Today, I am painfully aware of the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and also have my eye on Hurricane Irma (and behind her, Hurricane Jose) heading up the East Coast.
There will always be storms.
Weather storms.
Life Storms,
Storms in marriage and parenting.
And — of course, most relevant to our focus on women entrepreneurs — storms in business.
No matter your industry, years in business, education level or geographic location, there will be TIMES when your business threatens to overwhelm you, or times when your finances are looking “scary,” moments when your team quits, your clients are angry and you just feel like you might be better off with a J-O-B.
I remember hearing Marley Majcher say that there was a point — in the early years of her business– during which she came to the following realization,
She’d “be better off working at McDonald’s for minimum wage and a shift meal.”
She says it in a way that is REALLY funny.
But, perhaps you’ve been there.
Maybe you’re there now.
Wondering…. if “it” is going to “work out,”
Waiting… for YOUR big break.
Wishing… that something would TURN your way.
And — of course — because you’re a hard-core, seriously driven woman who WOWs… OF COURSE, you’re doing the work. Right?
Day in and day out.
Showing up.
Doing the work.
Checking the boxes.
Falling down,
Standing back up,
Straightening your shoulders…
And then…
charging ahead again.
Against the wind and rain.
Despite whatever headwinds you may face.
Regardless of the obstacles,
Ignoring the self-doubt,
Digging deep,
Always…
while the storm rages on around you.
BUT… sometimes, we need a shelter from the storm. A place to come in from the rain, a place to be safe, to rest, to refuel.
I want to give a big Shout Out to my Mom, Vickie Tabor Woolard, who many of you have met. (And to know her is to love her, of course.) It’s her BIRTHDAY today, so if you are her friend on Facebook, send her a quick message.
My Mom has always been my shelter from the storm. No matter what was swirling around me, no matter how overwhelmed or hurt or rejected or miserable I was feeling… she was my safe place to land.
Strong.
Sure.
Tender.
Wise.
Loving.
SHE was the place in which I was most safe.
My heart.
My secrets.
My hurts.
Always safe.
I am so blessed to have had her growing up and even more blessed to still have her by my side to this day. (Happy Birthday Mom!)
Lately, I have been hearing from our Women Who WOW members some of these same sentiments… that WOW is THEIR shelter from the entrepreneurial storms in their life. A place where they can come in from the cold….
A place they can rest.
Re-fuel.
Re-focus.
Re-group.
Enjoy relationship.
Be nourished.
Be encouraged.
Be loved on.
Celebrated.
And STRENGTHENED — sometimes with some tough love — for whatever is yet to come.
Few know just how much this analogy means to me. It is one of the greatest honors of my life to lead this tribe of women…. women who are each FIERCE on their own… in their own right…. brought together under one umbrella. It just blows me away.
BUT, the storms of business do NOT have to blow YOU away. Here’s a quick overview for how to navigate WHATEVER storm you are facing right now:
— Take stock of the current reality. What is going right? What needs some adjusting?
— Consider the possibilities. What is the worst that can happen? What is the BEST that can happen? (Reality will probably be somewhere between these two extremes.)
— Acknowledge your feelings about it all. The anxiety. The overwhelm. The fear. The adrenaline. The WHATEVER. Acknowledge the feelings…. Notice them, don’t judge yourself for how you’re feeling… just acknowledge the emotions of it all.
— GIVEN all you have just written down, what is the NEXT BEST ACTION to take?
— Do that.
— Repeat.
Step by step, we weather the storms in business…. and come out stronger, more sure, more confident than before!
To my friends and members in TEXAS and LOUISIANA, FLORIDA and up and down the EAST COAST, we’re praying for you. Stay safe.
xoxo
