Procrastination

Washington State finally opened up.  One day we were living under restrictions and regulations and the next day we were given little more than suggestions and recommendations.  To say it is confusing is an understatement.  As a human, I am loving it.  I love being able to freely congregate with friends.  I love listening to live music and meeting new people.  But as a small business owner, I am feeling overwhelmed at a time I thought I would feel relieved.  I am feeling distracted when I thought I would feel motivated.  Businesses were given no guidelines, we were given no warnings.  We just opened one day.  No more masks, no more rules and all the freedom we choose to have.  

Now don’t get me wrong, it has been awesome seeing peoples faces again.  It’s been so nice to have my classes share equipment and explore the indoors, we even left the doors closed when we had the heat wave.  Programming my classes is so much more fun when all the equipment is being used.  Conversations are taking on a twist away from Covid and into travels and sports.  Life is truly finding its way towards something less heavy and exhausting.  But I am really struggling to find my footing.  I am missing the excuses to procrastinate all the things I didn’t want to get done.  I am lost in what I want for my new space in this new time.  I am overwhelmed with so many options and none seem to feel like the right fit.  

I hate to admit it, but I enjoyed taking a break from the hustle and expectations I have on myself as a gym owner.  The lockdown gave me a perfect excuse to spend the past 18 months cruising by.  I didn’t have to worry about advertising or promoting.  There was no need for marketing or networking.  The lockdown let me take a back seat to all the things I hate about doing for my business.  And as I look ahead to the next stage, I am just feeling overwhelmed and run down.  I feel like am treading water and just waiting for someone to throw me some floaties and do the work for me.  

But outside of the business stuff, I fucking love my job.  I love being on the floor coaching my athletes.  I love writing programs and building relationships.  I feel blessed and lucky to walk into the studio everyday.  I get to create a job that makes me laugh, it makes me happy and it makes me excited to wake up in the morning.  I am so fortunate to have all of that.  But there is work that has to be done to get that gratification.  Right now, I have to put in the work.  The business side is calling me.  I need to find ways to market.  I need to find ways to network and create a space that is uplifting and inspiring for both me and my athletes.  Because I really want to see my business grow.  And I also want to grow.  I want to see where this next phase is going to take me and no amount of procrastination is going to get me there.  It is time to work hard and be open to new ideas and new opportunities. 

If we want change, we have to put the work in.  And it’s not just with businesses, if we want to lose weight, it will take work, regardless of what social media tells you.  If we want to get stronger, it will take work, and probably a few tantrums.  Even if we want to buy a house or a car, those too take work.  It is so easy to say we want something, or to set the goals to attain it.  But it is far from easy to execute and accomplish those things.  Excuses are easy to legitimize.  Clarity and will power have to be dug for and most of the time with little outside encouragement.  We have to put in the work if we want to see results.  We have to go outside our comfort zones and reach beyond our conveniences to find where are potential lies.  But we get to see where our paths open and where ideas flourish.  We get to experience new plans and watch them unfold and expand.  

During this process, we also have to remember that work will be uncomfortable.  Work will be stressful.  And sometimes there will be little to show for it.  In the training world, this is my fuel.  In the business world, this is my weakness.  What I tell my athletes, “you are only as strong as your weakest point.”  So to truly gain strength, we have to work on the weakest part along with the strongest part.  And hard work does pay off.  Sometimes we don’t have a perfect plan of attack, and many times we will fail in the process.  But true strength comes from working hard and keeping ourselves in the present.  So I will put the work in and see where I go.  See where my business goes.  I am ready to be excited about what comes next.  And maybe one day I will embrace the hustle, the marketing.  Maybe one day I won’t procrastinate for 18 months.