Having a business can be really tough at times. Sometimes you don’t know what to do next. Sometimes life is tugging at your arm, trying to get your attention. I went through this last week and realised that I could turn the tough stuff into energy to keep me going. Later in this blog you’ll find questions which will help you decide how you can find the determination to keep going in your business.
Last Wednesday I went to Amsterdam to meet up with some women in a group I’m in, SOMBA. SOMBA is an dynamic online community of (mainly) women in business, where you can learn all kinds of things to improve your online business. So, when I got the chance to meet up with 25 of these women for real last Wednesday, before some of them headed off to see Michelle Obama, I jumped at the chance.
In the right place at the right time
It was an inspiring evening. The women had travelled from all corners of the Netherlands, from Belgium, Germany and Switzerland to raise their glasses together. I heard about books being written, a cruise, webinars, big plans, solutions, dilemma’s. So, it was really inspiring to be there and to hear all these dreams and plans. The energy in the room with this wonderful group of women was amazing. It felt like anything was possible!
There was a buzz in the air
Outside we could see the queue of people waiting to get in to see Michelle Obama. Some were in evening dress, others casual, lots of women with friends and daughters, people from different backgrounds, everyone pleased and proud to be there. You could feel the excitement in the air. People really wanted to be there.
But in the wrong place too
So, I felt like I was exactly in the right place at the right time. I was where it was happening. I was where the positive energy was.
At the same time, at the back of my mind all the time I was wondering about my mother in the UK, who’d been taken into hospital twice in the same week.
The first time was Monday. I got an app from my sister, that my other sister was calling an ambulance. Then throughout the day, I was receiving messages about progress and what was happening. It’s hard to be at such a distance at times like this. It’s one of the hardest things of all about living in a different country.
Guilt is my oldest sister go to emotion
I felt helpless, worried and guilty. Guilt is my oldest sister go to emotion at times like these. I know it doesn’t help anything, but it still comes back to visit. “I’m the eldest sister, I should have been with my Mum, I shouldn’t leave that up to my sister.” That’s even though she is perfectly capable of taking care of the situation. As is my other sister. Funny, how even though you’re an adult, you fall back into your old family roles at times like these.
Low energy affects everything
What made this even more difficult was that my phone was acting really strangely. Starting on the night from Sunday to Monday, it had great problems charging and when it did manage to charge, it drained really quickly too. So, I spent the first few days of the week attached to a charger.
On the mend
Mum came out of hospital on Tuesday afternoon. The doctors thought they knew the reason for her problems, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that they were wrong. And Wednesday morning she was taken back in again with the same thing.
So, while I was with these women in this wonderful energy, I was also waiting to see what the cardiologist had decided to do. So, it was a pretty surreal event.
Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do
As a result, as well as feeling that I was exactly in the right place, at the right time, I also felt that I was precisely in the wrong place too. I should have been at the hospital. That’s even though everyone in the UK was telling me that I didn’t need to go.
Should I stay or should I go now?
Now there are all kinds of reasons why it would have been really difficult to jump on a plane (like a daughter at home who needed looking after), and hideously expensive last minute plane tickets, but that doesn’t make the feeling go away.
All in all, this week has made me even more determined to achieve more with my business. So, I can just get on a plane if I need to and take the kids with me, without even having to think about it.
Impact follows a collision
That’s what happens when two powerful events collide in this way, they have an even greater effect together. That’s what impact does.
If I had only met up with the SOMBA women, it would have been inspiring about new steps I could take. If I had only had to deal with my Mum being sick, I would have been concentrating on her and keeping going at work. The two events together had way more impact on me.
On Thursday, Mum got a pacemaker fitted and now she’s back at home.
And one of the strangest things of all, is that my phone has spontaneously started working again.
It seems to be able to charge again. Like Mum.
Find the determination to keep going in your business
These collision moments are when you decide to keep going (find determination) or give up. It’s that simple.
So, every time you feel like you can’t cope or it’s too much, ask yourself these questions:
- Which small step can I take next?
- What is this situation teaching me now?
- What is this situation teaching me for the future? How do I need to develop further?
- Can I work at a different speed for a while?
- What can I focus on for the time being to get me closer to where I need to be?
- Who can help me keep going? Do I need a coach or a group to keep me going?
If you answer these questions for yourself, every situation becomes a way to learn and grow. Learning is a great way to find the determination to keep going in your business. Because then every tough situation takes you to a new level. And that, in turn, gives you more ways to cope and develop further.
What about you?
Where do you find the determination to keep going in your business? How do you recharge when things get tough?
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