Hi Creative Friends, 

Hope you are having a beautiful start to 2016! When we chatted last, I promised that the feeling of running your own business is one of the most incredible feelings ever, and it is!! However, just like in everyday life, aside from work and business, we can definitely have our ups and downs and those feeling are exactly what I would like to talk to you all about today.

My husband must think I am crazy. One day I am on cloud 9 and I feel like I couldn’t possibly have had a better week and in the next 24 hours, he can find me questioning myself about every decision that I am making. Why do we do this to ourselves? I want to share with you a pretty humorous, but completely honest chart of a “day in the life” of an entrepreneur.

How absolutely true is this, my friends??? I laughed when I first saw this because it was so relatable. This is the thing; these feelings are telling us something. They tell us that we are passionate, that we really, really care about what we do and that going after these dreams of ours actually has a meaning behind them. We wouldn’t be doing this in the first place if our heart wasn’t driving us to do so.

I always make sure to remind myself why I started Storybook. I started Storybook because I LOVE working with couples who know how significant it is to enjoy their engagement journey and most importantly, their wedding day. I am a planner and organizer by nature and there could have been so many other outlets that I could utilize those strengths. But ultimately, I am a person who cherishes sentimental moments and I want my couples to create those moments during this time in their life. I want to be the person that they hand off their stresses to. That is why I own Storybook and that is why I tend to get emotional about by business successes and struggles, because I have a dream to make dreams for others come true.

I can bet that you hold yourself to high standards. You wouldn’t have gone after the idea of opening up a business otherwise. There is no doubt that it takes a ton of time, work and effort to make a business successful. But there is also no doubt that WE are usually the ones that get in the way of those successes. 

If I could offer only one suggestion to you during the low points (whether this means you are on work overload and need a break, you had an unfortunate experience with a client or you are trying to find out how to make your business more profitable and don’t know where to begin…the list goes on) just remember that you will soon be at the top of this roller coaster once again. Things will ALWAYS get better. We just need to remind ourselves to be patient and most importantly, to not give up just because we are in a rut. My best solution for the low moments has been to completel shut off from work mode. I take the day to refresh myself. No instagramming, no blogging, no email. We need to allow a time to take care of ourselves in order to take care of others, including this beautiful business of yours. We cannot run on ‘empty’, even when business is booming. It is only a disservice to yourself and to your clients who are relying you to be at your best at all times.

I’m going to leave you with one more little quote.

  

And Yes! You absolutely can! Whatever struggle you are facing, you will make it through. Always remember, I am here to chat, talk “real talk” and help you through these ruts. I too, love being able to talk about my low (and high!!!) points with other entrepreneurs like you! Drop me a line at Nicole@storybookchicago.com. I can’t wait to chat!

 

Until next time!

 

With Love!

Nicole