I was recently invited to be the Commencement Speaker for the coaching and nutrition school, Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I have to say it was a tremendous honor, and such a thrill as it is now the second time I have been invited to do this. The first was back in 2010, when the graduation was live in New York City, with about 1500 eager graduates’ eyes on me and my first time speaking to a room of people this size. That time, it was (in my mind) all about me… would I do a good job, would they like my speech, will I get through it without stumbling, crying, or throwing up.
This time, the graduation was online, as the program has moved in this direction to make access to the education available to amazing people all over the world. It’s truly remarkable, and creating such a shift in the world, I felt so honored to be invited to be a part of it.
So, this time. It was all about them.
I could write my speech, record it, edit it if I needed, shoot again if I blew it, try again as needed. This took tremendous pressure off the delivery, and allowed me to really craft something I was happy to share.
And while the actual recording and speech was my gift to the students. I had the opportunity to truly reflect on what I felt worth sharing with this amazing group of brave entrepreneurs.
So, this is for you. Whether you’re a coach, some other kind of ambitious, creative, heart centered entrepreneur, or on the fence about going for your dreams, these will apply:
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You are it. You have enough. You can do this. You are already doing this. You will grow and change and change again, and that is okay. It’s normal.
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It’s okay to start your business one way today, and redo it later.
You will only know what works, and how it feels living it day to day by doing it. So try. Don’t spend all of your time planning. Try it on. See how it fits. You can change it later.
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There will always be more opportunities, more clients, more money.
I will say this again, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES, MORE CLIENTS, and MORE MONEY. So don’t sweat it if something doesn’t work as planned, it’s all practice, you will do it differently next time. There’s always a next time, and it’s usually better.
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This one is important: Get some friends.
I mean it. Make friends with the other incredible people who are doing what you’re doing. They are the best friends you will ever have, because they get it. If you have a peer coach or a buddy, great, hold on to them. If you don’t. Get one. Get 4.
Start a group of buddies. Call it a Mastermind!
Check in on each other. No one will understand what you are going through like these people. I know you have friends and family who are on your side. Get these other friends too. You are growing at an incredible rate, and the other people in your life have not made this choice for themselves. They love you and want to support you, but they won’t really get it. Get some new awesome coach/entrepreneur friends. We love listening and supporting.
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Be gentle with yourself. You’re growing and changing super fast.
Be gentle with those around you. They’re still the same, give them a break. They will come along if they want to. But remember it’s their choice, just like this is your choice. Not everyone will be ready.
It’s okay if it’s hard. It’s like that onion thing, each time you peel off a new layer you will have to clean out the old junk. Let it go. Breathe. Keep going.
Do it how you want to do it. Trust that you have all you need. You just have to decide. You can do it.
Big hug. You’ve got this, and when it feels like you don’t… reach out for some support.