When I was working a 9–5, I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought following the “stable” path would eventually lead me to security, recognition, and maybe even fulfillment. But truthfully? I didn’t care so much about the promotions or recognition. What weighed on me more was not wanting to disappoint people. I wanted to fit in, to be seen as someone who was doing things “the right way.”
But here’s the part I never expected: no matter how much I tried to meet those expectations, I kept running into roadblocks. I couldn’t climb the corporate ladder the way I thought I should. I found myself having to prove myself over and over again. And even when I gave my all, I still ended up being laid off or having to leave toxic workplaces.
That cycle taught me something important: living for external validation doesn’t guarantee stability, success, or peace of mind. It just keeps you chasing after approval that may never come.
The Truth About Playing It Safe
I think a lot of us are seeking external validation, waiting for approval before we make a move, before we take a risk, before we fully show up for ourselves. And for a long time, I lived that way too. I was living in my backup plan, not because I doubted my ability, but because I thought it was safer. I thought if I stayed in a space that everyone else agreed with, I couldn’t get it wrong.
But playing it safe doesn’t protect you the way you think it does. It just keeps you stuck, and the truth is, stuck is its own kind of failure.
At some point, you realize life isn’t asking you to be safe, it’s asking you to be real. It’s asking you to listen to the passions that won’t quiet down, the dreams that keep resurfacing no matter how many times you push them away. Those desires aren’t random, they’re signals pointing you toward the life you’re meant to build.
Why Internal Validation Lasts
And yes, it’s uncomfortable. Yes, people may not always understand. But external approval isn’t what will make you feel proud at the end of the day. Living in alignment with who you are, and creating a life that reflects your full potential, is the only validation that lasts.
As a content creator, I’ve had to learn this lesson over and over. It’s easy to get caught up in likes, numbers, or other people’s opinions. But when I ground my worth in internal validation — rooted in faith, purpose, and truth — I can keep showing up even when no one else applauds.
Choosing Yourself Over Approval
At the end of the day, I’ve had to ask myself: do I want to live for people’s expectations, or do I want to live in alignment with God’s calling? Internal validation may be quieter, but it’s lasting. And that’s the voice that matters most.
So the question is—are you still playing it safe, or are you ready to finally choose yourself?
For a long time, I was quiet about my faith and beliefs as a Christian. Anytime I mentioned it in a workplace, the attacks would come, and soon after, I’d find myself leaving. It almost felt like an attack on my livelihood.
But here’s the thing: hiding who you are to fit in with people who don’t truly value you will only attract the wrong people. Sometimes that hiding is just a cover, keeping you in a space where you don’t even belong.
That’s why, as I commit to my career as a content creator, I’m choosing courage. Whatever persecution comes, comes — but God will still get the glory and the honor as I walk in truth.
I trust that God will bring the right brands — the ones aligned with my values, and that value my creativity, my mind, and my perspective. That trust informs the work I take on and the opportunities I pursue.
Other religions are free to express themselves openly, and Christians should be able to do the same. So I’ve decided not to hide my faith anymore. If I stay silent, I risk dimming the very light God gave me to shine.
At the end of the day, I believe the right doors will open, the right people will connect, and the right opportunities will come — not because I hid who I was, but because I stood firm in it.
If you’ve been anywhere on the internets, you’ll see the common phrase popping up in recent months that Delulu is the Solulu. Translation? Being delusional is the key to solving your problems and achieving your goals. It’s all fun and games, but honestly? I don’t quite subscribe to this message. And trust me, I get it. I’m all for pursuing your wildest dreams (look at me – I’m a full-time content creator. ), but why must we do it under the guise of being delusional? Why is it so crazy to believe something good can happen for us? That our wildest dreams can come true? I feel like it’s almost demeaning to ourselves, a slap in the face, if you will. The definition of delusional is literally “characterized by or holding false beliefs or judgments about external reality that are held despite evidence to the contrary” – essentially believing things that are not true. I think as women, we already get enough slack as it is. We shouldn’t diminish our hopes and dreams into delusional thinking. They are worth taking seriously. We are worth being taken seriously.
So no… delulu is not the solulu.
Having faith is.
Faith, rather, is having a strong belief in the possibility that something might happen or that it will happen.
That’s the kind of positivity and light I want to shine over my dreams and goals. Not that I was so crazy to think it was real, but rather I believed in it so much that I worked towards making it a reality. I believed it was possible, so I already acted as if it were mine and that it was achievable.
I’d rather be grounded in faith than lost in wishful thinking. Faith empowers us to move forward with intention, resilience, and purpose. So as you chase your dreams, let it be with conviction and trust in yourself—not because you’re delusional, but because you know you’re capable.
Being a content creator is a test of faith. Why? Because it’s the complete opposite of what’s expected of you. Working a 9-5 is expected of you. It’s expected that you’ll give 40 hours a week (or more) to a corporation that could get rid of you in a heartbeat. The traditional norm is to go to the office, grab happy hour afterwards, and repeat.
Some people don’t pursue their purpose because of this need for external validation — because they want to fit in. I was the same way for a while. I was too worried about having a stable job and steady income, doing things the “right” way. But the right way still wasn’t working. I realized that no job was truly stable, and that’s when I decided to jump all in to my calling and not look back.
This has been one of my biggest tests of faith. You see, I don’t have anyone to depend on for a steady paycheck anymore. I can only depend on my efforts and on God’s provision. I’m stretching my belief in myself and in God that this is going to work because, quite frankly, I have no other choice. It has to work.
I have to trust and commit to consistency and discipline, believing that my efforts will bear fruit. If I keep watering the seeds of creating content, it has no choice but to grow, right?
When you cut the anchors of stability and safety nets, you can only count on yourself — and ultimately on God. If things don’t work out, there’s no one else to blame.
And along the way, you face doubters and naysayers who don’t understand the vision. Like Noah, mocked while building the Ark, you keep building what God placed inside of you — even when no one else sees it.
Because that’s what faith really is: believing before you see, showing up before the results, and trusting that the seeds you plant today will grow into the future you prayed for tomorrow.
