The story about going heads down – June Edition

Hello My Dreamers,

Have you missed me?

I’ve been heads down since February.?Trying to figure out what comes next.?The reality is this business, although it’s my passion and my intent to change the world, is not thriving like I thought it would.?It turns out 2022 was not the best time to start a journey as a solopreneur and it was a hard year.

When I gave notice at Accenture, the stock price for the company was hovering right around $400.?I had a good nest egg that I was ready to use to support myself through my first year in business, knowing that it would be hard, and I wouldn’t make nearly my salary in year 1, but I could make ends meet and that would be worth it to build my dreams.

What I couldn’t have predicted was how the economy started to shift in 2022 and by the time I had honed my services and messaging, individual spending was pulling back, so I shifted my focus to B2B where I could impact the systems in the workplace that were partially responsible for the burnout epidemic in the first place.?As I started to focus more on corporate speaking and programming, the layoffs started.?

I also learned the hard way that the sales cycle was a long one for wellbeing services, considering the rest of the company was likely already on fire and cutting costs would be on the high priority lists of every top executive.?When we look at cost cutting, one of the first places we look is the people.?And so, the layoffs have continued.?Even though hiring hasn’t seemed to slow down, according to the jobs reports, I know a lot of folks who are suffering because they’re trying to make ends meet after a layoff or a resignation because of burnout. So where has that left me??

For the first time in my career, I felt directionless.?

I had chased this dream and put everything I had into it, and although I had a lot to show for it, I couldn’t make ends meet anymore.?I made some decisions that could not be undone, and now I am sitting in the “in between” as I work to find my own next right action.

I have been using all my own tools to determine my path options and whether they align with my North Star of Wellbeing based on what I need for My Body & Mind, My Heart & Soul, My Work and My World.?I have pivoted my business focus to find steadier contract to full-time opportunities more rooted in the Greenville community.?I am identifying organizations and partnerships that would be well-served by my extensive experience at Accenture as well as my passion for wellbeing and embodied movement with Dreamgarten.?I am now seeing some of my focus come to fruition through networked conversations with incredible people who I can see being a part of my journey going forward.

So, if you’ve noticed I’ve been a bit MIA recently.?I’ve been focused on taking care of my own mental health as I navigate these decisions about my own career focus.?Between looking for a role, proposing for contract work, and personal family responsibilities, I just haven't had the headspace to do much else, so I appreciate you still being here and being willing to listen to my stories.

In my upcoming newsletters, I will share more about my decision-making journey, some of the challenges life has thrown at me personally during this time, and my thoughts about how all of our systems are built around a definition of success that prioritizes financial gain at the cost of our own wellbeing.?I hope you’ll read along, and it will give you some food for thought in your own life.??