Here's what I'm working really hard on...

Here’s what I’m working really hard on.

Staying positive and finding the silver linings in the everyday challenges of being a solopreneur.

What does that mean? Here’s the tea - totally spilled.

In June of this year, I left a program I co-founded, and it was both an easy decision in some ways and in others an incredibly difficult one.

I knew that it would bring room to breathe, create, BE, and grow in ways I couldn’t fully see at the time.

Fast forward 5 months.

Every week there is that daunting to-do list I’ve been sharing about. There are BIG things on there, that take not only time, energy, and many helping hands but also patience. Which is not my greatest virtue outside the classroom.

I have been practicing finding the grace and gift of time that the in-between provides. Instead of panicking that there “is no time to waste!” I lean in and shift my thoughts to “Now, this makes room for something else to take more shape”. Be it a physical project at the program site, admin work, building relationships with future families, or taking legit and HARD rest for myself so that I can come back at 100%.

I’ve always loved looking for silver linings, and a few months ago I realized where this love came from.

When my grandpa passed away at the start of 2023, my sister and I came across a VHS of Disney’s Pollyanna. It was like a time machine. Holding that VHS in my hands I instantly smelled the grilled cheese toasting in the kitchen at my grandmother's house, and I felt the cozy threads of the multi-colored afghan blanket. I was in a place where I was wrapped in every kind of love imaginable. Negativity and pessimism didn’t live there.

Last month, my sister and I cozied up in blankets on the couch one rainy night (two full-grown women in their 40s) and watched Pollyanna, wide-eyed and with full hearts. We were just two little girls again. Enamored by the sheer love and joy and SUNSHINE Pollyanna brought to her little town.

The Glad Game

Here are the basics of the game. It helps when things aren’t going so well.

1. Find something good about what is happening.

2. Turn it around… think long and hard here.

3. There is ALWAYS something to be glad about. Make space for that!

Here is the scene where Pollyanna turns it around for her friends when they groan on about it being Sunday.

You don’t have to be ready. You have to be willing.

Here’s the thing I continue to learn: there is no such thing as ready OR perfect.

Perfect is a lie, and it’s subjective. What is perfect to me, won’t be to you. If you are a high-achieving human, you will continue to tweak and edit as you go. Making improvements almost daily. This is living, and living is learning.

Being 'ready' can be misleading as it assumes a one-size-fits-all approach, which doesn't fully honor the individual. It often hinders the result we're truly after. Have you ever noticed that no matter how much you prepare, train, or practice when someone asks if you're 'ready', you rarely answer with a confident 'YES!'? 'Ready' can feel like a constantly shifting finish line, always just out of reach, even when we feel we're getting close.

You don’t have to be ready to get after your dream or try something new. You do not have to have all the answers. You do not have to know all the things. The things we will learn are infinite and many of them are unknown- things we cannot fully prepare for.

Are you willing? Willing to learn on the fly, take in the information, be flexible, find comfort in making mistakes, and greet every challenge as an opportunity to learn and go.

Embrace the Glad Game like Pollyanna.

Running late for an appointment? Did your schedule shift unexpectedly? Have a cancellation that left an awkward spot in your day? Take it as an opportunity to be flexible. Perhaps you'll find an extra moment to bask in the sun, breathe in the fresh air, and clear your mind for what lies ahead.

Hang in there, friend. Remember if you’re doing your best today, you are doing more than enough. Be kind to yourself, you deserve it. If you can, give Pollyanna a watch. She’s a real gem.

Thank you for being here, my friend.

You are doing incredible work, and you never have to feel like you are alone.

Xo,

Ade

NEW Podcast Episode!

I had the incredible opportunity to sit down and chat with the amazing Kristen RB Peterson, and guess what we talked about? GEAR! If you're a parent who loves spending time outdoors with your little ones, this podcast episode is a goldmine of tips and tricks on choosing the right gear. Don't miss it! Make sure to give it a listen, hit that like button, and subscribe to Kristen's Play-based Learning Podcast. Trust me, she brings on some truly inspiring guests!