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The one thing I have realized these past two years opening this amazing and rewarding business, is that it is not all sprinkles and cupcakes (yes, I am hungry at the moment).
There are so many handbooks to opening a business and gaining your followers and learning the tricks of the trade... but there is not just one right answer. The mishaps and mistakes you make along the way are just as important as the successes that come from what you are doing.
Juggling separate jobs and running a business as well as just trying have some time to myself seems to be almost impossible some times. Overwhelmed has been a very common word in my vocabulary (besides "yasss girl") these past 12 months as I'm sure anyone in my position would agree.
I have thought about writing this blog post for quite some time now and have decided to share with all of you my 3 simple steps to staying happy (and sometimes healthy) while doing all of the grind work. No one said it will be easy but hopefully these will help you along the way.
1. EMBRACE THE FLAWS
Remind yourself everyday that you are human and make mistakes. Surprisingly this took a lot of the pressure off of my shoulders and allowed me to extend a hand for help when I needed it. I grew up a very ambitious young girl with a very accomplished set of parents which I can only assume is where my drive came from. This was a great way to grow up, but with aging comes responsibility and with responsibility comes pressure. So this way of motivation wasn't as long term as I would have hoped. I found myself very stressed out and tired and wanting to give up when things weren't working right away. It unfortunately took a trip to the hospital to realize the damage I was doing on my body and mind and how this type of behaviour needed to be managed differently.
Reaching out a hand for help was not always a strong suit of mine. Anyone who knows me can attest to that. However it has been one of the most uplifting things I have done for my business, my own wellness and my overall happiness since doing so. This one is highly recommended.
2. CREATING A SLEEP ROUTINE
Yes, some nights you are going to be up later than 11pm dancing to Bey at the local bar, HOWEVER, this doesn't mean the rest of your nights should be so scattered. Start to wind down around the same time every night. I used to be the worst at this because I was always checking my emails and making sure all of my things on my to-do list had been crossed off.
My sleeping patterns were so irregular and really unfulfilling that I would wake up dreading how much work I had on my plate the next day. As you can see this is already a horrible way to start off your morning. Choose a time that works with 75% of your days and try and close your eyes by that time every night. It will take a few weeks for your body to FULLY adjust but it will come to realize your routine and before you know it you are falling asleep at the same time daily. Tell your to-do list, that it can wait.
3. SAY "NO"
For the longest time, I was always that person to say yes to anything that anyone asked of me. It was a burden I didn't even know I had. Sooner than later, I noticed that people were starting to pick up on that and take advantage of that trait; and so the cycle began.
"No" was such a dirty word in my mind and I was completely uncomfortable using it towards anyone with authority. This was by far the hardest step for me to learn but also the most rewarding.
The key to this step is knowing your worth. When something is asked of you that may be out of the ordinary in the work or social environment, take a second to evaluate what is being asked of you. Is it worth your time and effort? Is it a mutual benefit to you as well as others? Is it something that they could have done and why aren't they doing? Ask yourself these questions before jumping on every request someone asks of you and you will find yourself with more focus on your happiness instead of always others. Getting back to your state of positive mind is the ultimate goal here and constantly concerning yourself with other people's happiness is not the cure.
Like we mentioned in our first segment of this blog, there is not just one rule book to any of this. These are just some of the ways that have helped me grow as an entrepreneur as well as a young female. Give yourself the time of day to focus on you and to help yourself flourish into the person we all know you can be.
Stay classy San Diego and I hope this blog has helped!
Charlie xo.