I want to touch base with you today on something I hear a lot when working with my coaching clients. People come to me and say “I’m just so sick of being on my own in business and being the only one making all of the decisions”. 

Is this a feeling you can relate to? 

Even now having multiple employees I can still get this feeling! It’s that realisation that ultimately, the buck stops with us. (The decision fatigue is real!) 

If it’s a place you find yourself, too, whether it’s just you in the business or with a team behind you, here’s a few actions I like to take and reminders I like to give myself to get me through. 

Go back to your business plan. 

When I’m feeling like I’ve forgotten what my “why” is and the reason I’m putting myself through the tough times, I go back to that initial three page business plan that I had to put together when I needed to get the bank to give me money! But that document is also full of naive Stacey’s hopes and dreams and plans for the future. I’m really lucky they all came true (bless my bank manager) but the point is that when things get hard and overwhelming, I go back and look at those notes I’m reminded what the purpose of this is all is. It is worth it. 

Surround yourself with people in the same boat. 

Next step is to surround yourself with people having the same experiences as you in their business journey; like-minded individuals who are running their own business and perhaps running a family. These people are out there and they’re closer than you might think! (I bring them together inside THRIVE, too!) Surrounding yourself with people who are having similar experiences allows you to share your challenges and wins and seek insights and support along the way. 

Remember, this is not forever. 

There are ups and downs in business and just like life, the hard times don’t last forever. We take on this responsibility and this challenge of running our own business because we want to be able to have a shared experience and impact our community in a really unique way that suits the gifts and talents that we have to give in this world. And that’s tough; that’s not an easy ask. 

Sometimes when we’re in the middle of a challenge we think “If this was meant to be, if this is my calling, it should be easier!” but that’s not the way it works. Often the toughest things to do are the right things to do. So when you’re having one of those moments, just know that business is full of challenges, but it’s also full of really rewarding moments. And while you might be sitting in a challenge right now, you’re not too far away from the next win that reminds you, “Yes, this is worth it”. 

Because here’s the thing about business… we have to learn to expect the struggles, learn to expect the challenges, learn to expect that when we are brave and courageous and we step out of our comfort zone and we do things that other people aren’t brave enough to do… it’s going to be tough and it’s going to be hard. But it’s also going to be beautiful beyond what we imagined if, at the end of the day, we’re doing what lights us up. 

Here’s to doing what lights us up. It’s always worth it.