The Say Less Podcast

026 - From Competition to Celebration: Navigating FOMO as an entrepreneur

• Grace Cacho & Alex Taylor • Episode 26

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Join Alex and Grace as they dive into the art of celebrating success, fostering community, and overcoming the shadows of jealousy and FOMO in entrepreneurship. This episode is a heartfelt reminder that being genuinely supportive and celebrating others can transform your own journey.

In this episode:

  • How comparing social media highlight reels fuels jealousy and FOMO
  • The importance of intentional community over competition
  • Practical ways to celebrate others authentically and why it matters
  • Personal stories of shifting mindset from rivalry to celebration
  • How celebrating small wins and milestones fosters deeper connection
  • Overcoming the discomfort of vulnerability in support and celebration
  • The significance of intentionality in anniversary milestones and rebranding
  • Cultivating a heart of abundance: there's room for everyone to succeed
  • Tips for creating community gatherings and making genuine connections
  • The power of practicing celebration until it becomes second nature

Celebration isn’t just a moment! It’s an ongoing practice that deepens community, heals jealousy, and fuels your entrepreneurial spirit. Whether it's a milestone, a setback turned success, or just supporting a fellow entrepreneur, embracing the art of celebrating others transforms your whole journey. So, go ahead—say less, celebrate more. You’re not alone in this, and there’s room at the table for everyone!

Send us burning questions, topic ideas, and things you’re loving about the podcast!

Connect with Alex & Grace:

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Must-Have Systems

Arisa Haus Creative Marketing Agency

Grace & Andrew Cacho provide clarity to businesses and personal brands by means of Brand Message Clarity, Audits, Brand Strategy, Content Creation, Photo & Video, Web Design, and Social Media Management.

SPEAKER_02

What's hard for me personally is I am jealous of other people's success because when I start to think about it, I'm like, well, if I just had more time, yeah, I could be on the same page. And like they just must have more time than I do. Because I feel like I don't have enough hours in my day already. So then I'm seeing people reach these goals that honestly maybe I've never even thought of. Maybe I have, maybe I haven't. But even if they accomplish something or reach a goal that hasn't even crossed my mind, and I'm like, I could have done that. I could have done that. Like I could have been doing that. I just like don't have the time.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. I wanted to start a podcast for creative entrepreneurs. So I asked Alex to join me and I said, say less. I'm in. Welcome to the Say Less podcast, where we actually say a lot more about motherhood, creativity, photography, business ownership, and everything in between.

SPEAKER_02

We are your hosts, Alex and Grace. And this is a space for creative women building something meaningful. Whether you're raising babies, raising your rates, or just trying to figure out your next move.

SPEAKER_03

We talk about all the real stuff. What's working, what's not, what we're unlearning, what nobody tells you about building a business that has to fit inside a real life.

SPEAKER_02

The pivot, the pressure, the sustainability, and all of the seasons. If you've ever felt like you're creating in the margins of your time, your energy, or your confidence, you're not alone here. So stay lost.

SPEAKER_03

Let's get into it. Hello everyone. Today's episode is a bit of a touchy one as we get into it. You may have to do a little heart check as we talk. I'm a little bit more introspective than usual, but I'm hoping, we are hoping that this helps someone maybe get out of a rut and just be encouraged.

SPEAKER_02

I feel like when we alternate episodes where it's kind of like, first of all, we're educational and then we're kind of like silly, and then we're more serious. And I think this will be kind of a combination of serious and silly. Yeah. So let us not be overwhelmed and let our listeners not be overwhelmed. Because I think this is gonna be great. And I do think it's a heart check. And we actually, before we started recording, we were kind of going back and forth about like what we should title this episode. So if you're listening to this, it already has a title. But um, maybe by the time we kind of get into it more you can see the perspective of where we were coming from. Okay, let's just jump into it because I'm like we always do this thing where we preface it too much of we just hope, we always hope that our podcast is heard and that you learn something and it's interesting and that it's fun, um, but it can't be all things at the same time. And hope we always say if it reaches one person, if it resonates with one person, then we're happy. And honestly, it always resonates with both of us, at least. So that's two people to start. So that's two and star. Also, we're going to be discussing celebration today. And I have to mention a little celebration that by the time you're listening to this, it would have happened about a week ago, maybe two weeks ago. And I just want to say we have officially reached 1,000 downloads.

SPEAKER_04

This is so exciting.

SPEAKER_02

1,000. Oh my goodness. I literally can believe it. When you text me, how did you forget to talk about that? I fell out. I completely forgot. When you sent it to me, I fell out. I couldn't believe it. A thousand downloads? And that was so exciting.

SPEAKER_03

So I looked at the all time and then I went and I looked at like the past 90 days, but we've been doing this for less than 90 days. So it's been in that short amount of time. That was crazy. That many downs. It's I'm so excited.

SPEAKER_02

It's been so exciting. It's been so much fun. And I know we talked about when we first started. If you haven't, if I'm like not expecting our listeners to have listened to every single episode. But at the same time, if you listen in the very beginning, I talked about this because Grace is really more so the business behind our podcast. She's just more like goal-oriented than I am. And I love that about her because I learned so much from her. But when we first started, we had this conversation of like what's our goal with the podcast. And I was like, oh, I'm I ain't here for a long time. I ain't here for a long time. I'm here for a good time. And I really hadn't thought of it, which is why I'm saying Grace kind of keeps me accountable in that regard. Um, I I really could have never fathomed a thousand downloads and hundreds of followers on Instagram and Facebook combined. And it's just been so much fun. I really was like, if this is my creative outlet that inspires me as a photographer, that I have really been doing this for a long time. If I gain inspiration and connection with someone that I've been close with for so many years, then that's all that I need. But I I just couldn't have fathomed, and I don't want to say the success. Like, we haven't made a dime. No, but it's like, but it the people that we've reached and the conversations that we've had and the people we've met through this and the outlet that you and I have utilized it for has just meant so much. It I mean, it's just a celebration.

SPEAKER_03

Whatever business answer I probably gave close to the closer to the beginning, it's like changed because I feel like from the podcast, it's just become a lot more relational. And we're getting to like talk to people that we may not have the opportunity to just out in the wild and like I don't know, it's just been really cool to make different connections because of the podcast. Like, yes, to us together, um, but like getting to explore new business relationships, new regul, new depths of already existing relationships. And that's like been the most buffer most. You're loading. It's your last caffeine. I know you I'm worried about you. I'm worried about me today, too. But that's a really good segue into kind of what we're gonna talk about today. So, like going alongside, being alongside other entrepreneurs and constantly fighting this tension of you are doing amazing. I want to celebrate you, but also like I want to be you or like you're my competition. So, how does this work? And it can look, it can stem a little bit from like maybe we're jealous, maybe we have like FOMO a little bit. And so I I know I've dealt with that at different points in my career. I feel like very early on, I think just in like teenhood, I was like, being jealous is kind of an icky feeling. How do I get out of it? And the like community over competition and all those things that we've talked about, this has just kind of been like recurring in my heart. And as I meet new business owners and I get coffee with new business owners that do stuff very similar to what I do, I'm constantly having to like work that muscle of I could be really jealous of you, but instead I'm going to like celebrate you. And that can look different for everybody. And I would love for you to kind of talk about how you you're great at celebrating everything, everybody yourself. You're great at celebrating yourself. And so kind of you, I don't know if you have dealt with that or like what you kind of do to celebrate other people.

SPEAKER_02

No, and it's really interesting what you said. I want to emphasize you saying, like, having to work that muscle because it definitely is that. And I know you've been saying this has been heavy on your heart. And we have just recorded um the episode, or last week we recorded the episode about social media that was really heavy on my heart. And what I think the problem can be, and I really want to touch on like the jealousy and the FOMO that you mentioned, is it's really hard not to compare. And for me, I compare, I can't help but compare, right? And it's like when you're on social media and you're overconsuming, you're comparing. And I can't help but be jealous when I see an influencer that's 21 that I'm not taking away from like the hustle and the hard work that they're doing in these times. But it's like, you know, my husband and I are in our 30s and I've worked forever and like can't afford the dream home that we love, and they're getting like a million-dollar house like on the beach in California from like being an influencer and then I'm preparing and I'm jealous. And I I totally have to like reflex the muscle, like just what you said, and utilize that muscle of I should be celebrating them. I should be celebrating them because like their journey is different than mine. But exactly what you said. There's nothing more important to me in my life than celebrating. I love to celebrate. I love to celebrate. I live for celebration, I live for planning, I live for parties, I live, I'll celebrate anything. I literally will celebrate getting through the park with two kids and be like, How should I celebrate? I'm going to swig. I'm serious. I'm like, how can I treat myself and how can I celebrate? My kids' birthdays is a holiday. My birthday, holiday. I love to celebrate. And I will say, as far as, and obviously getting back to the point, celebrating other business owners.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Back to like the jealousy thing. What's hard for me personally is I am jealous of other people's success because when I start to think about it, I'm like, well, if I just had more time, yeah, I could be on the same page. And like they just must have more time than I do. Because I feel like I don't have enough hours in my day already. So then I'm seeing people reach these goals that honestly maybe I've never even thought of. Maybe I have, maybe I haven't. But even if they accomplish something or reach a goal that hasn't even crossed my mind, and I'm like, I could have done that. I could have done that. Like I could have been doing that. I just like don't have the time. Yes. Whereas it's totally a heart check of being like, actually, that's amazing for them. And that is my, that's my like second reaction. Yeah. My first reaction is, I wish it were me. We're human. We're human. It is my like emotional first reaction to go, I wish that were me and that could be me. My second reaction and what I try to portray, not in a fake way, but in a genuine way, of let me rethink this and rewire my brain of I wish I can get there and I can do that too. I'm on a different journey and I'm on a different timeline and I should be celebrating their success. And the main thing that's helped me, and I know you're gonna relate to this, has been the community aspect. Yeah. When you know the person and you've like developed a relationship with the person, that's when it becomes easier to celebrate them. And I mean that for coworkers. I say coworkers. I'm like the people that we work with and our same industry and that do what we do and all of that. When you know them, you feel like you're a part of their journey with them. And it's easier to celebrate them.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. And I think for motherhood too, I mean, you were talking on our social media episode about like getting together with other moms and they like challenge you in certain ways. And uh, I'm I think about you go and you sit down in a coffee shop and everybody's like going through something totally different and it's totally unseen and you have no idea. But everybody has this like a visual persona, like how they visually, you know, outwardly portray themselves. And you just never know what somebody's going through, even if they appear to have it all together. But like what you're saying is like the community aspect, you go and you intentionally like sit down with them and hear their story, and you're like, oh wait, I really thought you had your life together. Not that like totally poor pitiful you, you know, it's it's like a it shouldn't change your your mindset towards them, but definitely like another one of those like heart checks and like oh gosh, I were relatable. So yes, yeah. Like I was being how silly of me. Yeah, how silly of me to assume that like a yeah, like a woe is me. Yes, I could be doing more.

SPEAKER_02

From the outside looking in, like they're perfect, and exactly what I said of like they have more hours in their day, and then you come to know them and you're like, oh, you have four kids, and I have two kids, and you're also getting your master's degree and your or your bachelor's degree, and you're doing these things too, you're just on a different timeline than me. Your goals are different than mine. Yeah. Shocking. It's like you really have to think about that, but it is different. And like I mentioned, the influencer that's 21 that's bought a million dollar house on the beach. I do, I like I'm that's not really my dream, but like you can't help but be like, wow, that's really cool. And like I'm a little bit jealous, and blah, blah, blah. And that's different than the person that's working in your same industry, kind of doing what you're doing and reaching like more attainable goals to you. Yeah. My encouragement and kind of what I'm saying and what makes it easier for me is being in community with them, which I really feel like has been the emphasis of not only our last few episodes, but maybe the whole podcast of taking things offline and bringing them in person. And I think that's exactly moving from the phase of I'm in competition to this person to this is now my community, and this is like where the celebration can lie completely. Completely. I have like a short story which is like motherhood related. But when we moved to the DFW area from North Texas, small town, North Texas, we moved this way and I made a group of ladies that are still my friends. We've had a couple of different ladies come and go moving, or you know, just kind of like not a right fit with the group, their choice, that kind of situation. Yeah. Or kids not meshing. Y'all understand. If you're a mom, you understand. It's kind of just like an ebb and flow of a group. There's been four of us that have kind of been really inseparable in a lot of ways. And we had one mom that was in our group who was like painfully jealous of one of the other moms in our group because the mom that she was jealous of truly is an amazing, amazing, amazing, amazing mom. And she loves to share a bunch of stuff on social media about like different crafts and different parties and different celebrations she's doing and all this stuff. And like, I obviously will not get into her personal life on the podcast, but she has had struggles with her children and in her life that I seriously don't know anyone else that has ever been through. But from the outside looking in, you're thinking this is a perfect mom who has everything together, who thinks of all the fun crafts, who does all the fun things.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And it was a a lady in our group that was like really super jealous of her and ended up like not being able to connect with her, just like based on her jealousy. Whereas I broke that barrier down and got to know her and was like, oh, you literally have a million struggles and are a real person, like fighting your own battles and fighting your demons and going through stuff with your husband and your kids and blah, blah, blah, and living a real life. Wow, imagine that. Yeah. But there's so much I can learn from you and now being in her circle, celebrate with her. Yeah. Celebrate with her. But that's what I'm saying is it's so easy to be from the outside looking in and just be mad and jealous of this person has done all these amazing things and I aspire to be them. And actually, that's triggering to me. And I have to delete this from my life and from my social media and from my blah blah blah. But digging into the surface under the surface and being in community with them, it changes everything.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. And it's uncomfortable. Yeah. It's totally, totally to like put yourself out there. It is so much easier to just write somebody off because you don't want to deal with what's happening inside of yourself.

SPEAKER_05

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

And it's like not addressing the whatever you want to call it, the FOMO, the jealousy, not addressing it actually isolates you even more from people.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_03

And it doesn't, it it doesn't fix anything. It doesn't help anything.

SPEAKER_02

I think at this phase two, it can be really inconvenient.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I feel like I have like little kids. Exactly. I feel like I've learned that since I've become a mom. I'm like, everything's just really inconvenient. Really inconvenient. Being a mom is super inconvenient. And then being a business owner while you're also trying to be a mom is super inconvenient. And then on top of all of that, reaching out and trying to be in uncomfortable situations, uncomfortable to some, some situations uncomfortable. Yeah. Both of those thanks. I'm like, I mean it both ways. But I'm like, it's inconvenient. It's just inconvenient to show up for people and be the villager that you were wishing you had or you did have. It's inconvenient. It's just totally inconvenient. But yeah, that's also an encouragement. That's also an encouragement because inconveniencing yourself puts you in those situations to connect with people deeper. Yeah. Which we need. Which we need. And you know my whole stance on that of blessing people without expecting anything in return. And it's exactly how you are, Grace. So I don't have to say that to you. It's more so for the listeners of I will happily be inconvenienced and stay up until 11 p.m. to make whatever I need to make and do whatever I need to do in order for the people I love to be served and blessed and taken care of in whatever way feels necessary.

SPEAKER_03

I'll do it. I mean, you were saying like not faking it. I feel like sometimes if this isn't something that people are used to, you have to, it's it's inconvenient. You have to like make yourself do it. And then you realize at the end of the day that like supporting somebody else is so much more fulfilling than like being stuck in yourself and only worrying about yourself and what you're not doing and how you're not them. And I think that could apply to so many other things, but it doesn't have to be that public. It can be very private. It can be a text to somebody else just saying, like, hey, you inspire me. Like if you see something that's triggering from somebody and maybe you know them, let's say you know them, send them a text, send them a DM. Like, I found this really inspiring, and I'm really proud of you for what you're doing. Like those kind of small, even hidden things go a long way and it like slowly starts to heal your heart a little bit. Like, like coming from somebody who has had had to work this muscle for a long time, I have very high expectations of myself. And so when like you were saying, like when you see other people doing things, you you think, well, I could do that, I could totally do that. Yeah, but I'm I'm not supposed to probably. And so in the meantime, while things are a little bit more inconvenient and while I can't do that, I'm just gonna encourage other people along the way. And like you were saying, you know, you're you're creating a village essentially when you do that. And that is you, I mean, you don't sew to get anything back, you don't like give to get anything back, but you will like that is just the byproduct. That's just how life works. And so that's literally how it works.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. So I and that's really interesting, all that you said. I remember when I felt like when I was in the beginning of my business when I felt like everyone was competition. Yeah. And I don't struggle with this so much anymore. Like I do struggle with kind of what I said of like comparing on social media and just being like this person but like for business or like attained these things that I haven't attained yet. Yeah. There weren't even maybe like goals I had, but just like, oh, I could probably do that. But I just kind of remember when I shifted from being in competition with changing to I don't feel like I'm in competition anymore. As far as with other wedding photographers, I really don't feel that. And I do still get jealous, and I'll see pictures and I actually will comment and be like, I'm pissed that I didn't take this picture. Like, and I I still do that. I still do that. Even to like photographers that are strangers to me, and I'm like, I love this picture so much, I'm like mad I didn't take it. Like I will, I still do that. Like I'm jealous of this for sure. But like I mean it more so as a compliment. Like a compliment. Yeah. Yeah. Like I mean it as a compliment. But I just remember when I was in the beginning of my business and I felt like I was fighting for the leads and fighting for the bookings. Yeah. And I just was, I was so nervous about every word that I would say. And then receiving that email back that was, we really appreciate your time, but we went with another vendor, was a stab in the heart and a twist of the knife. Like I just couldn't believe that I put in this much effort and I was fully invested. I had already penciled it on my calendar. And I get the text or the email back that was, you're amazing and we appreciate you, but it's not the right fit. And now I see that as a win. Yeah. I shift, I had to shift it. I I really like forced myself to do this in the middle of my career years ago. Where I was like, this is a win for me. This is now a date that I don't have to work. This is a date that's still available to another couple that's a better fit. This is a day I get to spend with my family. This is a win for the vendor they did choose. And I should be celebrating them. And that's great. And they, this isn't my people. Yeah. That wasn't the right fit for me. Whether I knew it or not, I obviously didn't know and it worked out that way. That's a win for them, and that's a win for me that I'm not shooting a wedding that wouldn't be the right fit.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

That's what I had to shift my brain to.

SPEAKER_03

There's been several occasions too where I get inquiries based on your recommendations, not even just because like you weren't available. It's just because you you are, you just have somebody to recommend. You have multiple people to recommend.

SPEAKER_02

And so, well, you know you're the top of my list. I recommend you first all the time. I also be recommending you. Yes. Especially for like more personal projects and branding and family and stuff like that, because it's not my cup of tea and I'm aware of it. But it also got to the point in my business where I had to recognize that and be like, I sometimes I would dread it. And that's a horrible thing to say. And if anyone's listening to this and I've taken your family or branding, blah, blah, blah, I'm not speaking about you. Like, I really truly enjoy all my shoots, but it's more so it's not in my wheelhouse. And so kind of like stressing for the moments, like leading up to it and being like, Am I gonna be good enough? Like, am I the right fit? Is this like what I'm supposed to be doing? Whereas I have someone like you in my pocket that is like amazing at this. And I'm like, this is a win for you, and it's a win for them hiring someone that's passionate about the project that they're doing. Yeah. Hello. Like, I just feel like that's obvious, but it doesn't. Take you years to shift it. And in the same breath, while I'm already on this ramble in the same breath, you also are in my community and you're very special to me. So I'm like, when they book you, that's a win for me. Because I'm now getting to celebrate you. And it's exciting. It's exciting. But it did take years to shift out of the FOMO and the jealousy. Oh my gosh, like I'm missing out on that. And I'm jealous of the vendor that they chose. And that's really the hard part of is it FOMO or is it jealousy?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Yeah. Actually, for you is it? What is it for you? I think, I think when I was younger, it definitely was jealousy. I think now that like initial response is like, it it is FOMO. Like, and more so in a way of like, I just like you, I could do this. Like, I really could do this, but I can't. And like that's what's frustrating. Like, I I am happy for the other person. Um, I want to celebrate them. Yes. But I I also want to be able to feel like I can celebrate me. And so that also kind of leads into well, how am I celebrating myself and my own wins? And how are you? Possibly not. Okay. That was like a big, a big challenge.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

I really am bad, good and bad about just like nose to the grindstone. Like we're just gonna keep trucking along. Even like my own birthday. I like hate, I don't know. I just don't like celebrating my own birthday. It's just like a big thing. And I don't know if it's like toxic or not. I'm just like not a big thing, I'll celebrate other people, but I'm just like, I just want to keep trucking along. And so that I think that's something in me that's like, okay, we need to stop and like be proud of where you're at. Otherwise, I'll just keep going to the next and the next and the next. And we've talked about like not being content with like what you know, it's just one of those things that I'm constantly like it's just attention.

SPEAKER_02

I'm so proud of you, and I feel like you've accomplished so much lately. And I feel like you have so much going on and you're doing so well at all those things. And I feel like you really don't give yourself enough credit for that. And you're amazing, an amazing mom, and I feel like you know that. And if you don't know that, then you're wrong. But it's like, I feel like you do know that and you keep yourself accountable for being a good and present mom, but you don't always do it in your business of like recognizing how good you are at what you do. And not only are you like doing your things well, but you're like branching out to other people to help them do well, which is crazy because like that is one of the things I struggle with and have been encouraged by you is I do have, and this is we're celebrating ourselves. So I don't feel like I can be bashful in saying, like, I have so much to offer. Yeah. Female entrepreneurs and business owners, and especially photographers. I feel like I have so much to offer and I could be doing more to offer it to people starting out their business. Yeah. Just prioritizing the time to do that. But you do that, and you just don't celebrate that enough. And I'm going, I'm actually gonna fix that for you.

SPEAKER_03

I'm gonna make sure, I'm gonna make sure what you do because you really love to celebrate. You are so good. There's a few people in my life, my mom is one of them. Well, also my sister, they're just big celebrate celebratory people. Um, but there are people that have that in common. I know. There are people that will just text me randomly and just like over the top encouragement, and like it's always exactly like right when I need it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

So yeah, uh, I was also gonna say, experientially, I like don't forget, I learned a lot from you. I still learn a lot from you every time I shoot with you. And you like taught me a lot at the beginning, and you were so gracious. And when I would ask, you know, what do I use for Kelvin at golden hour every single wedding, probably for the first 12 weddings until finally figured it out? Like maybe this is what Alex wants. Yeah. And then even adapting some of those things. And I don't know, I I have learned a lot from you, but it also just goes back to the theme of the episode, kind of the underlying theme was like being in community with people. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I think one of the issues, one of the issues with this too, is that there's room for everyone to succeed. Yeah. And I have to remind myself about that a lot because we've talked about community and talked about how there's room for everyone at the table and encouraging people to be at a physical table instead of a virtual table. Yeah. But there's also room for everyone to succeed. So I think in a lot of ways, and this has happened to me before, but it's definitely not one of my like main struggles. But when I see someone else succeeding, or I think when other people can see others succeeding that are kind of in your same field, thinking like, well, now they've done that and I can't. Yeah. And I I just want to like do away with that because her win is not my loss. Yeah. But it's like someone else doing it should make you think she's paving the way and now she's done it, and so can I. Yeah. And so can I. And thinking of it that way versus like, now I can't do it because she already did. It's not Lizzie McGuire outfit repeater, where like, oh, she wore it, now I can't wear it. It's like, no, she did that success, and you can also succeed in that way on your own timeline and your own journey and how it best fits you. There's plenty of room for everyone to succeed, and everyone deserves to be celebrated.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. I also had to learn I cannot and I should not, and I don't want to anymore, monopolize community. I can't monopolize weddings. I can't possibly shoot every wedding that needs to be photographed.

SPEAKER_02

Well, I know it. I'm like, why not? I'm like, do it.

SPEAKER_03

See, try and see what happens. Oh my gosh. But even like people, groups of people getting together. I was like, we're I'm not meaning to like get into childhood traumas. That's not what this is, but I was like, I mean, super introvert growing up, and I didn't have a ton of friends. And so you have like the cool people. I wasn't, I wasn't like, I don't know, I'm like making disclaimers. I wasn't weird. At least I don't think I was. You never were. No. You didn't know me, but I feel like you were.

SPEAKER_02

I knew you were like in high school. I knew you when I knew you when you were in high school, you were not weird. You were a cute and bubbly, introverted cheerleader. I knew you in high school, which I feel like matters more than all the other years before. You're so right. You're so right.

SPEAKER_03

But I think like even seeing other people getting together, maybe I wasn't there. I can't monopolize community. And I maybe I maybe it's more so of the fact that like I didn't get to have meaningful time and and community with any people. And that happened, and I just happened to see it. Here we go back to social media. I just happened to see it, and now I have FOMO. What am I gonna do?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

If I really want to do something like that, I'm gonna create it. I can't just like wait for somebody to ask me and just isolate myself and like stay in the hurt, you know. I I go out and I yeah, that's a whole other conversation, but yeah, just giving way to more for everybody.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. No, it totally makes sense. It totally makes sense. I just think that the celebration aspect of what we do as female entrepreneurs takes practice. Yeah. I I hope it's heard when we say it doesn't come naturally for everyone. I like hate to toot my own horn, but celebration is in my blood, baby. It's in my blood. I love to celebrate. I'm like, and actually, while we're recording this, tomorrow's my daughter's birthday. Yeah, and I have ordered custom donuts for her with her name. I've ordered a birthday cake. She had a birthday party with her little besties. Last week, we're going to the lake with my family. We've planned this like huge celebration. And I just like, I want that to be remembered because my mother was the same way. And I can remember, obviously, if you're I was about to say if you're a child and you're listening to this, but hopefully children aren't listening to this. But I'm like, obviously, now I know it was my mom, but as a child, I thought it was Santa. But I could just remember these over-the-top productions for Christmas and coming. I can I have goosebumps in my legs right now, but I'm like, I can see all the things she would do and set up and just how much effort she put in as like a full-time single but then married working mom. How much she put into like celebrating and making our birthdays and holidays and honestly, just like mundane days, so special. And I'm just determined to also bring that into my child's lives. And I hope that they are 31 years old sitting on a podcast and saying, My mom really celebrated because it's so important to me. And that's what my mom did for me and instilled in me. And unfortunately, the downside of it is that now I feel like my birthday is a national holiday. And if someone doesn't celebrate me, I'm like, hold on. This is like the most important day of the year. And unfortunately, I married someone who doesn't care about his birthday. He's also made my birthday a holiday. So I'm like, I will get it. Oh, there it is. Yeah. And it is. Yeah. And I'll give him the credit, but it takes practice for most people. It doesn't come naturally for every single person, especially. And I just mentioned my husband. Celebrations, of course, were a thing growing up, but just like not the most important thing. And also he's a boy. So maybe he's not really part of this conversation. But at the same time, it just doesn't come naturally for everyone. And it does take practice. And especially with people that are maybe in your same industry, your same field, if you're starting out and feeling discouraged, I want to encourage you. I want to encourage our listeners to kind of dive into that community aspect and connect with those people more. And then the celebration becomes easier. And you may be rewarded by having them celebrate you as well.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And that's an amazing thing. And we always say don't bless people or do things for others, expecting something in return. But that is how you become a villager and be in community and you receive things in return, maybe not exactly what you put in, but something different and unexpected. But it just takes practice. So if you're listening to this and thinking, I that's not me and I can't believe it. We just want to encourage you to try, not make you feel bad that maybe you're feeling jealous or guilt you for feeling the FOMO. That's totally not it. This is coming like directly from our hearts, and especially Grace's who has been feeling this so heavy and shared it with me of it can it's different for everyone. Yes. And showing out the celebration is also going to be different for everyone. So finding what works for you is going to be important.

SPEAKER_03

And it could be throwing a party. Yes. Huge range of how you can celebrate people that are interested in. Yes. And even if you don't know them, I I think of like uh, you know, the 21-year-old we keep talking about.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_03

It's fictional, by the way.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. I just made them out. I'm not thinking of a 21-year-old, honestly.

SPEAKER_03

I'm not thinking of anyone specifically. I'm just it just it was in my brain. Yeah. But even with that, if e even just like speaking silently out loud, like that you are celebrating them and like speaking positively and like I don't know. It's just it, I'd I like to say it's not a problem to solve. It is attention to manage. And for some people, you get over that hump quicker than others. So just celebrate the the people that are maybe in seasons that you want to be in and enjoy where you're at. Don't wish it away.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Yes. And I'm I know we've talked about this, and I know we like have to wrap this up because I think we could talk about this for two hours. But yes, I am coming up on my 10-year anniversary of being a photographer. And I just have dreamt up a thousand different possibilities of celebrating it. And I guess really what it's come down to is I've decided to celebrate it with doing a full rebrand. And it's actually like a lot of work to make this quote unquote celebration happen. The 10-year is coming with kind of like a full business revitalization, which was really needed and necessary, but it isn't my first reaction. Because my first reaction is throw a party and have an open bar and drink and dance and celebrate and do all the things that like I like to do, but I'm really kind of shifting to celebrating by preparing for more success.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Hopefully. Not to say there won't be a little party, not to say there won't be like a little celebration, but I'm really putting myself in an uncomfortable and different situation of let me do more work to launch this whole thing and celebrate by shifting into my next phase of business. And I know we've talked about this. I literally wrote it down while we were talking because I do want to record a little bit more on kind of how our businesses are shifting, my rebrand and everything you're doing with the Risa house, and kind of talking about those specifically and kind of what we're going through and the ups and downs and all that kind of stuff. But yeah, even something that comes so naturally to me, which is celebrating. I'm struggling with the celebration of my 10-year anniversary. I'm doing something kind of different and kind of figuring out what I want to do to celebrate. So I'll be working on that in the meantime.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Well, I'm celebrating you and I'm really proud of you. I know you are. I know. You've been alongside me for so much of it that I it's a celebration for you too. Like that it would be wrong for us to not celebrate it together. Seriously. Yeah. Seriously. Lots of celebrating. Let's celebrate. I love it. I love it too. Happy June. It's my birthday month. It's there's everybody's birthday month in your family.

SPEAKER_03

I feel like everyone in my family.

SPEAKER_02

Jack. Jack. He's end of May, but still. Just happened. Gorgeous. Tomorrow. Mine's next week. Father's Day. I'm like, we really have celebrations going on around here, which is why I'm maybe fatigued about my rebrand 10 year situation. Because I'm like, I might be celebrated out. So stick tuned.

SPEAKER_03

Just get some uh what do you like? Is it Chewy's? Creamy jalapeno. Yes, yeah. I'm actually some today.

SPEAKER_02

Literally, I'm making some today.

SPEAKER_03

I'm coming over. Come on.

SPEAKER_02

I'll be there when it I'm making it fresh today. Oh my gosh. I love this. I love this episode. I think this is so important. It and it seems so silly. And when you brought it up to me, I was like, I cannot wait to discuss this and kind of dive into it because I do think it's overlooked. And I do think that we have gotten into the educational and deep dive side of here's everything you need to do and blah, blah, blah. But this is so important. For sure. This is so important. Yeah. So that's our encouragement to celebrate the big and little things.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. All right, guys. We will chit chat with you next time.

SPEAKER_00

All righty. Bye.

SPEAKER_03

Bye.