Too Hard, Too Soft, Too Arrogant: A Goldilocks Guide to Unsolicited Advice

The last 24 hours have been an absolute whirlwind.

The ad with Alia Bhatt finally went live, and my phone hasn’t stopped buzzing. The outpouring of love, kind messages, and excitement has been overwhelmingly sweet and surreal to take in.

Naturally, I’m my own worst critic. I caught myself picking apart my frames and analyzing what I could have done better. It’s funny hearing everyone’s take on how I operate...some tell me I’m being way too hard on myself, others think I undersell myself, and a few now think I’ve gotten a bit "arrogant" just because I’ve started drawing clearer boundaries.

The commentary is endless, but it doesn't confuse me anymore. If I’m not honest with myself, who will be? Holding myself to high standards isn’t about being insecure; it’s just how I refine my work. It means I know my strengths, my quirks, and my limits far better than anyone peering in from the outside.

What has genuinely shifted is who gets a say in my choices.

For a long time, I let a steady stream of self-appointed advisors...often of course, well-meaning, but usually way too confident...tell me how I should steer my career and my life, and more importantly people who tell me what they think is what is "best" for me. I doubted my own instincts and let other voices take up too much room.

Between therapy, creating art, and taking bigger leaps, the fog seems to be clearing. Drawing boundaries might look distant to some, but to me, it’s just making room for what actually matters.

Seeing that ad was a quiet reminder of what happens when you trust your own momentum.

That moment didn't come from following someone else’s rigid script for my life..it came from showing up, doing the work, and letting things align.

I’m happily keeping the steering wheel in my own hands now. Deciding what is worthy of my energy, trusting my gut, and navigating the road ahead entirely on my own terms.

Anyway, leaving you with this: