The Blog
I Wasn’t Stuck. I Was Just Playing It Too Safe.
I’ve always told my clients to try new things.
To test. To experiment. To get out of their comfort zone if they want to grow.
And if I’m being honest?
I wasn’t fully doing that myself.
Not in the way I thought I was.
I was consistent. I was showing up. I was doing everything I tell people to do.
But I was also staying in what felt familiar. What felt comfortable. What I knew would work… or at least wouldn’t fail.
This week, I did something different.
I posted a reel that followed a trend.
And that might not sound like a big deal, but for me, it kind of was.
Because I typically stay away from trends.
- They’re not really my brand.
- I always feel like by the time I post one, the moment has already passed.
So I avoid them.
I tell myself it’s strategic. That it’s intentional. That I’m staying “on brand.”
And maybe some of that is true.
But if I’m really honest?
Some of it is just me staying in what feels safe.
So I posted it anyway.
And I remember hitting “share” and immediately thinking…
“Why did I just do that?” 😅
Not because it was bad.
But because it was different.
And different, for a lot of us, feels uncomfortable.
And then the results came in.
No, it didn’t go viral. That wasn’t the point.
But it reached 208% more people than my typical reels.
And more importantly?
More non-followers saw it than followers.
That’s the part that made me pause.
Because that’s the goal.
Not just to keep showing up for the same people who already know you—but to reach the people who don’t.
And in that moment, something clicked.
I wasn’t stuck.
I was just staying in what felt comfortable.
And it made me look at other areas too.
Because this hasn’t just been about one reel.
I’m in a different season right now.
I’m trying new things.
I’m getting out of my own way.
I’m saying yes to things I would’ve overthought before.
I was recently invited to be a panelist on a webinar for venue owners—and I said yes.
And if you know me, you know that’s not automatic. I’m great one-on-one, but the second I know I’m being recorded, I kind of freeze. I don’t know why.
That’s something I would’ve thought through ten times before committing to.
I also became an ambassador for a consulting agency that caters to C-suite women.
Again… not something I would’ve jumped into without overanalyzing every angle.
More on both of those soon.
But the common thread?
I’m not sitting on opportunities the way I used to.
Because growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone.
And I don’t say that lightly.
I say that as the most introverted extrovert you’ll ever meet. I can stay at home for weeks, in soft clothes, completely content.
But I also know that version of me doesn’t build anything new.
And I think that’s where a lot of people are.
They’re not stuck.
They’re not inconsistent.
They’re not doing it wrong.
They’re just doing it in a way that feels safe.
And safe feels good.
Until you realize it’s also keeping you in the same place.
Same audience.
Same results.
Same patterns.
Trying something different—even something small—interrupts that.
It creates movement.
It creates visibility.
It creates opportunities that weren’t there before.
That one reel didn’t change everything.
But it showed me what’s possible when I stop overthinking and just try.
And it reminded me of something I say all the time—but needed to feel again for myself:
Sometimes it’s not about doing more.
It’s about doing something different.
So if you’ve been showing up, doing the work, staying consistent…
…but you’re not seeing growth in who you’re reaching?
Take a step back and ask yourself:
Am I stuck?
Or am I just playing it too safe?
And if part of that “playing it safe” looks like trying to carry your entire content strategy on your own…
That’s where things start to feel heavy.
Not because you’re not capable.
But because you’re doing everything.
At Magnolia, that’s the piece we take off your plate.
→Work with me
So your content actually works for you.
So your reach expands.
So you’re not just showing up—you’re growing.
Because the goal isn’t just to be consistent.
It’s to evolve.
And sometimes evolution starts with doing the one thing you’ve been avoiding.
Dana,
Magnolia Content Studios
hello@magnoliacontentstudios.com
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