Pivoting

Have you ever had a day where you felt like your “get up and go” got up and went? I’ve been feeling like that all summer long. And for the longest time I couldn’t pinpoint as to why I was feeling that way. At first I questioned if I had a virus, then was I depressed, and then it hit me. I had no reason to wake up in the morning and get going. During my father’s last two years of life I had purpose. It was my job to balance my career while helping with his care. After his death, I assisted my mother with all the subsequent necessary tasks.

Now that life is calming down – it’s been almost a year – I have been reflecting on my own satisfaction with what I am doing. To be honest, I love helping my mother navigate her new solo life because it is giving us quality time together that I cherish. However, the thought of trying to get my wellness coaching business back on track after a two-year hiatus is daunting. And to be perfectly honest, I really do not want to devote my time and effort to it anymore.

I’ve been in business as a solopreneur for ten years and it has been a constant battle to get new clients, perpetuating a steady income. Most people want to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle but do not want to pay for it. If insurance covered my services, it wouldn’t be a problem. Sadly, it does not. And in order to keep a thriving business going, I feel like a politician who is constantly campaigning: as soon as I am working with one client, I need to start looking for my next so that I have a steady stream of work.  Honestly, it’s exhausting. For a while I’ve worked with the MS Society and Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Arizona, but both have changed staffing several times and shifted direction regarding messaging and mission. I guess I feel like I don’t fit in anymore with either.

As I let my feelings percolate, I have decided it is time to pivot and add excitement and purpose once again to my daily life. I won’t completely give up working in the wellness arena because I believe it is vital to everyone’s wellbeing. And if I have knowledge that I can share with others to make their lives better, I must do that. However, I am going to shift gears on the topic of my wellness newsletter making it more like a blog post than a newsletter. I will offer tips, thoughts, and perhaps suggestions on living every day as middle-aged woman with a chronic disease as healthfully as possible; preserving its title Live in Wellness Now. I will share my ups and downs, successes and failures. My hope is to keep it real.

In the meantime, I am also going to pursue a potentially new revenue stream. As a child I loved art and graphic design however was discouraged to follow it as a career. Now, as I help my mother plan the renovations on her new condo, I have rediscovered my love of graphic art and am going to explore a certification in interior design. I may take one class and hate it. On the other hand, I may love it and continue through to completion. No matter what I discover, I am excited to be taking a new journey down a road I haven’t traveled in a very long time. Perhaps it’ll spark something in you too and we’ll enjoy the journey together!