The Breathe and Reboot "Reboot." When It's Time to Pivot.

If you ever played basketball, then you know that to pivot is to change direction when necessary.

But if that example doesn’t resonate, then you may recall Ross Geller yelling “PIVOT!” as he, Chandler and Rachel manipulate a bulky sofa up a tight and twisty stairway.

Either way, to pivot is to move and adjust when you need to go in a different direction. And here at Breathe and Reboot, it’s time to pivot.

I had a good talk with one of my soul sisters recently. If you don’t have a soul sister, I strongly suggest you find one. I have a few of these beautiful souls I can count on to give me honest feedback and perspective because they know me so well.

They cheer me on because they know I love to write. They see my gifts. They also see my blind spots.

And this soul sister helped me clarify some things about my writing.

She helped me to accept that it’s time to pivot.

See, I haven’t been using my voice authentically. I’ve been listening to all of the noise instead of my intuition.

Following the Crowd

In the past several months, I’ve switched up my content based on my participation in a popular blogging course.

I’ve learned an incredible amount of information about building a framework of a blog and sharing a message.

But at the same time, it’s taken me off track.

The course teaches students to write to solve a problem, entertain or inspire. Most of the super successful students and alumni of this course write to solve problems for their readers. They write in a specific niche, like personal growth, budgeting, productivity, crafts or parenting.

Finding the Right Path

I tried to follow that path. But over here, I’m still trying to figure out my own life.

I’m good at a lot of things, but I’m not an expert at much. So writing to “solve a problem” hasn’t been working for me.

I’ve been spinning my wheels and racking my brain for months, trying to find things to write that people want to read. Trying to figure out what problems I can solve for readers.

I’ve done more SEO research than actual writing.

What do people want?

Which keywords should I use?

What can I rank for?

It’s been exhausting.

Those posts fall flat. They feel forced and unnatural. Because I was following the wrong path.

Many posts on the blog are articles I’ve researched and poured my heart into. But I think they aren’t resonating with many people because they aren’t from my heart.

For me, writing is how I make sense of life. Writing about perspective is what I’m good at.

I’m not the person to be writing “How to Make 27 Instant Pot Meals with Only 10 Ingredients.”

On this blog, you won’t find “The Ultimate Guide on Losing 20 pounds in 10 Days” or “How to Throw a Birthday Bash on a Budget.”

And you’ll never read “17 Ways to Get Your Kid to Eat More Vegetables” on this site.

Because really, those are not in my wheelhouse.

Telling stories and speaking authentically? Those are in my wheelhouse.

I may not have the most eloquent prose. I don’t have the most robust vocabulary. And I still can’t remember the proper punctuation when I’m punctuating a quote.

But I do have a way of telling stories that people can relate to.

I’m a Storyteller, Not an Instructor

Sharing stories is scary. Throwing it from the heart feels vulnerable.

But when I write this way, I’m in the flow. It just feels right.

I like to get real about what’s on my heart:

Making sense out of experiences.
Healing relationships.
Learning how to find grace.
Overcoming dysfunctional family patterns.
Leveling up your thinking.
Encouraging others.
Learning to do better.
Managing the messiness of life.
Applying the lessons.
Laughing at myself.

These are the things that light me up. These are the things I can’t wait to write about and share.

My Intuition is Telling Me to Write My Stories

Intuitively, I keep feeling that I should be writing my stories….the stories that come up when I’m driving to Target or working out at the gym….the random things that pop into my head that I desperately want to share.

Stories are powerful. They connect and inspire us.

So when I write something and even just one person takes something good away from it, then I feel like I’m on track.

When it comes to sharing messages, I’m NOT your best bet when it comes to giving tips on how to live a Minimalism Lifestyle.

But if you want someone to tell you that you’re not alone when you feel uncertain, screw it up, or you’re just trying to do better, then I’m your girl.

If you’re simply trying to do better today than you did yesterday, then you are my people.

Learn to Trust Yourself

Through this past year of trying to find my voice, I’m learning to trust myself.

I don’t know why it’s such a struggle. But it is.

But through trusting myself I’m learning a valuable lesson:

You don’t have to change to appeal to the right people.

Sometimes you just need to be you to find the tribe that gets you just as you are.

Trust yourself and what you have to offer. Trust that what you are being led to say or do is the right thing and that you should follow that inner guidance.

And if you find that you’ve strayed off course and you aren’t being yourself, then it’s most definitely time to pivot.

This goes for anything in life. #lifelesson

This is the guidance I’m going to follow moving forward here at Breathe and Reboot.

For now, I’ll leave the “How To” and “Why You Should” posts up on the blog.

“The Google” seems to like some of them, and people are finding them on their own. That’s not a bad thing.

But moving forward, I’ll be writing a lot more about life, what I think can be helpful to others, and most certainly, my take on this crazy, messy, beautiful life.

From now on, it’s going to be from the heart. I’m going to lean in and trust that I’m going in the right direction.

It’s going to be about what feels authentic, whether it’s about my missteps, parenting insights, and sometimes, even advice.

(Because even though I’m not an expert, I do know some things.)

We’re pivoting, friends.

I’m pivoting back to the content that fills me up. And hopefully, it fills you up, too.

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