Yes You Can!
Morning in the Canyon
I’m baaacccckkkk!
Many of you know that I took a month-long break from work. Part of that was spent rafting the Grand Canyon (the trip was literally life-changing.) Then, instead of coming home and immediately jumping back into work, I took another week off just for me.
What’s more, I didn’t look at email (or call in to find out what was going on with the business) the entire time. I didn’t think about new client acquisition or receivables or blogging or business planning for 30 entire days.
It was wonderful.
The main takeaway wasn’t “Hey, I can ignore email” or “Wow, the world still spins without me when I’m gone.” It was much, much deeper than that.
I realized the depth of my own personal powers. And, like my trainer Daniel Iversen says, “Yes, you can.”
My business has always been my baby. If you would have told me two years ago that I’d be taking a month off, I would have laughed so hard that I’d start to snort. A MONTH off? Heck no. A day, sure. Maybe two. More than that, I would need to take my laptop to “check in.” Besides, what if something blew up? I’d need to be around to fix it – right?
If you’re a business owner, you may be saying to yourself, “Well, that’s great for Heather, but I can’t do that because of X.” No money, no time, too many responsibilities. I get it, I really do. I felt the same way. It’s not like I was flush with cash before I left. There was a client issue that needed to be resolved quickly before I boogied out. I had so many balls in the air that leaving felt stupid and bad and irresponsible.
Yes, I learned an important lesson about the necessity of taking a long break. More than that, I learned that anything is possible – if you ignore the excuses of why you can’t do something.
Consider how many times you say to yourself, “I’d love to do that, but I can’t.” Maybe you want to quit your in-house job and freelance. Maybe you want to go back to school. Or purchase something that makes your heart sing every time you think about it.
Telling yourself “no” all the time, granted, is the easier path. You start breaking out of it, and suddenly, a bunch of well-meaning friends give you their opinions. They’ll tell you how they know someone who did what you want to do – and failed miserably. They’ll tell you that it’s not a good idea “right now.” They may even tell you that you’re being irresponsible.
But here’s the thing: How long are you going to let “no” dictate your life? How long will you keep yourself from what you really want to do? Because at the end of the day, no-one else is telling you “no.”
It’s you that’s holding you back.
Plus, once you take the leap, it’s amazing how many magical things happen. I came home focused on prosperity and abundance – and I’ve been rewarded already (and it’s my second day back in the office!). I’ve talked to so many freelancers who stress about spending money on the SEO Copywriting Certification training – but once they do, it’s like the floodgates opened up for them. Suddenly, they were generating more clients than ever before. They were living the life they wanted to live.
And it’s all because they opened themselves up to the possibilities and said “yes” rather than shutting down and saying “no.”
If this strikes a chord with you, this is your “permission” to say YES! Do that thing that scares you. Throw caution to the wind and go for it. Sure, you’ll want to do your due diligence – but once it’s done, throw yourself off the cliff and make it happen.
You will be amazed at the help and support you’ll receive once you do – and the miracles you’ll experience.
Have you thrown caution to the wind and done something that makes your heart sing? Tell me about it in the comments. Or, if you’re thinking about making a leap, share your goal and your fears. We’re all in this together – and we all understand.
Now, go forth and make it happen.
Love this Heather!
Having taken the plunge and said “yes” to major career and life changes in the past, I must agree. “Yes” can be so much more freeing than “no.”
One thing I’d like to add – for anyone who is still debating about this – is you don’t want to look back on your life and wonder “what if?” What if I followed my dream? What if I started my own business? What if I moved across the country? I have been faced with these situations and when I just jumped, I had no regrets.
If I hadn’t taken the plunge and given myself permission to say “yes,” I might be sitting at my desk in Northeast Pennsylvania dreading the rest of the week, instead of sitting in my condo in San Diego, CA, working for myself and loving my life!
Amy, you are so right. “What if” is one of the saddest sentences in the English language…
(And aren’t you glad that you aren’t a cubicle-dweller in NE PA right now….wow.)
;)
I am making the change right now. Finish my permanent job on wednesday…straight into freelance projects. You are so right…once you say yes and throw caution to the wind, things just fall into place. Plus, trying and failing is still more exciting than taking no risks at all.
@Craig – very true. I think it’s exciting to see people break out of their comfort zone and try something new. It’s amazing how folks are rewarded for “breaking free” in ways they never thought imaginable…
Congrats on the major life change! Here’s to the freelance life! :)
Wow. Thanks for sharing. I can totally relate, I wish I could say I was bold and courageous and jumped into my freelance career. But I got laid off and after lots of corporate interviews discovered I did not want to return to a cubicle – when I had a lovely garden view, an SEO copywriting certificate, and the smarts to go solo! I jumped off without a net – and I’ve made a few wrong turns, but I found an amazing community of solo entrepreneurs that are so happy to give advice and encouragement! Totally inspired by your journey, Heather, thanks for being a great mentor. I’m going to start planning a mini sabbatical.