The Host Behind the Curtain
by azulomo | 4 min read
Self-doubt is sneaky. Here’s how it shows up in hosting.
What If the Only Thing Holding You Back… Is You?
You say it’s the market. The guests. The timing. The listings. But what if it’s not? What if the only thing in your way… is something you haven’t dared admit out loud yet?
There’s a moment, just after a guest checks out and the house goes quiet again. You walk through the rooms with fresh sheets folded in your arms, the scent of eucalyptus still lingering. You’ve hosted, cleaned, organised, replied, thanked, fixed the WiFi (again), and even remembered to restock the olive oil. You’ve done the thing. But still—there’s a tiny, tired voice inside that wonders…
Why doesn’t it feel like it’s working? Why am I still not booked for next month? Why am I always on edge about raising my prices or updating my photos? Why do I feel like I’m doing so much but still falling short?
It’s not that you aren’t trying. It’s that you’re quietly sabotaging your own success—in ways that feel like common sense, but are actually fear dressed up as logic. So let’s gently pull back the curtain. Let’s talk about the small stories we tell ourselves. And how they keep us from showing up as the confident, intentional hosts we know we could be.
You say you’re waiting for the right guest. The right time. The right update. But deep down, you’re scared to fully own it. The shift happens when you do.
1. You Don’t Know Your Why (Yet)
It started as a side hustle. Or an inherited family home. Or a place you poured your savings into and thought—why not rent it out while we’re not there? But somewhere along the way, you realised: this isn’t just a side project anymore.
Guests are coming. You’re getting reviews. You’re spending real time (and money) on it. And yet—you’ve never stopped to ask yourself: Why am I doing this?
→ Is it about extra income?
→ A creative project?
→ A legacy for your kids?
→ A way to share a special place with others?
Without your ‘why’, everything feels reactive. Pricing feels random. Marketing feels awkward. Design choices feel unanchored. You keep tweaking the listing, but deep down, you don’t know what story you’re trying to tell ~ or who you’re even speaking to. It’s like setting a beautiful table without knowing who you’re inviting for dinner.
2. You Underprice Yourself to Feel ‘Safe’
You remember your first booking. You were so afraid no one would come that you dropped your price to the lowest in the area. And it worked ~ they came. So you stayed there. Low rates, high stress. It became your version of “playing it smart.”
You tell yourself:
“It’s better to be booked than be bold.”
“I’ll raise prices next season.”
“I just need more reviews first.”
But now, your weekends are full of guests who overstay, underappreciate, and leave sand in the sofa cushions. You’re exhausted. And worse—you can’t afford the time off to fix what’s broken, let alone grow.
When you price low out of fear, you pay the difference in peace.
3. You Stay Quiet When You Should Be Seen
You’re proud of your home. Truly. You just hate talking about it.
Instagram? No thanks.
Pinterest? Not your thing.
Your listing bio? A slightly apologetic paragraph from 2021 that you’ve been meaning to update “soon.”
The truth? You don’t want to come off salesy. You’re waiting for people to “find” you naturally. But in a world of scrolls, clicks, and curated stays, silence isn’t humble. It’s invisible. And that dream guest you’d love to host? They’re out there. But they’re following someone who shows up. Someone who shares stories, not just availability calendars.
You don’t need to dance on reels. But you do need to be discoverable. Because if guests can’t see what makes your stay special, they won’t know to choose it.
4. You Wait for “Perfect” Before You Launch Anything
You have a whole folder of listing edits saved on your laptop. A second one of brand name ideas. A third of logo sketches from that time you considered going “next level.” But, but you just haven’t published any of it. Because there’s always one more thing to fix. One more cushion to buy. One more page to finish.
So you wait… And wait. And, err yes, you wait.
Here’s the real talk: you’re not refining ~ you’re hiding. Perfectionism is procrastination with lipstick. We hear you! We delayed launching the azulomo website for weeks because some of the links showed up with weird little squiggle lines in preview mode. It drove us mad. We kept saying, “We’ll go live once that’s fixed.” But at some point, we really had to take our own advice: perfectionism is procrastination with lipstick.
You don’t need a flawless front. You need forward movement. One honest step at a time.
You don’t need a perfect brand. You need a clear one. You don’t need a flawless guest book. You need a consistent experience that makes people feel good. That’s it.
5. You Doubt Your Own Magic (Especially After Scrolling)
You once spent 20 minutes admiring a boutique hotel’s Instagram and left the app feeling… defeated. Their linens were crisper. Their view was better. Their logo had a story. Their kitchen had a Smeg. You looked back at your own home and suddenly everything felt “less than.”
You forgot how many people have said your house feels like a hug. You forgot that the little garden with mismatched tiles is why people come back. You forgot that the real luxury isn’t in a brand partnership—it’s in how someone feels in your space.
Comparison will always steal your clarity. And clarity is what gives your hosting soul.
6. You Wait for Permission to Call Yourself a “Host”
You still say things like: “Oh, I just rent it out sometimes.” or “It’s not a real business—just a little side project.” or even, “I’m not really a host. More like... an Airbnb amateur.”
But let’s be honest—you’re doing the work! You’re planning, fixing, replying, welcoming, updating, styling, troubleshooting, laundering, upgrading, reviewing. That sounds very much like a business.
But you’re afraid to own it. Because the moment you do, the stakes feel higher. And if it fails?
Well, then it’s your fault, isn’t it? — No! The truth is: when you own it, you lead it. And when you lead it, everything gets easier —because decisions flow from clarity, not fear.
—
So What Now?
Here’s what we want you to know—softly, clearly, and without the fluff. You don’t need to be fearless. You just need to be willing.
Willing to pause. Willing to be honest with yourself. And, yes, willing to stop hiding behind the curtain and the throw pillows, and start leading from intention. This really isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s not about mastering branding, styling, marketing, and operations overnight. It’s about shifting your inner posture—from second-guessing to self-trusting.
Because clarity isn’t just a nice idea. It’s the thing that unlocks everything else.
When you know your why, you stop spinning in circles and start moving forward.
When you define your guest, you write listings that speak straight to them—and filter out the rest.
When you believe in your value, you stop over-discounting and start attracting the right kind of guests.
When you treat your space like a business with soul, you give it the structure and intention it deserves.
Let’s imagine what that shift might look like in real life:
Instead of hesitating over every listing edit, you press publish ~ knowing it’s clear, aligned, and enough for now.
Instead of underpricing out of fear, you confidently charge for the experience you’re offering ~ because you’ve learned what it’s really worth.
Instead of hiding in the noise of comparison, you root into your story ~ knowing that your uniqueness is what creates connection.
Instead of waiting for someone to validate your hosting “credentials,” you act like the host you already are ~ capable, creative, intentional.
You stop hoping guests will get it. You show them. You stop crossing your fingers every season. You build a business that supports your life, not the other way around. You stop trying to “fix the vibe” with more decor, and finally address what your guest journey actually needs: thoughtful flow, emotional resonance, meaningful moments.
And you start showing up ~ not just as the person cleaning the windows, but as the visionary behind the experience.
If any part of you feels like, “That’s me. I want that clarity. I just don’t know where to start”—you’re already on the path. You wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t ready.
And if you’re looking for someone to help you take the next step?
That’s what we do at azulomo.
We guide thoughtful hosts like you ~ whether you're just starting out, stuck in the middle (oh, there is a song in that), or ready to finally turn this into something that brings more ease, income, and inspiration.
You bring the space. We help you shape the story, the strategy, and the soulful structure behind it.
Because the truth is: you were never “just hosting.” You were building something meaningful. Now it’s time to build it on purpose.
One Wave at a Time ~ with warmth,
The azulomo team
“Hosting success isn’t just about pretty interiors or clever pricing—it’s about mindset, clarity, and intention. So many thoughtful hosts unknowingly hold themselves back with self-doubt, perfectionism, and fear of being seen. But the shift starts the moment you stop playing small and start leading with purpose. You don’t need to do everything, just take the next honest step. Because soulful hosting isn’t about being flawless ~ it’s about being real, ready, and rooted in your why.”
