a Cuppa Collyer : Jan 29th, 2024

???? How to Cope with Loss when you've given it your ALL.

Watching my hometown heroes (Detroit Lions) lose yesterday brought up all the feels of disappointment for me. Ok, maybe not ALL the feels, but I was transported back to December 2022 when I personally looked forward to a "win" ... and instead walked away with a HUGE loss. #LearningLessons

??For those of you who have been following my Career / Personal journey for some time will remember that I was chosen to compete in & WON Second place in a #PitchCompetition in Vegas. At the time, I was a servant leader in the Vegas Tech community, having spent almost 10 years as an active Meetup Leader/Speaker/Advocate/Startup Mentor. My inner circle insisted I enter this Competition - a month after announcing the launch of my Indoor Farming startup JOCEA.

I created a 15 page pitch deck in Canva the morning of the event, with only 4 days notice that I was to compete.

I pitched last. Out of 8 Startups. Out of over 100 that applied...

I gave it my ALL. Everything I had learned from college Theater classes to Toastmasters I poured into those intense 3 minutes on stage. SHORTEST & Longest 3 minutes of my life (it seemed).

I pretended to be calm while the judges & audience voted.

"Second place and $20,000 goes to...... JOCEA!"

The next few minutes is a blur as I held back tears of joy & pride.

I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Or so I thought

A week later...

an email stating I would NOT be receiving the $10,000 cash prize (due to a single Linkedin post).??

A month later...

a retraction from Dell pulling out of the $10,000 product prize (unless I signed an updated silence clause, preventing me from talking about the contest or my experience).??

I. Was. Devasted.

January / February 2023 I went through all the stages of grief and (with the help of therapy) forced myself to learn to remain soft, no matter what happens TO you.

Fast Forward a Year :

??Watching my Lions lose felt really sad & painful. Unfair even! Like the win was ours and we LOST it (my instant reaction only). My heart hurt watching our fans faces. We were SO close! We hadn't been this close in YEARS! The whole city/state rallied. SO unfair, right?!?!?

??Immediately after the game, I felt the Pitch Competition loss in my gut & sighed peacefully. Now I really know what it's like to feel like YOU'RE READY for YOUR MOMENT in the spotlight, your BIG GAME, only to learn that it's not yet the right time.

I spent 2023 with family & rebuilding my personal growth journey / marketing biz / founders community. Time I would NOT have had if I'd won the $$$ to launch JOCEA at that time.

??Looking back, I am SO GRATEFUL that it happened the way that it did because, even though so painful, my continual reaction of love & grace is what I am most proud of! Seriously!! Without that "loss", I never would have found the pieces of myself that needed to be brought forward (and which pieces would never return). I was forced to practice what I preach with each & every moment

AND

then was able to let it go and spend much needed time with my Family during our toughest year yet. #SpinalCordInjuryRecovery ??????

To all of us LIONS, don't give up.

Growth happens in the Uncomfortable. Stretch yourself with Love. See where you end up in another year.

SO. MUCH. LOVE!

Jamie R. Collyer

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If you need a RESET hour / a RECHARGE hour / a REMINDER hour that you CAN accomplish your dreams in 2024 ---> I still have openings in February for 1 x 1 coaching. Let's find your inner peace together, would love to serve YOU!

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