Episode Summary:
Today in this short and sweet episode, I am reflecting on what happens when we keep pushing through just because we can. This drive to keep going may feel necessary, even like growth, but the constant giving just a little bit more comes at a price, that can cost us our dreams if we aren't careful.
What I hope you take away from today's episode...
- There is an incredible power in the pause...
- These quiet little moments help us see what we want and what we don't
- They help us choose where to give our time and energy
- Are necessary to build the life of our dreams.
Links to the cool stuff mentioned in this episode...
- Small Business Casual with Emily Aborn episode From Depleted to Restored: Which Type of Rest Do You Need Most?
- Teddy Bridgewater commercial
Links to connect with me...
Book a Consult HERE! (https://caffeinecreative.io/consult/)
Email me HERE! theperfectblendcaffeinecreative.io
Find me on Substack!
Show Transcripts
This week my hope for you is that you find a little peace, love and gratitude in the pauses
Welcome to the Solo Grind, your weekly coffee break with me Teresa Schlup, The Original Caffeine Creative, a Brand Strategist, and Web Designer, who loves reflecting on life, embracing the gratitude and doing things in my own way.
Today I am taking a pause and reflecting on how this moment of pause is leading to growth and even deeper levels of success. Not success in the way our “world at large” defines it, but success in knowing I am living the life of my dreams. So grab your cup of coffee, give you honey a smooch and let’s talk about the power of the pause.
Hello and good morning, or afternoon or evening. Right now it is morning for me, and I am sitting here in my sweet little home office, coffee cup in hand, bundled up in layers of fleece, wool and all things cozy, thinking once again, “Why do I live in a place where the air hurts my face every single winter?”
But as I watch my hubby head off to work, I remember… “oh yes, I love that guy.” So here I am hiding away in the house, as the temps outside are 2 degrees but feel like 11 below zero. And my friends, even this is worth it, because I really do love the life we have built and our little slice of heaven out here in the Eden Township of South Dakota, even when it looks like I am living in a snow globe.
One thing I can always count on during these cold winter days is a lot of reflecting on what is in my life. And as we are closing out another year, I am doing a lot of thinking and reflecting on where my business has been, where it is going and everything in between.
Much of this reflecting, I have shared with you throughout this month. From Redefining my Dream, to discovering what to say “no” to and how to do it with kindness and ease. We also chatted about tapping into our natural strengths and how we can use them to create the life of our dreams.
It’s not easy creating the life of your dreams. In fact, it can come with a lot of criticism and ridicule when that dream doesn’t align with what others think you should have. I know I have received a lot of criticism over the years for living life on my own terms.
I have been accused of being selfish, unrealistic, and self-centered.
I have been told I am too picky, difficult and living in a bubble.
I have been labeled a bad wife, mother and daughter
(not by my parents, husband or kids)
The point I am making here is when you are bold enough to create life on your own terms it can come with a lot of drama behind the scenes, and a lack of support.
Unfortunately, that is the price we have to pay to create our dream life, but I believe that there is a much heavier price to pay when we ignore the dream and simply do what we are told.
Just the other day I was having a conversation with someone who currently is not living the life of her dreams. Far from it in fact. Without going into the details she is really miserable with the life she has and as she’s in her 50s she is starting to “feel defeated and stuck in this life that sucks” her words not mine. She also said something else that caught my attention, that I knew I had to share with you…
“I’ve followed the rules, and I have worked really freaking hard to live a good life, so why is everything so shitty?”
Maybe you can relate to this, or maybe you have in the past. I know I have definitely had that moment myself, and it sucks, but there is also a hidden blessing in that moment that I know I couldn’t see when I was stuck.
The way I see it, this realization that life is not what you want can lead down two paths, defeat or triumph and both begin with a pause.
There is incredible growth waiting for us in the pause…
Those moments when realization hits, and we give ourselves just a moment of inactivity to look at the life around us, is incredibly powerful. In that pause we have the opportunity to choose our new path.
The first, which seems easy and ease feels oh so appealing, is to accept defeat. Allow life to simply happen to you, and do your best to hide away from it all with soft addictions or worse.
The second is to acknowledge what isn’t working, and ask, what do I want instead and how can I get there?
As entrepreneurs we feel like we need to be constantly doing… building… creating something to help us grow our business.
There is so much value in taking a step back and embracing the pause. When we don’t we often miss the hidden cost of pushing through. I am not talking about the obvious costs like time and money, but the smaller ones that seem insignificant initially but build up quickly over time.
Our Energy is Depleted
Chronic busyness is so incredibly depleting. Not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, and this price can build up over time leading to all kinds of issues.
In a recent episode of one of my favorite podcasts, The Small Business Casual with Emily Aborn, she talked about the 7 types of rest that we all need, and while I am not going to dive into all the details she shared, it is worth giving this episode a listen. So I will be sure to link this in the show notes.
Our Creativity Suffers
Building your own business is very much a creative effort. We have to master our craft, which takes training as well as creativity to explore and become better at what we do, but that is not all. We also have to find creative ways to address issues, market our services, connect with potential clients, and come up with the money to keep it all going when things get tight.
When we don’t stop to pause, this ability to tap into our creative brain is diminished, even sometimes erased, making everything we do that much more difficult.
Our Value is Diminished.
This would be the value or quality we provide our clients. When we push through the pause, and keep doing more and more and just one more thing, the quality of all we are doing begins to diminish. It may be just a little bit at first, hardly noticeable even, but that builds up as well and each time we allow ourselves to be comfortable with less we are accepting mediocrity even more.
“People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.” ––Andrew Carnegie
Our Confidence Waivers
As our value diminishes, we and our clients know that we just aren’t giving our best, and discontent starts creeping in. By the time this happens we are so exhausted from it all and feel like we just can’t give any more, and that is when doubts take over and our confidence begins to waiver.
We start thinking thoughts like, maybe I am not all that good or cut out for this work, and things can quickly escalate from there.
Our Resentment Builds
As confidence in ourselves fades, resentment settles in. When we start to resent those asking for more because we just don’t have more to give. We really begin to resent those who are bold enough to complain that we aren’t giving our best. This is when we know we’ve skipped the pause, hopped on the first road and are heading straight for allowing life to just happen to us.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
All of this takes away from the dream we are creating. It robs us of joy, relationships that support us, and the success we are chasing.
Success comes so much more naturally when we choose strategically and intentionally what actually deserves our attention, and what doesn’t. ~Teresa Schlup
So as I wrap up today’s episode, I want to leave you with one thought…
The criticism and ridicule you might receive has a lot more to do with “them” than you.
These are their fears and insecurities coming through, and as Teddy Bridgewater, Back-up Listener says in my favorite commercial, “You’re not a mechanic. It’s not your job to fix them.”
So this week I hope you all find a moment to pause, choose what will get your time and energy with thoughtful intention and clear strategy. That is how we make our dreams a reality.
Okay next week, we will be wrapping up 2025 and I am going to be sharing a sneak peek at what I will be bringing into 2026 with me, and what I am officially leaving behind. Have a fabulous week my friends, and may this time of holidays and celebration be more than you hope for.
Thanks for listening to this short and sweet episode of The Solo Grind. If this episode gave you the permission you need to pause and reflect, then I know my mission for today is complete! If you’d like to connect with me personally, hop on over to my website caffeinecreative.io, and book a free consult with me. I would love to hear more about the dreams you are building.
