Reflecting on 2021 by Sandy

I am not ashamed to admit that I worked my butt off this past year but with very little to show for in terms of numbers.  There were months where I couldn't even cover my son's tuition, the portion that I had agreed to cover while the hub paid for everything else.  There are many days where I wonder whether I am cut out to be a business owner.  I often wish I was smarter and more talented in "entrepreneurship".  And with my head lowered and feeling like I had failed my family, my coach tasked me with some homework.

"Make a list of everything that you know now that you didn't know before 2021" she said to me.  Being the good student that I am, I decided to give it a shot.

I now know that...

• gestational diabetes is no joke
• middle child syndrome is real
• I must take responsibility for climate change
• micro plastics has made its way up our food chain
• surrounding myself with the right people is important
• customers like the personal touch when I text them
• it may take up to 5 touch points before a shopper becomes a customer
• building a meaningful business takes time
• awareness is the first step towards freedom
• standing for GoodWeave is no longer nice but a must
• Earth will run out of resources if we don't change our spending habits
• having a mentor is the best decision I made
• I have the ability to redirect my thoughts and emotions
• I can be patient
• I have everything I need to feel abundance and joy

Year 2021 was chaotic and painstakingly hard.  Surely, it was a year of experimentation. I tried out many new things on our store.  Some were money down the drain and some are still waiting to unfold itself but there was never a clear winner or a magic bullet. And perhaps, that's the way it's supposed to be.

Nobody said building a business would be easy.  Sometimes I forget that Rugs by Roo is only 3 years old and in amongst all this, we moved across the country, grew our family from 1 kid to 3 kids and moved into an apartment in a city we now call home.

In between all the chaos, I know that the hub and I are now so strong we can fight through anything.  I know that even though I'm not smart, my superpower is discipline and ambition. 

During an interview with Marie Forleo, Steven Pressfield once said... "if the dream is the tree, resistance is the shadow.  As soon as the tree appears, the shadow appears.  Overcoming resistance is far more important than talent or anything else.  It's a very very few who can sit down and take it all the way from A to Z." 

Going into 2022, I know I have lots to do.  The good news is that I'm no longer doing it alone.  I have a growing team of talent around me who will help drive things forward.  And while I know I will still make mistakes from time to time and will most likely lose some more money along the way, I know I am heading in the right direction.  As I reflect on 2021 and what I have learned, it is that the world needs Rugs by Roo and all the crazy ideas that I have in the pipeline.

This holiday, I want to wish each and every one of you abundance, love and joy.  And for those who are on a journey towards a dream and feel like you're not getting anywhere, know that resistance is normal and part of the game.  Your discipline, patience, ambition, kindness and awareness will see you through.  That, I promise you.

- Sandy