Going Solo

I’ve been in business as a “solopreneur” for a year now. I’m partially amazed and stunned by this — I’ve never done anything like this before, never owned my own business and wasn’t always sure how I would do it all, and a year has gone by very quickly — and partially very proud of myself for making it happen.  There were a lot of fears to overcome. “Can I do this? Will I succeed? What if I fail miserably?” There were a lot of mini failures to overcome. I had to pick myself up from the self-pity that sets in when something doesn’t go right, make changes, and try, try, try again. And there were also lots of mini successes (as well as some big successes made by clients. Yay, You!).

Often when working towards a really big goal, we get frustrated that we’re not “there” yet. I have set certain goals for myself for my coaching business, and frankly, I haven’t achieved them all yet. One of my loving coach buddies gently reminded me to look back, look how far I’ve come. Yes, I’m not “there” yet, but I’ve come so far in just the past couple years.

It’s natural to have a negativity bias. After all, it’s a survival skill that kept us humans alive back in primitive times when being on the lookout for danger and noticing what’s wrong could help you make it through another day. But it’s critical to celebrate achievements and things we are grateful for to maintain a positive outlook and feel happier.

When I started out, armed with my lofty goals, beautiful new business cards, some office supplies and my laptop, there was so much I didn’t yet know. (Fortunately, I also didn’t know how much I didn’t know!) I wasn’t sure exactly what the road ahead would look like or what I might encounter along the way. Similar to a cross-country road trip, you prepare as best you can and then just start driving. You can’t see the whole road ahead at once, but as long as you can see where your headlights shine on the pavement in front of you, you can keep driving.

And there were some things I always knew I could come back to during those times of major uncertainty. I am more confident about coaching than I’ve ever been about anything in my life. I know that coaching is the profession for me. When I have doubts or need coaching of my own, my amazingly supportive tribe of Martha Beck coaches is always there to remind me who I am, cheer me on or listen to me vent.

I feel a huge amount of gratitude for each of you reading, those of you who comment, those of you who are subscribed to my mailing list, and most especially my clients, who have given me their trust and allow me to do what I love. From the bottom of my heart, Thank you!

I’m celebrating by taking a week off, recharging my batteries with family and friends in Cozumel. Hasta la vista!