Last fall, I was sleeping two, maybe three hours a night for almost a month. I was in over my head to meet a hard deadline of having to open our brick-and-mortar store before Black Friday on top of juggling everything else to run Peach & Lily. I had somehow gone from elated and excited to see a dream come true to stressed, even panicked, and eventually, listless as I went through the motions of each day to cross things off my to-do list without really being present.
I’m lucky to be surrounded by supporters who cheer me on, and who have experience they can draw from to provide relevant and impactful advice.
Some of the best advice I’ve received came from one of my mentors, a successful serial entrepreneur. We meet for dinner regularly, so at one particular dinner, last fall, he noticed right away that I was completely out of it. After a half hour chat, he gave me the kind of advice that resonates so deeply; I had to rush home and write it down.
Here’s what I saved:
There’s real stress – you have to shut your company down, your company is going bankrupt, etc. – and then there’s unneeded stress that robs you of your joy. Most of the time, you’re dealing with unneeded stress. This stress comes (ironically)when amazing things are happening; dreams are coming true! But —there’s a lot to do, so it (be easy to focus on the stress)!It’s important not to lose sight of the fact that you’re in the middle of something so exciting. Don’t forget that these moments are the very steps towards a dream coming true. And the best way to diffuse the stress is to remember the passion with which you started Peach & Lily. That passion is the glue that holds it all together. Once you focus on that passion, then there’s a wonder that a vision is being realized. Stress fizzes away, and joy comes. Learn to revel in the process, even when fatigue sets in.
I then started each day by re-reading these notes as a reminder to enjoy every step because it’s happening.
By the end of the year, I was in a different mental state. While I still had a mountain of work to do, I felt joyful and not stressed. Each day was steeped in passion. I started Peach & Lily because of my passion for empowering people to take better care of their skin – and to make to some of the most innovative products accessible and provide education on helpful rituals that aid in our ongoing quests for radiance! In spite of the stress, I try to always remember to feel lucky to be able to go to work everyday and work on something I find really fun, engaging and meaningful.
In 2016, we have so many exciting things planned—which means, of course, there’s a lot of work to get done. As a team, we’re going to remember the passion that fuels Peach & Lily, and bring you our very best effort and heart in all that we do.
Are you stressed? If so, what is the source of your stress? It is warranted because there is a true crisis or is it unneeded stress that’s detracting from the joys of everyday life? I would love to encourage you to focus on passion, meditate, and remind yourself that the very thing that might be causing stress is life, itself, happening, and visions and dreams being realized. I hope that this helps to minimize this kind of useless stress (which, by the way, can wreak havoc on your skin!) and take the time to celebrate the steps you’re taking to achieve your dreams.
We’ll be talking a lot about passion this year because hey, life is always better with some heart.
Cheers to radiance, and a less-stressful, passionate year together!
Alicia
