Well, here we are, well into July. 2017 is officially half over! This year is flying.
I feel like time is evaporating right in front of my eyes and if I let myself think about it late at night I start to freak out (aka last night) so I’m just trying to stay present and as grounded as possible and enjoy this season instead of trying to rush through to the next phase, because even though it's easier for me to always look at where I'm falling short or can be doing better, this season of life honestly rocks and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. Or at least more accepting of who I am and who I'm becoming.
And it's important to celebrate what we can!
This is the time of year where the days and weeks start to blur together, in that busy/chill whirlwind. Ben is teaching summer school so our week days have been full of 12+ hour work days, hustle, froyo dates, and Netflix. Weekends are full of short getaways, relaxing at home, and doing our best to get out and enjoy summer in Chicago!
In terms of business, I’m not as far as I thought I’d be by now, but in terms of LIFE and my relationship with myself: I feel like a completely different person. Confident, excited, finding my groove.
Back in January I wrote “But I also know that I can do more and be more. I still feel like I've barely even scratched the surface of my own potential and have super huge visions and dreams for what I want to do and create.”
I made “open hearted” my word of the year and I’m still trying to embody that every day.
It's a strange season of life. Pre-kids, but post quarter life crisis.
I've done the big scary things like go to grad school, get married, move to the big city, survive unemployment, quit my job, start my own business, become a life coach, and stretch my comfort zone farther than I ever thought possible.
I'm no longer motivated or fueled by the desperate energy that comes when you feel like you aren't enough yet...when you know you have to climb onto the next rung of the ladder in order to feel like you've "made it."
I've done so much inner work to develop my self confidence and heal my insecurities, anxiety, and perfectionism, but at the same time I'm still learning what it's like to be on the other side as a (more or less) whole and mentally/emotionally healthy woman.
My mid-year update!
At the beginning of the year I decided to invest in a high-level business mastermind with a small group of other life and business coaches, which was the most money I’d ever spent on myself before outside of our wedding, but I’m so glad I did because I've gained so much.
- Confidence in who I am and what I'm here on earth to do.
I feel like I am FINALLY exactly where I’m meant to be, instead of having that constant anxiety/FOMO feeling.
Connection with other inspiring and driven entrepreneurs who push and pull me to do scary things, and show me that it's ok to blaze my own trail. We're all safe. No one is gonna die if we share our truth.
Finally stepping out and establishing myself as a life coach for creative entrepreneurs who want to get out of fear and into flow.
Lotsssss of really great online business and marketing strategies that align with my values and vision! So fun.
Perspective. I know I've found my purpose and for the first time in my adult life can stop seeking. I'll always be learning, evolving, and growing, but I'm realizing that I'm in this for the rest of my life and there is absolutely no rush to do ALLTHETHINGS right now. I can take the deadlines and timelines off my goals and trust that if I feel aligned and just show up every day, everything will happen in the perfect timing.
- Basically I want to be the coach and support system that I WISH I had 3 years ago, 2 years ago, when I was first getting started on my entrepreneur adventure.
- I launched my first ever mini program, Fear & Flow! This was the most unexpectedly intense week, haha. Ironically given the content, it dredged up fears and insecurities I didn’t even know I had!
CONNECTION/COMMUNITY
It’s so important to surround yourself with like minded people who can support and share your goals and dreams, especially during the phases where you're feeling extra vulnerable or testing your own boundaries.
Also include people who are a few steps ahead and will pull you!
I used to be intimidated by people who were older or more experienced than me but I’m learning how to take down my walls, see us as equals but just at different points of our journey.
Stop waiting on the sidelines and watching other people do the things you really want to do too. When you dive in, raise your own pedestal, and stop letting jealousy and fear hold you back, you'll become part of the conversation as an equal.
CREATING A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH FEAR
Read this book. Seriously. I'm going to share an entire post about it later this week, but it's completely changing my life.
Instead of letting fear (read: insecurities, doubt, anxiety) paralyze me, I'm learning how to frame these "negative" emotions in a neutral or even POSITIVE way and am turning my inner critic into my biggest cheerleader. She takes no shit, and I actually love her.
RANDOM UPDATES FROM 2017 SO FAR
(because I've been lazy about keeping the blog updated)
- I turned 30! Wow. It feels really great. Like I can stop striving and seeking and can just be ME.
- I did the Ultimate Reset, a 21 day plant based cleanse, and learned a lot about my relationship with food and my body. Still a work in progress on that front.
- I started a new health and wellness blog, Inspire Joy, as a place to share my fitness coaching business and went to Los Angeles by myself for a leadership conference!
- In June I started running again and remembered why I love it so much. I had my dad make me a training plan for the Steamboat Classic, a 4 mile race in my home town over Father’s Day weekend. It had been a couple years since we ran and it was super fun (and humid) as usual!
To be completely honest, for the past few years my business has been my number one priority. I feel like I’m reaching a point where I’ve gained so much knowledge about online marketing, entrepreneurship, coaching, branding, ETC. that I can pause the incessant addiction for e-courses and learning and finally get to a place where I can TRUST MYSELF and the wisdom that is already inside of me.
The more I learn, the more I realize we have the answers inside of us all along!
I'm starting to feel like I can actually be a leader and do this thing. Create a thriving and abundant living by simply being myself and sharing what makes me happiest. Teaching women how to get out of their own way and do it too.
ON TAP FOR THE SECOND HALF OF 2017
- Travel!! Aside for a few weekend getaways and my trip to LA, this year has been relatively low key for me and I've been in hermit mode at home, but all that is about to change and I can't wait because I love traveling. This week I'm heading to New Orleans for our Beachbody coach summit, I'm going to TN/NC in August with Ben to visit his mom, Michigan in September to host a leadership retreat for my team, and Dallas in November for my 4th annual business conference, The Platinum Edge.
- Growing my life coaching business! There are so many ideas floating around my head. If you're interested in working together, book a free consult ASAP because my rates are only going up and I expect to be fully booked with a waitlist very soon!
- Creating more freebies and e-books to share with you!
- Sharing my creativity with the world! This has been on the back burner for a couple of years, but I am feeling the urge to start painting again.
I made this nursery art for my friend Deidre’s new baby Anna Pixley and it was SO FUN. I’m thinking of doing a whole alphabet and selling them as digital prints in the Etsy shop.
Let’s not even talk about my fabric stash…
- Up-leveling like woah. No more hiding or playing small. I feel like the last six months have been preparing me for something big. I'm ready to step out and share everything I've learned with the world! :) Time to stop planning and start turning those visions into reality instead of being intimidated by myself, lol.
Exactly one year ago I wrote this post on growing pains as you move out of your comfort zone.
I’m realizing that the growing pains never go away, because if we’re constantly challenging ourselves to grow and expand into our potential, we’re always going to be finding new edges of our comfort zone.
But it’s like running! It always feels hard, but you get faster and stronger.
That’s where I’m at right now.
Stronger, more confident, more EXCITED than scared about what I’m creating and doing with my life.
The fear never goes away, but it doesn’t really bother me anymore. I know that I am so much stronger than my fear of failure/rejection/judgement.
Your mid-year review
I love writing and journaling, so here are some of my favorite prompts to get you started on your own mid-year review.
You can answer them in your journal or click here to download a pretty workbook to print out (and get monthly love bombs and updates from me)!
What were the biggest lessons you’ve learned this year so far?
How have you grown?
What have you accomplished or completed?
What projects are still in the works?
What or who are you grateful for?
What were your favorite memories?
What do you want to grow or improve upon?
Where do you want to be by the end of the year?
How do you want to feel?
What can you do in order to feel that way now?
And one last reminder. No matter where you are right now,
YOU ARE AMAZING
YOU ARE LOVED
YOU ARE ENOUGH
YOU ARE CHANGING THE WORLD!