After taking a long break from the podcast, I realized how much I needed to relearn something simple but powerful: learning to show up.
This past year was filled with self-doubt, frustration, and moments where I lost my spark. There were days when I questioned everything… my creativity, my business, even my purpose. But through it all, I discovered that learning to show up doesn’t mean ignoring your emotions. It means feeling them, understanding them, and choosing to move forward anyway.
Listen to the full episode: Learning to Show Up: How to Break the Cycle and Move Forward – One Girl Travel Podcast
When Emotions Block Learning to Show Up
I have always been someone who feels things deeply, and while that helps me connect with others, it can also hold me back.
There were times I let emotions run the show. I would sit down to write my monthly newsletter, something I normally love, and suddenly think, “It’s not good enough.” That belief alone would stop me from creating.
The truth is, when we let fear or perfectionism take over, we delay learning to show up for ourselves and our goals. Our emotions deserve space, but they do not deserve control.
Vulnerability Is Part of Showing Up
It is not easy to admit when you are struggling, especially when you are the one people look to for inspiration. But the more I tried to hide my feelings, the heavier they became.
I had to remind myself that being vulnerable does not make me weak. It is actually what helped me reconnect with my audience, my creativity, and myself.
Vulnerability is a huge part of learning to show up. It invites connection and reminds us that growth does not happen in perfection; it happens in honesty.
Breaking the Cycle of Self Doubt
There was one day, while journaling, when I wrote:
“I’m tired of letting my emotions run my business.”
That was my turning point. I finally understood that emotions are temporary and they do not get to define me. I could acknowledge what I felt and still choose to act differently.
Breaking the cycle meant recognizing that learning to show up is a daily decision. It is about taking aligned action before you feel ready and trusting that clarity will follow.. By naming what I was feeling, giving it space, and moving anyway, I broke the cycle that kept me stuck.
How I Started Learning to Show Up Again
Once I decided to act, everything shifted. I stopped waiting to feel ready and started recording episodes, writing posts, and reconnecting with my community, even when it felt uncomfortable.
Confidence does not come first; it is built through consistent action. Each time I showed up, I reminded myself that effort matters more than perfection.
My Emotional Reset Ritual
One tool that’s helped me stay grounded is my Emotional Reset Ritual. It’s something I created during this process, and I still use it every time I feel myself slipping into overthinking mode.
Here’s how it works:
- Name the emotion. Be honest. (“I’m feeling overwhelmed.”)
- Allow it. Don’t push it away, just let it be there.
- Observe it. Notice where it lives in your body.
- Breathe. Take one slow breath and imagine releasing that tension.
- Choose your next step. Ask yourself, “What would my grounded self do right now?”
It’s a quick reset that helps me shift from reacting emotionally to responding intentionally.
Grab your copy of the Emotional Reset Ritual Workbook HERE.
Final Thoughts on Learning to Show Up
If you take one thing from this, let it be this: learning to show up is not about being fearless or perfect. It is about being real, compassionate with yourself, and willing to take the next step, no matter how small.
When you choose to show up, you build momentum. You rebuild trust with yourself. And that is where the growth happens.
You can feel uncertain and still move forward. You can doubt yourself and still take action. You can be in the middle of it all and still decide, I’m showing up anyway.
That is where everything changes.
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