Success at Work VS Success at Home

Business’s grow a lot faster than people do!  With the rise of social media, businesses can sky rocket through the roof and if you aren’t personally keeping up then you’ll get left behind.  This year, The Ruffled Daisy will celebrate 12 years of being in business!  It’s been an amazing 12 years but it’s also been a challenging 12 years.  Running a business is a lot of work.  Some days were spent not giving enough to my husband and kids because the business needed me.  Some days were spent stressed and frazzled because I didn’t have enough hands or hours in the day.  With all of those demands, my personal and family life felt the pull of it and it started to take a toll on things.

When you’re the CEO you don’t get to look out the window, you get to look into the mirror.  Let me tell you something.  You learn A LOT about yourself when you’re in business for yourself.  And sometimes, it takes some major changes and shake-ups to make you REALLY look into that mirror.  I want to reach people through my business.  But I have learned that

“there is far more work God is doing in me than through me”

Success at work DOES NOT equal to success at home!!!  Success starts at home!

 It is my heart’s desire to reach people and be an Encourager of women from all walks of life!  BUT FIRST – we have to get our own crap together.  Let me tell ya though – we won’t ever be perfect!  God is simply reminding me that there is work to be done IN ME before any work can be done THROUGH me!    

Here what I am seeing – how can we expect God to trust us with what we have been blessed with when we’re not living for him?  How can we expect God to bless our families with more when we are not following him?  All the chasing and running after only takes you so far.  When you are a woman (or man) who has a heart for God, you can only ignore it for so long before the blessings stop being put in front of you.

Hard work will get you far – but it won’t get you to the finish line!  Your faith in GOD is what gets you there.

Will you walk this path with me?  

1. Do less. It’s hard to slow down when you are trying to do a million things. Instead, make the conscious choice to do less. Focus on what’s really important, what really needs to be done, and let go of the rest
2. Be present. It’s not enough to just slow down — you need to actually be mindful of whatever you’re doing at the moment.   Focus on what’s going on right now. On your actions, on your environment, on others around you.
3. Focus on people. Too often we spend time with friends and family, or meet with colleagues, and we’re not really there with them. We talk to them but are distracted by devices. We are there, but our minds are on things we need to do. We listen, but we’re really thinking about ourselves and what we want to say.  Connect with people rather than just meeting with them.
4. Single-task. The opposite of multi-tasking. Focus on one thing at a time. When you feel the urge to switch to other tasks, pause, breathe, and pull yourself back.
5. Breathe. When you find yourself speeding up and stressing out, pause, and take a deep breath. Take a couple more. Really feel the air coming into your body, and feel the stress going out.

Remember, that you can’t change what goes on around you but you can change what goes on within you!

I pray that all of you stick around through this season and that we learn together to slow down a little.  Yes, we can all chase that dream…but don’t forget that your dream isn’t the only thing that needs your attention and love.  God placed your family by your side to walk with you through the tough times.  Pay attention to where you are being called to slow down and smell the daisies some.  Enjoy holiday nights of being cuddled by a fire with your loved one’s drinking hot chocolate and remember the dreams you have with them too.  

“It’s time to slow down and LOVE your life instead of just living your life!”