Hi there,

Welcome back to You Got a Minute by LifeAt. If you’re new here, you can get caught up by checking out our blog here!

If you’re interested in sponsoring a spot on our ever-growing newsletter, click here 🌱

Have you ever caught yourself shrinking in small, quiet ways? Not speaking up even when you had something valuable to say. Skipping the post you really wanted to share. Swallowing a boundary that needed to be set and deleting that text you worked hard on writing.

It’s not just you.

So many of us - especially creatives and sensitive high-achievers - learn to edit ourselves in rooms that feel too loud or too big. We worry about being too much, too unqualified, too early, too everything. Our imposter syndrome sneaks back in our brains and tells us to erase ourselves more even though that’s not what we want.

But you don’t need to be more ready, y’know? You need to just learn to foster some more self trust. And that’s something we can work on, right here, right now.

🌱 Why we shrink (and how it hurts us)

Confidence isn’t just about being bold. It’s about feeling safe in your own skin.

When you consistently stay small, your brain learns that silence is safer than self-expression. That it’s better to be liked than heard. That belonging means blending in.

But the cost? You don’t get to grow into your full potential, and your ideas stay stuck in the drafts folder. Your needs go unmet, and you continue to minimizing cycle that only pushes you further and further away from your goals. Your life starts to feel like it belongs to someone else.

Taking up space isn’t selfish - it’s necessary. It’s how you show up fully for your work, your relationships, and yourself.

🧠 Confidence isn’t a trait, it’s a skill

And like any skill, you get better with practice. Here’s what that practice looks like:

1. Notice the micro-moment of shrinking

Catch the little ways you pull yourself back:

• Changing your opinion to avoid conflict, or just staying quiet on something you don’t agree with.

• Over-apologizing for taking up time, space, and attention.

• Withholding your ideas until someone else speaks first.

Start by noticing. That’s the first step to change. Exploring your why requires you to be visibile. Usually you won’t get credit for your hard work until you’re loud about your accomplishments. Shrinking won’t help show how amazing you are.

2. Do the Thing before you feel ready

Waiting to feel 100% confident is a trap. It’s comfy and less stressful but it doesn’t really happen. You’ll find something else to do, or some other way to get even more ready. Action builds confidence, not the other way around. The Prep Trap is real, we’ve covered it in the past.

So let’s try this:

• Hitting publish on the draft that feels “not quite there”. Just do it. It’s fine.

• Asking the question in class or a meeting. Someone else is likely confused too, and may need clarification.

• Taking a selfie and actually posting it. Not for others to like it, but because you felt good when taking it.

Reminder: Confidence isn’t about being fearless. It’s about moving with the fear and choosing to show up anyway. Fear doesn’t own you, it’s just unharnessed momentum.

3. Make room for self-recognition

Instead of chasing external validation, make space to validate yourself. You’re the person you’ll be living with for the rest of your life, so why not get comfortable with your voice?

Each time you set a boundary, say no, or share your opinion write it down. Reflect on it. Celebrate it. Confidence grows through self-witnessing. See how you’re showing up for yourself and say, “hell yeah, I’ve got my own back.” You’ve grown so much in the last month, the last year, the last five years.

Make a brag sheet of your work/school accomplishments so you can look back, share with future employers, and know you’ve come so far (and it’s only the beginning!)

Here’s a journal prompt for you today:

“Where have I been shrinking myself to stay safe? And what would it look like to expand in that space?” Write freely. There’s no wrong answer. Just start noticing where your voice wants to return.

🌸 You belong exactly as you are

You don’t have to be the loudest person in the room to take up space. You don’t need a massive following to share your art. You don’t need every credential to speak on your experience. You just need to believe this:

You deserve to be here. Fully. Unapologetically. Imperfectly. And when you let yourself exist without shrinking, something beautiful happens: You give permission for others to do the same.

LifeAt: Focus with joy

LifeAt isn’t just a productivity tool—it’s your personal focus sanctuary. With a Pomodoro timer, over 1,000 aesthetic virtual spaces, cozy soundboards, and a planner that actually keeps you on track, it’s built to make work feel good.

✨ Romanticize your workflow. Try LifeAt today and create a routine you’ll actually look forward to.

Reader Spotlight ❤️

We want to feature our community bi-weekly! Submit your profile here!

Real or AI 🤖

Last week, 88% of y’all were right - Image 2 was the REAL log cabin! 🪵 Lots of y’all pointed out that the image just felt way too “soft”, and there was a significant lack of texture, visual imperfection, and reflections. It seems like AI has a hard time letting go of perfectionism!

This week, you’re on vacation. You step away from your laptop, toes sinking into the warm sand. The ocean is crystal blue, the breeze is soft, and waiting for you on a sun-bleached log is the perfect tropical drink - served in a coconut, complete with a starfish decoration and beach towel. It’s giving postcard. It’s giving paradise.

But wait… 🕶️ One of these dreamy beach scenes is AI-generated. The other? 100% real.

So tell us:
Which one do y’all think is the real photo?

With you always,

rorrie 🌱