That’s the thing about signs. If you are ready to receive them, they appear as large and in your face as the Hollywood sign.
Let me recap what’s been going on.
About 3 years ago I launched my business “The New Firm” – a coaching business geared towards showing high-achieving, professional women how to (re)define success. There have been many ups and downs throughout the last three years and, yet, The New Firm is still here. For that I’m extremely grateful.
About 2 years ago my family and I relocated from Minnesota to Illinois. In order to ease the transition, I stopped working altogether (I was previously still working for an employer on a contract basis) and focused on being home with the kids. I thought, hey, no problem, I’ll become a stay-at-home mom and work on my business. This will be great!
The last two years have shown me so much, including how challenging it is to do anything besides be a stay-at-home mom. (Major kudos to all SAHMs out there!) So, I’ve totally been shifting my expectations to fit with my chosen reality.
Just because you have more time doesn’t mean the timing is right.
What I mean by this is that a combination of factors have to come together in order to support you as you create and build the life you desire. I had the belief that not working for someone else, alone, would be enough to catapult my business into the ethers. Yet, I now see that this wasn’t 100% accurate. And, the signs were there the entire time with clear guidance on what I was meant to do. Funny thing is I wasn’t really listening because I was still programmed to believe that the more I forced something to happen (because heck, now I can build my empire during nap time!) the quicker it would happen.
The signs continued showing up.
Today is a perfect example of how my last two years could have gone had I just quieted down enough to listen to the signs.
Want to hear the story? I bet you do!
I’ve slowly been applying to jobs for the last three months. The reason? Well, I wasn’t listening to the signs, so I tricked myself into believing that my business was “failing” and simply not viable. In fact, what the signs were very clearly telling me to do was to slow down, take care of my body & mind, be more open to receive, ask for support (and be willing to accept it!), and to rest. But, I felt that since I’ve been in business for three years and the numbers don’t match what I believe they should be, well, it must be time for me to close up shop.
Since January I’ve been listening. I had a bit of a rock bottom moment that forced me to look at things differently (more on that another time). So, I decided to ask fear to sit quietly in the back seat while I took the wheel and started paying attention to the signs.
The signs I’m seeing today crack me up, in a good way!
Yesterday I reached out to a dear friend and awesome business owner, Sally Mercedes, one half of The Biz Sistahs. I had been hesitant to reach out for many reasons, but I created a glitch in my e-mail marketing system that I couldn’t figure out how to fix, so, there you go. The Universe was telling me to ask for help.
During our conversation, I could see so clearly. I already had all the tools and resources built for my clients. I already had the e-mails ready to go to my subscribers. I already had the ability to bring inspiration to my social media followers in a way that felt easy and good to me.
I already had it all.
One way this was all reflected to me was when I came across an IG account for a woman with her own career coaching business. I just about fell out of my seat laughing when I read through her website for the first time. (The lawyer in me wants to make it abundantly clear that my content is 100% my own and until yesterday, I did not know this website existed!)
The energy was similar, the words were similar, even some of the props used in our marketing photos were similar! The difference is she has almost 50k followers on IG and The New Firm has about 700. The difference is she was listening to her signs and taking action accordingly.
This morning, I felt the fire in my soul. Instead of suffering from compare-itis, I took what I was seeing as a sign that I am on my own right path, that I adore supporting my clients, and that I am more than ready to faithfully and consistently follow the signs.
Then, two more signs appeared!
After spending the morning dreaming and writing about The New Firm’s next evolution, it was time to pick up my kids. I had planned ahead, had snacks ready and a plan to head to the library after school. I relaxed into our time together, played, picked out new books and videos, and headed home for lunch.
The next sign appeared – a new client for my online program Operation Change Career was waiting in my inbox. Magic.
I prepared lunch and expressed gratitude for this new client. Then, the next sign appeared– “thank you so much for submitting your application, the decision was very hard, lots of qualified candidates, we gave the job to someone else.” (This is not the job I’ve been writing about in prior posts, still waiting to hear on that.) (I also sent an e-mail back saying thank you so much for letting me and I am so glad that they found someone that was a great fit for them!)
I immediately sent a picture of the denial e-mail to Sally. We laughed over text message because we both knew it was a sign.
The signs are everywhere.
An unexpected new client. A closed door on one job. A reconnection with a business magician. All in 24 hours. Those signs feel powerful to me and serve as an example of awareness, timing and reflection. I know that I am going to focus on my business and the tools I have created to re-align with a vision I have been nurturing and cultivating for three years. I’m also extremely grateful for the signs that are pointing the way. And, I also trust that if that other job does materialize, that everything I am building now will be worth it.
What signs are you ready to welcome in your life? I bet that if you look around with open eyes and a willing heart, you will see that the signs are all around–nurturing, supporting and guiding you.