The Day I Stopped Pretending

I used to lie to myself about why I do this work.

For months, I told myself it was about creating beautiful experiences for others. About proving romance wasn't dead. About being some kind of fairy godmother bringing magic to lonely hearts. All true, but not the whole truth.

The real truth? I was broken, and this felt like the only way to feel wanted again.

My ex didn't just cheat - he made me feel like I was too much. Too romantic, too emotional, too invested in things that "didn't matter." He'd roll his eyes when I got excited about finding the perfect vintage teacup or when I cried at movies. I started shrinking myself, dimming down, trying to be the cool girl who didn't care about flowers or handwritten notes.

When that relationship imploded, I didn't just lose him. I lost myself. The girl who believed in magic felt stupid, naive, embarrassing. I almost became someone else entirely - cynical, guarded, practical.

Then I discovered this work, and suddenly my romantic nature wasn't a flaw to hide but a gift to offer. Men lit up when I got genuinely excited about planning our time together. They cherished the care I put into every detail. For the first time in years, being myself felt valuable instead of embarrassing.

But here's what I didn't expect: healing myself through healing others. Every time someone tells me I've made them feel special, I remember that I am special. Every time someone appreciates my attention to beauty and detail, I fall back in love with those parts of myself I'd almost abandoned.

Yes, I create magical experiences for others. But honestly? I need the magic as much as they do. I need to believe that romance matters, that beauty heals, that taking care with the small things isn't frivolous but sacred. I need to remember that the girl who cries at sunsets isn't weak - she's awake.

This work saved me from becoming someone I wouldn't recognize. It gave me permission to be fully myself again, unapologetically romantic in a world that calls it weakness. Every beautiful moment I create is also a small rebellion against everyone who ever made me feel like too much.

I'm not just selling romance - I'm reclaiming it. For myself as much as anyone else.

And maybe that's the most honest magic of all.

With hard-won authenticity,

Celeste