Yep, it’s been a decade this week since I first registered my business. #roundofapplause
I clearly remember taking the leap from student to practitioner.
I was well aware it was a leap yet there was no part of me that questioned it. No part.
With every ounce of my being, I knew this was my path. In that sense, there was no other option than to dive in. It was one of those crucial moments in life when you know you have to step-up or give-up your heart’s desire.
There are many careers we can try in life and I have experienced a full array of jobs! Not long after starting complementary medicine studies (kinesiology) I realised that every job I worked at and all I had studied in the past contributed to the skills I needed for my business.
When others hear what I’ve done throughout my career, their initial response is of bemusement. In particular, my last transition from IT to natural therapies. ‘Chalk and cheese’, right?
Clearly not — my website and blog have been a fundamental part of my business. I knew a lot about how to get started and what key elements made a useable and accessible website. I had colleagues to help me too.
Top tips for business
This blog is not “The Top Ten Things I’ve Learned About Being in Business For Ten Years”. These articles are everywhere (and many of them have great tips).
Instead, this is the all-important WHY.
WHY I started my business.
WHY I’m still in business a decade later.
WHY I don’t plan to stop.
The All-Important WHY
As I sat and reflected on the last ten years (even longer if you include study) I found myself in a profound state of love and gratitude. And it was the best feeling in the world.
Despite the ups and downs that come with running my own business, I loved what I was doing.
If I questioned taking up a part-time job for a while, it never felt right. When I voiced this idea to my partner his response was always “But you know you’ll be miserable if you do anything else”. He was right. 100%.
As the years have gone by, I have continued to fall more and more in love with my work. It amazes me. It makes me laugh. It lifts me up. It shocks me to the core. And it always leaves me feeling grateful and connected to love. This has become the very foundation for my business; the roots and trunk of my tree. My why is my strength — just like the roots of a tree.
Why would I ever want to give that up?
This week, not only am I grateful for what I do, I’m grateful for those around me. For those who helped me get my business up off the ground. For those who listen to my worries, my frustrations, my ideas and my delights. For those who have never lost faith in me, even when I faltered.
I’m grateful for you. Because you show up and read my newsletters, read my blog and by doing so, invest time in your own health and wellness. What you invest in for yourself has a ripple effect across your community and beyond. It’s love.
Last year I felt impelled to write an ode to you, my clients. If you haven’t read it, I’d love for you to hear my heart.
Start Now
So, go and read the articles with the top tips for running a business. That’s important too.
But if you don’t know your WHY, then go find it. Find your meaning beneath what it is you love to do. Remember, it’s your meaning and what you value. It comes from you.
Then, do all you can to go out and get it.
Believe me, it’s worth it.
Tread gently, my friends. And remember — you don’t have to do it alone. xkpx
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