Hey you – struggling with your business, parenting, your fitness, your [fill in the gap], this is a shout out from me, to you, to say: YOU’RE DOING GREAT!
If you aren’t one for unbridled encouragement, switch browser windows now.
If you possess that rare gift of unwavering resilience, you don’t need me.
But for the rest of us, this blog post is me, saying to you, YOU’RE DOING GREAT.
You see, I’m feeling uber sensitive at the moment. It’s been a few weeks of little knocks and irritating political situations to deal with (the latter all personal/family life related) plus I’ve been feeling unwell. It all gets to me. The combination can make me feel all a bit ‘bleurgh’ and all a bit focused on what I don’t have, or what I’ve still yet to achieve (cue: me on phone to bestie blubbing, ‘WHY IS IT SOOOO HARD?’).
It’s a time where I feel I need encouragement. Where just for an hour or so I don’t want to be a mum or a business owner. I’d quite like for someone to look after me.
In a recent podcast interview I listened to, the interviewee explained how, as a business/writing mentor, it’s difficult to strike the balance between encouragement and highlighting failure.
It really got me thinking. The art of advertising is to make you feel like you’re not where you need to be, to sell you a lifestyle or success story you have yet to achieve. So when you’re selling any coaching service how can you ensure your potential customers know they need you, without making them feel useless?
It made me think of some of the business mentors I follow. Some make me feel like I’m getting there. Whilst others offer a constant reminder of what I haven’t achieved, which, to a perfectionist soul who struggles HARD with failure of any sort, is a quick route to feeling shit. Especially if all the little messages keep coming during a week when I’m already feeling a bit sensitive. They don’t serve me.
Obviously it’s my issue! Once I work it out I quickly ignore/unfollow but it doesn’t stop me from feeling a bit rubbish. Like I should be more ambitious and take action more. Like I haven’t achieved enough. Like I don’t serve enough. I start comparing myself to others.
It’s one of the down sides of social media.
Never feeling like you’re good enough.
And then I thought: “if there are messages out there from people who I respect which make me feel a bit rubbish, am I guilty of the same?”
In my passion to share how great it feels to be active or my need to share what I know to help your bodies and minds feel better – do I make you feel bad sometimes? That you should or could be doing more?
I know my biggest gift is that I always see the good or the potential in others. It’s what my husband loves most about me (ain’t love grand?) so if I want more from you, it’s because I can visualise it! You aren’t far off.
My arena is health and fitness. It’s all about lifestyle. I want to inspire, not to constantly remind people of stuff they’ve yet to achieve.
Do you want to be fitter?
Why aren’t you at class?
Look we’re all having a great time and you could be too if you just got your finger out and joined us.
I hope I encourage rather than metaphorically shout at you!
But just in case, I wanted to write THIS post. To say to all of you who come to my classes. Well done. You made it to class. You picked up the phone or booked on line and moved everything around just to be there. Well done you. That’s great and I’m so grateful for you letting me share and for asking for help.
But more than that. For all those of you who have ever been to my classes but don’t now. Well done you. You’ve been. You’ve learned. You’ve moved on. You’ve worked out what serves you best now. At this moment. That’s great. You’re doing a great job.
And more than those people. For all those of you who have NEVER been to my classes or bought our stuff. Maybe you’ve read some stuff and found it useful. Maybe you’ve wanted to come but couldn’t get there. Well done you! You’ve listened. You’ve learned. You are where you need to be.
And for all those people who work for themselves, the startup businesses, the mums who’ve stepped back from their careers to be mums. The parents who are finding it tough. For those adding up the receipts and bills. For those planning a move. For those caring for older relatives. For those without extended family or children. For those thinking about a new business. For those struggling just with the problems of today. You are enough. You are making it. You are doing it. You are bringing it.
STOP!
Breathe.
Accept what you can do. Applaud yourself for what you have achieved. Focus on today (for tomorrow has worries of its own). Be grateful for your blessings. The friends you can call on. The kids you can cuddle. The freedoms you enjoy. But embrace your potential too. It’s out there. Be patient.
You’re doing great.
You are enough.
And so am I.
xx
Fit School Founder Karen teaches Pilates in Epping and writes about health and fitness. For more posts about how exercise affects mental health check out these:
How to fit exercise into your busy life
How physical health controls your mental success
Gorgeous post Karen. Thank you 🙂 And know that you’re not alone. Anyone built like you (and there are lots of us) have exactly the same feelings. And I too try and tell those I teach/tutor/mentor that they’re doing really well, because goodness knows there’s enough out there in this world to make us feel like we’re not.