Hi Reader,

There were so many moments this summer when I thought:

I should post this.

My 10-year anniversary trip.

My daughter's track season.

Time with family I hadn't seen in years.

Work moments I was proud of.

And then...

I didn't.

In fact, outside of a few things here and there, I barely posted at all this summer.

Let's talk about it. But first...

Affirmation

Say it with me:

I don't have to broadcast everything I'm building, for it to count.

My life can be full even when my feed is quiet.

Story Time

Let's be real....

At first, the quiet made me feel guilty.

I'm someone who talks about personal branding and visibility.

I love you (my newsletter subscribers). I have communities on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok...and I wasn't really nurturing any of them.

And there was definitely a little voice wondering:

Are people going to forget about me?

But honestly?

Life was FULL.

Work was especially heavy. My team was navigating a lot of change, and I was trying to recalibrate myself while leading through it.

And outside of work, I wanted to be more present...

With family I hadn't seen in years.

For my brother.

For my kids.

For my husband.

For me.

Then we went to Jamaica for our anniversary.

I didn't have cell service, and your girl was NOT paying those roaming fees 😂

So...I disconnected.

And somewhere in that forced quiet, the guilt I'd had started turning into relief.

I wasn't thinking about what I should post.

I wasn't documenting everything while I was experiencing it.

I was just...there.

And when I came home, I realized I wanted to hold onto that peace for as long as I could.

Reflection

All that to say...ironically....

My feed got quiet.

But my life didn't.

I still showed up as a director at a work off-site.

I contributed to a Fast Company article.

I worked on a collaboration with a major marketing software company that's finally going live this week (stay tuned for details).

Good things were still happening.

They just weren't being broadcast in real time.

And that reminded me of something I've said in different ways before:

There isn't one way to build a personal brand.

Apparently, this season of mine is a little Rihanna-ish.

Pop up.

Share something amazing I've created or something fun I've done.

Go live my life again. 😂

And you know what? I'm okay with that.

Because your personal brand doesn't always need more volume.

Sometimes it needs room to ebb and flow with your actual life.

Just like the waves in the Caribbean Sea.

There will be seasons when you have the capacity to post, create, network, speak, write, and be everywhere.

And there will be seasons when your energy needs to go toward your work, your family, your relationships — or simply yourself.

Neither season means you've stopped building.

The volume may be lower.

That doesn't mean your life is.

And sustainable personal branding is learning how to make room for both.

So, no Something to Try today.

I'm more curious about you.

What did this summer make room for in your life?

Hit reply and tell me. I'd really love to know.

See you soon :)

Tamara Sykes