For those of you who want to throw out the rules and create an extra $10k THIS month…
“I don’t want to tell my friends that my girlfriend is a writer and adventure traveler.”
I was sailing with my boyfriend at the time off the coast of Connecticut for a weekend trip. We had been cadets together at the United States Coast Guard Academy and I had resigned to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology and outdoor education at Ohio University. He had graduated and was going to be stationed in Huntington Beach
What? I asked him, somewhat shocked. 😳
Well, you know, I can see us at a party and them asking me what my wife does.
I’m thinking, are you kidding me? You’re embarrassed of me and what I want to do with my life?
Apparently.
I didn’t fit the picture of the trophy wife who he could show off to his friends at fancy soirees.
At first, I was hurt. Once it set in, I was mad. 😠
Why is his career choice better than mine? And, why does he care so dang much what other people think?
It showed me how insecure he was that he valued the opinions of others over his own.
I flew back to Ohio and called him a day later to break up with him.
It wasn’t easy. I deeply cared for him.
Yet, I knew there was someone better for me.
In that moment, I had chosen me – to stay true to me, my desires, and the life I was creating. ❤️
It’s funny because when I started my business, I reverted to being a bit like that ex-boyfriend.
I started to place more importance on what others thought of me than what I thought of me. I disconnected from my desires and the life I truly wanted.
My coaching business looked like any other coaching business. My writing didn’t stand out nor did it really feel like me. This resulted in up and down sales and a whole lot of unnecessary struggle.
Following what everyone else said I needed to do to grow my business wasn’t working and it was making me miserable. 😕
I decided – screw this! I’m not doing this anymore. Kind of like the conversation I had with my ex (haha, just kidding, I was much kinder than that!)
And, what happened when I started being more me?
I wrote one personal email to a colleague I hadn’t spoken to in months that resulted in a $10k 8 week full pay sale.
Lord, was I happy I chose me! 😊
I realized that how you are in your relationship is not that different from how you are in business.
When you are trying to be someone else or who you think you need to be in order to run a successful coaching business, it will be MUCH harder than it needs to be, because it won’t feel ok to be you. You end up second guessing, overanalyzing, putting on the “mask” of success but secretly dying inside. 😕
I’m here to tell you that not only is it ok to be 100% you in your business, it’s also the BEST way to increase your sales with much more EASE.
Yes, you can create amazing sales in a way that is UNIQUE to YOU and ditch all the rules about emailing your list, doing challenges, funnels, you know, #allthethings and it will take you SO much further than following someone else’s way and it will be a heck of a lot more fun!
As for the “other” story, I went on to earn my BA in Psychology and studied abroad in Mexico, then went on to do several multi-month multiple country solo adventures, earn my MA in Intercultural Communication, led service learning trips to Nicaragua and Mozambique, lived and worked in Mexico and Costa Rica for close to three years, started my own business while writing all the way, and went on to help my clients write their way to becoming published authors while growing their businesses THEIR way!
As for my ex? I’ll let you decide. 😉