Last week,I shared a little about how I started The Humming Arrow and a little about me. So here we are almost a year and half later and I’ve learned an incredible amount!
But along the way something happened….
Along with starting the business, I worked full time as an outside business manager for a nationwide telecom company. In that same year, I was blessed to earn the recognition as a top 10 President’s Club Winner. I breastfed my son until July, which put him at a year and half old by the time I quit. It was one of those things that even though it took a lot from me, I actually enjoyed it (for the most part – obviously there were some pretty crummy pieces to that experience)! And let’s not forget what brought us all here together, I started a business that I knew NOTHING about! Literally ground up.
I look back and am proud of what I juggled.
Then I look back and think of what I sacrificed and what fell out. I created this business to be able to run solely from home within the next 3 years to spend more time with my children and to be a better wife. And then here we are a year and half later and I’ve gained 27 pounds, my children see me with my phone in my face much of the night to bring you ladies the collection, and a husband who felt like I was only more concerned with what to do for the business next and not him.
You guys, I failed at the MOST important things. I have to take a deep breath just writing that out.
My health, sadly is what caught my attention first 2 months ago. My anxiety was at it’s highest, especially with starting a new job just a month prior – still full time mind you, my house always disheveled, and having the pressure of how to maintain family life and business life during the summer where I could travel almost every weekend to a vendor show with the fashion trailer. Being a Beachbody coach three years ago, I was used to doing strictly in my basement – DVD workouts. I didn’t want to spend the money to buy yet another DVD set that I didn’t use all the way but I just NEEDED to get out of my house. Something to set my pace. So I started running. Girl, I haven’t run in SEVEN years. After being at my heaviest, non-pregnant weight I just needed something to help my mind. I didn’t start focusing on the nutrition component up until very recent, hence two months of running and only 5lbs lost! But I will tell you it has helped clear my mind immensely. It feels so good to sweat outside, pray and of course that inner monologue with myself of what’s happening that week.
It helped clear my mind enough to listen to what kept hitting me in the face. The same arguments, the same guilt, the same feelings.
So after a very recent church service that just blew it all up for me, I knew I needed to focus on the rest of it. My marriage, my children, my health. My husband called me out, in what at the time I hated to hear but knew was true – I spent too much time on my phone. My priorities were in the wrong place. Not that they are wrong priorities, just not the right order.
I’m now referring to that first year and a half as season one. Season two starts with working to build a sustainable business that’ll get me to my goal and a life that my family is nourished in our relationships. One that I focus back on my systems around me, automate the rest and delegate what I can’t handle. Running a business is hard. Running a business by yourself is foolish. I needed help, so I finally hired two wonderful ladies each tackling their respective duties and doubly taking the pressure off of mine. I now implemented a no phone zone as I come into the house each night. Our social media gals will still get their goodies each night, but now my responses will come at 5am instead of constantly hitting refresh every 30 minutes on my phone at night. Which in order to make this new change means I now have to get up 30 minutes earlier than I was used to but girl it’s a MUST.
I can’t wake up one day and have built a great business but lose my family. I just can’t. I urge all of you MLM gals, entrepreneurs and all other mother hustlers to look at your time. I’ve often heard sayings in respect that your priorities lie in where your checkbook shows. I believe that also relates to your paycheck – are you more concerned with what paycheck you are getting and giving up everything else? I’m certainly not saying to stop the hustle, I’m just saying we all need to hustle SMARTER. Delegate where you can in order to save what means most.
I know I am not alone in these seasons and I want to hear what season you are in, ‘cause girl all of it is hard. If we help each other out the best we know how, I guarantee we’ll all improve. So shoot us a note back on what season of life is either fulfilling or hitting you and we’ll send all our love and encouragement back!
