Dear Journal…. 😀
It has been ten months since my last post, starting out on this new journey and creating a business.
It has been such a hard slog. I have been fortunate to of had business referrals from people I have worked with previously. Though finding net new business has been a learning curve.
This isn’t a whinge, merely a reflection of the last 10mths.
Family, Friends, Fun Run and Footy
A lot of the year so far has been dedicated to family, friends and footy. Catching up with people I haven’t seen in over six years since being in the UK.
I have spent a bit of time in Townsville, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. In part following the West Coast Eagles from Round 1 – 5 (in Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne).
Then back to Perth in August and September, to complete the City to Surf 10km with my sister. And while I was there, it was worth hanging around for a few weeks for the last few games of the AFL Season too 🙂
Mental Health & Isolation
One thing I completely underestimated the impact of, was the isolation (at least initially) of starting your own business.
Working from home and the flexibility is great. I have loved the ability to manage my own time and focus on being self-managed.
But one lesson I am learning (and always learning), is that you need to make sure you leverage your support network.
I have found it so easy to slip into work, and focus on delivering what is needed. And looking into everything that is needed from the business point of view. To the detriment of my own mental health and friend networks…
So I am making a commitment to myself to make an effort to meet up with friends and family. Network with others starting a business… All to counteract the isolation has really been impacting me over the last few months.
I have also found it helpful to listen to a number of podcasts (eg Startup Therapy and Mind Your Business), specifically relating to starting a business. It has helped me connect some of my own thoughts and reinforces the path I am aiming for.
What does the next few months hold?
Christmas planning is starting, the shops are already starting the yearly process of selling Christmas decorations!
Hoping for a little more travel, likely to get up to Brisbane again some time soon. And planning for a few international trips is always fun, with possible trips to Sri Lanka and China/Japan next year! It’s time to save…
Business wise, I have just accepted a new contract role for up to six months. I realising I need to break up the isolation a little bit. But doing this role will also help me also build up a bit of a financial tail-wind, while also reconnecting with the Salesforce community here in Melbourne.
