8 Permission Slips I'm Writing Myself This Summer

No fancy schmancy intro here. This week’s post is an unfiltered, kinda messy, no-headlines needed collection of recent musings. Giving myself permission to leave it fresh and imperfect. 😁

1 | My days are more important than my metrics. 📈

How I spend my day-to-day is how I spend my life. I’d rather have more giggles and stretches and spontaneous moments in life than a few more dollars. Right now, I’m looking for ease and spaciousness in my days, and I think that’ll matter more in the long run than hitting any numbers in business. THIS is my bottom line.

2 | The bravest entrepreneurs have simple businesses. 👏

Okay, I’m not simple (yet). But I’m trying to be brave enough to be. There’s so much pressure to be flashy, to scale fast, to have a fancy website with a chatbot, to “diversify your offerings” until your work becomes a tangled mess of services and “because Instagram told me to” messaging. Lately, I’m admiring folks who don’t chase every trend, who say no to projects that aren’t aligned, and who know exactly what they’re best at and stick to just that. AKA they’re making their own rules.

3 | I can leave my phone at home! 🤳

A few weeks ago, I was headed to a friend’s house for dinner, about a 4 minute drive away. I went to grab my phone and shoes and then realized — why would I need my phone for such a short drive to a group of people I know well? Since then, I’ve been intentionally leaving my phone at home under certain conditions (e.g. I’m with my partner, I’m staying on the Washington side of the bridge, etc.). Already feeling more present when I do.

4 | Not every season is about growth. 🌺

July might be my slowest work month in over a year. Of course, I get a hit of “omg am I not doing enough” here and there, but then I remind myself of what I’m always preaching to everyone else: Nothing blooms all year round. The periods of rest and stillness make the high energy sprints possible. Growth is for later. July is for whatever this is.

5 | Burnout can be an invitation for change. 😌

I learned over the past year that burnout can come in many flavors. Is it from a lack of rest? A values misalignment? Not enough fun or flow? (The last one was my cause earlier this year.) I’m still not 100% stoked on 100% of my projects or tasks, but knowing I can change this is helping me think about how to avoid burnout in the future.

6 | I can crave seasons of “river” vs. “ocean” work. 🌊

I imagine “river” projects as longer term or retainer work, where I’m always working in the current, hitting small rapids here and there, but moving steadily downstream. “Ocean” projects are one-off or shorter-term projects that hit like a wave before fading back out. I’m noticing that different times of year, I crave different patterns of work, and that’s okay. I can tell that I’m itching for some new ocean work in the coming months, even if the income/schedule isn’t as predictable as river work.

7 | If I feel like I have to convince people to do it, something isn’t right. 🤷‍♀️

Thinking about sales and marketing, specifically. I don’t want to waste any energy trying to make someone feel like they have to work with me. I want marketing my business to feel like I’m inviting a bunch of cool people to a party I’m hosting! It’s up to them (or you!) if they want to join the party. 😊

(You can peek at what I offer people here!: https://www.itsangiemarie.com/services)

8 | I have permission to not censor myself. 🙊

Lately, I’ve been mulling on self-censorship and how sneaky it can be. My brain has told me over the years: “You can’t do that until you have more credentials.” “That’s too hot of a take; people will hate it.” “How can I soften this language?” “I should add more disclaimers.” And I believed it many times. Only in the past year have I been actively trying to un-censor myself from my own silencing. This post by Simone Seol hit.

Wondering how you got here? Hi, I’m Angie! 👋 I’m a creative director and not-elite-just-enthusiastic athlete living in the mountains and rivers of Washington. I talk about the tough stuff — Blood, Sweat, and Fear — with the goal of building a happier, healthier world for women. You can check out all the ways to work with me here, or follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn.

For Fall 2025, I currently have some space available for 1:1 women’s creative consulting as well as sports and outdoor brand support.