Do you feel like you are working so hard and not getting where you want?
Does it feel like you are hitting the wall and not seeing the results you had hoped for?
Here we are at the halfway point of the year, and it’s a really good time to just check in and ask,
How is it going?
Sometimes, however, the answer we see can be pretty tricky to process.
You may feel disappointed.
You may be thinking,
I should be farther along than this by now.
The day to day grind can really take us out and while we started the year with so much enthusiasm, the summer can typically be a place where everything slows down. And for many, I imagine that can be scary, especially when it comes to your livelihood and your dreams.
So, what actually helps in the summer heat?
What helps when we see where we are and just feel disappointed?
Well, as James Taylor famously sang,
You’ve got a friend…..
This past week I went to see my acupuncturist for the first time in almost two years, the luminous Sabbath McLean.
This is the woman who saw me through my divorce, back injury, car accidents, and really me creating a whole new life.
I’ll never forget the first time I went to see her. I was overcome with grief as my divorce was happening, and I sat in front of her and she looked at me with the widest eyes of compassion.
I felt so SEEN, so safe. She held the space as I wept, and I knew after the first session I would be back again…and again….and again.
What I could have never imagined was how a deeper connection was formed. When I started dating for the first time in my life at the age of 38, Sabbath shared her success story of meeting her husband online. Over the years, I would come in with my woes and trials of finding my man. Sometimes we laughed, and many times, I cried.
I remember coming in after a deep disappointment and feeling so panicked I was never going to find my man, and Sabbath looked me deep in the eyes and said,
You haven’t given up.
You are still here.
She was reminding me of my perseverance, and reminding me of my vision, of my WHY.
And over the four years I was seeing her, something else magical was happening for both of us.
We were both creating our own companies. We shared our dreams of having our own businesses, ones we loved where we no longer had to answer to bosses, and could have creative control over what we offered.
No more middle men.
In 2015, I opened the doors to ZenRedNYC, and in 2017, she opened the doors to Silver Spring Wellness.
When I saw Sabbath this week, I was overcome with emotion. Again, sitting in front of her large eyes, I said,
Sabbath, it happened….I’m married now.
She smiled and said,
And you appear so happy.
And as I choked on my tears, I shared,
It’s a miracle…he’s more than I could have ever hoped for.
Everything came flooding in at that moment. All the times I came in, feeling so frustrated. All the summers I looked at where I was and wasn’t where I wanted to be. The crazy ups and downs of the journey and all my fears it would never happen.
But, Sabbath reminded me, I stayed IN it.
I stayed committed to my vision.
I stayed connected to my dream.
And here we were.
Sabbath with a successful wellness center, full of the practitioners she wanted, and me, happily married to the most incredible man, and doing work I love.
Sabbath was and has been a witness to my hardest and most challenging journey.
She has also been witness to my greatest triumphs.
And in seeing her, I was reminded of my OWN strength and capability…through her wide and compassionate eyes.
I saw myself, and knew everything is going to be ok.
Everything IS ok.
When we are in the thick of things, we can easily lose sight of the journey.
And we can also lose sight of our support.
If you are feeling stuck, this is the perfect time of year to re-focus on your vision.
What was that creative dream you had back in January?
Now, take the time to ask yourself some really powerful questions,
* What is WORKING as you progress towards your vision?
* What are your stumbling blocks and what actions can you take to resolve them?
And most importantly,
* What support might you add to make your progress even more efficient, fun and easy?
Simply put, we don’t get there alone.
We are stronger together.
Who is championing you in your life right now?
Who is rooting for your Art and Creative Dreams?
We can only see as far as our limitations, so it is vital you have help on your journey.
Whether that is a coach or mentor…who is SEEING you for ALL you are?
Sometimes, it takes being seen by someone who believes in us to wake up to our greatest source and simple fact I know if my heart about you,
You are limitless.
Surround yourself with people who nurture and promote you.
Let the summer sun shine on your brilliance.
Take stock where you are, and where you are headed, and celebrate everything that has led you to here.
This is a new day full of possibilities. Bring close those that see YOUR possibility too.