If You’re Waiting for a Sign… THIS IS IT! Terri Lomax January 5, 2014 One of my monthly rituals consists of completing a Self Reflection Log (SRL.) My SRL is typically one page and in it, I write about where I am in life as it relates to my goals, where I’d like to be, and how I plan on getting there. Today I was looking over one of my SRLs and it nearly brought me to tears. I wrote my entry on January 1, 2013. In my entry I discussed the goals for my blog a long with my mission. There were so many obstacles that tried to stop me as I prepared for the re-launch of Mocha Girls Pit Stop. The crazy part is, the majority of them were all in my head. There was plenty of self-doubt, pessimistic thinking, excuse giving and did I mention self-doubt? Honestly, I was scared as hell! Was I really built for this? Could I really do this? About 6 months after creating my blog in July of 2012, I took a 6 month hiatus to refocus. Maintaining a blog and working while attending grad school got too real for me! During that 6 month break I learned a lot about myself and my passion. Looking back to January of 2013, I didn’t have all my ducks in a row but I did have a captivating vision that continued to compel me, in the midst of self-doubt and obstacles. If I hadn’t started back in January of 2013, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Though its good to always have a plan, there is never a perfect time to start pursuing your dream. The time is now! Write your vision, write an action plan for achieving your goals and share it with a supportive person/community that you trust. It’s never too late to start living your dream! People are waiting on YOU! Here are a few lessons that I learned as it relates to chasing goals: 1. Don’t Be Afraid to Make a Decision- When I first started my blog I had a tons of questions. I mean, for goodness sakes, I had only learned about what a blog was a year prior! Being as though this blogging thing was so new for me I was quite nervous, scared and indecisive about… everything! One of the toughest decisions I had to make was what my domain name would be. I spent so many nights pondering on whether or not MochaGirlsPitStop,com was too long or if MGPS.com would be better and so on. I became consumed with this whole domain thing! So consumed that it nearly paralyzed me and kept me from moving forward. In life we have the opportunity to make plenty of decisions and if we make a mistake, it’s ok, we’re also given the opportunity to learn from that mistake. One day I finally decided to just go with the initial domain name. And the rest is history 🙂 2. Surround Yourself With Those Who “Get It”- Everyone in your circle isn’t going to “get” your vision, or dream or business idea. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just the way it is. I’ve heard some well intentioned people say things like “you’ve done enough” “you’re doing too much” or they’ll give me advice about something they aren’t familiar with. When you’re focusing on your vision, get acquainted with a mentor, friend or supportive online community who can provide you with positive reinforcements and encouragement. I’ve made some great friends online who understand where I want to go and can support me on my journey. 3. Be Ready to Work Hard!- Whew! This one should have been the first lesson. There have been plenty of nights where I stayed up until 3:00 am or 5:00 am working on my craft, researching or recording my ideas. Ok, so I’m not trying to brag but I must tell you… I designed my site by myself. The kicker here is that I have never in my life studied web design, html, blogging, website development and I think I’ve done pretty well. Since starting my blog I’ve done tons of research on Google and Youtube that have helped me every step of the way. Every time I look at my blog I’m reminded that I can truly do anything if I put my mind to it because I never in a million years thought that I’d be designing websites…. it just wasn’t my thing. There’s no excuse, if you don’t know how to do something, look it up. Hard work does pay off. New Logo New Website Design New Domain Name mochagirlspitstop.wordpress.com mochagirlspitstop.com An eBook These are just a few of the major changes that Mocha Girls Pit Stop has undergone in the last year. The constant motivator for me is that I didn’t know how to blog, design a website, write an ebook or do half the things that I’m doing now, but I’m doing them. I’ve committed myself to my goals, being a life learner and persevering until I reach the end goal. Start mapping out your plans for this year and watch how impressed, proud and humbled you’ll be come January 1, 2015!
