Confessions of a Recovering Copywriter

Breaking Free from the Rules to Find My Authentic Voice

“Do you feel like this is the kind of post you want to be writing?” my Substack mentor,

Sarah Fay

, asked me during our call as we looked at my recent post.

I admitted I wasn’t sure. I felt the need to educate women about cultural conditioning and how it prevents us from living lives we truly love—not in a cliché way, but in real life. But it felt heavy. And boring.

“That’s exactly what we want to pivot from,” she said. “You’re a thought leader. You’re developing something—'Live Your Yes.' So, tell me, what felt heavy? It’s probably not the content…”

I paused. Then the words came out with a lot of energy behind them. “It’s deep fucking work, Sarah. We’re breaking free from intergenerational patterns and internalized patriarchy. It’s a lot! How do I be honest about that and still make it practical and engaging for women so they actually want to do the work?”

We talked some more, and she gave me a big compliment, saying she saw something in me like what she sees in another well-established thought leader. Then, she dropped a truth bomb:

“What I don’t see in your posts is YOU. I don’t hear your voice. You get to be yourself—talking to women as yourself, sharing how you’re living your yes.”

That hit me hard.

I told her how I’ve been a copywriter and marketing coach for the last 15+ years before evolving into a women’s empowerment coach, and how I’d learned all the best “marketing-speak” and “coaching-speak.”

She nodded. “Yeah, that’ll do it. Now we gotta get the learned language off the page and get YOU onto the page.”

That’s exactly it, I realized. The learned language.

How many rules did I learn to write marketing copy? Position yourself as the expert, sound polished, be the authority.

These rules worked—they helped my clients' launches succeed, and they made me a sought-after writer. I’ve written for big names and helped them connect authentically with their audience. But none of that was my voice.

It’s not that copywriting is bad or wrong—it’s a powerful tool. I’ve often said it’s an essential skill for entrepreneurs.

But now it’s time to tap into something deeper within me. I’ve always been authentic, but this is next-level—a more raw, unfiltered expression. I’m breaking free from the conditioning that says I need to sound like a “coach” or “thought leader.” Because when I tried to come across as a coach or expert, I was trying: trying to follow the rules, trying to get it right. But this created a disconnection with myself—and with you.

It's time to break the rules and reclaim the hidden power in my voice.

Just like when we break the rules society handed us—like "If you can't say something nice, don’t say anything at all," or "Don’t ask too many questions, it’s nosy"—we access so much of our life force energy and personal power, I’m excited to see what unfurls as I break the marketing rules I once followed and open the floodgates to greater authenticity.

This is likely to get messy. And I’m okay with that.

When I first started setting boundaries, I felt awkward and uncomfortable. My boundaries were rigid and inflexible. But through practice, I gained confidence, and over time, they became easier to set and more fluid, in a healthy way.

So now, as I practice speaking, writing, and showing up as myself more and more, I get to remind myself this is a process. There’s no “getting it right.” I’m unraveling the stories I’ve learned about my voice. The stories that say I’m not enough and that nobody wants to hear what I really have to say.

I’m unlearning the language of copywriting and marketing speak to reconnect with the wild, untamed voice that is really me. And I know that the more I embrace the messiness and allow myself to get naked on the page, the more uncomfortable I may feel, but the freer I’ll become.

So here’s my renewed commitment—to myself and to you: to be real, to let go of trying to be a teacher or a wise mentor, and to simply show up. I’m sharing how “Living My Yes” unfolds in my life—the moments I catch myself in old conditioning, the times I feel free and wild, and how I shift from one to the other. No pretenses, no performance—just me, like here… sweaty and naked after a sauna, owning who I am.

By sharing honestly, I believe I’ll set my own voice free. And maybe, just maybe, my vulnerability will help you do the same—to speak your truth and live a life that is boldly and unapologetically YOURS.

This is the work I’ve been doing with women all along—helping them find and express their truth, whether it’s claiming their spiritual gifts, breaking free from people-pleasing, or asking for what they truly want. Now, as I re-launch my coaching business and step into greater leadership in my own life, I’m being called to go even deeper. I’m being shown the inner work I get to do to become more ME.

Yes, this is deep fucking work. It requires courage and a willingness to speak my truth, no matter how messy or uncomfortable. But it’s in the messy, in the real rawness, where the magic happens. And that’s where I’m headed.

You coming along for the ride?