When I was working 9 to 5, Friday's were always my favorite. (If you're working a 9 to 5 right now, I'm sure you know why.) This was the day you left work and didn't have to come back until Monday. This was the day that you've already made plans to enjoy because Monday-Thursday was taxing enough. THIS was the day you went home and let out a sigh of relief and appreciated your home.
I realized quickly that I was meant for more. I wanted that sigh of relief EVERYDAY. I wanted that Friday feeling day in and day out. The thing about it is that I didn't know how to get that feeling, I just knew what it felt like.
As I turned in my resignation letter to the last company I would work with, abiding by procedures built for them and not me, I had the same sigh of relief, knowing I could spend everyday like Friday. BUT, finding out what I wanted to do didn't FEEL like Friday. It felt like Wednesday, I was close but not quite there. I picked up sewing, reupholstery, and creative works and although I did well, nothing felt like Friday.
"I'm getting out of this funk!" I declared, with two babies in hand (11 months a part), I realized that I had to do something. My husband always sent me podcasts and I would never listen because my mind was stuck on Monday (this "long week ahead" mentality). I listened to the podcast finally and it was good! Better than I expected... Then, these words came out of speaker's mouth... "Use what you already have, and create a business from it." Wa-la! It was like a door opened that had been sitting in front of me the entire time! I started on a mission and used my 12 years of Assisting to create my business but to my surprise, I didn't feel another Friday for a while. Day after day, week after week, I felt good but I didn't feel Friday. 1 year passed and I STILL didn't feel Friday. "What was I doing wrong?" I saw people all the time and they look like Friday but I didn't.
I started to feel discouraged, like life was dragging me by my hair and I don't know what day that felt like but I stayed there for a while. Long enough to get comfortable with my discouragement. What started off as excitement now came to a place of "what am I doing?". I went into a default mode I never knew I had, "do enough to let everyone know I'm still here, and be content." (In other words, I stopped giving it my all. I ran into a brick wall at 50 miles per hour and I did the worst thing I could possibly do, I stayed there. I went out and got another 9p-5p or 8a-3p or 6p-10p, whatever shift was best for the company I worked for. Before you get too sad, it only lasted for 3 months. I spoke to some friends and I made the decision to leave. Was it great having steady pay? Yes! Was it great that I didn't have to guess what I was going to do? Yes! Did it feel like Friday? No, it didn't either.
So, I started over (kind of). I had clients during that time so I still tried to juggle everything. It's crazy that I thought going back to comfort in a circle would then work for my square. I didn't fit the mold anymore, I'd changed.
A year went by and here we are, me writing to you, doing something I hadn't done in a while (writing) feeling like Friday. Here's what I've learned:
Everyday won't feel like Friday until you make it feel like Friday, consistency is key here because you have a goal, you just need to be consistent enough to continue on the path to the goal.
If God gave you the idea and He opened the door for you, walk in the door and don't look back. Looking back lost key clients for me that I couldn't get back.
Don't compare your goals with someone else's success. Meaning, don't jump into a full fledge business without your baby steps. Yes, you have goals, but we always forget about the process.
Comfort is the best way to stay in the same place for the rest of your life. Comfort for me, looked like excuses (because I was going through something), it looked like not pushing myself, it looked like not getting around key people that could truly help me.
Lastly, I learned that accepting the love from the people God blesses you with, is not weak, it's strong.
Now go out there, stay ON TASK and get it done!
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