Where do you Start?

When you are starting a business like I was over 2 years ago, it’s incredibly difficult knowing where to start. I looked out at this world of businesses and creatives, this acre of land and saw places to start all around me. Then I was so overwhelmed with the options that I would put it off until the next day. Starting your business is a lot like starting to pull weeds—you commit to a spot and just keep going—because if you don’t start it will never flourish the way you want.

Pulling the Weeds from Our Minds and Businesses

Once you start, it gets exhausting keeping up with the weeds. It seems like another one is popping up at every turn. When I started my business, it seemed like obstacle after obstacle kept popping up. Negative belief after negative belief would creep in and thrive on the sunlight of my self-defeating attitude. These weeds in my head and in the foundation of my business were scary; they were resilient and rooted deep.

But I kept going. I kept showing up in my business, just picking a place to start each time. Write a blog post, design a website, check out a networking meeting, write an Instagram post. I kept going with my mental health. Question a thought, journal my beliefs, dig underneath the self-doubt. And I kept going with the weeds. Pull one, and then another, one by one; get at them from the root and don’t give up.

I’ve been clearing out the weeds from the land, my business, and my mind for quite a while now. And in all of these “places” they have been tamed. Pop-up growth here and there (bitter melon blossoms and California grasses), obstacles there (pandemic, projects falling through), and spirals everywhere (self-doubt, fear, anxiety) persist, but I know what to do about them now.

Maintaining Healthy Growth

Because weeds, like challenges, and self-doubt, never completely disappear. The weeds will keep growing if I am not vigilant. And they will grow faster and stronger than any seeds I want to flourish. In my business, my spirit, and the land, I must stay conscious of these weeds. In fact, I have to stay grateful for them, because without them I wouldn’t be as tough as I am today.

If I stop being aware of the weeds, or pretend they don’t exist, they will come right back and take over. The weeds make me grateful for the flowers; they remind me how durable I can be, and they keep me on my toes.

Now, when negative thoughts pop up, difficulties in my business, and backslides in my mindset, I remember that this is part of maintaining my growth. The weeds don’t stop coming, but I manage and maintain them. I protect myself and the “land” of my spirit and business so I can continue to grow beautiful things, the things that are really worth growing.

What are Your Weeds?

Do you have thoughts about yourself and your business that keep you from growing? Are there routines or strategies you use to maintain the progress of your business and spirit? Share with me in the comments! I’d love to hear what you do to keep growing.