Getting back in the saddle

Getting back in the saddle

It’s been a while since I’ve been around. A lot has happened over the past year. I’ll share some of it, the rest is very personal and may well be shared through my learning experiences and comments. I’m not sure I’m wiser. I’ve just got 10 months more life experience!

Getting back on your bike

Getting back on your bike

Getting back in the saddle isn’t easy though is it? We get out of habits, we lose focus, and we can’t always see how we can do what we used to. So, with all my good intentions since the new school year, it’s only now, that I feel ready and able to get back on my bike and start the next part of my journey.

A lot of change has happened this year, which has been very tiring. I’ve also had flu which knocked me out for a few months. We all have reasons for not doing what we’d planned at the start of the year. Some of us make excuses out of the slightest knock or bump that crosses our path. I’m not saying I haven’t made some little excuses, I’m just holding my hand up and saying it’s been tough. Really tough.

A brief update of 2013:

  • We’ve moved house.
  • I think I’ve finally grieved for a person I care about
  • My eldest son has started secondary school
  • I’ve accepted I can’t affect lots of things in my life and business
  • I’ve learnt not to take on too much contract work whilst running and developing a small business

So, this week, I’m back in the saddle. Picking up the route map where I left off, and adjusting it for external factors before moving off again. I’m going to concentrate my efforts on the things in life and business I can affect. It’s going to take time in this new planning phase, but it’s always well worth spending time at this phase of a project isn’t it?

It’s good to be back. I’ve missed not sharing with you, but sometimes even the cathartic nature of writing has been too much for my emotions to cope with.

Anyone else getting back in the saddle with a project, interest or idea? Any advice you can give me to smooth my pathway?

It’s not a failure to move on

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and reviewing recently. About my business, and about what I’m doing with my life and how I’m living it.

I guess I’m always doing it, but these last few weeks, I’ve been reviewing even more. Why? Because things need to change. I can’t keep running around at the pace I have been for the last 6 months. My motivation is flagging, I’ve been increasingly tired and irritable. And emotionally I needed to get some things sorted in my head.

And what do we do once we’ve done our thinking? Get on and do it of course! At a recent event with Winning Pitch, John Leach told us that to be successful, we needed to spend 20% of our time thinking and 80% doing. We all know that don’t we? But how much time do we really ‘do’ our plans? And how much is procastinating about how to do it?

I’m not saying that I’ve moved on in all areas of my life that I’ve been reviewing, but I certainly feel much brighter about the path ahead. The short break with the family has helped. Time away from your normal routine is always a good way to help you re-focus on your life and all its aspects.

Our lives evolve. If someone had asked me 10 years ago if I’d have my own business, and I’d be supporting other women in business I’d have laughed. Not because I didn’t think I was capable of achieving this, but because it wasn’t in my vision. My experience of bra buying when pregnant and breastfeeding changed all that!

Just because we know that our lives evolve, doesn’t mean we can’t take hold of them and direct them in the way we want them to go. Sometimes we get so wound up in what’s right, or letting other people down, we forget about what’s right for us and our families. Sometimes you do have to let go and move on.

I’ve learnt to let go of my anger about some personal stuff these last few weeks, and I feel re-energised by it. I’m calmer, and anger is such a destructive emotion, it was holding me back in other parts of my life. I needed help to do this, but now I’ve done it and feel so much better. And I don’t feel I’m letting myself down by this change. It’s a positive move.

November is a good time to review our year – have we achieved our goals? Are we happy with our life? Are we ready for the end of the year and moving on into the new year? So, this months theme is Reviewing. Some of our guest contributors are coming back to review their progress. If you’ve got anything you’d like to share, please do get in touch. The blog is about supporting and learning from others, so lets do that!

And remember – whatever feels right for you in your life and/or business WILL be right. Whoever your decision effects, just do it. Life is often far too short to dwell on things. Spend 20% thinking and 80% doing this month and see what happens!