07/11/2024
โI should be working, but itโs so beautiful here.โ
I walked past the man talking on the phone to someone with his son standing around waiting for him to end the call in the Visitor Center.
Why not, โ๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆโ instead?
There are levels to freedom and freedom is a choice, a privilege, and earned.
When I was working as a waitress, a 9-5 office job was freedom.
I would get to sit instead of stand all day, the respect (hopefully) of working in a โbig girl jobโ.
Consistent hours rather than a lunch shift, break, and dinner shift and only part time.
When I got an office job, even in 2018, working from home was the biggest flex.
The privilege to have a nice top and pajama bottoms, not have to drive, and get your work done in silence or have your music in the background. Not to mention snacks at your own desk plus a personal bathroom!
When I decided to start a business working from anywhere on a flexible schedule was the new level of freedom I was seeking.
Can I work at 2am while breastfeeding? ๐คฑ๐ป Why yes, yes I can!
Like a Doctor Seuss book,
โ๐ผ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, โ๏ธ
๐ผ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐. ๐
๐ผ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ โ๐๐ข๐ ๐, ๐
๐ผ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐คโ๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐. ๐ญโ
Now that I have been building a business for the last 4 1/2 years, I can say that my new idea of freedom is the freedom to choose when and where I work, and IF I work that day.
A choice, a privilege, and something earned.
Not something that happens overnight. Building systems, checking automations, building funnels, honoring your own boundaries, raising your standards, and choosing to stop viewing being busy, hustling, and โoh I canโt Iโm working ๐
โ as an ego boost of self-importance.
Learning what tasks are actually important and need to be done and when.
Getting better at the things you do.
Creating systems and automations so that you can leave when you desire (or for an emergency) without losing momentum or abandoning your team or clients.
Honoring when you do need to say no to events or not yet to vacations if something is actually important and needs to get done first.
My husband works a 7-5 to provide (and itโs his calling ๐จโ๐ซ) and that has afforded me the privilege to have the freedom to create a business and be more flexible.
Even when I lack belief I still choose a small business rather than the security of a job. (Though I have put in applications at times throughout the years, ngl!)
I just took 9 days off from my business even though Iโm working on rebuilding momentum.
Scheduled some posts prior to leaving and finished my free email quest sequence before I left.
No emails, no biz content, no โjust checkingโ.
Fully unplugged as I relished the peace of Mackinac Island and celebrated my 30th Birthday. ๐
In the future I will get to be unplugged while my team is running like clockwork.
That dream wonโt happen on hopes and prayers, but by doing the work to create the systems and train the people that will grant me the freedom to peace out, whether I want to or need to.
Not only for myself, but for my team too.
What does success look like for you?
