When reality falls short

Both bunnies and content plans.

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So there I was, standing in the mall for over an hour with three restless kids, watching our Easter bunny photo appointment time come and go—no bunny in sight.

We'd arrived early to be first in line, snap our photo and be on our way. But there's always expectation and reality.

The "manager" hadn't shown up, leaving the remaining staff unable to conduct bunny photo business or process refunds. Had the bunny actually emerged at that point, I might've made him hop for cover. 🐰

I know you’ve been there too. Facing that gap between what we imagine and what actually happens—whether it's a holiday photo gone wrong or a carefully crafted plan that falls apart at the seams.

I had a similar moment last week while prepping the final Done in Days: Content System Sprint post. A line I myself had written stopped me outright:

"We know it's not just about posting more, but about leading the right conversations. And when you do that from a place of what really matters to you and your audience, the goal is for content to not feel like a chore, but to become a meaningful exchange."

Oooph…I thought. I'm not there. This feels like a chore and not at all a meaningful exchange.

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Isn't it interesting how our expectations and reality can drift so far apart? Like waiting for that cute photo only to discover there's no bunny in sight—I found myself standing in the gap between what I thought my journey here would feel like and where I actually am.

The expectation: creating content that flows effortlessly and connects deeply. The reality: watching engagement numbers drop and feeling the weight of obligation.

I’m not sure exactly when it happened, the feeling like things were dragging. It had felt like play for so long!

Was it in trying to figure out the right paid member offering? In focusing on the fundamentals there seemed to be an eagerness for—the workflows, systems and confidence-building strategies for content creation?

Whatever it is, something is not working.

And let's face it—we're all just trying to navigate a world where the Easter Bunny sometimes doesn't show up or the thing we planned didn’t land as we hoped. So we find our way through with grace, humor and maybe just a touch of well-placed frustration.

And the occasional kind comment that makes your day…Thank you, Juan!

I also know these expectation-versus-reality moments aren't just frustrations to endure—they're opportunities to discover something more meaningful. As difficult as it can seem at the time.

It's been a journey of discovery in this Substack world, and after all this foundation-building, I'm feeling it's the perfect moment to step back and take stock. What have I learned? What's working? What could I do differently?

Every creative project benefits from occasional reflection—it's how we grow and evolve. And I want to really examine what (if?) I can offer in this space that's uniquely valuable to you.

I definitely do not want to add to the digital noise.

So here's the plan: I'm embracing this expectation-reality gap as a gift—a creative pit stop to do some soul-searching here.

You'll still hear from me, though possibly in a less structured way. Sometimes the best connections happen when we step off our planned path and simply share where we are. So stay tuned. 🫶

The Member Resources remain open if you want to explore those fundamentals.

And I’ll soon be sharing more about

The Content Summit

, happening again this summer.

If you’re willing, I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you've found most helpful so far and what you're hoping to see ahead.

Wherever you are in your journey, rooting for you,

💌 P.S. If you're joining us for

The Content Summit

this summer, keep an eye out for some exciting announcements coming your way!