By You have a demanding job and also a very vivid dream — it will all work out.
Are you similar to me, stuck in the corporate world with huge visions of achieving something great and bogged down with the day to day activities of earning a living to support your family? I’m with you on that one.
Certain days can become more frustrating than others. For example, it seems that most of your life is spent making money for someone else when you could be doing the very same thing for yourself. I remember a quote from a very talented writer who said, “Having a day job will sacrifice the time and effort you dedicate to your side hustle towards freedom. So you have to sit down and ask yourself — is it worth it in the long run?” Asking myself that question, I knew that it was worth it in the long run in some way. I have a family and the usual stuff that comes part and parcel with being a mum. So I have to be ok with achieving my bliss — the long way. The reality is that if you are young, it may be a lot easier for you. Living with parents, not having the responsibility of raising children, and a mortgage can work in your favour. It takes a bit of time to grow your kids up, to nurture and look after their needs. Even though my daughter is a teenager, she still needs her mum. My mum has passed away a month, and even at my age (43), I still need my mum. So how do we be ok with taking the slow way towards our dreams? I’m sitting here after yet another late night of work — and not dedicating my time to the things I love.
Instead, it’s caused me to understand why I’m doing this thoughtfully and accept the pace I’m on.
Lesson one: I tend to jump the gun, and now I take time to evaluate everything
I’m not one to procrastinate too much. When I get a feeling about something, I act upon it. Sometimes I find that the need for it is not within my scope at the moment, but it could be helpful later on. Now, it’s much less stressful doing the hard yards to make progress because I don’t have the financial pressures. I’ve been in that stage for many moments in my life. It’s a very desperate and negative vibration, which only repels people. Now, I can make a decision, sit back and take it one step at a time. The key is not to take too long but to start.
Lesson two: I became SUPER productive
I have an excellent planner, which plans the hours of my day to the letter. I don’t feel guilty when I miss anything — as those things happen. You have to prepare your life for those pockets of time you can dedicate to your side hustle. There is no guessing or wishing. For my situation, personal business time is either early in the morning or at night. I highly recommend you write it down in a diary to make yourself accountable for it. But, then, how will you achieve those big goals in the limited time you do have? Chip away at it daily.
Lesson Three: It helps me meet more like-minded people.
There are so many older women and mums trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. I love connecting with women like this, who are empowering themselves. In the flesh, I don’t have any role models who are doing amazing things in a small and online business. Connecting with these like-minded people pushed me up even further to greater levels and helped me along the way.
Lesson Four: The way to the top is slow for everyone — but paying for a course helps fast track your journey
I don’t know anyone who’s made it big in no time. Maybe they got lucky or something, but I’ve had to work hard for my share. We all complete things at our own pace and learn at a different speed. I like to be in a group and get instructions from someone who has already made it big in the field of my interest. That’s what helps me the most. I’m happy to pay a bit extra to get the strategy from an expert. We are all different in that sense, but I don’t enjoy wasting time trying to work it out, as it can take forever. I think being in a community with an expert -or other experts — will fast track you even more!
Lesson Five: It’s not a race
I had a big problem with this one — mainly because of my age. But then I realised that I do look after my health and watch my nutritional choices. So what am I worried about?
I can still enjoy myself as an older and more abundant person. At least now I have a lot more maturity and sense of what to do with my time and money. I have a purpose, which I did not have as a younger person. Then, it was all about buying flashy things, not planning for the future, and helping others. My outlook has changed a lot now — and I’m grateful for swapping my youth for wisdom. Take Away: Nothing is ever perfect, and most of us weren’t born out of a wealthy and well-equipped family. As a result, we all usually have to struggle to find our feet.
But it doesn’t have to be a road that is fast-tracked and filled with stress. I want to enjoy the road, and I also want to look after my family.
You can have both, but you will always take a backseat the time is right for you to move ahead as a passenger.
Enjoy the ride, ladies and gents.