Things have felt heavy lately.
Not creatively...the art still moves through me... but emotionally. The kind of weight that comes from people, not from work.
Being a woman in business is a strange thing. You pour your heart into what you do, you lead with kindness and integrity, and somehow that softness becomes something others think they can use. Some people see empathy as an open door. And when you finally draw a line, suddenly you become a horrible person.
For a long time, I’ve been living in this beautiful bubble, surrounded by wonderful clients and genuine souls who remind me why I love what I do. But every now and then, the real world seeps in. The manipulative types. The social climbers. The ones who smile to your face while quietly taking advantage of your warmth.
It’s jarring when it happens. You forget people like that still exist.
And that’s where intuition comes in, that quiet, powerful sixth sense that never lies. The little bell that rings before your mind can reason it out. The whisper that says something’s off when everything looks fine on the surface. We all have it. The problem is, we don’t always listen. We tell ourselves we’re imagining things, and ignore the red flags because we want connection. Because we want to believe people are good.
At the start of the year, I made a promise to myself and to my business: I’d only work with people who align with my energy, my art, and my vision. No exceptions. But later, I broke that promise. I ignored every intuitive nudge, every warning sign, because I thought I’d found a real connection. I wanted to believe the feeling was mutual.
It wasn’t.
And it reminded me why my circle is small ( shocker) . Why I sometimes come across as antisocial or guarded. It’s not that I don’t care, it’s because I care too deeply. I’m a Leo sun and Virgo rising, which basically means I’m loyal to a fault. If I work with you, I’m all in. If you’re in pain, I’ll do everything I can to help you through it. But I’ve learned... not everyone deserves that kind of energy.
In the creative world, especially as women entrepreneurs, we meet people who live in denial. They wear rose color glasses and call toxicity “passion.” They dramatize small issues and ignore accountability. They’ll project, twist stories, and when things get hard, they’ll look for someone to blame. Usually, the most empathetic person in the room.
The scapegoat.
And when that happens, it hurts. It makes you question yourself. It makes the thing you love, your art, your purpose... feel heavy too.
But here’s the truth I keep coming back to: when the energy feels wrong, it is wrong. When your body tenses, when your gut whispers no...listen. Intuition isn’t fear. It’s protection.
So if you’ve been feeling the same heaviness lately, this is your reminder.
You’re not cold for setting boundaries.
You’re not difficult for protecting your peace.
And you’re not selfish for walking away from toxic people.
Trust yourself. Protect your art.
The world needs your softness — but not at the cost of your sanity.
...always with love,
Deborah xx
