It Ain’t Easy Being… an Entrepreneur

Just when you feel like you’ve got everything under control… you’ve got a plan, a rhythm going on and you’re rocking your business BAM. Something changes, or something shifts, it may be something outside of your control… a site you use, or even GOOGLE making some big change to their algorythm, it could be the kids all get sick, and then of course you get sick. Whatever it is, it knocks you off the rails.

Being an entrepreneur is never easy. Especially when you’re a mom, you have not only your business to run, but an entire family as well. When things are running smoothly it’s much easier… when the train runs off the rails for whatever reason, it’s much more difficult. At times it can be enough to make you think day care’s not THAT bad, and maybe I could handle taking orders from a boss again.

Then you come to your senses.

Like any good entrepreneur when you come to your senses you start thinking of solutions. Solutions to solve whatever it is that’s run you off the rails, but before you can even think about fixing that… you’ve got to get yourself to a more positive place, so you can think straight be effective.

Yesterday I had something run me completely off my rails. I was more pissed than I’ve been in a long time. It was something totally out of my control, but it seriously effected my business and I was mad. I ranted and raved (after I sent Hanna outside to play for a while), and then I realized nothing is going to come of being in this frame of mind. No good comes from complete blind fury.

So here’s what I did:

1. Vented to some good online friends. I am so grateful for the KISS Club. It’s a private area where I know everyone, and can feel comfortable venting when things run off the rails. I always get amazing support and it’s almost all I need to start reframing a problem.

2. Did some EFT. It just happened that there was an “I am so ANGRY” etapping session in the package I got this week from Brad. It was so nice to know I had something I could just tap along with. I didn’t have to try to come up with my own words when I was so mad I could barely think. Doing a few rounds of EFT really brought my anger level down to almost nothing.

3. Sent an email. Once I was more calm, I could begin to think of different ways to handle the situation. There really wasn’t much I could do about the situation. I thought of my options, and then acted on the one I thought would bring the best result.

4. Went Outside. It just happened yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day, which means potato planting day in our household. I already had plans to plant our potatoes and then head to my mom’s house and help her plant hers as well. I have found that when I’m off the rails it will do me, my kid, and my business absolutely NO GOOD to just sit in front of the computer. The work I do won’t be all that great, and I’ll end up getting angry again because the email I’m waiting on hasn’t come yet (every 30 seconds as I check email repeatedly) so it’s just better to get up and get out. Whether it’s planting potatoes, going to the park, or heading to the zoo. Heck even flying a kite would be fun. 🙂

5. Use my experience as content. 🙂 Which brings us to this morning. I’m still feeling unhappy about the situation from yesterday, but I’m in a much better place, realizing it’s a situation out of my control, and the only thing I can do is take my situation and try to help others who may run into something similar. That’s why I blog after all… So here I am… using my experience to hopefully help you, or if you share this post with a friend, your friend get through a day off the rails.

I think when I get to number 5 my train is moving slowly back on the tracks, and no matter what the outcome of the situation, I’m an entrepreneur… my brain is already racing to figure out a workaround for the problem…

What about you? What do you do when you business goes off the rails for a day? Please share how you get yourself and your business back on track in the comments.

image credit: Aussiegall