A Gentle Way to Find Your Voice Online

Nov 18

Recently, a friend told me, “I’m just tired of trying to figure out my voice, my ideal client, and what to post. I want it to feel clear and aligned.”

If that feels familiar, you’re not broken—and you’re definitely not alone.

Most of us didn’t start our businesses because we love content strategy. We started because we care about people, we’re good at what we do, and we want our work to mean something. The confusion usually shows up when we try to squeeze that into “perfect messaging” and “ideal client avatars.”

This post is a quieter, simpler way to think about it.

Your Voice Isn’t Missing

Your voice is not something you have to invent from scratch. It’s already there in:

The way you talk to clients and friends
The stories you tell over and over
The phrases you naturally use when you’re encouraging someone

What makes it feel “lost” is usually noise: too many shoulds, too many formulas, too much pressure to sound like everyone else who seems to be “doing it right.”

Instead of asking, “How do I create the perfect brand voice?” try, “How do I sound more like myself?”

Start With One Real Person

Before you worry about demographics, imagine one real person you’d love to help.

Ask yourself:

What are they tired of right now?
What feels confusing or heavy for them?
How do they want to feel instead?

When you picture a real human instead of a vague “ideal client,” your tone softens, your words get clearer, and your content feels less like a performance and more like a conversation.

Turn Everyday Conversations Into Content

You don’t need a huge list of content pillars to start. Begin with the conversations you’re already having:

Questions people ask you all the time
Topics that light you up when you explain them
Stories that seem to land every time you share them

Each one can become a simple piece of content:

A short story about a client or personal moment (with privacy honored)
A “here’s how I think about this” explanation
A gentle reminder or reframe for someone who’s struggling

You’re not forcing ideas—you’re capturing what’s already there.

Keep the Rhythm Simple

Your voice has a better chance of coming through when you’re not rushing.

Instead of trying to post everywhere, every day, try a calm rhythm like:

1–3 days a week
One simple focus each day:
- Teach something small
- Share a story or reflection
- Gently point to how you can help

Keep a running note on your phone of phrases, questions, and ideas. When you sit down to write, choose one and speak to that one real person again.

Let Your Voice Evolve

Clarity doesn’t arrive all at once—it unfolds as you create.

As you keep showing up, you’ll start to notice:

Which topics feel the most “you”
Which posts resonate deeply with your people
Which ways of writing feel calm in your body, not forced

That evolution isn’t a problem; it’s proof that you’re learning in real time.

Your Next Gentle Step

If everything feels noisy right now, try this:

This week, write one piece of content as if you were answering a friend you genuinely care about. No jargon. No overthinking. Just you, sharing something that might bring them a little relief or clarity.

That’s your voice.

The more you honor that simple, honest version of you, the more your content will feel like an extension of who you are—not a mask you have to put on every time you log in.

Lori Lee Shull