My loves,

Two years ago, I took a 21 day break from social media. I stopped using it personally and for business. It was so delicious for my creativity and brain chemistry, I decided to make it a permanent break. My bootiful business kept rolling in the cash without social media. I got so many questions about marketing without social media, I even made a course about it which has become hugely popular. I was a full convert, and I never intended to return.

And then, and then.

As I was doing my yearly planning, I kept getting this annoying, persistent soul nudge.

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I needed to create in different mediums again.

Let me explain: I love writing. LOVE writing. It’s my life blood, my soul medicine, the thing that drives me most creatively. Thus why blogging has continued to be a love affair for me for 18 years.

But there’s other ways I love to create as well. And I’ve missed creating video and livestreams. I feel like I can bring a different kind of magic to them. It’s a different aspect to my personality. I feel a bit more serious when I write.

When I connect via video, people more easily feel my joy and irreverence. And as I was thinking of creating videos and livestreams, I realised it made the most sense for me to multi-purpose them across different platforms including some social media channels.

Craving Creativity + Freedom

My two highest values are Creativity and Freedom. And all of a sudden, I was feeling hemmed in by my own past decisions. I was wanting to create, share, connect and felt like I was cutting off my ability to choose the ways I wanted to express that.

Then I ran a beautiful in-person workshop. And it was my first in-person event in 5+ years. And golly gosh, it was just magic. To be able to hold people in my arms again like the hugger I am. To get to see their beauty, face-to-face. To get to hear their names and stories and fall in love with them.

And I realised I’d missed my connection with you all. I’d started feeling like I was shouting into an echo-ey void, when what fuels me is this relationship we have together. I want to do more live events. I can’t wait to see some of you at the Heart Centred Business Conference. And I want the ability to keep the conversation and connection going in whatever way that calls me.

I’ve been getting my head stuck up my own asshole

I also noticed how often on my sabbatical I’d done this:

I’d open Facebook once every few weeks to check on my kids’ school FB groups for photos and school announcements. And sometimes I’d see random posts and want to connect or help… but then feel self-conscious and feel like I couldn’t incase anyone saw me and I looked disingenuous. Basically, I was head-fucking myself on my own rules. Which isn’t conducive to Creativity and Freedom and Connection.

I felt really worried about appearing disingenuous for leaving social media only to return. Like the experiment had failed somehow. That I’d lied and my business wasn’t making money without it. That my course about non-social media marketing wasn’t valuable & useful.

I talked to business friends about it.

They gave such beautiful counsel.

Amanda Rootsey and Cass Deller, I’m so grateful to be so seen by you both. 

I talked to my husband (my chief counsel). He too was supportive. The message was clear:

Just do whatever feels right to YOU, Leonie. THAT is what makes the magic in your business and in your life.

So that’s what I’m going to do.

I don’t know exactly what or how I’m going to create or connect yet.

I just need to say it publicly. To give myself the freedom and permission to dream up new dreams. To play, explore, see what works for me and what doesn’t.

I’m still going to be making sure that I use social media intentionally and carefully so it doesn’t consume my time or inner peace (just like I teach in a module of Marketing Without Social Media).

How I will use social media intentionally:

  • I won’t be downloading social media apps on my phone.
  • I won’t be on ALL social media platforms doing ALL the things. I’ll test and explore and choose the platforms and content types that work best for ME. Everything else can go fuck itself.
  • I won’t be endlessly scrolling other people’s social media in the mistaken belief that I’m “doing market research”.
  • I will batch create & schedule content.
  • I will measure & track to make sure I’m making maximum impact with minimum effort.
  • I won’t spend my days on social media in the mistaken belief that’s my job.
  • I will take complete social media breaks whenever I need.
  • I’ll continue using BlockSite to keep social media websites blocked on my website, and only unblock when I have tasks to do on it. I’ll use a timer to do those tasks.
  • I will continue to actively market outside of social media. I will not regard social media marketing as the most important or only method of marketing.
  • I will concentrate my efforts on CREATING instead of CONSUMING content.
  • I give myself complete permission to say fuck it all and burn it all down again at a moment’s notice.

And I will share everything I learn with you along the way.

I thought I’d pre-answer any questions you may have:

Q: Is it because of money? Did marketing without social media fail?

No. I’ve brought in over $2m in revenue since leaving social media. I could absolutely have continued without social media and had a thriving business.

Q: What social media platforms will you be using?

I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know once I’ve played some more. I have been considering doing Q&A videos on Tiktok like Madeline Pendleton or Kc Davis. If you’re on TikTok, you can find me here. Who knows what could happen!

Q: Are you going to be using social media personally again?

Undecided. I’ll test and see what feels right. It will need to be done in an intentional and constrained way to make sure it gives me joy and connection without losing hours to it. If it doesn’t feel good, it’s back on the fuck off list again.

So there you have it.

It’s always so funny when I make loud, public declarations… and then change my mind. Remember when I told the world I was only having one child? And then mere weeks later, having to be like LOLZ A BABY VISITED ME IN MY SLEEP I AM TOTALLY GOING TO GET PREGNANT AGAIN.

Or that time I grew a large team because that’s what I thought I should do, and then realising WRONG WAY GO BACK I HATE THIS SO MUCH. Or that time I closed down my beloved Academy, only to re-open it 4 years later.

I guess that’s the thing about sharing my journey publicly.

Nothing is set in stone. Journeys aren’t linear. They spiral and wind around. Opinions change as we do. Just as they should. What’s right for one moment in time isn’t right in another. What’s right for one soul isn’t right for another. And in the midst of it all, we can find grace. Grace for ourselves, and grace for each other.

I’m excited to see what’s next. All the Freedom + Creativity + Connection under the sun.

Thank you for sharing all of it with me.

All my love and gratitude,