Best Gift

The best gift you can give yourself is going after the thing that scares you.  This past year, Breathe & Exhale 360 was birthed, and this has been the scariest thing I have ever done to date.  I am usually the person behind the scenes, but as I revealed Breathe & Exhale 360 to the world, I have been stretched beyond my comfort zone.  I have realized the fears that held me back was not that bad when I faced my fears.  The best gift I gave myself was launching Breathe & Exhale 360 and stepping out of the shadows.  The three things I learned this past year are: 1. I am not going to have it all figured out, 2. the bump along the road only shows me to pivot, and 3. patience is a vital part.

I like to know everything before committing to something and that is not possible when starting a business.  It is easy to fall into the trap of analysis paralysis as there is a lot of information coming at you.  When you Google a topic, so many options appear, and so many experts have different opinions on the same topic.  It is easy to get lost in the sauce and to get overwhelmed, but I have learned that I will not know everything and that is okay.  It is okay to not have all the answers and some time you must go with your gut. 

The next lesson, I learned is the bump on the road only shows that I must make a turn down another street.  There were times over this past year when I had a vision, and it just did not come together.  I had to pivot and continue to move forward.  I had to decide if I was going to get stuck on the vision, or if I had to move on as it was not coming together.  I realized that my vision only must be tabled for now and that I can pick up my vision later when it can come to past.  Learning to pivot, when necessary, can help you not only in business, but also in life. 

The last lesson is to be patient with myself.  As an entrepreneur, you wear many hats.  It can be exhausting and overwhelming at times, however with this I still think I can do it all.  I am to keep up with everything and not skip a beat, but that is far from being realistic about the matter.  I have learned to give myself grace and be patience with myself as I give to others.  Being patient with myself shows kindness towards myself and allowing the space to know I am not perfect, and no one is looking for me to be perfect.

There were many lessons this past year, but these three that tops the list because it does not just apply to my business, but each of these lessons apply to life.  Adulting is hard, and at times we may feel like we are the only person that does not have it all figured out, but what I learned this past year is that I do not have to have it all figured out and that is okay.  You do not have to have it all figured out either, if you know that you wake up every day and give your 100% that is what matters.  Life can throw curve balls and we must know how to pivot.  If you come across a roadblock along this journey called life, it is best for us to pivot and not stay at the roadblock discussing why the road is block.  The roadblock was there for a reason.  At times the pivot works out to be the best option. The final life lesson is to be patient with yourself.  You are doing the best you can managing everything, a household, career, family, and other responsibilities, you may not get it right all the time.  Give yourself permission to be kind to yourself as you embark on this journey. 

I am so happy to celebrate 1 year of business with you.  Thank you for allowing me to help you on your Self-Care Journey.

Love ya, Shana-Lee