimes it’s letting go of being misunderstood.
Sometimes it’s admitting I need help.
But it’s always empowering, because it puts me back in the driver’s seat.
If you’re feeling stuck, maybe this is your reminder (like it often is for me):
Start with what you can control. And if it’s hard—good. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re doing the real work.
If you made it this far, I’d love to hear from you.
What’s a leadership lesson you’re learning right now—or one you had to learn the hard way?
Message me on LinkedIn and tell me what you’re navigating. Chances are, you’re not the only one.