Building a Business with Heart

After years of owning a business — and honestly, just living life and learning along the way — there are so many things I wish I would have understood sooner. A lot of these lessons came through hard seasons, disappointments, growth, faith, and experience. And truthfully? Many of them are things I still have to remind myself of every single day.

These lessons don’t just apply to business owners. They apply to motherhood, friendships, relationships, dreams, healing, leadership… all of it. Maybe someone else needs the reminder, too. 💜

Not everyone will understand

Not everyone will understand YOU — and that’s okay. Some people will talk about you, doubt you, criticize you, or quietly hope you fail. You cannot carry the weight of other people’s opinions. What others think about you is not your responsibility to manage nor is it any of your business. Lean into those who support your dreams, cheer for you when no one else will and understand that only you create your future destiny and you are responsible for the amount of joy in your life. Don’t take yourself too seriously either, life is short, have fun!

No room for nonsense

Boundaries matter more than we realize. If you constantly feel drained, overextended, or like you’re pouring into everyone else while running empty yourself, it’s usually a sign that stronger boundaries are needed. Protecting your peace is not selfish, it’s necessary. I would also emphasize that knowing your worth and being willing to eat alone brings peace. Not everyone will cherish you or respect you. There will always be people who are takers. Perhaps their actions or words are harsh and unkind. Setting boundaries to respect yourself is a form of self-care. You can’t always control the circumstances – only how your react to those circumstances; you can always control your attitude and your effort.

Never enough grace

Give yourself the same grace you so freely give to others. We are often so much harder on ourselves than we would ever be on a friend walking through the exact same situation. Extending grace and forgiveness to yourself is liberating. Acknowledgement is important, but dwelling is harmful and a waste of energy. Ask yourself, “In five years, will this issue matter?” “In one month, will this issue still matter?” If the answer is no then move on and offer yourself (and others) grace and forgiveness. Celebrate the small things because they are all small things.

Let it go

You will never make everyone happy. No matter how kind, giving, hardworking, or intentional you are — someone will still disagree. Make decisions based on what aligns with your faith, your family, your values, and the life you’re trying to build. Spinning your wheels to make others happy is futile. Seek your own kind of joy and dance even if they are watching! It feels good!

Rest is necessary

Rest is not laziness. Hustle culture has convinced so many of us that our worth is tied to productivity, but constant exhaustion is not a badge of honor. Rest is necessary. Slowing down is healthy. Not every moment has to “produce” something. I had once shared with a friend that I was exhausted and had mentally hit my wall. She replied with “sometimes the wall is there to support us while we rest” and that hit me. It resonates yet today. Somedays are just harder than others. Rest is necessary and God pleasing.

You are what you eat

Too much caffeine and not enough rest is not self-care. I’m still learning this one. Sometimes the answer isn’t pushing harder — it’s actually taking better care of yourself. I’ve recently made the decision to lean into my health more. My body was craving for the correct nourishment, vitamins, and rest. Oh, and don’t forget water! I’m so bad at consuming my water during the day. “I’m just too busy!” until I’m sick and exhausted and suffering from a migraine. Water is the key to a healthy lifestyle, and we know this, so why don’t we just drink the water? I may need to invest in a silly hat with a straw attached in order to keep my water intake “on my mind” literally! Who’s with me?

Not my tribe

Someone will always think your prices are too high. That doesn’t mean your work lacks value. It simply means they may not be the customer meant for what you offer. Not everyone is your audience, and that’s okay. Keeping in mind that you offer experience and expertise is worth something. How many times have you attempted to create the perfect product without disappointment or failures? Too many! And that is worth something. Don’t take it personally. If someone says they can find it cheaper elsewhere I thank them for their time and send them on their merry way. Some will, some won’t, so what, move on.

Always seek & Pray

When life feels overwhelming or decisions feel heavy — pray first. As a Christian, my faith fills me with a certainty and hope that is everlasting. Ask God for wisdom, direction, peace, and clarity. Then be still long enough to listen. (Here is where I tend to go astray, I won’t lie). Being still long enough to listen is a challenge in our instant gratification world we live in. Also, I find that I want things “my way, in my time” and that is not being still and listening. Seek, Pray, Ask, Wait. It’s a beautiful love story unfolding before you, you just have to be still long enough to listen as the story unfolds.

It Always gets done

Somehow, the work always gets done. Every single time. Even during the seasons that felt impossible, overwhelming, exhausting, or uncertain — God always made a way through. This season will be no different.

As a young mother of four children under the age of five, I was always exhausted and overwhelmed – trying to keep up with my housework, the needs of our children, finding ways to still be myself, and serving everyone around me 24/7. As I recall those years of babies in diapers and the 16 feedings a day with my newborn twins, I realize now that the vacuuming and dishes always kept. They were still there whether I worked like a beast to keep everything perfectly tidy or not. And truthfully, no one in my life was criticizing my effort — or lack thereof. Somehow, everything that truly mattered always got done, and the things that fell off the radar were rarely as important as I had given them credit for. And today I can say we all survived!

Confidence is Beautiful

Stop trying to prove yourself to people who were never committed to understanding you in the first place. The only person you need to be better than is the version of yourself you were yesterday. Confidence is beautiful, my friend, and you deserve all the beauty this world has to offer. Pause and take it in, you are doing great!