Welcome to the Blooming Mindset, a weekly dose of clarity, mindset, and practical wisdom to help you stay consistent, think more deeply, and build a life aligned with your identity and purpose. I’m Ruth Rieckehoff, and I’m so glad you’re here. Please share this newsletter with a friend!
Beloved Architect of Identity,
I used to judge a business the same way I judged my first “grown-up” car, by the way it looked from the outside.
And just like that silver Volkswagen Jetta I bought at 23, things looked perfect at first glance.
Shiny. Smooth. Impressive enough to make other people nod.
But inside? A whole different story.
I didn’t choose that car with strategy.
I chose it because the leather seats and sunroof made me feel like I had finally “made it.” And honestly? I was too young and too excited to ask the real questions.
The compliments were great until the bills started rolling in.
The loan? Terrible.
The interest rate? Worse.
The warranty? Basically decorative.
And the maintenance…
Everything required a “special tool” or a “special mechanic,” which was code for “prepare your wallet.” Even the insurance was high because of a turbo feature I never used.
Eventually, I got rid of it. Not because it wasn’t beautiful, but because it didn’t fit the life I was trying to build. It looked good on the outside and drained me everywhere else.
This is exactly what happens when we build a business based on appearances instead of substance.
We imagine the glossy version, the perfect brand, the fancy tech stack, the long list of offers. We want it to look successful. So we keep adding tools, platforms, systems, thinking they’ll make everything easier.
But instead?
It starts feeling like that Jetta, expensive, complicated, and constantly breaking.
Ever been there?
Here’s what shifted things for me:
I stopped caring about how my business looked and started caring about how it ran.
The businesses that actually grow?
They’re simple at the core.
Lean.
Aligned.
Built to support the life of the person running them, not sabotage it.
They don’t leak money.
They don’t drain your energy.
They don’t require 10 subscriptions you don’t use.
They work because the inside matches the outside.
So as you look toward 2026, ask yourself:
What’s under the hood of your business?
What’s helping you grow, and what’s quietly draining you?
Because appearances aren’t what drive success.
Substance does.
Alignment does.
Clarity does.
Build the business that supports your goals, not one that quietly eats them.
I’m cheering for you, always.
Ruth 🌸
Reflect
- Where in my business am I choosing “what looks good” instead of “what actually works”?
- What part of my business quietly drains me, financially, emotionally, or operationally?
Reframe
Old belief: “A serious business should look impressive.”
New belief: “A profitable business feels aligned, and that alignment creates the real impact.”
Old belief: “More tools and features = more success.”
New belief: “Simplicity compounds. Profit grows when waste disappears.”
Actionable Transformation
- Audit your current expenses.
Highlight every tool, platform, or subscription you barely use. Cancel or pause everything nonessential.
- Redesign your business around your lifestyle goals.
Start with the life you want, then rebuild the business systems that support it.
- Choose one improvement to implement immediately.
A simpler offer, a tighter system, a cheaper tool, or a clearer process. Momentum starts with one alignment shift.
News
The Holiday Abundance Bundle waitlist is open, and it’s one of the most generous all-niche bundles I’ve ever seen. With 100+ gifts valued at over $5,000, you’ll find support across every area of your life, business, home and family, hobbies and crafts, career, mindset, personal finance, lifestyle, health, spirituality, recipes, and more.
The best part? It’s 100% free from December 15-18.
👉 Join the waitlist for The Holiday Abundance Bundle.
P.S. The freedom you want lives beneath the surface, not above it.
If you want more of these bite-sized lessons and mindset shifts, I share daily over on X. Come hang out with me there → Follow me on X.
Leave a Reply