Thread by @heyashleytea

Two years ago I started my Top 1000 streak - and this month may be the month that we let it go.

So I want to take a minute to share everything I’ve learned, what I’ve gained and some things I want to change moving forward, post-rank life ❤️

The biggest attitude shifts that took me from usually ranking outside of the top to consistently ranking within it were:

1. Every token counts
2. Consistency > Countdowns
3. Fuck cam score
4. Give a shit

I used to log off if I didn’t make my hourly token goal or if I felt it was “slow” - but after I learned to stay on longer, be more patient and focus more on providing a great environment, I started consistently doing better overall.

Morning cam never really made me tons of tokens - but the extra 1000 to 2000 tokens on a daily basis added up. More people over multiple time zones meant I had a broader tipping base and relied less on whales for my income.

I realized that camming 5x or 6x a week would mean that many times, goals would not be met. I started to say “so be it” and just focus on staying for my entire “shift”, regardless of income - and while it sucked sometimes, I started to enjoy camming more overall

My cam score dropped, but my regular base got larger and stronger. I developed real friendships that I cared about, made more inside jokes and stupid gifs than I could count and honestly fell in love with streaming again.

Giving a shit meant I was more inspired, so I made more content, which drove more sales, which maintained better ranks.

And it’s been really, really fucking fun. And safe. And reliable. And consistent!

Things that worked the BEST were monthly or bimonthly video/photoset releases, being very present on Snapchat and social media, and being insanely consistent/present on cam. Stay longer. Talk more. Care a lot. Give a lot.

Things that didn’t work too well were, as usual, pre-made mail out content ($ and not worth) and biting off more than I could chew. I’d rather pull 500 - 1000 ranks consistently than do top 100 once and burn out, personally. I knew where “good” was for me and worked to stay there

To some my ranks aren’t impressive but to ME, they reflect making time out of an already busy schedule, juggling work and school, staying within my niche and working my ass off to keep my mental health alive - and so I’m super heckin proud of myself for the streak ❤️

HOWEVER.
Regardless of whether we continue the streak this month - or whether we somehow make it again moving forward .... I’m choosing to let go of my push for Top 1000 after #ocTEAber ends. Life is changing, I am changing, and so it’s time to make my schedule reflect that

For me, being in the top 1000 has meant making camming a h u g e part of my life. I’ve given it my all for a long time and now I need to balance my energy more carefully to prioritize school and IRL stuff, which is why I’m leaving morning cam and switching to 2x days a week

Without the extra morning hustle, without the video releases or monthly photo galleries, without side snap stories and mail out prizes and raffles and tip wars and HT stuff ... I don’t know how (or why) I’d keep landing top ranks, and that’s okay ❤️

I’d rather ease into a reduced schedule that we can both count on that’s still fun and engaging than push myself past my limits or flat out quit. So as tough as it is to think I won’t “count” as a rank model like I have for the last few years - it’s what’s right for me ❤️

I want to wake up in the mornings without my first thought being “I hope my stomach will look flat for cam.” I want to eat breakfast without fearing bloating in photos. I want to start my day without critically analyzing my shape and size before I’m even really awake.

I want to be able to dedicate my most mentally sharp hours to studying or self care rather than putting these things on the back burner or my “to do” list for later. I want to sleep in sometimes without feeling guilty about it.

There have been a lot of days lately where my anxiety is so bad before cam that I have to medicate to make it through the stream - which impacts me in my tasks after cam ends. I’ve been drinking a lot more lately. My mental health is poop.

I have no regrets and appreciate everything that the hustle has given me! But I am very tired and ready for a change ❤️ I think keeping stream days to just Friday/Saturday will help me make more space for myself, which I need 🥰