We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Julia. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Julia below.

Julia, appreciate you joining us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

In society, there’s a vast expectation to have life figured out by a certain point in time. As creatives, we don’t always know what we want to do or how we can create a living off of work that’s deeply meaningful and fulfilling to us. Just because someone has a big social media account doesn’t necessarily mean they’re making a lot of money. Sometimes, the only way out seems to be placing yourself neatly into a box with a traditional job title, but conforming to that reality can be painful on a spiritual level. It can be hard for others who are okay with a more traditional path to understand or support, but it’s important to remember that we all bloom at different times and that we all have different gifts to bring to the world. Even through the uncertain and shaky process of traveling the creative path, we should trust that we’re right on time and that the universe will reward us for staying true to who we are meant to be in this life.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Julia but I’m most known by my Instagram name delicatehibiscus. I have been writing inspirational life quotes on Instagram since 2019, I have loved writing since I learned how and deeply admired authors, and later some of the earliest social media writers. After pondering about sharing my work publicly for about a year, encouraging words from a friend gave me the confidence boost I needed to finally begin. It started off as a fun hobby and I didn’t expect it to be much else, but the account eventually blew up and became very popular. I ended up publishing a quote book in 2024 and sharing more resources like meditations, affirmation videos, longer-form substack articles, and a community membership featuring exclusive content such as stretch videos, motivational audios, reflection prompts, and group discussions. I created this container for people who want to live a more full, courageous, and aligned life but who currently feel stuck, demotivated, or not confident. A lot of emotion regulation and mindset work is done in that group. I am most proud of myself for staying true to who I am, showing up authentically on the internet, and trying new things to bring more value to my supporters. The main thing I want others to know about me/my work is that they are welcome, their emotions are valid, and they are not alone in anything they’re going through.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I struggled with an eating disorder for over 10 years. Most of my mental/emotional healing happened over the course of this past year, but prior to that every day was an inner battle. Trying to function as a friend, student, girlfriend, creative, family member, and employee with constant anxiety about food, exercise, and body image was exhausting. I relapsed countless times, was hospitalized, and almost lost my life when I was 11. I almost lost faith in my recovery and surrendered to a lifelong battle with anorexia, but something shifted in me when I took a trip to Italy last year. I promised myself I would immerse myself in the culture, and breaking the pattern of my usual routine did something to my brain. These days, I still struggle, although much less than before, and I choose recovery every day not just for myself but for how I can show up for my loved ones and community as a result.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn is that nobody cares about what I think, feel, or have to share. Growing up with an emotionally unavailable mother and a father who struggled heavily with alcohol (and honestly hated me), I didn’t often feel like my inner world was considered, interesting, or worthy of attention. I ended up being very shy, distant, and largely unexpressive to the people around me. I wrote a lot during those times—it was an outlet for whatever I was keeping inside. Once I was encouraged to share my work publicly, I doubted anyone would care or relate, and I stayed anonymous for years. Receiving feedback since then about how much people relate with my words, how they look forward to my posts, and generally how much people care about me as a person has instilled the belief in me that I matter…that I can be seen, loved, and respected for who I am.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delicatehibiscus?igsh=MWF3N3hvb3E4OG1lOQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@delicatehibiscus?si=5seHKYQAqJ0hf3F4
• Other: Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/delicatehibiscus

  Community Membership: https://open.substack.com/pub/delicatehibiscus/chat?r=5yi5s6&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=share

  Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DD9XQXPN?ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_6DEDW54T42EN1KYQHECE&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_6DEDW54T42EN1KYQHECE&social_share=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_6DEDW54T42EN1KYQHECE&skipTwisterOGi=1&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZnRzaAQzkPFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAac1ianMxOFCWVsZnaxbplzSzCovFN1IlMEc8_d6tpJqHHdqbXis4pCTSw2EQw_aem_lvouNm5zlE0HCraxptjieg

Image Credits

The image of my book against the sand and ocean was created by Rachel Sierra.