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Today, I will be coming clean about what’s been happening in my life.
LFG. 🔥
I Am No Longer A Part Of Stodzy
Over the summer, I decided to sell my stake in Stodzy Internet Marketing.
There’s no easy way to say this, but I had a mental and emotional breakdown over the summer.
There’s not much to say about the specifics. I fell into the same trap most Americans fall into. I was working too much, neglecting my emotional well-being, bottling up my feelings, and isolating myself.
It all hit at once. I felt like I was losing my mind. I lost control of my emotions. Bryan and Tricia saw it happening and unfairly bore the brunt of my frustration. Every conversation seemed to end in anger, even though they were great partners. Bryan and Tricia never disrespected me. They were always accommodating, supportive, and open to my ideas.
I don’t know how to fully explain it. The three of us had spoken every day for years—Bryan and I for over a decade. They didn’t do anything wrong. They were simply the only people I confided in, aside from Jules. When we talked, my emotions spilled out in a chaotic mess, and I know it was hard for them, too.
One day, I went for a walk around the lake near my house, and it hit me.
“I can’t do this anymore.”
I spoke with my business coach and my wife. After two weeks of reflection, I called Bryan and told him the truth.
We came to an agreement, and as of last week, I am officially no longer part of Stodzy Internet Marketing.
It still feels surreal. Stodzy was such a big part of my identity. Now it’s not. I feel sad about leaving the team, but I also feel relieved. It’s a new chapter, and I’m embracing it with open arms.
The Floodgates Are Open
Once I decided to step away from Stodzy, my thoughts became overwhelming. I knew I had been neglecting parts of myself. My wife challenged me to dig deep and explore what I’d been avoiding.
For the first time in my life, I started seeing a therapist.
I also committed to regular breathwork sessions with Jules. This has been incredibly rewarding and enlightening. I’ve rediscovered parts of myself—both hidden and forgotten—that have brought healing, joy, and insight.
I realized I had leaned too heavily on my sobriety as a crutch. I thought I was self-aware simply because of the tools I learned in recovery. But the truth is, recovery taught me how to stop drinking, not how to heal.
Healing is what this next chapter is all about.
The Truth About Trauma
Trauma has become a buzzword. People often talk about "dealing with their childhood trauma," and I used to roll my eyes at that.
But trauma is universal. It’s a natural part of the human experience. I’ve come to see trauma as any experience that creates a change in your nervous system, regardless of severity.
Imagine being in a minor car accident as a child. No one was hurt, but right before the impact, someone blared their horn. Now, 30 years later, the sound of a car horn makes you jump and feel on edge. That’s trauma. It’s an experience that embeds itself in your nervous system as a protective mechanism. The problem is, modern society doesn’t provide tools for healing these accumulated traumas.
We process trauma, but we don’t heal from it.
How To Heal From Trauma
Humans have always healed through ceremony.
Throughout history, ceremonies have been central to life. Communities gathered to mark solstices, deaths, births, weddings, and transitions. Ceremonies celebrated food, war, alliances, and rites of passage.
But we’ve lost that connection.
Today, weddings are status symbols. Birthdays revolve around consumerism. Boys and girls come of age through the internet, exposed to porn, video games, and makeup tutorials. We eat alone with headphones on, scrolling through short videos we barely remember.
Ceremony is dead, and with it, healing.
Humans have always understood that healing within a community is essential. But we’ve forgotten. With no way to address the traumas we accumulate, we isolate. We scroll. We complain about politicians. We leave comments on YouTube. We binge-watch TV shows.
None of this helps us heal.
Spiritual healing is no different from healing a physical wound. Our bodies were designed to do it, but we have to let the system work.
I Feel A Lot Better
Over the past six months, I’ve prioritized healing, breathwork, afternoon walks, quality sleep, hydration, and community. I’ve made new friends outside of work and started initiating conversations with strangers at Muay Thai or in coffee shops.
Jules and I have experimented with different ceremonies and rituals. We attended a traditional Native American sweat lodge. For the holidays, we skipped Christmas presents and celebrated the Winter Solstice.
We read our morning intentions to each other. Breathwork has been a game changer.
I’ve never felt better. I’m a good dad and a good husband.
Now, Let’s Get To Work
Truthfully, I’ve felt a little lost during this healing process. I’ve intentionally avoided anything extreme, allowing myself the time and space to let life unfold.
I’ve still been working hard, focusing on writing my newsletter and doing great work for my clients at The Shop.
I’ve also been supporting Jules in her business, which has been amazing.
As time passed, the vision became clearer.
The Next Chapter Of My Enterprise
I’ve used my daily newsletter to work through my ideas. Now, I can present them more clearly.
Part One: The Shop AI (The Agency)
The agency will remain a major part of my work. For a few months, I thought I was done with client services. I wasn’t feeling aligned.
I considered raising money and building a tech platform. But I realized that idea stemmed from seeing what others were doing, not from what I wanted.
I have no desire to raise money. I prefer my method.
Through writing and reflection, I reaffirmed that the “cash flow first” approach works best for me. I’m skilled at growth, SEO, content, funnels, ads, and sales. I can generate significant cash by serving clients.
My client work is also my main source of deal flow. Most of my investments come from relationships built through the agency.
It works. I just needed a break.
Part Two: My Personal Holdings Company
Nothing changes here. The goal of my work is to grow my portfolio.
“You don’t get rich from what you do. You get rich from what you own.”
My investment firm embraces the long game. I feel urgency in my daily work, but my portfolio gives me peace of mind. I take deals as they come and patiently seek opportunities that fit my investment thesis.
This part of my enterprise has always been clear to me.
Part Three: My Personal Brand (TimStodz.com)
I’ve been hesitant to fully commit to my personal brand, especially with video content. But I know the potential I have on YouTube.
My business coach pointed out that I often justified my personal brand. I would say things like, “I don’t care about being famous, I just want to grow my audience for business.” Or, “I enjoy making YouTube videos, even if others think it’s silly.”
She reminded me that I don’t need to justify what I want. It’s my life. I can do what I want without explanation.
I’m done holding back.
Here’s what I want:
Keep growing my newsletter, which is my favorite part of the day.
Grow my YouTube channel.
Start a podcast to meet new people.
Speak on stages.
Expand the TimStodz Incubator.
My goal is to monetize my personal brand through The Incubator and through speaking engagements. I’ve received positive feedback from past presentations, and I know I have more to offer.
More importantly, my personal brand will continue to generate leads for The Shop and my holdings company.
It all works together.
The Eagle And The Condor
During a breathwork session with Jules, I had a vision of incorporating both the eagle and the condor into my life.
I can have spiritual health, peace of mind, rest, and love while also achieving financial success, luxury, and abundance.
It’s not an either-or situation. I can have both.
This next chapter is about embracing the gray areas. I’ve always had a binary approach to life, but that is changing.