First off, I am not sure how this blog is going to go since I’m starting it with the title, so I’ll just put my fingers to the keyboard and let them go. February 21st was my 39th birthday and while I love a good shindig with the rest of them celebrating it with bells and whistles on every year is not necessary for me. Lucky for me and like the rest of you, I celebrated this one with my querenteam which includes my husband and my 3 feline children.
I am so grateful for them.
Without further ado, 39 things I’ve learned along the way.
- If you are completely self-funding your dream, give yourself time, because the time you have allotted in your head, double it, quite possibly, triple it. I wish someone had told me this before I started Sanara but then again maybe I don’t, but it’s true. If you fiercely believe in what you are doing don’t get off that train until you get to your destination.
- Find your cheering squad. Guess what, it may not be all your friends and family, and while that might sting a little, you can't let that deter you, go out and find them.
- Above all else you must be your biggest motivator. Someone once asked Elon Musk if he had any inspiring words to give to entrepreneurs and he stated, “If you need inspiring words, don’t do it.” As harsh as this sounds, it's true.
- The best time to start something was yesterday, the next best time is now. Every time I want to get down on myself for not starting sooner, I remind myself with this, then I get started on that thing I wish I'd started sooner.
- You will make mistakes, like a lot, so get used to it. Making mistakes doesn't bother me as much as doing nothing at all to try and avoid them does.
- Learn how to design a website. This one doesn’t necessarily mean you need to design a website but every time I want to get down on myself for not being further along then I am, I remind myself of all the seemingly insignificant things that comes with building a brand (or anything for that matter) that I’ve learned to do and I’m freaking proud of those insignificant things.
- Know your weaknesses. Know them and ask for help. You can’t do everything.
- Know your strengths. Don’t be afraid to execute it with confidence.
- Haste turns into waste. I have to be honest, I’m in such a hurry in life that I’ve just recently learned this one. This goes hand in hand with #5 as I’ve made plenty of mistakes and accumulated plenty of waste but it’s an art when you can balance the wisdom from learning from those mistakes and taking your time to make better decisions in the future.
- If you wait until everything is perfect, you've started too late. Did you know Sanara first started as “Bek’s Soap Co." then it made a quick appearance as "Lev Vel". It’s true! I often laugh at my early packaging and all those little things that make me “cringe” but guess what, I started and I’m so proud of that because there would not be a Sanara without Bek’s Soap Co. or Lev Vel. Just get started and let the pieces fall into place.
- Let go of those relationships that do not lift you up. Anyone pop up in your mind? Ok, you know what you should do, politely distance yourself.
- People are willing to help much more then you realize. I’m still completely in awe of people’s generosity. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You know who you are in my life.
- Never stop being curious. Learn new things. I would have never fallen into creating Sanara if it weren’t for my utter curiosity and willingness to learn new things. And I’ve tried a lot of things…karaoke career? Nope, I'll keep it a hobby. Fashion line from my knitting skills? Move along, I live in Texas. Learn the keyboard, guitar? I’ll leave that to the professionals. Making soap? We've got a winner!
- Do your market research before diving in. Should I start a _________? I don’t know what does the market say? How will I differentiate myself? Before you spend a dime investing any money into your side gig do your research.
- You will NOT have it all figured out and that is ok. Last year I was having so much anxiety trying to figure out a certain piece of Sanara. I often tell people I feel like I’m playing a video game and I’ve hit the next level and I’ve got to figure out this level. It was after reading Marie Forleo’s book, “Everything is Figureoutable” that my anxiety was released from the crippling pressure to have this particular thing figured out right away because guess what, I didn't have it figured out, I'm still figuring it out and that's part of the process. Then when I hit that next level or next thing, I'll figure that one out too. It's all part of the growth process.
- Do not apologize when you don’t have anything to be sorry for. Self-explanatory and I have no apologies for that.
- Things usually don’t work out for a reason. Trust the universe. I must admit I’m blessed with a certain element of idealism and positivity that everything works out exactly how it was supposed to. Despite all that I do have to remind myself of this every time I hear “no thank you".
- Apologize first. If you’re wrong, apologize sincerely, first, and fast.
- Trust that voice in your head. Trust your gut. Trust the hairs on the back of your neck. Trust the butterflies.
- Goals matter. All these beautiful things you want in your life don't just happen. It's all about goals. Make them bite size.
- If you can’t laugh at yourself, it’s going to be a long ride.
- Your career choices are not linear. If you are not in the position to have your college education financed by your parents and still not quite sure what you want to be one day (knowing that at 18 is a lot to ask a kid), earn a technical degree. Start earning money (with little student debt) so you can support yourself and those big girl bills then finance your own dreams. It's exactly what I did. I knew then my technical degree was a means to the end of something bigger that I hadn't yet figured out. Thank you Austin Community College for giving me a way. (That's a whole other blog on how I worked my way up to a 6 figure salary in my early 30's from a two year college degree).
- Don’t burn bridges. It’s a small world.
- People are going to vent about other people. Don’t spread it. I don’t know what it is about my personality but people feel comfortable venting to me about anything and everything and honestly, I welcome it because we all need that person we can speak freely with, with no judgement. I feel honored that someone would trust me with this info but guess what? What someone says to me, stays with me. It’s been a very wise decision.
- You do not have to have children if you choose not to. I’ve always known I love children, but I didn’t always know if I would have one by choice. But I thought when you love children you have one, right? Can you love children and not have them? Is that possible? 39 years later with this inner conflict and dialogue, I can confidently say, you can.
- You don’t have to have the big engagement ring and photoshoot or the 5-figure wedding to make your love worthy of a commitment. After meeting my husband on Bourbon St., dating long-distance for 6 months, moving in together after a weather catastrophe, then living together for 2 years to getting married after a 2-day engagement with a 7 guest wedding with no wedding rings to show for it due to being poor, college students we got married in 2007. Whoa that was a mouthful. The point is, when you love someone deeply and all you want, is to be together you do it your way. Apologies for the heart attack mom but I saved you a bunch of $$$. 13 years strong and I love him more and more every day.
- The real world can be worse than high school, but with money. There will always be mean girls. Just don’t be one of them.
- When you set big dreams, you will hear “no” much more then you hear “yes”, so get used to it. The good new is, you only need one yes, so keep chasing it!
- No one has it all figured out! Repeat after me. No. One. Has. It. All. Figured. Out.
- Don't ask someone to do something you are not willing to do yourself. This is the kind of leader I strive to be.
- Do not bring up an issue if you do not have some sort of fix or willingness to help figure out the solution. This is the kind of support I strive to be.
- When the music turns on, dance.
- Stand up against misogyny. If you haven’t experienced it yet get ready for it. As it's happening, it feels like major disrespect and disbelief as to what is happening and while you might be questioning what is actually happening at that very moment trust your gut and call it out, immediately, specifically (so they aren’t confused) and sternly so there is no question on how you demand to be treated.
- Even if your voice shakes speak up and speak your truth.
- You can not change the people around you, but you can change the people around you.
- Learn when you need to be stern and when you need to be gentle with others.
- If everyone committed to better self-awareness so many issues could be avoided or resolved once the misstep is addressed and acknowledged.
- Always leave a place better then you found it. That goes for being a houseguest or an employee.
- A good love challenges you to be better for yourself and each other. A toxic love makes you question everything all together. Go out and find that good love.
To celebrate use code FOUNDERBDAY for 15% off your order! But you have to hurry because it ends March 21st!