Stumbling and Moving On

[Natasha]

If you are currently stumbling somehow in your path, I would really like to discuss with you. Generally, we only hear about people's trials AFTER they have made it through them. I don't think this gives us a good view of what it is like during these times, and also it skews our perceptions towards thinking that "everyone makes it... (but me)". We never hear about people who stumbled and tried to get back up, but couldn't. That doesn't make a good story.

Here is my story:

I just had to deal with my first major set-back:

Sunday, first I ended up double-booked, and didn't realize it until it was too late. It only lost me $40. (yeah, I don't make a lot...yet.), but I had to disappoint two of my better students, which made me feel lower than low.

Then, due to lack of attendance (it has been trickling down for a while, now), I decided to cancel my Sunday classes until I get back from a Hoop Teacher Training workshop I am attending this July. Something I realized is that when something is new or short-lived, everyone comes. But as soon as a class is weekly, students will put off attending it, since they can "always come to the next one." I am hoping taking a break will make my classes "new" again, and when they start back up it will be with new material from the workshop.

Anyway, I decided to look at this as an opportunity to pull my focus away from my current methods of working this, and start expanding in new directions; maybe focusing on more performing gigs, or teaching more cardio-based classes at gyms or yoga studios. (now I primarily teach skill-based classes at various bellydance studios).

What is holding me back is fear (of failure and of rejection), which often manifests itself as laziness. And self doubt. I already posted about that elsewhere though.


Are you stumbling? What is holding you back? What are your plans? How did your plans work out?

[SeriousKidding.com]

Yes, Natasha, I am stumbling. But, I'm stumbling forward. I'm now into building my own website about little dogs of which I have 4. I thought since I'm so passionate about them, why not head in that direction? Yes, I will be monetizing my site. I hope to make a living at it someday. But, it's a slow yet very enjoyable process. Thanks for asking! Good luck to you.

[Natasha]

Yay puppies!

I like big dogs! lol

I have a chocolate lab/australian shepherd mix and a black lab/foxhound mix.

The choco lab can jump through hoops! (see: YouTube - The Amazing Griffyndor! )

What sort of puppies do you have?

[SeriousKidding.com]

Natasha,
I love ALL dogs! I enjoyed the doggies jumping through hoops, too!
I've decided to abandon the get-rich-quick mind frame, thanks to another Forum member who's really helped me out (Dave M.). I'm going at it the slower, more prosperous way. Here's the very beginnings of my site. I've only built the homepage, but the site will expand very quickly. You'll see my Yorkies and Shih Tzus there, too:
Little Dogs Rule (okay, Big Dogs too) .

Thanks, brad

[Isis Kali]

Stumbling? Yes, yes, I was.

Things will be okay, though. I was stuck in the mindset that my family had taught me; to whit, that I'm not an independent being, that everything is a struggle, struggle, stuggle, and that meeting the bare minimum is always tough. I also felt like agreements that had been made to me weren't being honored properly, and has a scare where a business trip being financed by someone else just almost got cancelled. Eeeek!

Well, I needed to break that agreement, and started by calling them all together in my meditation today. I told them squarely, "I'm really sorry. I can't keep this agreement. You see, I'm actually a very wealthy person, and that's where I'm supposed to be in the life...not poor. I'm supposed to get money easily, and I'm supposed to have everything that I want- no, more than that- so I can't be tied to this agreement anymore. Sorry!" I then read my Master List of Intentions out loud, very strongly, emphasizing what I had just said.

Right after this, a chick that owes me money and some of my clothing called me to leave a tracking number from mailing them . After that bit of synchronicity, I knew that I'd done the right thing to open myself up to getting the abundance that I know is mine. I went right back and told the person fronting the trip, "Nope, sorry. I'm still going. We'll find a way. This is too important to me." He then tried to equate my headstrongness with my sister (a BIG no-no to me, since she's crazy, selfish, and abusive), and I was quite honest about the fact that I found that very offensive. In other words, I had a very strong day asserting my own individuality.

My money's coming, the convention's happening, and this is all just a test. This, too, will pass, guys! I know the three of us are putting a lot on the line (I'm not working a day job to devote myself to my stores, blogging, and fiction writing), but it'll pay off! Please believe me when I say that, even when the going gets hard and your hair is nappy because you can't afford the salon (oh, ooops, that's just me. Heh). It'll get better.

[SeriousKidding.com]

I agree. I WILL get better, BUT only if you want it to. Take the leap!

[Freelancer]

At the moment I'm struggling with my own identity, money isn't a problem at the moment at all (go go being good at poker) but I need to figure out what I want and how I want to get it.
I'll figure it out though, I am starting to change for the better now. And I already figured out that I want to be self employed.
I'll keep the forum updated on my situation, if something changes it'll probably urge me to post it somewhere.

Ah well comes with the age I guess (20 years old )...

[SeriousKidding.com]

Man, when I was 20, I had absolutely no clue about anything. I didn't even know what a career was. Now, 36 years later (retired elementary teacher), I know my future is on the Net, and that's all there is to it. Good luck in finding your own identity and ending up doing something you really love.

[aabukar]

dear freelancer,

i am 25 ... in the age of 18 i was struggling to find my identity as well ... i still have my notes (i started to write my teenage notes since i was 15) and i remember that on one page i wrote "i want to be a doctor" after few weeks i would say "no i want to be a lawyer" ... i even wanted to join the army

and in everytime ... i was thinking now i am sure this is the right thing for me and this is what i want ... well finally i knew that what i want to be is a developer and i continued from there

[bodhiavttas]

Natasha, I saw your videos a couple of days ago! I was very impressed, also by the fact that you're already making a living at your age with a skill you're so good at.

Would you be able to offer "masterclasses" or shorter-term classes? Like hoop-weekends? The short-term focus works better for some, and you will get paid once for the whole event.

I can definitely see hooping become very popular if it's tied to cardio-workouts, etc. You should definitely explore that, and I think it's a good idea for you to stop teaching your Sunday skill-based classes for now. You can always teach privately to those who really miss it.

Let us know how it's going for you. And when you overcome your stumbling blocks, share with us how you were able to work it out.