March 1st marked the one-year anniversary of going all-in on MB Wellness – and what a year it’s been. I tried not to have too many expectations of myself or my business in the first year full-time. I wanted to take the year to feel out my target market, hone my coaching process, and consider what would best serve my clients. While I don’t know what the alternative would have looked like, I do feel like giving myself the space to explore in the first year was incredibly beneficial. I learned so many things, but there were four key themes that really stand out to me.

Your support system is absolutely key – especially if you’re a one-person operation.

My coaching practice is just me (for now!), and that made me quickly realize how much I needed my friends’ and family’s support. Without co-workers, I really depended on their input, encouragement, and feedback. They proofread, edited, liked, shared, and just listened when I needed it. They helped me see blindspots, gut-check opportunities, and learn how to better advocate for myself. Even if some of them still have no clue what I do (just kidding, love y’all).

Know your worth – and accept nothing less.

This has definitely been the biggest learning curve for me. However, I’ve learned the hard way that if you don’t advocate for yourself, no one else will and most people will take what they can get from you. It can be a really uncomfortable conversation, but the right businesses and clients will see your value.

Often the “no”s are better than the “yes”s.

When I first made this leap, I got a few “no”s that I thought were devastating at the time. While hindsight is 20/20, I can clearly see now how those initial possibilities weren’t the right ones and they opened up space for future opportunities that were much better fits for me. I also have learned a lot more from hearing “no” and from saying “no”. While hearing “yes” is more gratifying, hearing or saying “no” has always turned out to be more illuminating for me.

Protect your time.

Having a lot of control over my schedule is great, but it also means that I have to be that much more protective of my time. People sometimes see that control as meaning that I can do any thing at any time, and that’s not the case. If anything, I work a lot more now than I did when I had my 9-5 because I’m the only one in my practice – if I don’t do it, it doesn’t get done. Because of that, I have to make sure I only take on as much as I can handle and I set boundaries and protect my work time.

I can’t wait to see what year two brings. With these lessons, and so many more, I am so confident that this is going to be a fantastic year for MB Wellness.

I hope you’re feeling the same way about your goals and your year so far. I’m rooting for you!