The Old Me Would Have Been Embarrassed To Admit This KDS: 138

There is something so absolutely freeing about getting older.

I was texting with a friend in Costa Rica the other day to set up a time to chat. I had been hoping to go down in April to bring some stuff down before my move in July, but with my Dad selling his house, I decided not to.

In our text conversation, we both said that we would put it on our calendars and put sticky notes everywhere so we didn’t forget. Last time we set a time to chat, we both spaced.

I don’t think much about how much time and energy I’ve spent worrying about things that don’t matter. That’s a complete waste.

I do, however, make conscious decisions every day to choose my thoughts. To make today different than yesterday.

I was listening to a video with Dr. Joe Dispenza (who is amazing, by the way, if you’re remotely interested in neuroscience and being able to change your life with your thoughts), and he was saying that the hardest thing to do is to make sure you don’t think the same thoughts you had yesterday. 🤯

The absolute best way to do this is to tune out the things that no longer serve you.

I have always been fairly transparent about what I’m doing in my business, including sharing the challenges and struggles.

In fact, I’ve probably been more transparent about those than the wins.

God forbid I toot my own horn.

As I’ve gotten older and hit, ahem, mid-life (no one tells you that no matter how old you are, you still feel like a younger version of yourself), I’ve come to the realization that I better start tooting my own horn.

Especially as a woman.

In addition to learning to be fiercely protective of my goals and dreams, I’ve also become fiercely indifferent to others’ opinions.

My old self included

If I can share my lessons, challenges, and hell, yes, my wins… and it inspires even one person on their journey, it’s worth it.

It’s probably also because I feel that so much of what we’ve been taught and is accepted in society has been structured around what works for men.

It’s bullshit.

But I don’t want to go sideways here with any of that. All it will do is piss me off and get me worked up, which doesn’t help anyone.

What I want to focus on in this episode is the massive progress, clarity, and focus I have in my business in hopes that it will inspire you to do the same.

What Old Me Would Have Been Embarrassed to Admit

Trying to summarize this in one clear statement isn’t as easy as I thought, but I want to give you something so you know where this episode is going.

It feels like I FINALLY “Get it.”

As in, I’m finally fitting all the pieces of the puzzle together in order to create a business I love on my terms and get it working like a well-oiled machine.

And yes.

It’s taken 16 years to get here.

This is probably also why I’ve adopted the phrase “It takes what it takes” (seriously, good quotes hit my soul deeply).

This isn’t to say that I’ve been waffling for sixteen years or didn’t know what I was doing. I truly believe that everything I’ve done had a purpose and brought me to exactly where I am today, which, quite frankly, is FIYAH.

I did a visual of my journey in 2022 and since I have more to add to it, for now, here’s a quick synopsis of my timeline 👇:

March 2008

Started my business and launched ‘The WordPress Chick’ – blogging and building websites.

Spring 2013

Launched “The WPChick Podcast,” created an outsourcing company, and started coaching.

Summer 2016

Created the Facebook Group, Content Creators and start pivoting more into Content Marketing (less WordPress)

Summer 2018

Pivoted to my personal brand, redirect WPChick to KimDoyal.com

Fall 2018

Partner with a friend to launch an e-commerce brand and physical content planner, the Content Creators Planner.

March 2020

Move to Boise, ID and the world shuts down. Spend one year in Boise (way too cold).

Fall 2020

Launch my #FtheHUSTLE Newsletter (an old hashtag I created years prior)

March 2021

I decided to move to Costa Rica instead of renewing my lease in Boise. Moved there June 1st, 2021. 🏖

Spring 2022

Think I’m going to go all in with #FtheHUSTLE. My focus now was on email marketing.

January 2023

Change the name of my newsletter to “the SPARK” and decide to move back to California.

March 2024

Still focused on the SPARK and have brought back “Everything is Content.” A hashtag I created in 2016. Decided I’m moving back to Costa Rica in July of 2024.

If you’re only listening to this, I’ve added a visual timeline so you can see this trajectory.

And, of course, this is the TL;DR version.

There have been other things mixed in there along the way.

Courses, coaching (still doing both), masterminds (participating and hosting), events, friendships, life struggles, heartache, you name it.

But that’s life, isn’t it?

Here’s what’s happened in my business since last May, which set everything in motion to get to what I’m sharing with you today.

After moving back to California last February and being hit with some of the heaviest snow in years (I’m at my Dad’s, which is about an hour southeast of Lake Tahoe), I got sick and then got shingles (seriously, wtf, right? That’s what a little stress will do to you).

It was a really rough few months, not to mention I was still healing from back surgery I had in Costa Rica in October of 2022.

In May 2023, I drove to Oregon for a weekend away with two dear friends. I met them online years ago, and we had created our own mini-mastermind of bi-weekly calls. It was the first time we had met in person.

I chose to drive because I love the time in the car listening to audiobooks or podcasts.

On my drive home, I listened to “Be Your Future Self NOW” by Dr. Benjamin Hardy, which changed everything.

When I got home, I wrote a letter from my future self, dated Dec. 31st, 2023. I also started bingeing as much of Ben Hardy’s content as I could and really started wrapping my head around prioritizing and setting a BIG goal.

I created a simple journaling habit (that I have kept up since May of 2023) and kept plugging away.

Then, in November, I was listening to a YouTube video by Dan Koe called “The Most Profitable Niche is You,” and it was like I had been struck by lightning.

It was absolutely in alignment with “Everything is Content” and was about letting go of trying to ‘niche down.’

That’s when things started coming together.

In December, I wrote and recorded “Everything Is Content 2.0 – An Easy Guide To Getting Started KDS: 124,” and it was like I had opened a portal to what I was meant to do (how’s that for out there? Stick with me, this will all make sense).

Some of this came from a question a friend had asked me.

This is a dear friend who made a very conscious decision to trust herself and follow her heart. Because of that decision, she grew her business to half a million dollars in one year and is on track to hit a million this year.

Her question to me was, “What do you really want to do?”

I’ve always had a good mix of interest between the tangible and intangible.

I love technology, the Internet, and the ability to create things online and connect with people all over the world—which is the ‘tangible.’

I also love personal development, spirituality, mindset, and all the things we can’t necessarily ‘see’ – which are intangible.

The truth is, I need both – most people do, regardless of what that looks like. For some, it might be spirituality and yoga; for others, it might be nature; and for some, it might be traditional religion.

To each their own.

What matters is that you listen to it.

Here’s another amazing quote I read the other day. I absolutely LOVE this:

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who are alive.”

Howard Thurman

Powerful, isn’t it?

We do NOT need more of the same.

I don’t believe that you have to start with the problem you solve for people.

Which according to direct-response marketers, that’s pretty much blasphemy.

I’m not saying that you don’t need to solve problems for people – that’s why people buy because you have a solution they need.

What I’m saying is that trying to start from that point can create massive friction for people.

You’re better off creating things you want to create, sharing them, and then seeing what resonates.

I promise you your people are out there.

Back To The Thing That The “Old Me Would Have Been Embarrassed To Admit.”

I finally know what it is I’m supposed to be doing.

For the first time in a very, very long time, I feel crystal clear.

First and foremost, it’s claiming my skills, expertise, and how I can help people.

I know my purpose in this lifetime is to create and inspire.

I think I was just too worried about what other people would think if I combined this hybrid of tangible and intangible.

It wasn’t enough of a “niche.”

And as a reminder, plenty of people have created creator businesses without only talking about their niche.

I’m calling it my “anti-only-niche.”

I explained this in more detail in the “Getting Started with Everything is Content” episode, but it’s basically about coming up with one main category (niche) and subsequent categories that are of interest to you.

Not just subsets of the primary category.

Once all of this became clear, here’s what fell into place:

• I finally got my new website launched (current site, built with KadenceWP which is amazing)
• Decided to integrate Costa Rica into the brand (all my photos on my site are pics I’ve taken in Costa Rica, at least all the backdrop images)
• Took “Everything is Content” from an idea to an email series, to a workshop, coaching offer, and upcoming cohort
• I am eliminating and simplifying any chance I can get. For example, at the time of this recording, I’m moving from HighLevel to MemberVault because it was overkill for me. I don’t have an agency, don’t want one, and have no desire to white-label their software
• Since deciding to integrate Costa Rica into the brand (especially since I’m moving back), I’ve adopted the Pura Vida mentality in my business. I’m looking for any way possible to live “the good life” in everything I do.
• I might even bring a mascot into the brand, such as a cute sloth! How fun would that be?
• I’m simplifying my offers
• I’m letting go of tools and platforms I don’t like
• I’m doubling down on my commitment to master paid traffic (more on that soon)
• I’m tuning out from anyone or anything that says how things are “supposed” to be done
• I’m talking (creating) about what I want to talk about
• I’m going to promote myself and my work proudly
• I will make sure that I’m selling something every day

I’m also in the process of making sure all my social channels are up to date, my messaging is clear, and my brand feels cohesive and consistent across all channels (regardless of how active I may or may not be on them).