It’s MY Birthday!
As I approach my 44th birthday, I remind myself of the seasons of life that have passed me. On my birthday, I reflect on each of the years, now each of the decades lol, to recognize the times where I was so incredibly overwhelmed, sometimes felt life couldn’t get any worse, full of anxiety and definitely a lot of anger. In particular this one story always reminds me that I’m right where I need to be.
I wanted to go out on my own and leave the big therapy practice I was a part of. I wanted my own office, a space that I could design and call home for You First Now. I came across a woman who was renting a room in her building. She ran a lucrative and beautifully designed acupuncture business. We were the same age and boy oh boy did I feel like I was behind and lagging in life when I entered her facility. I felt like I had nothing to show for all the work I’ve done thus far.
Thoughts raced through my head sounding like, “What have you been doing Elizabeth? Clearly you don’t know what it takes to be a businesswoman! You’re never going to succeed.” All those horrible thoughts led me into a spiral of comparison, and luckily, I had the wherewithal to pause. I took a chance, let my ego down, shared my frustration, and asked this amazing entrepreneur what her secret was to her success. She responded to me in a way that I had never expected by saying, “I would trade my life with you.”
Caught off guard, I was completely shocked by what I heard and a bit confused, I asked her to explain further.
She said, “This practice has taken me eight years to develop into what you see before you. You’ve been in the season for the last decade finding the love of your life, enjoying marriage, creating a family, and raising children. We are the same age, and I, very likely will not have the family that I once dreamed of. You have all the time in the world to create a business.”
It was an eye-opening moment that seriously smacked me upside the head. I have never been the same since. I do my best to avoid comparing myself with anyone. I focus on the choices I’ve made and encourage you to concentrate on the choices that you make daily for the dreams of your life to come true.
Standing on the inside, I couldn’t see all the blessings that were around me and it took an outsider to wake me up and set me straight. We can only be 100% of a person (I like to think sometimes I’m 50% mermaid but that’s another story). If you want to be 100% mom you cannot be 100% entrepreneur.
Something has got to give. You can do the best you can in each area, but certainly 100% is not being had in all areas all at once.
With this new wisdom in my back pocket, it gave me the freedom and love in my heart to be flexible with myself to enjoy my family rather than resent the fact that I had not enough time for myself and my dreams. Recognize there is a season for all parts of life. What season are you in currently? How can you embrace the season you’re in?
You may not know why things happen or why you’re in the thick of the mud right now, but if you trust the Universe, have faith that each one of us is made for greatness. Stay persistent, consistent, disciplined, and focused plus add a sprinkle of fun in there every single day. The bigger picture, the bigger plan, will come to light over time and you’ll get sparkles of confirmation that you are exactly where you need to be at this moment.
xo, Elizabeth