Reset Week:

Every January, the internet gets loud.

New year. New you. New routines. New goals. New everything.

And maybe that’s exciting for some people… but for a lot of us, it’s also exhausting.

Because real life doesn’t magically reset at midnight.

The laundry is still there. The dishes still multiply like they’re paid to do it. The kids still need snacks every 12 minutes. The work still waits. And the overwhelm doesn’t disappear just because the calendar flipped.

So this year, I’m choosing a different kind of fresh start.

Not a total life makeover.

Just a moment.

A deep breath. A softened room. A small signal to my body that it’s safe to slow down—even if only for five minutes.

That’s the entire idea behind my Breath & Balance Collection.

It was created for the midday reset.
The “I’m doing too much” feeling.
The overstimulated, touched-out, mentally maxed-out moments when you can’t fix the whole day… but you can change the next five minutes.

The truth about “fresh starts”

Fresh starts don’t have to be big.
They don’t have to be dramatic.

Sometimes a fresh start looks like:

• washing your face at 2pm because you forgot you even have a face

• reheating your coffee for the third time

• resetting the living room for the millionth time

• stepping into the bathroom alone just to breathe for a second

• lighting a candle and letting the scent do what your brain can’t

And if you’re in a season where your nervous system is constantly on, I want you to know: you’re not behind.

You’re just human.

Why scent matters (and why I keep coming back to it)

Scent is one of the fastest ways to shift a space.

It’s memory. It’s mood. It’s the invisible “before and after.”

You light a wick, the crackle starts, the air changes, and for a second the room feels different… even if nothing else changed.

That’s why I say I don’t really sell candles.

I sell that five-minute exhale.

The tiny reset.

The “okay, I can do the next thing now” feeling.

Reset Week is live ✨

To kick off the year in a way that feels gentle and doable, I’m running a Reset Week sale focused on Breath & Balance.

For the next few days:

15% off the entire Breath & Balance Collection
Use code: RESETWEEK
Shop Breath & Balance →

Shop Collection

Reset Week ends Sunday at midnight.

If you’ve been wanting to try the collection (or restock your favorite), this is the perfect time.

A little permission slip, from me to you

You don’t have to reinvent yourself this year.

You don’t have to optimize every part of your life.

You don’t have to turn January into a personal performance.

You’re allowed to start small.

You’re allowed to choose comfort.

You’re allowed to build a year that feels like steady breathing instead of constant sprinting.

If all you do today is light a candle, drink some water, and give yourself one quiet moment… that counts.

That’s the reset.

That’s the fresh start.

And if you want, I made a collection for exactly that.

Breath & Balance

Writing this newsletter has become one of my favorite creative outlets — a place where I can reflect on the chaos of motherhood, the joy of creating, and the rollercoaster of running a small business.

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Your support helps me keep creating this space while raising a family and growing my little candle shop 💛

I started 2025 selling candles—and ended it selling a feeling.

Why?

Because people don’t need another basic candle in their home. They need a moment. A reset. A place of calm they can return to with just one scent.

So yes—I still sell candles.

But what I’m really selling is that five-minute exhale: the crackle of the wick, the shift in the room, and the way everything feels a little less loud for a second.

That’s the business. That’s the point. That’s 2026.

Find Your Scent

What I Mean by “Selling a Feeling”

Every candle we create is an experience—not just a product. When they burn, they’re meant to bring out emotions and memories, not just sit pretty on a table.

(Although… they are the perfect cozy touch for any room.)

Take our Breath & Balance Collection, for example. It’s made for that mid-day reset we all need. With notes like citrus, herbs, sea salt, and other fresh elements, these scents are designed to clear your mind and make it easier to take that deep breath.

And our other collections? They’re created with purpose, too—meant to make you feel calm, comforted, grounded, energized, or even nostalgic.

Scent Is the Shortcut to Memory

A specific scent can instantly bring you back to a place, a person, a season—or a version of yourself.

For me, one of my favorite scents is Soft Fade. It’s light and cozy—like the stillness right before you drift off to sleep.

It’s the candle I light first thing in the morning as the sun rises, before the kids are up and the house is quiet. Or in the evening while I’m resetting the kitchen, looking forward to curling up on the couch for a little me time.

Scent brings out so many emotions… so we created a candle for each one.

What’s Different in 2026?

Less “basic scented candles.”

More scents that help you feel the moment you’re in.

So tell me—

What scents bring you back in time?
What helps you feel calm… or gives you that spark of energy to start the day?

Are you the kind of person who lights a candle in the morning… or the kind who ends the day with the soft crackle of a wooden wick?

I’d genuinely love to know. 🤍

Writing this newsletter has become one of my favorite creative outlets — a place where I can reflect on the chaos of motherhood, the joy of creating, and the rollercoaster of running a small business.

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Your support helps me keep creating this space while raising a family and growing my little candle shop 💛

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Fall has always been my favorite time of year. There’s something calming and reassuring about the crunch of leaves underfoot, the crisp air, and the colors changing all around us.

This year, we took the leap and launched our new collection: Cozy by Nature. It’s a carefully chosen mix of scents created to capture all the best feelings of fall.

Donut Crumbs

To be honest, I was hesitant about this one. I’ve never been a fan of “food” candles, but I wanted to create something that tied back to my own childhood. For me, that’s apple cider donuts.

The first time I lit the tester candle, I was instantly transported back to my younger days. I grew up in Ohio, where cider mills weren’t a huge thing, but every fall we traveled to Rochester, New York—where my mom was raised—to visit family. Those trips always included a stop at a cider mill for fresh cider and warm donuts.

Now, living in Michigan, I’m surrounded by cider mills. Part of me is reliving those memories through my kids as we spend our fall Saturdays picking apples, sipping cider, and enjoying sugar-coated donuts.

Our Donut Crumbs candle is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy—it makes your home feel like a bakery on a cool, crisp fall morning.

Autumn Glow

This scent is a little sweet with a hint of the outdoors—perfect for those who don’t love food scents but still want something more than just woodsy notes.

Imagine kids running in from outside, carrying with them the crisp air and earthy musk of fall leaves, which then mingle with the warm sweetness of spices.

For me, this scent always brings Thanksgiving to mind—a big meal, family gathered close, and the cozy comfort of apple pie or mulled cider. Autumn Glow is fall gatherings wrapped into a candle.

Cabin Light

This one feels like home to me. Woodsy, crisp, and just a touch spicy, Cabin Light creates a calm, grounding space that feels like your own little retreat.

Fall in our family means long walks, crunching leaves, and soaking in the colors nature gives us. For me, this candle smells like coming back to a warm fire after a day outside—like bonfire nights under the pines, wrapped in flannel. It’s my personal favorite.

As I sit here reflecting on these scents, I realize they’re not just candles—they’re little pieces of memory, comfort, and connection woven into everyday moments. My hope is that when you light one, it brings you back to your own favorite fall traditions, just as it does for me.

🍂 Explore the Cozy by Nature collection today and find the scent that feels like home this season.

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Writing this newsletter has become one of my favorite creative outlets — a place where I can reflect on the chaos of motherhood, the joy of creating, and the rollercoaster of running a small business.

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Your support helps me keep creating this space while raising a family and growing my little candle shop 💛

Support with a $2 Coffee ☕

A few months back, my sister and I decided our business needed a relaunch. Our basic candle names and collections had started to feel stale, and sales were way down.

Brainstorming new scent ideas brought me back to life. For the first time in a long while, I felt energized — like I did when we first launched two years ago.

I thought this relaunch would feel like a fresh start.
Instead, it almost became my breaking point.

The Vision vs. The Reality

At first, it was exciting.
Creating meaningful names tied to my personal experiences, redesigning the website, closing the shop with a big sale — all of it filled me with momentum.

I loved every minute of it.

But then I decided that if I just pushed harder, our relaunch would be even more successful.

Before, I’d been focusing on Substack, Threads, email marketing, and the occasional Instagram post. For the relaunch, I convinced myself I needed more: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest… all at once.

The Downward Spiral

The rush of new ideas gave me a false sense of being unstoppable.

I was so proud of our products and our new site that I wanted to share it with the world. Writing came naturally — Substack posts, Threads, emails felt effortless.

But content creation? That’s where the nightmare began.

Re-downloading Instagram was my first mistake. The doom-scrolling began, and comparison took over. I watched countless polished videos from other candle makers, their magazine-worthy photos, their perfectly edited reels.

I thought: I can do this too.

So I tried. I spent hours making a single video — tweaking music, rewriting captions, timing the post just right. After posting, I’d cross-post to Facebook and TikTok, then stick around to “engage” because that’s what every expert says you have to do.

Hours of work. Hundreds of views. Ten likes.

And while I was chasing algorithms, I was neglecting the platforms that actually brought me joy and results.

The Breaking Point

The night before the website was scheduled to go live, I thought I still had everything under control.

Until perfectionism took over.

(Just writing this still makes my shoulders tense.)

I noticed a small issue with product photos not displaying correctly. It ruined the aesthetic for me, so I searched for a fix. ChatGPT handed me a step-by-step coding tweak that seemed simple.

It wasn’t.

Hours later, I had broken the site even more — product images wouldn’t scroll, listings looked awful, and suddenly my website was unpublishable.

I’d spent 10+ hours on what should have been a small change, and instead of improving the site, I had wrecked it.

By 11 PM, I couldn’t hold back the tears. We’d hyped this launch for weeks, and the site was supposed to go live at 7 AM.

Thankfully, my husband pulled me away from my computer and made me take a break. After 45 minutes, I sat back down, looked at the code with fresh eyes, and finally found the fix.

At 1 AM — exhausted, raw, and shaken — the website was back online.

The Relaunch

The next morning should have been a celebration.
Instead, I felt hollow and drained.

The site was live. Orders came in. But I couldn’t even look at it without panic bubbling up. The joy was gone.

Content creation felt heavier than ever, so I let it go. And when I finally stepped back, I realized how much time I’d stolen from my family — and for what?

Shifting Perspective

I had become a stressed, tired, grumpy mom. Something had to give.

So I deleted Instagram and TikTok from my phone. Now I only post a couple of times a week from my iPad. I’m rethinking Instagram as more of a portfolio than a constant “how to” feed.

Video content isn’t for me. And that’s okay. Just because others make it look easy doesn’t mean it is.

What is for me is writing. That’s my strength, and where my energy should go.

Lessons I Learned

Here’s what this relaunch taught me:

• Doing more does not mean growing faster.

• Burnout steals joy and creativity.

• Stick with what you actually enjoy — even if it’s not what everyone else is doing.

Yes, this relaunch almost broke me. It drained me, scared me, and took weeks to recover from.

But it also reminded me what truly matters — and where I want to spend my time.

So thank you for being here, reading along, and sticking with me through this.

I can’t promise I’ll never burn out again. But I can promise I’ll be here, writing, sharing, and staying true to this space.

Writing this newsletter has become one of my favorite creative outlets — a place where I can reflect on the chaos of motherhood, the joy of creating, and the rollercoaster of running a small business.

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Your support helps me keep creating this space while raising a family and growing my little candle shop 💛

Support with a $2 Coffee ☕

This conversation started after I posted on Threads about my dad being my biggest supporter. He had just placed a reorder for over $100 worth of candles, and I was so excited.

My dad has always been the creative type, so when my sister and I came to him over two years ago with the idea of starting our own business, he was thrilled.

I laid out all my ideas, and he gave honest feedback, helped us design a logo, and then stepped back—this was our venture, and we were in charge of every decision.

As a business owner himself, he’d check in now and then to see how things were going, but he never interfered.

Then one day, he placed an order. Just a small one—a gift for my grandma.

I was over the moon. It was early in the business, sales were slow, and that small order felt huge.

A few months later, he placed a much larger order—over $100 worth of candles. My mom had fallen in love with a few scents, and he was restocking her stash.

I took a screenshot of the order, posted it to Threads, and got this comment:

“I can’t imagine selling anything to my parents. They can have whatever they want for free—they supported me my whole life.”

At first, I felt guilty. Should I be giving my products to my parents for free? Should I at least offer a discount?

But then I thought about what my parents would actually say.

They wouldn’t take it. Especially not my dad.

As a business owner himself, he knows the struggle. He understands the heart and hustle that go into building something from scratch. Accepting something for free wouldn't feel like support—it would feel like taking something away from us.

This was his way of showing love. Of saying he believed in what we were building. Of telling us, through action, that he was proud—proud enough to buy our candles as gifts and to share them with others.

The truth is, too many people say they support your business while asking for discounts or freebies. But is that really support?

In my opinion—no, it’s not.

If you truly love a brand, product, or business, you support them by paying for their work.

Small businesses are built by real people. People who pour time, money, heart, and countless hours into creating something meaningful. Handmade products come with behind-the-scenes stories of trials, testing, late nights, and lessons learned.

It’s not just buying and reselling. It’s creating.

So no, no one should expect something for free.

That said, I do bring candles to my parents here and there as gifts. But that’s exactly what makes it special—they don’t expect it. They still place their own orders from time to time, because they want to.

Having family who supports your business—truly supports it—is rare, and I’m endlessly grateful for mine.

Writing this newsletter has become one of my favorite creative outlets — a place where I can reflect on the chaos of motherhood, the joy of creating, and the rollercoaster of running a small business.

Subscribe now

Your support helps me keep creating this space while raising a family and growing my little candle shop 💛

Support with a $2 Coffee ☕

When we started our candle company two and a half years ago, we thought having a clean-burning, decorative candle would be enough to set us apart. We figured that if the product was good, the sales would follow.

Looking back, I’m a little ashamed to admit this, but in the rush to launch, we never really poured our heart and soul into the brand.

We used basic scent names, standard email templates, and typical product photos. And while that was enough to spark a little interest—mostly from friends and family—it wasn’t enough to create real connection or long-term relationships with our customers.

We tried to make changes. We added seasonal scents, introduced wax melts, and dipped our toes into Instagram Reels to share behind-the-scenes content.

But still, something was missing.

Then life happened. We moved houses. The business got pushed to the backburner. My sister stepped in to take over candle-making, and I promised myself I’d do better with the marketing and storytelling side of things.

What I didn’t realize at the time is that people aren’t just buying a product—they’re looking for a connection. They want to know who made it, why it matters, and how it fits into their life.

That realization led me to Substack. I thought, maybe if I can share the behind-the-scenes of being a mom running a small business, I could build that connection—and maybe even grow our customer base.

But something unexpected happened: the writing gave me clarity I didn’t know I needed.

I started to see our business for what it really was: a logo, a few products, and the occasional email. But no story. No soul. Nothing for people to truly connect with.

The more I wrote, the more I understood why people were subscribing to The Spark Behind the Flame. Some readers connected with the messy beauty of parenting, others with the vulnerability of building something from scratch.

That’s when I knew: our candle business needed a rebrand.

Yes, people want clean-burning candles in beautiful jars—but more than that, they want something that makes them feel something. They want a story, a spark, a moment.

For me, lighting a candle after I’ve cleaned the kitchen is like a little ritual. It’s the final touch, a signal that the day is done and it’s time to exhale. And if that’s how a candle makes me feel, why wouldn’t I share that moment, that feeling, instead of simply advertising, “Cool Citrus Basil – perfect kitchen scent”?

So, we’ve officially blown out the flame on our website… for now.

But don’t worry—we’ll be relighting it soon. In just a few weeks, we’ll return with new candle collections, updated scent stories, and a brand that actually feels like us.

This time, we’re doing it with heart.

I can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on—and I hope you’ll join us on this next chapter.

✨ Sign up for our email list so you’re the first to know when we go live again.

This is just the beginning. 🔥

Join Here

Writing this newsletter has become one of my favorite creative outlets — a place where I can reflect on the chaos of motherhood, the joy of creating, and the rollercoaster of running a small business.

Subscribe now

Your support helps me keep creating this space while raising a family and growing my little candle shop 💛

Support with a $2 Coffee ☕

Two Years In—And Still Figuring It Out

Two years ago, when I started my candle business, I thought I had everything under control. I knew how to keep my house tidy and clean, so running a business would just be a little side job—something to fill my spare time or keep me busy when I was bored.

Spoiler alert: you’re not really bored when you have a toddler and a newborn. And spare time? Nonexistent.

But that didn’t stop me from chasing the dream. And I’m so glad I did. Once the idea was planted, it grew into something so much bigger. It wasn’t just a random idea anymore, it was my passion, something of my own.

There were days when my house looked like a tornado had blown straight through it. And other times, I’d blink and realize it was already September… and I hadn’t even thought about a Fall launch.

Sales were coming in, the kids were thriving, but honestly? I was doing everything half-heartedly.

It worked for a while—but it wasn’t sustainable.

So over the past six months, I’ve been working on small shifts. Nothing major. Nothing set in stone. Just little tweaks to see what sticks, what works, and what needs some fine-tuning.

Here’s what’s been working in my house:

Waking Up 2 Hours Before the Kids

Starting my day slowly and with intention has become a game-changer. Waking up early gives me a chance to make the bed, sip a hot coffee, and enjoy a moment of peace before the chaos begins.

Some mornings I write. Others, I read, check emails, or work on the business. Whatever I’m doing, it’s focused and uninterrupted—which is rare in this season of life.

The best part? When the kids wake up, they get my full attention. I can put everything else aside until the next morning (or until post-bedtime Business Mode kicks in again).

This small habit created a clear boundary between the business side and the household side of my life—and that line has made all the difference.

One Load of Laundry a Day

Laundry used to be my Mount Everest. I had 1–2 laundry days a week where I’d try to tackle the whole household’s clothes at once. The laundry room would overflow, baskets would pile up, and clean clothes would sit for days waiting to be folded.

Then putting away? That would take another 3–5 business days.

Now, I do one load a day. That’s it.

It feels manageable, and because I’m dealing with smaller batches, I’m able to wash, dry, fold, and put away in the same day. It doesn’t pile up. It doesn’t overwhelm me. And surprisingly? I don’t mind it anymore.

Sure, it means I’m doing laundry daily—but now it’s a 15-minute task, not an all-day ordeal.

Running the Dishwasher Every Night

Dishes. Another never-ending cycle—especially with kids.

Our kitchen is the heart of the home. It sees three meals a day and endless snacks. If I skip a night running the dishwasher, it gets out of control fast.

Now, every night after dinner, I run the dishwasher. In the morning, I unload it while the coffee brews and start fresh with an empty sink. As we go about our day, we load it back up—and the counters stay clutter-free.

After dinner, we do one final round: dishes get loaded, handwash items scrubbed and set out to dry, and counters wiped clean. It resets the kitchen for the next morning, and honestly? It just feels good to wake up to a tidy space.

Running a household is basically managing a bunch of little monotonous tasks that only become overwhelming when we ignore them. When I break them down into bite-sized habits, they feel doable—and I’m less likely to spiral into laundry/dish/clutter chaos.

These are just a few of the shifts that have worked for me.

What habits or systems have helped you balance your work and home life? I’m always tweaking things, so I’d love to hear what’s working for you!

Writing this newsletter has become one of my favorite creative outlets — a place where I can reflect on the chaos of motherhood, the joy of creating, and the rollercoaster of running a small business.

Subscribe now

Your support helps me keep creating this space while raising a family and growing my little candle shop 💛

Support with a $2 Coffee ☕

When I started my business almost three years ago, late nights became my best friend.

My daughter was just a few months old, and I was deep in the thick of it—nursing, middle-of-the-night feedings, and teething wake-ups.

It all used to frustrate me. I was exhausted, desperate for more sleep, and felt like I was stuck in a never-ending rut.

Then I started my business.

Suddenly, the night became my time to research, plan, and create.

As a family, we fell into a rhythm: we’d put the kids to bed—my husband on toddler duty while I settled the baby—then spend a bit of time together before he drifted off. That’s when I’d flip the switch and enter Business Mode.

It worked—until it didn’t.

I loved working at night. The house was quiet, the daily chaos could wait, and my creativity felt endless in the stillness.

There’s something about the peace of nighttime that’s comforting and inspiring.

But it came with a huge downside: it was way too easy to lose track of time.

There was always one more photo to edit, another post to schedule, a few more marketing emails to send. Some nights I wouldn’t even realize it was 1 a.m. until it was too late, my laptop was still open and my phone still in my hand.

And the next morning? Rough.

I’d sleep until the kids woke—usually on completely different schedules, all hungry, all impatient. Lack of sleep meant I had zero patience, which meant the grumpiness spread fast.

Sleep deprivation doesn’t serve anyone, and it quickly led me to burnout.

The truth is, that lifestyle wasn’t sustainable. And even though I recognized it, I didn’t make the right changes.

I struggled—daily—with trying to balance it all.

I was a stressed, chaotic mess, and it showed. I wasn’t big on routines, and it was clearly catching up to me.

But now, nearly two years later, I’m finally putting real systems in place.

I’m a little embarrassed it took me this long to figure out, but waking up a few hours earlier to work before the kids are up? Total game changer.

Yes, it requires going to bed earlier (still working on that), but it’s already made a huge difference in my schedule—and in our home.

Slow and steady changes are happening in this household, and I’m loving the new version of our family that’s emerging.

What I’ve noticed is this: as I make changes in myself, the rest of the family follows.

Things aren’t perfect—but they’re so much better than they were.

And I’ve realized that making small, intentional changes over a few months is far more effective than trying to overhaul everything and expecting instant results.

I’m still figuring out this whole work/life balance thing, but it feels easier now that I know it doesn’t all happen overnight.

I’m taking my time, making small adjustments, and becoming a better mom along the way.

Writing this newsletter has become one of my favorite creative outlets — a place where I can reflect on the chaos of motherhood, the joy of creating, and the rollercoaster of running a small business.

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Your support helps me keep creating this space while raising a family and growing my little candle shop 💛

Support with a $2 Coffee ☕

Complete chaos — that’s the only way to describe the last couple of weeks. Summer vacation was in full swing, and I was struggling to find any kind of rhythm. Being six months pregnant didn’t help either; sleeping in sounded way more appealing than getting up before the kids.

So when my husband reminded me that the Fourth of July was coming up, I felt defeated. The thought of packing up the car and corralling the kids somewhere seemed more exhausting than it was worth.

We talked about staying home and just doing day trips. At (almost) 3 and 5 years old, the kids wouldn’t really know the difference, right?

But then I started thinking about my own childhood. We didn’t travel much for holidays, we didn’t own an RV, hotels were expensive, and my mom was terrified of sleeping in a tent. Every vacation was essentially a staycation. But you know what? I never felt like I was missing out. We’d hike at new parks, swim at the beach, discover little diners and get brunch. As a kid, it felt perfect.

Now that I’m the mom, though, I know how hard it is to truly relax when you’re at home. The laundry, the dishes, the endless to-do list — it’s always calling.

So, despite the hassle of packing the car with coolers, tents, and bedding, I realized something important —  I’d be leaving my washing machine and daily chores behind. That alone made the decision easier. We made plans to join a few of my husband’s sisters and their families and officially unplug.

The next morning was a whirlwind of prep — stuffing bags, loading coolers, squeezing sleeping bags into the trunk. But the sheer joy on the kids’ faces made every bit of effort worth it.

Now, I know camping isn’t everyone’s idea of relaxing. You’re setting up tents, cooking with limited supplies, and sometimes peeing in a bucket in the woods. But for me, it’s the stepping away from the internet and from the constant hum of household duties that brings peace.

There’s no phone buzzing with notifications. No one hiding in separate rooms glued to screens. Instead, we’re all gathered around a folding table playing Bananagrams or Yahtzee, sharing meaningful stories around the fire, and watching the kids explore the creek, dig in the dirt, and roast marshmallows.

Everyone is present and it shows. The kids aren’t fighting. The air is full of laughter.

We spent two days exploring, getting messy, and making memories. Two nights sleeping under the stars, hearing owls call across the woods, and waking up to the dewy morning air.

It was more than a trip. It was tradition in the making — memories our kids will carry and maybe one day pass down to their own families.

The laundry and dishes can wait. But childhood doesn’t. It slips by a little more each day, and honestly, that terrifies me. I want to be the parent who says yes to creek walks and bonfires and muddy fingers. The parent who chooses connection over convenience.

Because in the end, it’s not about the perfect schedule or the clean house — it’s about the moments that shape our kids’ hearts.

Subscribe now

Writing this newsletter has become one of my favorite creative outlets — a place where I can reflect on the chaos of motherhood, the joy of creating, and the rollercoaster of running a small business.

Your support helps me keep creating this space while raising a family and growing my little candle shop 💛

Support with a $2 Coffee ☕

Social Media: The Perfect Lie, the Standard We Can’t Obtain, and the Cause of So Much Self-Doubt

I never was an Instagram girly. Never signed up for Facebook. And honestly, I lived perfectly fine without all the comparison.

Then I started my business.

I thought I needed all the fancy apps to show off my products and bring in sales. So, I started spending more time online.

YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook all made their way onto my home screen. I’d scroll for hours. I followed other small business owners, mom creators, and pages with advice on decluttering, meal prepping, and running the “perfect” home.

The rabbit hole was dug — and I was being pulled in.

Suddenly I had new goals, I joined a decluttering group and set unrealistic standards for myself as a mom and business owner.

At first, it felt like progress. I thought I was becoming a better person. I even liked the little glimpses I was sharing.

Then the exhaustion started to overtake my days.

I couldn’t keep up with the other moms or the business owners I followed. Everyone else seemed to have it all together — except me.

How was I supposed to get up every morning, make my kids breakfast, stay on top of laundry, dishes, lunch, dinner, emails, orders, making candles, playing with the kids, and somehow keep the house clean enough for any random photo shoot?

The truth? It doesn’t happen like that.

Social media is designed to show the perfect moments — because that’s all they are. Moments.

Any parent knows that daily life is unpredictable. The house is rarely “camera-ready.” Kids have needs that always come before the business, the to-do list, and the aesthetic.

And running a business? It’s not always pretty. Sometimes products flop, suppliers fall through or sales hit a dry spell.

But no one wants to show that side because it’s not what’s normalized online. We're expected to maintain a polished image so followers keep coming back. The mess, the mistakes — those aren’t “shareable.”

Social media took a toll on me. Until I realized, those moms and business owners weren’t so different from me. They just chose to show the highlight reel.

When I started sharing the hard stuff — the failures, the burnout, the messy middle — I was shocked by the response. People opened up. They shared their own struggles and I realized I wasn’t alone. We were all going through the same thing but most were just afraid to say it out loud.

One of my most viral posts? Just the real facts about my small business.

That was my turning point.

I was done with only showing the perfect side of things. From that point on, I decided to share the real side of it all. The highs and the lows of being a mom, a maker, and trying to juggle both.

The more I share honestly about motherhood and business, the more meaningful connections I make.

It’s taken me longer than I’d like to admit, but I’m finally finding my footing.

So here’s your reminder: don’t believe everything you see on social media. And definitely don’t let it dictate how you feel about your own life.

We all have struggles. We all have wins. And no one’s life is perfect 100% of the time.

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Writing this newsletter has become one of my favorite creative outlets—a place where I can reflect on the chaos of motherhood, the joy of creating, and the rollercoaster of running a small business.

If you’ve found value, comfort, or inspiration here, I’d be so grateful if you considered pledging a paid subscription.

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When joining a new platform, what’s the first thing we usually do?
Google how to grow, gain followers, and get ourselves noticed.

Then we fall down the rabbit hole of content from people who’ve been at this for years. We read all the “tried and true” advice about what works and what doesn’t. It usually ends up looking something like this:

• Best days and times to post

• Trends that go viral and bring quick followers

• Headlines that boost SEO and attract clicks

• Top 20 hooks that worked for them

But here’s the thing—does any of that actually align with who you are? Or is it just about chasing numbers?

I’m a numbers person, so I get it.

There’s a little dopamine hit when the follower count goes up, views start rolling in, and likes tick higher. It feels like proof you’re doing something right.

But here’s the problem with this advice.

Just because engagement is supposedly higher at a certain time doesn’t mean your post will automatically be seen. Sure, it might increase your chances—but if that timing doesn’t fit your life, just post when you can. No need to add extra pressure to grow quickly. If you’re consistent and show up on your own terms, your people will find you.

For some, that might mean posting every 2–3 days. For others, once a week is enough. There’s no one-size-fits-all.

Then there’s the whole trend-chasing thing. This one can do more harm than good. If you’re jumping on a trend just because it worked for someone else, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. Sure, it might bring in a wave of followers—but if they’re not truly interested in what you do, what’s the point?

Let’s talk about hooks and headlines for a sec.

You see a lot of people sharing the formulas that got them attention. But if we all follow the same script, we start sounding the same. And when you blend in, your content loses the very thing that could make it stand out—you.

Honestly, one of the most underrated pieces of advice out there?
Stop chasing algorithms.

Because when things don’t “work” the way they’re supposed to, you start feeling like you’re doing something wrong. Doubt creeps in. Content creation feels more like a chore than something fun or fulfilling.

But when you share your authentic self? That’s when things start to feel right.

People are getting tired of seeing the same types of posts in their feeds, the same recycled advice, the same quotes. What they’re looking for now are real voices. Personal stories. Content that actually resonates.

They want to feel something.
They want to see themselves in your words.
They want to connect through shared experiences.

And when that connection happens? It’s hard to break. You’ll start recognizing familiar names in your comments, your inbox, your likes. Those are your people. That’s your community.

If you’re writing just for the algorithm, you might attract a crowd.
But if you’re writing for yourself and the people who truly get you? That’s when you build something meaningful.

Yes, it takes longer. But nothing sustainable happens overnight.

So take your time. Do it your way.
And don’t be afraid to grow slow.

You’ve got this.

If you’ve found value, comfort, or inspiration here, I’d be so grateful if you would show your support by buying me a coffee ☕️

Support with a $2 ☕

Writing this newsletter has become one of my favorite creative outlets—a place where I can reflect on the chaos of motherhood, the joy of creating, and the rollercoaster of running a small business.

Your support helps me keep creating this space while raising a family and growing my little candle shop.

💛

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When Doubt Creeps In: A Heart-to-Heart with Myself (and You)

There are many times as a business owner when self-doubt sneaks in and tries to convince you that what you’re doing isn’t working.

And more often than not, we listen to that voice instead of fighting back.

That happened to me a few months ago.

The question “Is it worth it?” kept echoing in the back of my mind.

It’s been a slow start to the year. What if no one likes our candles anymore? Should I be focusing on my kids instead of my business? If I walked away, we wouldn’t lose money—so is now the best time to quit?

That’s when I knew it was time for a little sit-down with myself.

Time to take it back to basics.

Why did I start this journey in the first place?

For me, it was an escape from the everyday rhythm of motherhood—a chance to let my creative side shine.

If I quit now, would I be searching for a new outlet in six months to fill that creative void?

If the answer is yes, then the answer is: Don’t quit.
It would be a waste of time and energy to walk away only to start over again later. Sometimes, it’s better to take a break, reset, and come back refreshed.

Burnout is real.
Take the breaks you need. Set up simple systems to make things easier on yourself.

Yes, I know—everyone says it. But it’s true, and it bears repeating.

Your readers and customers would rather miss you for a couple of weeks while you reset than have you disappear forever.

And remember, some of the people you impact the most are the silent ones—the ones who don’t interact, but still show up, still read, and still feel connected.

If writer’s block is the culprit convincing you to quit—recycle your content.

You don’t always need to reinvent the wheel. There are thousands of people who have never seen your posts or products. Revisit your old content, give it a new spin, and voilà—a fresh piece is born!

Zoom out and look at the bigger picture.

So often, we get stuck in our own heads, convinced we’re failing. That’s when you need to take a step back and shift your perspective.

For me, that meant comparing my website analytics from previous months and years.

It felt like I wasn’t making progress—no sales, no views.

But when I zoomed out and compared 2024 to 2025, I discovered we’re up 35% from last year!

Not everyone runs a small business, but everyone has something they can reflect on.

Go read something you wrote six months ago. Look at the first product you created. That’s when you realize growth is happening—it’s just quiet, steady, and easy to overlook until you look back.

Ask yourself: Am I still proud of my work?

For me, the answer is always YES.

The candles we create come straight from the heart—from the story of how we started, to the endless hours of testing and tweaking, to the beautiful finished product.

If I quit now, who would get to enjoy all of that?
And beyond that—I’d lose this incredible community I’ve built here and across other platforms.

Am I really willing to walk away from that? From something I’ve spent two years building?

Absolutely not.

Running a business is never easy. We all wrestle with the idea of quitting—especially when things get hard.

But what makes you stand out is what you do next.

Keep going. Take the break. Find your why again. Then show up stronger than ever. 💛

The Business behind the Story

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Isn’t raising two kids and trying to stay sane chaotic enough?
That’s probably the first question people ask when they hear I started a business during this season of life.

The answer? YES.
But starting a business is exactly what kept me going.

Late-night nursing sessions and sleep regressions? Research kept me sane through it all.
Ordering supplies and waiting on deliveries gave me something to look forward to.
Brainstorming business names reawakened my creativity.

Somewhere along the way, I had lost myself in being a housewife and mom. I missed learning, exploring, and having a creative outlet. Starting a business brought that back.

I wasn’t just a mom anymore—I was a Business Owner.

It gave me purpose. Something to strive for.
My goal? To create a fun side business selling clean-burning candles that look beautiful—and maybe, one day, my kids could be part of it too.

When the first 500 candle jars arrived on my doorstep, I realized I needed help.

That’s when my sister joined me.
She was raising her son and feeling stuck in the same day-to-day routine. She was more than happy to jump in.

Together, we began experimenting—melting wax, testing oils, trimming wicks.

I’ll never forget the first candle we made and tested.
Still one of my favorite scents to this day: Birch Black Pepper.
Every fall when I light it, I’m transported right back to that first moment.

The feeling of creating something from scratch. Designing the jars, melting soy wax, adding oils, picking the perfect wooden wick—we did that.

And then came time to share our creations with the world.

We launched our website and created new Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts. That opened even more doors. I began connecting with so many amazing business moms navigating similar paths.

It felt like stepping into a whole new version of life.
Yes, I was still a mom—and caring for my kids was still the top priority—but now I had a space of my own. A place to let my creativity run wild.

Fast forward two years, and the business is still growing.
We’re still in the early stages, but we’ve found our rhythm. We know what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to our candles.

The Business behind the Story

Originally, the plan was for me to focus on candle-making, while my sister handled marketing and social media.
Turns out, we had it backward.
Now, she’s the photographer and lead candle maker, and I’ve embraced my creative side through social media.

Funny enough—I never would’ve considered myself a writer.
But this journey has brought out so many sides of me I didn’t even know were there. And for that, I’ll be forever grateful.

If stories like this speak to you, there’s more to come.
Please consider subscribing—we’d love to have you along for the ride.

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In July of 2022, our second child was born—a baby girl. We already had a two-year-old son and were thrilled to welcome another little one into our family.

With her arrival came a whirlwind of emotions: the joy of bringing new life into the world, the anxiety of shifting family dynamics, and the quiet voice of self-doubt asking, Can we really handle this?

The first few weeks flew by in a blur as we settled into a new rhythm. Our toddler, the easygoing, go-with-the-flow kind, adapted quickly and absolutely adored his baby sister.

But about a month in, everything changed.

The screaming began—relentless, inconsolable—and with it came a wave of guilt and desperation. I felt like I was failing.

Our daughter had become colicky, and suddenly every ounce of our attention was consumed by trying to soothe her.

From the moment she woke up to the moment she finally slept, it was a constant guessing game. Diaper? Check. Fed? Check. Comfortable temperature? Still screaming. Nothing worked.

Laundry piled up. Dinners became whatever we could throw together. Cleaning was constantly neglected. But the hardest part? I felt like I was neglecting my son.

Somewhere between months five and six, our baby became more content, our toddler stayed happy, and our home began to settle.

But still, the days blurred together.

Wake up. Make breakfast. Do laundry. Make lunch. Naptime. Pick up toys. Clean. Make dinner. Bath time. Bedtime. Fall into bed. Repeat.

Each day felt like a carbon copy of the last, slowly pulling me into a rut I didn’t even know I was in.

I loved being a mom—deeply and completely—but I realized I needed something more. Something just for me.

I needed an outlet.

That’s when I decided to start a business.

Late-night nursing sessions and early mornings before the house stirred became MY time, time to research and time to dream.

I didn’t realize how much I had missed learning. Researching, reading, growing—it lit something up in me.

As I dove into the world of small business and startups, I became a more relaxed, more present mom. My mental energy wasn’t being drained by guilt or monotony anymore. Instead, I was filled with ideas. Purpose. Excitement.

While rocking my little one to sleep, I stopped spiraling over what I hadn’t done that day. My mind shifted to what I was building, what I was dreaming.

In March of 2023, La Flamme du Bois, our candle company was officially launched.

The Business behind the Story

This isn’t where the story ends—just where it ends for today.

Next week, I’ll share more about how starting a business in the middle of chaos changed everything for me.

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Why am I here?

It’s so easy to fall into a rut—going through the motions, day after day, hoping things will somehow change.

That was me.

I’ve never been the social media type, but two years ago, when I started La Flamme du Bois, my small candle business, I knew I had to take the leap and open all the accounts I’d avoided for years.

At first, it was fun and exciting—sharing pictures of my products, making videos, and watching the engagement roll in. But eventually, the sales slowed, the views dropped, and the excitement faded.

I realized something important: people don’t want products constantly pushed in their faces. What they really want is connection. They want to know you—the person behind the brand. They want to see the behind-the-scenes process, the real day-to-day struggles and wins.

So I shifted my focus.

Building real connections became part of my daily routine. I joined Threads and found a community of small business owners and fellow moms trying to balance home life and entrepreneurship. It felt refreshing—and real.

I quickly learned that when people connect with you, they naturally become curious about what you do. That curiosity leads to genuine interest in your business.

It might seem like the long road to gaining customers, but building a lasting business through authentic relationships is far more rewarding than chasing quick sales with flashy posts.

That said, I’m still using Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. They’re great for showcasing products and giving a peek into the creative process. But my focus here is different.

On Substack, I’ll be sharing my journey—what it’s really like to be a mom growing a business while raising a growing family. The highs, the lows, the real stuff.

If that sounds like your kind of thing, I’d love for you to subscribe and follow along.

Welcome—and thank you for being here. 💛

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