One thing about 2012 that taught me more than anything

It’s just after 8pm on the last day of 2012. I’m looking forward to 2013 to be honest. Both 2011 and 2012 have been years that have held a lot of personal obstacles. Overcoming a near death experience, moving to Florida, selling my home staging business, and now re-establishing a new St Augustine home staging company (along with some other significant events that are personal in nature and I won’t go into), I have high hopes for the coming year. As the year comes to a close, I find it helpful to think on the best and the worst of the year and what I can learn from it to try to make not only a better year, but also hopefully make me a better person.

So, what was the one thing that taught me more than any other thing in 2012?

Fake it till you make it. This sounds like a funny thing to say. I heard it years ago when I sold Mary Kay Cosmetics (and no, I never got the pink car). Back then it was all about acting successful when you weren’t yet. Right now I’m actually referring to a belief in yourself. There were moments in this year when I can honestly say that there had been enough personal set backs that I wondered if our family could make it through. Selling my home staging company left me without a professional identity to fall back on. Everything felt up in the air, without certainty.

When you are at  your lowest point, find faith

Whether you believe in a higher power, finding faith is the key to picking you up when you are down. That faith doesn’t always come from within. Sometimes faith comes from outside of you. I’m lucky. I have an amazing family. They never once stopped having faith, no matter how things got. When things were at their worst, I held onto their faith. There is a Sara Groves song that comes to mind. I’ll embed it below. If you have a few minutes, and are at a point where you or someone you know needs a little faith, maybe share this song with them.

“It’s Going To Be Alright” by Sara Groves from International Justice Mission on Vimeo.

“I did not come here to offer you cliché’s. I will not pretend to know of all your pain. Just when you cannot, then I will hold out faith, for you.”

Going into 2013, use the lessons

I don’t want to end 2012 with a sad story. That’s not what this blog is about. I think sometimes new home stagers, or experienced ones even, have a point in their life or their career when they wonder if they can make it. I felt like sharing my story, and some of my struggles, not just the successes might be helpful for those who are also having struggles. Sometimes, as industry leaders and successful professionals, we only show the great stuff. Believe me, it’s not always roses and sunshine.

How things turn out is how we use the lessons we are given. Never have I been more aware of what a great family that I really have. Instead of constantly being frustrated about starting over, I’m using this opportunity to decide how I want to sculpt my new company. I’m learning the lessons of my past business and thinking of how I would have done things differently if I knew then what I knew now and actually putting them into play.

The gift of sharing your lessons

I’ve also been given the wonderful gift of showing my students that my past company start up wasn’t a fluke. I live by my lessons. I’m in the trenches with them growing a new business. I understand of the successes and failures of starting up. I do, of course, have the advantage of experience, but I’m in a completely new environment with a whole new group of people, and this time around, a lot of competition. I’m also, hopefully, showing how you can use your competition to your advantage.

Now I’ve shared my biggest lesson of 2012. What is yours?