Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara H.
Hi Sara, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In 2020, I was a full time high school English teacher in Union County. When the government sent stimulus checks and I had more time at home, I started a stationery business, Notably Paper Co. I made everything from greeting cards to calendars, and my top selling product (and my personal favorite) was my positive affirmation set.
I sold at markets all over the Carolinas and found a lot of success with my small business! At time went on, that chapter closed, but I continued to post online about positive affirmations, mental health, and self-care. The more I shared, the more my account grew, and it’s continuing to grow every day!
Now, I post with the goal of helping others to prioritize self-care and ending the stigma around mental health. I have plans to begin offering personalized self-care plans as well as beginning a community membership so people can have a safe space where they feel seen and heard.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Closing Notably Paper Co. was definitely a tough decision, mentally. I knew I was ready to move on and open a new chapter (handmaking *everything* was quite the challenge) but it was still difficult to say goodbye to this business that I built from scratch. Now that I have shifted my business into content creation, I am a thousand times happier BUT it isn’t all rainbows all the time.
Content creators are often faced with internet hate and struggles with body image. I have learned that no matter what you post, someone is always going to have something to say. You know that saying; “You can have the juiciest, sweetest peach in the world and you’re still going to find someone who doesn’t like peaches?” That’s become sort of my new mantra. I’m learning to put my mental health first and create what feels good and is good for the world.
When it comes to body image, I admit that I struggle most days! I spend a lot of time online, so there are literally *millions* of people to compare myself to. I sometimes find that when taking pictures or videos of myself, my first thought is “Ew, I wish I didn’t look like that.” But, my second, more rational thought, is to notice how *happy* I am. And that maybe I can be a positive influence for others who have similar bodies as mine.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am most known for my Wheel of Self-Care on Instagram! On my wheel, I have various self-care activities that are 100% accessible to anyone at any time. What sets me apart from other self-care influencers is that I focus mostly on simple, quick, activities that can be done for $0 without having to leave your home. I do love the occasional massage, facial, etc, but I realize that self-care goes so much deeper than those trivial things.
Self-care is more about the intangible. It’s about doing things that fulfill you and protect your peace. It’s about knowing when to say “yes” and when to say “no.” This is what I am most proud of: helping people who may not have the means or funds understand that they deserve self-care and that self-care is right at their fingertips… they may just need a perspective shift.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think being an “influencer” and being in the public eye is a huge risk. In my perspective, humans are not meant to be perceived by SO many people ALL of the time. So, it’s a risk for my mental health; putting myself out there for others to judge. It’s a scary feeling but the benefits (community, making a difference) are worth it to me
The word “influencer” itself has such a negative connotation these days and I still feel embarrassed calling myself one. But, if I am influencing people to take better care of themselves, then call me an influencer! I was put on this Earth to help others. First through teaching, then through my affirmation sets, and now through sharing about self-care.
Pricing:
- If you are a business owner looking for a local content creator, reach out to me!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notablysara
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@notablysara
