So I might be a little stubborn. And resistant to change. But I’ve learned that if I have to force something, it probably wasn’t meant for me. Of course, I learned it the hard way.

For the last year, I’ve been trying to force one of my social media accounts into a mold that just didn’t fit. As a social strategist and digital media marketer, I have no trouble creating content and building accounts for my clients. In fact, I have a great time learning my client’s voices and creating posts and ads and sales funnels that ooze with their style and personality.

So why was it so hard to do the same with my own business? When it came to my own stuff, I struggled. I struggled to the point that I was barely posting at all. I couldn’t help but think to myself that it shouldn’t be so hard, but I wasn’t sure what to do to change things.

One day, a friend of mine and I were chatting back and forth about content and copy. (Yes, these are the riveting conversations we social strategists have together.) We started spouting off crazy ideas for social media profiles. “What if everything rhymed?” “What if it all was written in alliteration?” “Memes with animals! Memes with animals!” It was so much fun – we were having a blast and giggling like mad.

It hit me then. That’s what I was missing – fun! I’m very serious about my business, but I’m not a super serious person. I love to smile and laugh and enjoy life. If someone looked at my social profile, however, they’d have never known. I was providing content and creative that mirrored what I thought people would want to see, but in the process I was overthinking it and sucking all the fun right out of it.

I realized I had just spent a year beating my head against a door that wasn’t mine. My business doesn’t reflect ME without the element of fun that my personality brings, and it was time to put more me into my business. That very day I began rebranding, and I never looked back. When I finally quit trying to squeeze my business into a mold it that just didn’t fit, promoting my own business became a breeze.

If you’re feeling stuck on how to promote yourself or your business, could it be that you’re giving people what you assume they want, but nothing that’s really “you”? Maybe you’re beating your head against a door that isn’t really yours.

There is only one you. There are things that only you can bring to the world. Do not be afraid to let your business reflect a piece of that. It’s valuable. It’s YOU.