You know that mental ping-pong game you play every time you think about raising your prices.
One minute you’re steady.
Clear.
Grounded.
I’m good at what I do. I’m worth this.
Then the paddle swings back.
What if people think I’m gouging them?
What if I’m not actually that talented?
There are so many other good people. What if I’m replaceable?
Back and forth.
Over and over.
Until you’re exhausted and still doing nothing.
Not because you’re lazy.
Not because you don’t know what to do.
But because the emotional load of the decision is heavier than anyone talks about.
Here’s the part you usually don’t say out loud.
This isn’t even about a raise.
Your supply costs are going up.
Your rent is increasing.
Life is more expensive than it was a year ago.
At this point, raising your prices wouldn’t even be a pay increase.
It would be making sure you’re not slowly losing money while telling yourself you’re being responsible.
And somehow, that’s where the guilt sneaks in.
You feel guilty.
Then you shame yourself for feeling guilty.
Because logically, you know this is just basic sustainability.
But emotionally?
You’re afraid your clients won’t understand.
That they’ll feel abandoned.
That they’ll leave.
And that if they do, it will confirm the fear you already carry quietly in your chest.
That you were never really worthy to begin with.
If that feels uncomfortably accurate, you’re not broken.
You’re empathetic.
You care deeply.
And at some point, you were taught that being kind meant being accommodating.
Even when it costs you.
Especially when it costs you.
You’ve probably been praised for being easy to work with.
For not rocking the boat.
For being flexible.
And now you’re trying to reconcile that identity with the reality of running a business in a world that keeps getting more expensive.
So let me say the thing your nervous system actually needs to hear.
If you want to care for your clients long-term, you have to stay in business long-term.
And if you don’t keep up with rising costs in your business and your life, that simply won’t be possible.
That’s not selfish.
That’s sustainability.
You give a lot.
Probably more than you charge for.
You’ve likely underpaid yourself, overdelivered, and then felt guilty for even wanting more.
Not because you’re greedy.
But because logic and emotion don’t collaborate well when fear is involved.
That’s why knowing what to do hasn’t been enough.
You don’t need another article explaining why price increases are normal.
You don’t need more spreadsheets.
You don’t need to be convinced you’re allowed.
You need support learning how to take confident action even while fear is still there.
You don’t have to lose your warmth to run your business properly.
You don’t have to become cold, rigid, or transactional.
You don’t have to turn into someone you don’t recognize.
You can raise your prices without losing your clients.
You can communicate boundaries without over-explaining.
You can make changes without spiraling for weeks beforehand.
And it doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated.
If you’re done letting fear be the quiet decision-maker in your business, it might be time to approach this differently.
This is the kind of work I talk about often with the people in my world.
Not from a hustle perspective.
Not from a toughen-up angle.
But from a place of self-trust and sustainability.
If this resonated, you might like being on my email list.
I write there the way I wish someone had spoken to me when I was stuck in this exact loop.
No pressure.
Just honest conversations about running a business without abandoning yourself.
