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Photo 1: I did everything LinkedIn told me to

Danielle Theobald
Danielle Theobald
Social Media Strategist · 23 Feb 2026 · 2 min read
Photo 1: I did everything LinkedIn told me to

Photo 1: I did everything LinkedIn told me to

Photo 2: I did the opposite

In 2023 I was living my 'best life' according to social media:

- 7 fig business (yes, really) - going gym 5 times a week - working about 10-12 hours a day

all whilst travelling the world

I thought I was happy. I was in this 'dream life' so many people wanted, right?

WRONGGGG!

I was overweight. Unhappy. Jumping between toxic relationships. A shell of myself - I literally didn't even realise it

It took me many (many) breakdowns to realise what actually mattered to me

Freedom. Community. Love. Wellness.

and without even intending to or focusing on it I:

lost 18kg found God (hey bestie!) got literally 10x more take home income met my husband

I got everything I wanted, could ever dream of, and more 🥹

I was waking up at 10am, working 4 hours a day, reduced gym to 1-2 times per week - everything that apparently makes you 'lazy'

This is legit not some LinkedIn hook, those of you who know me in real life know this was my reality 😭

for a bunch of 'smart' and 'top 1% performers' on this app, we sure are dumb af

please please PLEASE start writing your own playbook

as a collective we need to stop following blueprints, whether it be from a 'guru', a celebrity, or God forbid a ChatGPT output 🥲

I WANT 2026 TO BE THE YEAR YOU START REWRITING YOUR OWN STORY!!!

LET IT EXCITE YOU!

YES I'M SHOUTING!!!!!!!!

the amount of competition, burnout and comparison I see on this app every. single. day. genuinely saddens me

I'll leave you with Mark 8:36 from the Bible - and religious or not I want you to sit with it for a few days:

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

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