Your Best Side Is The Side That Puts You First

The best side of me I've found is the one on my side.

That's me!

There's so much push and pull, to and fro, and trying to please others.

After a chilled day with my sister, a life lesson conversation with my youngest son, and a long fabulous conversation with my eldest son, which included a kitchen singalong, I thought I should go to bed.

It's been a hippopotamic three months. The Audacious Agency team has worked our arses off. We're building something truly incredible and innovative. After 7 years mostly working solo, being part of a team rocks. It's not been easy. It's been fucking stressful. Growing a company is like cuddling an octopus and trying to tap dance simultaneously.

None of us have stopped since we started February 2020. OK, there's been some holidays, but we're still working - 4.30am writing awards and strategies in the middle of the Coral Sea). If I told you how much work we've delivered just in the first quarter of 23, it'd warp your mind like the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

We've stumbled. We've been overwhelmed. We've delighted people. We've won a shot tonne of awards for the people, with the people who trust us with their stories. We've not won everything. We've lost clients because of our growth and the challenges that come with it. We learn from our mistakes and fuckups, constantly tweaking systems. I'm at my desk most days at 7 am and finish at 5/6pm. I know the rest of the team are working long hours. We've got each other's backs. We know we're not perfect. We're human. We've all got shit going on.

There has been intense focus on building our back-end, because we have learnt that you CANNOT grow a company without a streamlined back end. You can be brilliant at your craft, your thing, but admin and systems are the beating heart. They're revolutionising how we work, because we want people to love working with us. We are creating a legacy.

Did I say it's been intense?

Last week, with fewer meetings than I've had in 3 months, I had time to knuckle down and create.

But nooooooo...my body went 'ah, you've got time! I'll just give you this lurgy, a UTI, upset belly and dizziness. Have fun getting work done. Ooroo.'

Three days of not doing much except feel shitty. Well, I did some things cos, but with little energy. I should work this weekend. I feel heaps better, but I remember how and why I got to be roly-poly, sick all the time, and yuck. Not taking my side. Time for me.

Saturday night, I applied a face mask and hair mask, rocking along to the most unrated Aussie band Uncanny X-men and cleaning the fridge (I find it cathartic).

Taking my side. So I can show my best side all the time.

Nothing, NOTHING, is more important than you to YOU! Yep, we've got responsibilities and commitments, things we have to, we're obligated to. But sometimes you've got to stop and ask yourself if you've had enough rest, fun, love, movement, good food, time to yourself and moments that energise you.

We can't be of service to others if we don't serve ourselves first. We break if we don't. Not if. When.

I refuse to let that happen again.

I want to live incandescently. I want to live joyously, regardless of things outside my control. I want to live the rest of my life, safe in the knowledge that I was of service to me.

So, if you haven't heard from me lately, or I'm behind on a job or anything else expected of me, I'm here. I'm doing my best. I'll get it done, I always do. I'm chugging along like the little red engine who can. I'm finding me, after so long adrift, a tiny boat buffeted by waves on a tumultuous ocean, putting on a brave face but dying on the inside. Just like everyone else who's finding their way.

I'm finding my place, and that can only be a good thing for me and those who are part of my world.

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