Last week I wrote about how I had been in a slump, feeling lonely and isolated.   I shared the post with my list and on social media.  

Immediately the love and support started pouring in.  Messages were received from loved ones reaching out to check in, worried about me.  Friends and fellow entrepreneurs called, texted and emailed to connect, giving uplifting advice and empathetic virtual hugs.   

I was so touched and comforted by the support from everyone.  Thank you all.

The message that unfolded from those of you out there doing your heart centered hustling was loud and clear:  

You are not alone, I feel it too.  

I’ve been in a funk for 3 weeks. Since my glass is usually half full, three weeks has felt like an eternity.   I could tell myself it is the record rainfall but I know it is something deeper.  Something inside of me is shifting.

There are big transitions in my life and business right now.  I’ve been doing a lot of work on both which is consuming energy both emotionally and physically.  And as I traverse the path to move forward I find myself feeling lonely.

This is the not-so-pretty side of entrepreneurship.  The loneliness and isolation that we can feel doing too many things on our own.  The feeling that everyone else has their shit together and I am the only one floundering. But I’ve been behind the curtain of enough businesses to know that that isn’t the case.  

You sit down at your desk.
Slurp your coffee.
Take a deep breath and open your computer.

Now what?

Maybe you check your email, facebook, or look at your to do list.  All of a sudden an hour has gone by.  

Shit.  What did you just do the last hour?  

I struggled with this for a long time.  I ended many days thinking "What the hell, I don't even know what I didi today." 

Somewhere along the way, I read about the following technique.  I started using it and have had many of my clients use it as well.  I've seen huge return from this tweak in my day.

Last week had a conversation with a fellow entrepreneur about the effectiveness of Facebook ads.  I asked her if she had a facebook targeting pixel installed on her site (I said it as though I’m some tech expert, Ha!).   She looked at me and said “What the hell is that?”

Luckily I have an awesome husband who gave me the pro tip that I should install this "thingy" (my technical term for it) on my site.  Here is how it works.

I just finished listening to Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert.  Did you hear me right?
I FINISHED A BOOK!!  This may be a run of the mill statement for you but this was a huge accomplishment for me. I’m the girl who’s had the same book sitting by my bed for six months.  

I’ve been in a book funk for about…. um, 6 years.  (That time frame seems to coincide with the age of my oldest child.)  

It's not that I haven't read any books in the last 6 years but the quantity has been pitiful.  I’m embarrassed about it. When current reading lists rise to the top of a group discussion, I go quiet.  I look around with adoration and hang on their words, living vicariously through them.   

I long to read more. Time seems to always be filled by something else (often the kids or sleep).  

But, I had a nice breakthrough. I was getting bored with the podcasts I usually listen to, so I checked out a few audio books from the library.

And guess what happened?  I listened to TWO books this past week.  No joke.  Any moments I’ve had to myself I’ve been listening.  Cooking, folding laundry, grocery shopping, driving, you name it and the words have been flowing.  

Big Magic as been amazing.  It is a beautiful conversation where creativity and reality collide.  She pulls the concept of creativity down from the clouds and gets real about incorporating it into your life. Her discussion of a “shit sandwich” completely resonated with me.  

Here’s a quick excerpt:

“What’s your favorite flavor of shit sandwich?” What Manson means is that every single pursuit—no matter how wonderful and exciting and glamorous it may initially seem—comes with its own brand of shit sandwich, its own lousy side effects. As Manson writes with profound wisdom: 

The past few months I've been interviewing various craft producers. Think chocolatiers, coffee roasters, brewers and other specialty food products - essentially where the majority of my disposable income goes.

I've decided to focus on serving this group with my coaching.  I wanted to dig deep and learn more about where each business is at and what challenges they face.  I have my own experience of owning a cafe and coffee roaster for eight years but I wanted to learn about other's challenges.

I was having a breakfast meeting with some fellow entrepreneurs this morning at a sweet breakfast spot in my neighborhood.  My friend looked around and said, "it is so busy in here at 10am, doesn't anyone in this town work!?"

We laughed because we were working sort of, but it was no power breakfast.  I glanced around and it was a mixture of people on a casual Tuesday morning.  

This is so typical of Portland.  

It has been a long few weeks.  I’ve officially crossed the 1 month mark of being sick with various issues (I won’t bore you with the details).  My head is still congested as I drop my husband off at the airport.  A little de ja vu, because I was just here one week ago picking him up from another trip he had taken.   

Two trips in two weeks may not sound so bad.  But it’s the three kids under five and feeling shitty that is making it a bit more challenging.  

He is headed out for five days to a conference where he is launching his new App.  He’s developed software for coffee roasters, an industry he know intimately well because he was one for 8 years.  

That means that the last few months have been crazy as he ramps up the development and business needs to get this beast off the ground.  The trips are really just the cherry on top.

When he arrived back from his last conference one week ago, we both knew the next seven days weren’t going to be pretty.  

March 18th marked one year since selling our cafe/coffee roaster.  

And in typical form, Jon and I didn’t even acknowledge it.  

You’d think we’d celebrate. I mean, it’s is one of the biggest life changing moments we’ve had.   Maybe we’d at least talk about about all the crazy things we’ve accomplished in the year since.  

But no, we just worked through that day like it was any other.

We walk around telling stories in our heads.  You may not even realize that you are doing this, but kids aren't the only masters of a good story around here. 

Start paying attention to the stories you tell yourself, the narrative that runs in your head. It is fascinating how frequently we are talking to ourselves.  Why are we telling ourselves these made up stories that make us feel bad?

If that title made you say “what the hell are you talking about?” I’ll encourage you to continue reading. If have the slightest inkling of wanting a website but have no clue how, keep reading.  You will find some great info you didn't even know you didn’t even know you needed.  ( I love anticipating your needs :)

I launched my website last summer on Wordpress.  I'm incredibly non-tech when it comes to website stuff.  I need things to be simple, and easy and everyone said Wordpress is pretty easy.   But it wasn't easy for me. 

Something funny has happened over the last 11+ years of our marriage.  I married a man who loves tech stuff.  And I love to delegate.  So I’ve outsourced all my tech needs to my husband.