I posted reels every single day for three years.

Every. Single. Day.

I tried all the trends. I used all the “viral” hooks. I followed every piece of advice from every Instagram expert. I showed up consistently, I was authentic, I did everything you’re supposed to do.

And you know what happened?

Absolutely nothing.

For the longest time, I thought I was doing something wrong. I kept asking myself what I was missing, why it wasn’t working when it seemed to work for everyone else, what was wrong with me that I couldn’t figure this out.

But sitting here in Bali this morning, looking out at the rice fields and searching for flights back to Europe, I had this wild realization that completely changed how I see those three “failed” years.

Maybe they weren’t supposed to work.

Let me explain.

The Universe Blocks Paths for a Reason

I know this might sound a little woo-woo, but stay with me.

What if the things that don’t work in your business aren’t failures? What if they’re redirects?

What if the universe is literally blocking certain paths because you’re meant to build something completely different?

I spent three years forcing video content because that’s what everyone said you HAD to do. Be on camera. Post reels. Go viral. That’s the only way to grow. That’s the only way to build a business.

But it never felt right. It never felt like me. And it definitely never worked.

Now I look back and think… of course it didn’t work. I wasn’t supposed to build my business that way.

I was supposed to build it through writing. Through storytelling. Through emails and blog posts and words that connect without me ever having to be on camera.

The three years of “failed” reels weren’t wasted time. They were the universe pushing me, again and again, toward the path I was actually meant to take.

When I Finally Listened, Everything Changed

Last April, I got this idea to start an email diary.

It came out of nowhere. Just this random thought like what if I stopped trying to make video content work and just… wrote?

What if I shared my stories and thoughts through emails instead? What if I grew my list through blog posts and Pinterest instead of trying to go viral on Instagram?

It felt crazy. It went against everything I’d been taught. Everyone said you HAD to be on video to build a real business.

But I was so exhausted from three years of pushing something that clearly wasn’t working that I just thought… screw it. Let me try something different.

I launched my email diary. Started writing twice a week and focused on growing my email list instead of my Instagram following.

And within a few months, my business took off.

18K in revenue. 140 women buying my playbooks. A community that actually engaged with what I was creating instead of just scrolling past.

All from writing. I never made another reel. I didn’t have to dance or chase trends or worry about going viral. It was just me writing my thoughts into a Google doc and growing my list.

The thing I’d been forcing for three years never worked. The thing I tried on a whim because I was desperate? That’s what changed everything.

How to Know If You’re Forcing the Wrong Path

Here’s what I’ve learned… when something is meant for you, it doesn’t feel like constant resistance.

It might be challenging. It might push you out of your comfort zone. It might require you to learn new skills or try things that scare you.

But it shouldn’t feel like you’re pushing a boulder uphill every single day with zero movement.

That’s the difference between growth resistance and wrong-path resistance.

Growth resistance is: “This feels uncomfortable because I’m learning something new, but I can see it working and feel myself improving.”

Wrong-path resistance is: “I’ve been doing this for years and nothing is happening and it still feels completely wrong but everyone says this is the only way so I keep forcing it.”

For me, video content was wrong-path resistance. I did it for THREE YEARS and saw minimal results. It never felt natural. It never felt like me. And the results (or lack of them) confirmed that.

Writing and email list building? That was growth resistance. It felt uncomfortable at first because I’d never done it before. But within weeks I could see it working. Within months it completely transformed my business.

One was me forcing something that wasn’t meant for me. The other was me leaning into something that was always meant to be my path.

The Signs You’re on the Wrong Path

Looking back, there were so many signs that video content wasn’t my path. I just ignored them because I thought I HAD to make it work.

Here are some signs you might be forcing the wrong path too:

You’ve been doing it consistently for a long time with zero results. I’m not talking about a few weeks or even a few months. I’m talking about YEARS of effort with nothing to show for it. That’s not a you problem. That’s a wrong-path problem.

It never feels natural, even after all this time. You’d think after three years of daily reels I would’ve gotten more comfortable with it. Nope. Still felt forced and awkward every single time. Meanwhile, writing emails felt natural from day one.

You dread doing it. Every time I had to film a reel, I felt this heavy resistance. Not “I’m scared but I’m going to do it anyway” resistance. More like “my soul is screaming that this isn’t right” resistance. Listen to that.

You’re only doing it because someone said you have to. Not because it feels aligned or because you want to, but because some Instagram expert said it’s the only way. That’s not a strategy. That’s you abandoning your own intuition to follow someone else’s path.

The results (or lack of them) are trying to tell you something. If something isn’t working after significant time and effort, maybe it’s not supposed to work. Maybe you’re supposed to try something else.

What to Do Instead

So what do you do if you realize you’ve been forcing the wrong path?

First, give yourself permission to STOP.

I know that sounds simple, but it’s not. We get so attached to the time and effort we’ve already invested that we keep pushing even when it’s clearly not working. That’s called the sunk cost fallacy, and it keeps people stuck in the wrong path for YEARS.

You don’t owe those three years anything. You don’t have to keep going just because you’ve already invested so much time. That time is gone either way. The question is: do you want to invest MORE time in something that isn’t working?

Give yourself permission to let it go.

Second, get quiet and ask yourself what actually feels right.

Not what Instagram gurus say you should do. Not what’s trending or what worked for someone else.

What feels aligned for YOU?

For me, it was writing. Maybe for you it’s something completely different. Maybe it’s podcasting. Maybe it’s in-person events. Maybe it’s building a product-based business instead of a service-based one.

Maybe it’s a totally different niche than what you’ve been forcing.

You know what feels right. You’ve probably known for a while. You’ve just been ignoring it because it doesn’t fit the “right” way to do things.

Listen to that knowing.

Third, take one small step in the new direction.

You don’t have to blow up your entire business and start over. You don’t have to make some dramatic announcement or burn everything down.

Just take one small step toward the thing that feels more aligned.

For me, it was launching the email diary. I didn’t delete my Instagram or announce I was quitting video content. I just quietly started something new on the side.

And that one small step changed everything.

My Business Now: What It Actually Looks Like

Let me paint you a picture of what my business looks like now, almost a year after making that change.

I write emails twice a week from wherever I am in the world. Sometimes it’s a Bali cafe. Sometimes it’s Cafe del Mar, this beautiful Ibiza-style beach club I love. Sometimes it’s my mom’s cozy cottage in Europe. Sometimes it’s a plane between countries.

I write Threads, blog posts, and create Pinterest pins to grow my email list. 15 pins a day, all directing people to blog content that gets them on my list. (I know it’s a lot but it works!).

I sell through storytelling in those emails. I don’t use complicated funnels or aggressive launches. I write honest emails that connect with people and occasionally mention my playbooks.

And it works.

I’ve made 18K in revenue in few months. I have 140 students who’ve bought my playbooks. I have a community of women who actually read my emails and respond and tell me how much the content resonates with them.

All from writing and storytelling, without the video content I spent three years trying to force.

The business I have now is sustainable. It feels good to my nervous system instead of draining me. I can do it from anywhere. It doesn’t require me to be “on” all the time or perform for a camera.

This is what I call a soft digital empire.

And I only found it because I finally stopped forcing the path that wasn’t meant for me.

The Three Years Weren’t Wasted

Here’s the thing I want you to understand… those three years of “failed” reels weren’t actually wasted.

They taught me what DIDN’T work. They showed me what wasn’t aligned. They pushed me to the point of desperation where I was finally willing to try something different.

If the reels had worked even a little bit, I probably would’ve kept forcing that path. I would’ve convinced myself it was working and kept pushing even though it never felt right.

The complete and total failure of that strategy is what freed me to try something else.

Sometimes the path that doesn’t work is the most valuable path you could take, because it redirects you to where you’re actually supposed to be.

Those three years led me here. To this business and to this lifestyle. To 18K in revenue and a soft empire built entirely on my own terms.

So no they weren’t wasted, they were necessary.

Your Redirect Might Be Waiting

If you’re reading this and something is resonating, pay attention to that.

Maybe you’ve been forcing something for months or years that just isn’t working. Maybe you know deep down there’s a different path that feels more aligned but you’ve been scared to try it.

Maybe the universe has been blocking your current path for a reason.

Maybe you’re not failing. Maybe you’re being redirected.

What would you try if you gave yourself permission to stop forcing what isn’t working? What feels more aligned but also scarier because it’s not what everyone says you should do? What if the thing you’ve been avoiding is actually the thing you’re meant to build?

I can’t promise it will work. I can’t guarantee that trying something different will transform your business the way it transformed mine.

But I can promise you this… another year of forcing something that isn’t working won’t get you anywhere new.

At some point, you have to listen to the redirect.

Start With One Small Step

You don’t need to figure out the whole path right now. You don’t need to have it all mapped out or know exactly how it’s going to work.

You just need to take one small step toward what feels more aligned.

For me, that was starting the email diary.

What’s your one small step?

Maybe it’s starting a blog. Maybe it’s launching a podcast. Maybe it’s pivoting your niche. Maybe it’s trying a completely different business model. Maybe it’s finally building that offer you’ve been thinking about for months.

Whatever it is, take the step.

Stop waiting for the forced path to magically start working. It won’t.

Start moving toward what actually feels right, even if it’s scary, even if it’s not what you’re “supposed” to do.

The three years I spent forcing reels taught me something invaluable: the right path doesn’t feel like constant resistance. It feels like momentum, even when it’s hard. It feels like growth, even when it’s uncomfortable.

It feels like coming home to yourself instead of trying to be someone you’re not.

That’s what I want for you too.

This Could Be Your Redirect Moment

Maybe this post is your sign. Maybe this is the moment you finally give yourself permission to stop forcing what isn’t working and start trying what feels more aligned.

Maybe those months or years of “failure” weren’t failures at all. Maybe they were just the universe pushing you toward something better.

Maybe it’s time to listen.

I’m not saying it will be easy. I’m not saying you won’t be scared. I definitely was.

But I am saying it’s worth it.

Because now I’m writing this from a cafe in Bali, looking at the rice fields, living the exact life I used to dream about when I was stuck behind a hotel reception desk posting reels that nobody watched.

And if I can build this by finally listening to the redirect, so can you.

You know I’m obsessed with blogging and sharing all my secrets to you – so if you want to start your blogger era in 2026… come join us.

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