When Life Hits You All At Once
How to regain clarity as an entrepreneur when dealing with personal life issues.
By: Tenyse Williams, Co-Founder of Hate the Dot/ CEO of Verified Consulting
“Is the Mercury Retrograde over yet?” I asked myself during a meeting with a potential sponsorship partner. Though I was physically in the session, my mind was elsewhere, thinking about how I could navigate through my personal issues once the meeting concluded.
Have you ever felt that way? Physically present but mentally elsewhere? As entrepreneurs, we have the greatest gift, using the power of our mind and taking action on our mission to start and operate a business. It is a powerful stance towards societal norms, however, when life hits you with everything at once, how do you sustain yourself and seal the deal? Here are five tricks I’ve accumulated along my journey through entrepreneurship:
1. Stop and smell the roses
No seriously, do it. I know you have heard this phrase over and over again, but taking time to slow down and be present will give you clarity in your decision making during personal times.
For example, my friends know I love to take very long walks. Taking that time to walk to a business meeting, or eat lunch without multitasking (your brain needs time to process) will give you clarity on how to navigate through certain situations.
2. Choose your moments
Does every call or meeting matter? The best thing about being an entrepreneur is that you have control of your schedule and your moments. When I was a teacher, I had absolutely no control over how my day went (my fellow teachers understand), but I knew once I left I could have more control.
Ask yourself, do I need to talk to mom at this very moment? While in the midst of a personal issue and no solution has come about, give yourself space to think about it and regain clarity.
3. Ask yourself: “What do you want?”
Yes, its seemingly simple and straightforward question (but trust me, I struggle with that question at times). Answer it out loud or write it down. Ask yourself, what do you want out of your business? How do you plan on going about it? What is one of the most challenging moments you’re personally facing right now, what is the end objective of this situation and what steps are you taking to solve it?
4. Let it go and embrace it
Some things are out of your control. As an entrepreneur, you are and have to always be in control, but life has a funny way of telling you that sometimes you are not. Your professional life may be progressing very well, however, your personal life is in shambles. How do you cope? If you have done everything possible to prevent a particular situation from happening or there are things you cannot avoid such as death or long-term illness, embrace that you did all you could, and accept that this will be a true testament of your success story.
5. Get yourself a tribe
Find a support circle of entrepreneurs. I know you are wondering where these people are, but they may just be right in front of you. Know that it’s okay to be vulnerable. Another person may be going through a similar situation or has gone through it! Many of the current entrepreneur friends I have now, I sought out or they came to me. This tribe is your safety net when you need to be caught, and are there to hold you accountable when you need some tough love. My tribe taught me that I am not alone as an entrepreneur, and that there are others just as crazy (or crazier) than I am. Thanks to my tribe, I learned to let my guard down and remain open to constructive feedback. Overall, it makes you a better YOU.
Tenyse is one of the panelists at Rising Women, an upcoming speaker panel celebrating unique identities, personal experiences, and professional growth. Come join us for an evening you won’t forget!
Monday, April 22nd
7–9pm, Class & Co Williamsburg
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