The Art of Mindset and the One Thing I’m Upgrading in the New Year
Photo Credit: Kaitlyn Hull Photography
This time of year always sneaks up and tackles me like Caleb Williams getting sacked by the Vikings defense (I’m a football fan, if you didn’t know. SKOL VIKINGS!). One minute I’m watching a 4th of July pontoon parade in 90 degree heat, the next I’m rummaging through my closet trying to find that damn Elf on the Shelf and wondering where the time went. Like, seriously, where the crap did the time go? It just seems the older I get - and the older my kids get - the faster the hamster wheel spins. Wasn’t I just turning 25 yesterday?
In all seriousness, this past year felt pretty unstable and chaotic. I lacked clarity and discipline in so many areas of my life, particularly in my business. I suppose moving to a new state in the middle of summer didn’t help. It never helps. And having a small baby human crawling around wreaking havoc on my house all day doesn’t exactly scream productivity. But pushing the excuses (legitimate or not) aside and considering the time I did have and the goals I still hope to achieve, the needle didn’t move all that much.
But, alas, a new year awaits. A clean slate. A fresh start. A new beginning. Whichever cliche you want to use, the beginning of the year feels so invigorating, so full of hope and gusto. There’s no denying it, is there? Unlike the start of last year when I had a new baby and a cross-country move on the horizon, this year holds no major hurdles to overcome (knock on wood…) It really is a blank canvas loaded with opportunity. And after reflecting on all of the things I want to accomplish and all of the reasons I haven’t accomplished them yet, I think I’ve narrowed it down to one simple problem: My mindset isn’t what it should be.
Let me explain…
My business first started as a hobby I practiced at my kitchen table after my firstborn went to sleep. It was the creative outlet I needed (and still need today), but back then, it was just a hobby. Even after I opened my Etsy shop and registered as an official business, I still treated it like a hobby, something I dabbled in when time allowed. I didn’t have any systems for managing my inventory, I had no marketing strategy, no business plan, and I certainly wasn’t tracking my expenses like I should have been. All of the tasks that would’ve added to my legitimacy as a business owner were placed low on my to do list, so they rarely got done. And, if I’m being really honest with myself, not a whole lot has changed. I still kinda think of my business as a fun little thing that I work on when time allows. I have no structure, no strategy, no system, and when people ask me what I do for a living, I bashfully utter, “oh, I’m just an artist.” See what I mean? I haven’t exactly been thinking or acting like I should if I really want this business to take off.
Photo credit: Kaitlyn Hull Photography
In my defense, I’ve been having babies (some intentionally, some not so much) for the past five years. So, yes, I need to give myself some grace because life has been busy and abundantly full of raising four small humans (I hear you, mom and aunt Kathy). Running a business alongside my responsibilities as a young(ish) mom is a lot. It’s a lot! But if growth is what I’m after, if I really want this business to become everything I know it can be, then I need to adjust my mindset. I need to refrain from calling this a hobby and start acting like I own a real, legitimate, successful business. I cringe at the saying “fake it till you make it,” but I can respect the sentiment. And I think it’s true for any goal, if you act and think like the person you’re striving to be, even if you’re not even close to being that person yet, you’ll at least nudge yourself closer to that reality every day.
Guys, I have big goals. Probably too many. But I’ll never reach them if I continue to sell myself short, if I keep pushing this thing under the rug and calling it a hobby. Of course, this is all easier said than done. Writing about upgrading my mindset is nice and peachy, but how am I actually going to do it? Where do I start? What steps am I going to take to become the person and business owner I want to be? I’m so glad you asked!
I listened to an episode on The Rachel Hollis Podcast a few days ago, and it featured clips from five of her most successful guests who, in a nutshell, were brought on the show to talk about mastering your morning. Basically, it was a science-based how-to guide on living an exceptional life, interpreted from the lens of five really high-performing, really successful human beings. What I’m saying is, I listened closely, because these people knew what they were talking about.
When the episode ended, I walked away feeling damn inspired, like I had just left a TED Talk on being a super awesome person. But the crazy thing is, I didn’t learn anything new. Almost everything those five people talked about were things I’d heard before. And, without spoiling the entire episode for you, they all essentially reiterated the importance of an intentional, life-giving morning routine.
I already knew this. I’ve always known this because, I mean, it’s just plain common sense, isn’t it? That starting your day steeped in peace and intention and nourishment makes all the difference. But when I think about my current morning routine, well, it’s anything but that. Currently, I crawl out of bed about ten minutes before my daughter needs to get up to get ready before her bus comes at 6:56 am (why? Why does the bus come so early?). I inhale a cup of coffee, maybe brush my teeth, then hobble into her bedroom to awake the sleeping beauty. When she gets on the bus, I blow her a kiss and head back to the house where my other three monsters await me. If you’ve never experienced three-year olds in the morning, God bless you. You probably still have your sanity in-tact. Mine, on the other hand, gets thrown out the window the second my twin three-year old boys launch themselves down the stairs demanding breakfast. And if the breakfast I offer doesn’t satisfy their ever-changing appetite, all hell breaks loose. So, with my mental state already on edge, I make breakfast, get the baby up, change his diaper, get everyone dressed, throw on something that makes me look like I actually live in a house, slap on some brow gel, pack lunches for the boys, eat those lunch scraps for breakfast, inhale another cup of coffee, pack a few orders if there’s time, herd everyone into the car, and drive the boys to preschool.
By the time I get home to start my work day, I’ve lived a whole life. (Side note: moms of young children, no matter how many kids you have or what you do for a living, BLESS YOU. You get it. You get the battle that is toddlerhood). So, obviously, my morning routine needs some work. It’s quite literally the opposite of grounded. And that’s where I’m starting. That’s my first step: upgrading my morning routine in a way that breathes peace and intention and steadiness into my day. If I can master that, then I’m hopeful it’ll positively ripple into every part of my life, especially my mind.
I just glanced up at all the words I’m asking you to read and realize that, wow, this is turning into a novela. So I’ll stop here. I won’t get into the specifics of my morning routine yet. I’ll save that for another blog post. But if you’re feeling anything like me, if you’re in need of a mindset shift as you walk into this new year, my unsolicited piece of advice is to audit the way you start your day, and ask yourself if you’re living in a manner that reflects the kind of person you want to become.
Merry Christmas, friends. And happiest new year.
Much love,
Shelby