When everything turns out completely different than expected.

As I write this post, I realize the last weeks have tested my mindset, and it came truly down to “practice what you preach.”

My summer has gone completely different than I expected.

My approach for this summer was a beautiful and relaxing staycation. My husband and I intentionally decided not to travel much, as we are already living on a holiday island. As the year has been intense, I was looking forward to a calm and focused summer.

So far. So good.

I intended to finally do everything I hadn’t accomplished during the year, with renovations, raising a little puppy, and the kids changing school.

Well. There is a saying that life happens while we make other plans, which is exactly what happened to me at the beginning of July.

My horse Camerad almost died twice, first because of a severe colic that he had to be operated on (the word colic is every horse owner's nightmare) and then again because of an infection of the scar that led to high fever. I constantly cried for two weeks, never knowing what would happen next and I felt so helpless while summer took a plot twist within hours…

He survived.

And the relief I felt is hard to describe in words, as he is a very special soul to me. (The photo above shows us the first time I was allowed to walk him after a couple of days post-op.)

I had to direct my thinking from the worst-case scenario to letting go of something I could only control to a certain point over and over again. I had a 24h-hotline with my vets, and the heat here on the island didn’t make things easier for him and also not for me, as the heat really gets to me, with temperatures up to 40-45 degrees Celsius in the sun.

I was way too tired to keep doing everything I had planned to do, and the word “consistency” became a new meaning in my world.

We often talk about how being consistent is the one thing that moves our business forward, and yes, I am a big fan of being consistent, yet there are times in our lives when consistency just isn’t sustainable for our own well-being.

I did the bare minimum: serving my clients with a truly open heart while coaching and showing up on social media whenever I felt like it.

Giving myself permission to not show up without blaming myself was the best self-care I could provide for myself at that point.

If you already have a team working with you, those are the moments you want them to step up and fill in for you.

If you are a solo entrepreneur, you must find your way out by yourself, with a lot of self-compassion for not delivering the way you planned.

Self-compassion can be one of the most powerful tools in times when you just cannot hit the milestone or goal you were setting for yourself, in times when things go not as expected.

And I don't mean throwing yourself a pity party. (There can be time for that, too, but make sure to limit the moments of the day pitying yourself, as it won't help you recharge your batteries.)

I mean genuinely having compassion for how you feel the emotions you are going through and lovingly adapting what you need to keep on going.

Deciding on what you will not do will make all the difference if something unexpected and time-consuming happens.

August is my time off during the year. I am not actively coaching, but I am on Voxer for my private and group coaching clients.

I am preparing new content for my Magnetic Marketing program and learning something new. I dive into things that I normally don’t make time for.

And I am finally enjoying this summer my way, which includes being with my horses and training our puppy, doing long walks, working out, and meeting friends and family.

I spoil myself whenever possible with the little things that make me happy and the people I love most. Making time for what really matters is what counts.

My level of gratitude has risen immensely, and I no longer take everything for granted.

The support I got not only from my friends and family but also from my clients, who wrote me messages and asked on our calls how my horse was doing, was heart-warming and showed me again that it truly makes a difference if you work with clients who are your best-fit clients, a concept I teach my clients pretty much at the beginning of our coaching relationship.

Stay abundant, my friends.

Because all we have is now.

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