hot take: love island is so fake.

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And I'm talking more than just the whole "well yeah, production cuts and edits scenes to make the show more entertaining".

Yes, absolutely. I 100% agree with you. They totally do. But the people themselves are also SO incredibly fake, it makes me cringe.

They say they're there "to find love" (and hey, not hate. If I had the social media following & the body-ody-ody the producers want to see, I'd be signing my ass up tomorrow) but after the first couple of seasons?

We ALL know why they're really there: to grow their personal brand, be on TV, and make money.

Which go off queen, make that money!! 💃🏼💸

That's not where my issue is at all. My issue is with the whole "I love you so much!", "You're my sister!", "You'll always be in my life no matter what!"

Less than 48 hours after meeting each other.

It just comes off as so disingenuous and fake. And truly, I don't know why it bothers me so much, but it does.

Any time scenes like that show up, I'm sitting there like 🙄🙄🙄

And the more I thought about it, the more I realized it gives the same energy as when brands send emails trying way too hard to sound personal or connected... without ever building the trust first.

You know the kind:

• “We’re obsessed with you!!” (they’ve never emailed you before)
• “Your personalized product recs!” (everything in the email is generic)
• “Hey bestie 💖” (no. no no no.)

I'm not saying emotional connection in email is bad. But you have to EARN it. You can't just come out the gate swinging & pretending like you're soul sisters.

Because in email (just like in Love Island), people can smell fake vibes from a mile away.

🌊 How to Avoid Fake Vibes In Your Emails 🌊

Building trust with your list isn’t about using the right emoji, sounding overly “fun,” or pretending to know your reader when you’ve never shown up for them before.

Real connection happens when your subscribers feel like they know you because you’ve consistently shown up with value, clarity, and actual human tone.

That means:

• Writing like you’re talking to them, not at them
• Giving helpful, honest context (not just saying “this product is amazing!!” with no substance)
• Following through on what you say you’re going to deliver
• Earning attention, not assuming you already have it

If you want your list to trust you, they need to know what to expect from you and then experience that, over and over again.

It’s not sexy. Nor is it dramatic or flashy. But it works. And it lasts longer than any two-day Love Island relationship.

🛠️ Your 5-Minute Challenge 🛠️

Look at your last couple of emails and ask yourself:

• Does this email sound like me, or like what I think I’m “supposed” to say?
• Am I giving readers a clear reason to care, or just asking for a click?
• If someone was new to my list, would this email build trust, or make them bounce?

Then make one tiny edit to your next send:

• A clearer reason for why you're showing up
• A softer CTA
• A line that sounds more like how you'd text a friend and less like how you'd “write an email”

Trust is built in the small moments, and showing up authentically YOU and not just what you think people WANT to see (hear), is going to help you way more than saying "I love you so much!" right off the bat.

Reading: The Nightingale! Not only is this a 4.6 (!!!) rating on Goodreads, but the Fanning sisters are starring in the movie adaptation. While it's not the normal genre I enjoy, my sister is letting me read it & she said it's good so 🤷🏼‍♀️

Listening: My boo thing is officially deployed as of last week 😭 So I'm getting back into my audiobook game! Starting with The Ever King. I was sooo excited for a new fantasy read. But honestly, it's a bit mid. And I'm over 90% done 😅

Wellness Goal: Getting back into the routine of my habits!!! 🎶 And man, I feel like a woman 🎶 Lmao, jk. But in all seriousness, I've been in a bit of a funk lately & I forgot how much better I feel when I follow my routines. 💙

Obsessing Over: My neck fan!!!! It's a huge lifesaver living in NC, but especially during my Florida trip earlier this month! It truly made it so I was able to spend hours in the sweltering heat without bitching & moaning. A 10/10 must-have.

Okay but wait... have you watched Season 7 of Love Island? Because I have thoughts, and if you do too, I wanna hear yours. 👀

From the Huda drama to the final winners to every chaotic little moment in between... spill.

I’m genuinely nosy curious, and need to know who you were rooting for and who gave you the ick. I don't want to share mine right now (no spoilers around here!), but I'm dyyyyying to talk to someone about it!

Also, side note, while I’ve got you:

I’m working on building out a free resource vault full of helpful templates, tips, and tools for when you’re not quite ready to outsource your emails yet.

So if there’s anything you’ve been stuck on or wish someone would just hand you, reply back and tell me. I’d love to include it. :)

Talk to ya next week,

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