One Year Later: 10 Lessons From My First Year In Business
A woman sits at a desk with all the essentials for her workday: a pen, journal, cup of tea, teapot, food and phone.
One year ago, I cleaned out my office, met my manager in a parking lot (this pandemic and the resulting new normal is still so strange to think about) and handed over my laptop, computer equipment and corporate badge. One year later, I see that I wasn’t just turning in a box of items. I was leaving behind a major piece of my identity.
Cue the personal growth.
Because anytime we are shifting a piece of our identity, of who we are, major personal growth will follow. Through this process, we have to shed the old layers of who we are (and all the things we think we should be) to become who we are meant to be. This is the work I do with my clients and I am proud to always be in the arena with them because I am always learning and growing, too.
Throughout the last year I’ve learned many things, but here are 10 reflections that are on my heart this week:
Appreciate Your People. This year would not have been possible without my husband, family, friends, clients, and coaches (just to name a few!). Thank the people in your life who support you…and be specific with your gratitude! Let them know how they have helped you because chances are, they want to continue to support you in the best way possible.
Celebrate every win. There were so many moments where I caught myself in my old story that tells me “I’m not doing enough” or “I’m not getting this right.” When that happened, I’d pause to remind myself how far I’d come and celebrate something I was proud of. Notable moments include signing my first client, teaching my first corporate workshop and launching my website! Through any transition in life, make time to celebrate and be kind to yourself. You’re a rockstar and I never want you to forget it!
Give Yourself Grace. I’m my own worst critic and hold myself to the highest standards. My guess is that you might feel this way too because I often hear this from the women I work with! To me, giving yourself grace means pushing yourself to try new things, learning new ideas and actively participating in your personal growth while recognizing that change takes time and that real transformation doesn’t happen overnight.
Embrace the Roller Coaster. The ups and downs are real y’all and I know this doesn’t just apply to self-employment. We all experience this! Some days I’d leave a coaching session feeling like the most badass woman on the planet, confident that I was living my calling and other days, I’d find myself in a puddle of my own tears wanting to give up. In the beginning, I felt a lot of shame around this and tried to control it, but I’m finally embracing the idea that we’ve got to accept all feelings and not just the good ones. It’s part of the human experience!
Choose courage. My ego has been working some major overtime over the past year trying to keep me safe. She tells me to quit, to go back to what I know, and to stay small. I hear her, and I know she’s just trying to protect me from the unknown, but I also know I know that in order to push through and live into a new way of being, I have to choose courage. I have to choose to walk towards the uncertainty to grow into the person I am becoming. Is it scary as all hell? Yes. Is it worth it? Also yes. Choose to be courageous every single day.
You write the script. My mentors and coaches reminded me of this over and over. That there was no playbook that I had to follow. I could create what I wanted to create and do what I wanted to do because this is MY life and MY career! And that goes for more than just anyone who is in business for themselves. We all hold the pen and paper to write the story our of lives.
It is possible to love your work. For years leading up to my career change, I told myself the lie that a job is just a job and that it wasn’t possible to actually love what you do. I’d heard friends say it but never believed it, until now. I love the work I do as a Coach. That doesn’t mean it isn’t challenging and that doesn’t mean I never feel stressed or anxious or overwhelmed. But it does mean that it is possible to enjoy the work you do. To be interested in what you’re learning and the ways in which you’re growing. Don’t believe the lie that you need to suck it up until you retire. Life is too short!
Leave space in your days. In my corporate career, I often moved from meeting to meeting and project to project and had little time in my days to pause and think. That is something I have welcomed into my life more than ever over this past year. Block your calendar for times to be creative, or to simply sit and think and be. You will be amazed at the new ideas you have and how it calms your whole being by simply taking a break from the speed.
Don’t underestimate a long walk outside. I talked about this in my blog post from two weeks ago and it’s worth mentioning again because it’s been such a game changer! I have walked in my neighborhood more in the past year than ever before. Fresh air is magical for the soul and will calm your nervous system through the most challenging of days. A quick walk up to the end of my street and back is sometimes all it takes to welcome in some calmness.
Community is Key. Being a solopreneur is lonely! Some of my best friends have come from my Corporate roles and now that I’m off on my own, in a brand new industry, I found myself missing the community I had built. As a result, I’ve been intentional about connecting with new people and developing relationships with peers and mentors in my new industry. Anytime you embark on something new, it’s important to have a group of people you can learn from.
Oh what a year it’s been! The best part of it all is that everything I’ve been through and everything I’ve learned through my own journey is going to make me that much stronger of a Coach for you. It’s a gift to be able to use my own experiences to guide other women to grow into new versions of themselves and step into that something more they’re looking for.
On the left: Text reads “Personal Growth for Modern Corporate Women, Commit to yourself & growing into the next version of you.” Below is a radio button that says “Tell me more!” and by clicking the photo, you are directed to a page where you can learn more about coaching with Lauren.
On the right: There is a picture of Lauren, smiling, sitting on a park bench with her laptop.
