Slowing down is not always a bad idea.
Wow, last week was amazing and exhausting and I am so grateful. Finding balance is nearly impossible in this boss babe life, however, I do my best to stop and take it in.
I have learned in the past that I cannot do everything, be everywhere, and saying no is ok. I have a hard time reigning it in so to speak because I am a doer. I like to be out and about and I have become way more of an extrovert in the last year and a half than I have been in my entire 42 years.
I feel like at times I am living in a dream. How in the heck did a girl like me who was in the lowest spot in my life a little over 3 1/2 years ago get to where I am today? (besides the obvious need for sweets in my life daily and lets be honest, several times a day and a connection with the outside world —the kitchen can be a very lonely place at times).
The easy answers are passion, hustle, perseverance, drive, a need to find happiness and job and to enjoy moments as often as possible. Life is unpredictable and whether you are young, old, healthy, unhealthy, our days our numbered and no one knows when that will be.
I have been through A LOT of struggles, been disappointed in myself and others, I have lost money, time, myself, my passion. The thing that has remained the same is that I have never wanted to give up. I have always wanted to find a reason to take the next step before I took it. Truth is, the more I “wing it”, the more confident I become and the more ambition that I find. Who knew? Slowing down and being more intentional about what I focus on has had such a huge impact on where I am in my life right now. Happy, Confident, Grateful, Proud, Unstoppable and of course a badass baker.
My road to becoming a solo Entrepreneur has been the toughest road I have ever taken. I have faith that I am going in the right direction. I am embracing the unknown, trying not to get weighed down too much with the stressful stuff and keep on keeping on.
I am grateful and humbled by all of your support. Never did I ever dream that I would be running a business by myself and connecting with so many of you that support me, inspire me, keep me motivated and never cease to amaze me with your joy, openness, kindness and trust in me.
Never did I ever think I would be on TV, on the front page of the paper flexing my muscle, teach over 100 baking classes in just over a year, be asked to apply for a food network show (which I did not get on but it was cool to be asked), create a dessert to be published in Cleveland Magazine, be featured in countless blogs and articles, been named the 5th best Pastry Chef in Cleveland or have the 5th most sinful sweet in Cleveland.
Never did I ever think that I would figure out computer stuff that I have never done, learn how to market myself, find friendships with so many amazing people (some of them entrepreneurs, some of them are not).Never did I ever think I would LOVE teaching as much as I do or that you would LOVE my classes and much as you do and my sweets. It is honestly overwhelming In the best way. I did know that I would have the BEST STUDENTS EVER!
Struggles will always be there, they will stop me in my tracks and as long as I ask for help when I can, give myself credit to see if I can actually figure it out on my own, I will be ok.
Thank you for being here with me. I feel like big things are on the horizon and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.
I hope if you are feeling lost, at least consider taking the first step towards finding something that can inspire you, take you away from the stress for a bit and revisit it when you are in a better headspace. You never know where it could lead you.
“An amazing thing happens when you get honest with yourself and start doing what you love, what makes you happy. Your life literally slows down. You stop wishing for the weekend. You stop merely looking forward to special events. You begin to live in each moment and you start feeling like a human being. You just ride the wave that is life with this feeling of contentment and joy. You move fluidly, steadily, calm and grateful. A veil is lifted and a whole new perspective is born” quote by Butterflies and pebbles
xoxo
Annie