My Business Is Shifting and So Am I

The world is shifting. What people want is shifting. How people consume information is shifting. I'm shifting as well, right alongside.

Although I don't consider my work "self-help," many do. And the self-help industry is in sharp decline in 2026. People, me included, are fatigued from recycled content. It seems that more content is put out there, but nothing is new or original or even authentic thought leadership. And people are turning away.

AI is now becoming a tool and resource that instantly provides all the information you could want. So reading a book, following a blog, or subscribing to a Substack is no longer necessary, and often too cumbersome. Especially when you have to put all your information in just to access an article. It is easier to just ask AI.

Early research shows that people are feeling more judged than inspired by the self-help world, especially when it's attached to a tracking app. The novelty of devices that track your sleep, your heart rate, your caloric intake, etc. have begun to feel like nagging instead of empowering. People report that it feels like constant failure when you read that you didn’t sleep well enough, eat well enough, or move enough. And nobody wants added pressure or guilt.

We are finally realizing the value of time. 

Time to do what you love, time to rest, time for family and friends and community. People are protecting how they spend their time and energy, and I am all for that. Time is our most valuable resource, and once you spend it, it's gone forever. I'm glad to see people using more discernment about how they use their time.

People are finding news and information casually, based on what algorithms feed them on social media. Fewer and fewer people are doing research or sitting down to take an online class. Companies are less keen on paying for formal professional development. Instead, people are hungry for real and meaningful experiences rather than professional development.

I too feel all these things. 

I can't remember the last time I bought a nonfiction business or self-help book. I used to buy them and read them all the time. Now I am reading a lot of fiction — books that take me to new places, new cultures, or explore history through stories. I crave good writing and a great story line. I have seen zillions of books published in the nonfiction genre, and none of them feel very new, compelling, or necessary for me these days.

So how am I shifting? 

I'm doing more 1:1 advising and coaching, helping people who are seeking to become unstuck, to explore what is next, to better understand what is holding them back, and how to move past those patterns of behavior.

I am doing more family facilitation, helping families have uncomfortable but necessary conversations about legacy, money, and where visions collide and weave to knit stronger, more honest relationships.

I'm still doing my workshops on communication, leadership, and coaching, but less and less. Instead I weave the themes into all my coaching and consulting. Nothing lights me up more than walking alongside someone one-on-one as they get closer to living and working in the ways they truly desire.

After two long, hard years of market changes, funding changes, and uncertainty, I've decided to stop trying to push the river. I'm letting go of the hustle and grind of always selling myself, of showing up everywhere, of trying to learn the latest and greatest apps and platforms to get the word out. I just don’t want to contribute to the noise anymore.

Now I'm more focused on being present, doing work I love, and making sure I'm enjoying my life. I know the people who need me and benefit from working with me will show up. 

And I’m grateful.

Are you one of them? I'd sure love that. In the coming weeks, my website will be revised and condensed (www.bethwonson.com) to reflect these changes, I hope you’ll check it out. 

Most of all, thank you for being along for the ride, in whatever way is best for you.

Beth