Believing in myself.

That sentence alone still makes me pause. It has not come easily and honestly, it has been one of the hardest lessons for me to fully digest.

For years, my husband has told me the same thing over and over again. He told me that I undervalue my skills. He said I should be receiving more than I ask for because of the time, the energy and the care I put into my work. I brushed it off for a long time. Not because he was wrong, but because if he was right, I would have to actually put myself out there. And that is scary.

🦩 The Reward for Me Has Never Been the Money

(But the money is what creates the freedom)

Truly, what I value most is the relationship. The connection. The trust. I love seeing people succeed. For many years, that meant I worked for free or for far less than I should have. I told myself I was learning. I told myself it was about helping. And I did learn a lot. But what I did not gain was freedom.

I did not have the freedom to say yes to things for my family without hesitation. I did not have the money to invest in myself the way I needed to. And I did not have the confidence that comes from knowing your work can actually support the life you are building.

🦩 Watching Others Succeed Was Not Enough

I have had a hand in building something for someone else so many times and I watched them thrive because of it. I have seen people succeed because of plans I built, systems I mapped and the consistency I carried when they were tired, at a training conference or enjoying the vacation I’ve always dreamed of. I am genuinely happy for them, but there was also a quiet ache. I watched them buy the new car in cash or receive awards for their stellar work. Their business expanded while mine stayed small.

I started asking myself the hard questions:

• Why couldn’t I do those things for my own family?
• Why did success feel so close but still out of reach?

The truth was uncomfortable but right in my face. I was building for others what I would not build for myself. I was giving my best thinking and my best strategy away while convincing myself that payment did not matter. Over time, that mindset chipped away at my belief in my own potential.

🦩 It Took Years for Me to Admit My Husband Was Right

(Value and compensation work together)

It may not be about the money for me, but money adds weight. It adds structure and sustainability. It keeps things moving when your motivation dips. It allows room for the education and the refinement so I can continue showing up better for my clients. Without it, I was not taking myself seriously. And because of that, I was not allowing others to take me seriously either.

Belief did not arrive all at once. It came through being consistent with my rates. It came through saying no. It came through realizing that valuing my work does not make me greedy. It makes me responsible. I am responsible to my family, to my future and to the people who trust me with their businesses.

I will be honest, I am still learning. I still give things away when I should not. I still feel like the value exists even without the payment, and sometimes that is true. But I now understand that value and compensation do not cancel each other out. They work together.

🦩 Final Thoughts

The most rewarding part of this journey has not been the milestones or the numbers. It has been standing taller. It has been owning my seat at the table and building with intention instead of an apology. Believing in myself has changed how I show up for my clients, my family and myself. And that belief? That is something I will protect fiercely moving forward.

When you believe in yourself, you don’t just build businesses. You build something bold. I want to invite you to believe in yourself, even if that means you still have a lot to learn.

Talk soon,

L