SEPTEMBER 2025

Sometimes what looks pristine… is hiding rot.

That’s a hard lesson I had to sit with recently. Not just in life, but in business.

What started as admiration for a beautiful space slowly turned into an uncomfortable realization:

Mold had been quietly growing beneath the surface.

At first, I didn’t see it. But eventually, the atmosphere shifted and what had been hidden was suddenly undeniable.

This wasn’t just about a home. It was a revelation.

Because businesses can operate the same way:

Beautiful branding. 

Strong visuals. 

Aesthetically perfect offers.

But underneath? 

Neglected truths. Deferred maintenance. Patterns growing in the dark.

This month, we’re talking about what happens when the surface isn’t safe.

When the polish can no longer cover the cracks. 

When the systems, the numbers, the performance… all start telling the truth.

When we first moved in, everything felt perfect.

The layout was peaceful. The light came through just right. The details were thoughtful.

It felt like rest.

But then, the electricity faltered. Codes were changed without notice. Mold began to surface.

Suddenly, the comfort we had anchored into began to feel… fragile.

That’s when I realized: Comfort can be costly.

Not just in life but in business.

And especially when it comes to how we think about profit.

Because sometimes what looks like stability is actually stagnation.

Sometimes the contract, the client, or the routine we cling to is costing us more than it gives; financially, emotionally, and spiritually.

Here are three ways to check if your current financial rhythms are rooted in calling or just convenience:

① Are You Overpaying for Peace?

Comfort often leads us to hold on longer than we should. Are there subscriptions, vendors, or offers you're keeping because they’re easy, not because they still serve?

② Is Ease Replacing Discernment?

Convenience can mask misalignment. Are you choosing financial paths that avoid discomfort, even if they delay obedience?

③ Have You Confused Provision with Permission?

Just because a revenue stream provides doesn’t mean it’s permission to stay. Are you sustaining a business model that no longer reflects who you’re becoming?

Profit isn’t always found in what you keep. Sometimes, it’s what you release that frees you to grow.

As a digital nomad, my journey has taken me to different countries so far...

Some places breathe welcome. You arrive, and the land opens.

You rest and feel held.

Your systems align. Your ideas flow. Your rhythms make sense.

Then there are places that feel… off.

The light is right, but the weight is wrong.

The space is beautiful, but your spirit feels uninvited.

And here’s what I’ve learned:

The same is true for systems.

Some routines hold you because they’re designed for who you are now.

Others bind you because they’re built around a season that’s already passed.

So here’s what I’m asking myself this month:

① Is my current workflow rooted in the soil I’m still called to?

② Have my structures become sacred or stagnant?

③ Are my routines scaffolding my evolution or sabotaging it?

Sometimes resistance isn’t failure. It’s a redirection.

You can measure profit. You can measure process.

But what about performance?

Not in terms of output or audience reach.

Not even in terms of revenue.

I mean something deeper.

Are your current metrics revealing your maturity or your misalignment?

Now we ask: What is your performance telling you?

Not just about your business. About your obedience.

Are you tracking how many posts went out or how often you followed conviction?

Are you measuring your income or your integrity?

Are you clocking conversions or asking, “Did I do what the Spirit led me to do?”

Because sometimes, the biggest indicator of performance is:

① The peace you feel at the end of the day

② The way your breath returns when you’re in the right soil

③ The clarity that emerges when you choose surrender over speed

We’re not building businesses for show.

We’re not leading brands that rot quietly while the aesthetics stay flawless.

We are stewards:

Truth. Peace. Purpose.

And that means we pay attention to what others ignore.

We address what’s beneath.

We slow down enough to notice the signs and respond before the damage spreads.

So as we move into this month, ask yourself:

➊ What financial pattern am I glossing over?

➋ What workflow feels “fine,” but quietly drains me?

➌ What metric am I chasing that doesn’t reflect what matters?

The polish can wait. The surface will shift.

But if the foundation is sound, if the root is tended, what you build will stand.

You don’t have to prove anything. But you do have to steward something.

Start this month with honesty. With integrity.

With the quiet courage to ask: What’s really growing beneath the surface?

We’ll walk this out together.

Shalom,

Michelle Reyes

Bookkeeping & Consulting

mishael@myadonbusiness.com

(315) 220 - 0684