I’ve been doing this whole entrepreneurship thing for more than three years now. It’s been an adventure unlike anything I imagined. There are opportunities around just about every corner, and I learn something new daily. It’s exciting and challenging. And even though it’s work, I can honestly say I do what I love, with people I love, everyday. That’s huge and I’m continually grateful for the opportunity to experience the empowerment and freedom that come with being my own boss.
As you can imagine, I’m a bit of an overachiever. I’m a boss after all! I can easily be all business because I like it and I’m gosh darn good at it. It’s likely one of the reasons why I’m successful. I love my work! I get energized when we have a new opportunity on the horizon and I often can’t turn off the stream of new ideas. I was just telling a fellow Columbus girl boss (shoutout @alliepal of @thewonderjam) that I can’t write my ideas down fast enough so I have to keep everything digital — it’s awesome but it can be exhausting.
“Work, Work, Work, Work, Work.” – Rihanna
As entrepreneurs, our drive can be both a blessing and a challenge (curse is too strong a word.) We often look forward so much we forget to enjoy the moment and embrace where we are. We keep our team focused on the BIG IDEA and vision. We’re tasked with ensuring, when it’s all said and done (um, does that ever happen?), we achieve our goals and continually raise the bar. It’s the pursuit of excellence and being the best we can is a big part of what keeps us going.
This Isn’t Exactly What I Signed Up For …
One of the reasons many of us embark on the entrepreneurial journey is to have more freedom to pursue our ideas and live life on our terms. We’ve read books like the “Four Hour Workweek” and we’ve been inspired to think the eight-to-five mindset is possible to overcome. We set out to create something great and make a difference. But can we really have the most impact when we’re glued to our laptops?
It’s all too easy to get distracted from our original idea, goal or intention. Maybe it’s time to go back to what we set out to accomplish and evaluate whether we’re still on track. Yes, the journey will likely look very different than what we imagined, but are we still moving in the right direction?
Be Present, Enjoy the Moment and Have FUN
This struggle is real but I believe we can overcome it by intentionally seeking balance between the future and present. My mantra for 2016 is to, “Be present and enjoy the moment.” It’s not something I’m great at yet but I’ve decided to intentionally make time for more joy outside of my work. Because let’s be honest with ourselves, even when you love what you do everyday — it’s still work.
This intentional focus on being present and enjoying the moment means I take stock of the important parts of my life outside of work. My faith, my husband, family, friends, coffee dates, workouts, travel, keeping my house organized and embracing small changes that result in a happier moment. I work outside more. I tell people I appreciate them. I focus on the moment, people and environment around me.
As a result, I’m starting to realign with why I set out on this risk and wonder-filled journey of entrepreneurship. I’m also beginning to have more fun.
