Hello dear readers,
Whom you are - I am not sure, but I feel honored that you're taking the time to connect with me in this way. Today, I feel inspired to write about my personal journey and shifting my concept of success as a small business owner.
If you know me, you know I have many interests, hobbies, and passions. Healing Touch has been an interest, hobby, and passion since I found out it existed (13 years ago! ). In 2021 I made Healing Touch into more than that. Healing Touch became my avenue into the world of Entrepreneurship!
My "why" behind starting a business was quite selfish. Really, it was! I wanted to do something I enjoyed for work. At that time, my career in Nursing had lost it's luster, or more accurately - I was still heart broken after the organization I worked for decided to cut the Holistic Nursing department. I was laid off, along with the other Holistic Nurse Clinicians.
You see, I worked for 5 years at a large hospital in the Twin Cities. My job was to literally change the culture of nursing! I was the Holistic Nurse Clinician for the hospital and I was paid to help nurses find more meaning, value and ease in their work by implementing holistic nursing principles. Total dream job! In December of 2019 I was unexpectedly laid off. At the time, I thought I grieving the loss of my job but I was more so grieving something much greater.
I was forced to come face to face with the fact that our larger systems, in this case a large hospital system, did not value the principles of holism.
I could not take a pause from working completely so I went on to other nursing positions. I also had a baby! Eventually, I found the nursing job I have now which is on a post partum unit. I love this work. I am no longer burnt out. I also no longer seek to change the culture of nursing, and you know what? It feels good to no longer have that responsibility on my shoulders.
The work I do - assisting mothers and infants in their first days of physical seperateness - is rooted in holism. It is meaningful and rewarding. My nurse colleagues are some of the most incredible people I have met. It's sad a truth that I notice the dimming qualities of the larger "system," but also golden light shines forth from my co-workers. It was this job that allowed me to have the bandwidth beyond work to begin my entreprenial journey of having my Healing Touch business.
What has surprised me the most is how owning and operating my own business has created more gratitude in my heart for my nursing career! What started as a potential "way out" of a system that felt unsupportive, has led me to cherish my shifts at the hospital.
I am now in a chapter of my life where I am being asked to reflect on the questions, "what matters?," "what does success look like to you?" and "what do you want to prioritize?".
I love my Healing Touch work. It is satisfying to my Soul in a way I know no other work can be. This "selfish" endeavor is still just that - it serves me. I know that in doing work that fills me up, I am able to give more bright light within my family and to the greater community. I like to think that this work also helps others have more light for their own lives, but that isnt any of my business. You know what I mean if you have heard me speak about how Healing Touch Practitioners must always release goals for certain outcomes. (If you havent, you may want to learn more about it by listening to episdoe 6 of The Within Reach Podcast).
What is on the forefront of my right now is that my young children (now 8 and 3) continue to grow every day (shocking, I know). You will notice that I have less availability to see clients. I am in the midst of shifting the pieces of my life so that my idea of success is reached, for I beleive success is within reach.
My idea of success when I started this business was solely monetary. My idea of success now is so beyond the world of economics. My idea of success is to have peace and health in my life.
I am curious, what is your idea of success? Please comment, I'd love to know.
Thanks for reading all of this!
Blessings to you as the year comes to an end,
Stacy
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