This week, I’ve decided to skip the usual thought processes that go into writing a weekly newsletter. Instead, I’m sitting writing this morning with a completely open mind. With no plans, no outline, and, most importantly, no worries.
My last article was a dull and flat post; I’ve just reread the first few paragraphs and now understand why. There was almost no personality there; my ‘voice’ was missing in action, in my opinion, at least.
Ever felt like a juggler with one too many balls in the air? Welcome to my world of solopreneurship, where planning isn’t just a business necessity; it’s a life raft in the ocean of chaos.
How many times have you been full of enthusiasm for the New Year? Resolutions and goals are optimistically made, which fall by the wayside, one by one.
We had only six days until the new kitchen was due for delivery; we still had so much to finish. Nothing for it, though; after an intense and stressful week at work, I set the alarm on Saturday for 5 AM. After a coffee, I got on with it, and by the evening, everything was 95 per cent done.
I still ask myself why I started so many things after reaching my sixtieth birthday. Why on earth didn’t I start sooner, much sooner? But then, I wouldn’t have had the same life experiences. No matter how I tried to rationalise it, I was too frightened to start something new, preferring to sit and vegetate deep within my comfort zone.
Our old kitchen was falling apart; a few more ‘temporary’ repairs were needed every year. The quality of the units was never that great to begin with, considering that the kitchen has remained unchanged since before we bought the house over twenty years ago; it had to go.
I wonder how many of us solopreneurs and freelancers feel completely drained and empty at the end of the year. When we could be looking forward to a new year with our lists of resolutions, which we never follow for long; instead, the fatigue and dread of yet another year giving it our all mark the holiday season.
The lessons learned over the last few weeks bring home the importance of resilience and how, no matter how difficult things are in the moment, to consider anything and everything that life throws your way positively.
Sometimes, life throws curve balls at you from the most unanticipated directions. Recently, a loved family member has been diagnosed with cancer, and breaking into the market for my business seems to be going nowhere. On top of all that, we have ordered a new kitchen to be delivered within a few weeks. So, all the predatory work has to be completed before then. Perhaps it is not surprising that motivation takes a hit.
