Let me tell you a story…
A short while ago, I planned to release my latest labor of love on the 14th of July. Some of you may even know about it.
Our gorgeous product Easy-as-Pie eBook Marketing is all ready to be served and I had the sales page all set up… but then, I also had some incredible client projects come up… 10 sales pages, 2×8 email sales funnels, 5 blog posts, 2 sets of social media updates and a case study as well.
Here’s the thing about being a service provider who also wants to grow her passive income streams… you have to choose.
I chose to go with client work and push the launch.
Did I fail to launch? Maybe.
Did I fall back on my promise to myself? Maybe.
But at the end of the day, it’s about choosing what’s important and as my loving husband-slash-biz partner reminded me while I was crying tears of frustration… I have the choice.
I can say “no” to clients and focus on the launch or I can go the other way round.
This time, I’ve chosen the other way round… because that’s what’s needed and because falling and failing doesn’t have to be fatal to our plans…It’s all about finding balance.
THAT is also the reason it’s been a little quiet around this place. We plan our editorial calendar months in advance, with posts tied into topics that folks want to learn about and that we want to share. So sometimes, when the best laid plans go awry, we need to step back and re-evaluate and take a break. I can never in a million years pop something up just for the sake of having a blog post go up on a certain date. I’m Type A and anal about these things, but value to YOU comes waaaay head of that.
We will launch this product but we will do it without driving ourselves crazy or pushing ourselves to the point where one of us snaps.
We will come back to regular posting but we will do it in a way that makes the most sense to us while adding the maximum value to YOU.
The 3- Question Approach to Finding Balance
Finding balance can mean many things when you’re straddling many different roles – woman, wife, mother, home manager, business owner, team member, employer, friend.
At times like these, when my Type A, ISFJ self wants to scale all mountains and smash all goals, I need to slow down and remind myself of 3 questions:
Why I do what I do?
Who I do it for?
What I want from it at the end of the day?
Earlier this month, when I was overwhelmed and exhausted, I looked at these 3 questions and the answers were as plain as the lines on the palm of my hand.
I do this for the flexibility and freedom it gives me to stay at home while earning at full-time income. I do it for my own self and my family. I want balance and flexibility.
Once I realized this, the decision was easy.
Launching can wait.
My sanity can’t.
That’s the choice I made and that’s the flexibility I’m looking for as we grow this business baby of ours.
Speaking of growing, after that serious-ish reflective insight into the world of an entrepreneur, here’s something fun.
I’m turning 37 on the 23rd of July!!! That means, I’m 3 years away from 40, which according to many is the best time of your life, so I’m going to make reaching 40 the best time of my life as well.
And on that note…
A Birthday Bucket List: 40 Things to Do Before I Turn 40
Last year, I shared 36 lessons about being an entrepreneur as I celebrated my 36th birthday.
This year, for my 37th birthday, we’re headed to Hong Kong for a family trip that includes… wait for it… Disneyland. People, you have no idea, how excited that can get this soon-to-be 37 year old.
But back to the point I was trying to make.
I don’t have 37 lessons to share because really, I wouldn’t have learnt all of them in the last year, so that post is still good, if you want to know what I’ve learnt.
But I do have 40 things I want to do before I turn 40.
Here there are, in no order of preference. If you can help me cross one of them off, please do let me know. I shall, forever, be grateful and will show it with brownies, cookies and yes, Nutella.
Start work on my #bookbook. The #bookbook is a phrase I’ve totally borrowed from my friend Karen Gunton to refer to a print book, published either by my own self or by a publisher. I’ve always wanted to walk into a bookstore and see my name on a book, surrounded by authors I’ve loved and read for long.
Have a healthy, disease-free body. Here’s the post that talks about what I have and what I’m doing.
Finally lose the “baby” weight, get toned arms, abs and legs and basically get in the best shape of my life. Watch out world!
Feel the fear and do it anyways… so do more video posts and webinars for biz.
Speak at a conference or live event overseas – Problogger, Type A West, Inbound, World Domination Summit, FinCon, Shine Live.
Attend a high level mastermind.
Lead a mastermind or retreat for parent entrepreneurs.
Start learning French again.
Do at least one craft with Manini every month.
Schedule date afternoons with Mayank.
Organise Mama-and-Minna evenings/afternoons twice a month.
Launch a course that reaches at least 500 people in it’s first round.
Create and establish an evening routine for the family and myself.
Take better care of my skin and hair.
Take better care of my teeth.
Meditate everyday for 15 minutes, minimum.
Get featured on Smart Passive Income, Entrepreneur, Forbes and Inc.
Meet Bushra Azhar in person. Don’t know who she is? Aaah… Let me do the honors of introducing you. Click here and prepare to have your world changed forever. Other people have celebrities and movie actors or sportspeople on their bucket lists. I have HER. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/72x72/1f609.png" alt="