😵‍💫 Where do I even start?

[0:46] Hi there. How are things going in your world? I have been sitting with the question, where do I even start, for a couple of days now. And I thought I would share my reflections with you since it’s one of the most typical obstacles that keeps us stuck.

[1:04] First, a quick recap on my current situation. So I am repositioning my work and offerings to make them more resonant and more valuable to my potential clients. I feel like I’m in an in-between space, a liminal space, where I am about to start a new cycle in my business, but I’m still operating in the old one. I am excited about what’s to come, even though it’s still unclear. And now, in the midst of my market research, I’m entering that stage where a bunch of ideas are taking shape and urging me to come out into the light. The thing is that the list of stuff I will have to change or update is so long that it’s keeping me stuck asking, where do I even start? You know, my positioning statement, my bio, my offerings, my website copy. But what if I’m ready to let go of care to impact and need a new domain? Which domain? My name would make sense, but it’s hard to spell for English speakers. And so back to square one, where do I even start? So yeah, welcome to the inner chatter in my brain.

[2:23] Does any of that sound familiar? Well, you know, all that eagerness to take action on the ideas we have makes sense, of course. And it’s good to feel that energy, that drive. But we also need to focus it if we don’t want to dissipate it, right? And focusing it, to me, means identifying a couple of next steps and a tiny first milestone you want to reach. Taking into account your enthusiasm, the status of your project, your current capacity, and your priorities. For example, my enthusiasm is telling me that they want a new domain with all its consequences and my whole website updated and up and running by the end of October. The status of my project is saying, well, actually, you need to finish your market research first. My capacity is saying, like hell, I’m going to do all that work in a month. Look at your schedule and upcoming commitments and try to be honest about your energy levels while you’re at it.

[3:28] And priority is telling me they’re still a bit confused about the destination. Can we check back later? So, you know, in this situation, my capacity reminds me of my dog Hilda, when she’s approached by overly enthusiastic dogs. Basically, she side-eyes them, stands still, and waits for them to calm down. And if they don’t, she barks once assertively to get her point across. But, of course, I’m digressing. So now that I’ve heard about enthusiasm, status, capacity, and priority, I can turn the where do I even start question into a different one, which is what’s a doable yet fun and exciting first milestone I can work toward from now to the end of October?

[4:18] I will take some time later today to sit with this question and see what comes up for me. And I will also check back in with priority to see if I can get more clarity on or for now, you know, it’s still OK not to know. But before we wrap up, let me recap and reflect the prompts back at you. So if you’ve been feeling stuck because you’re eager to take action but don’t know where to start from your long list, take a moment to define a potential deadline or time frame, for example, the end of next month, and check in with some of the quote-unquote actors at play. So ask enthusiasm what they would love to get done by then. Ask status where you are at with your project and what needs to be done before moving forward. Ask capacity what they think is actually sustainably doable in that time frame, and ask priority if they have any guidance on what needs to come first. And once you’ve listened to them, ask yourself, what’s a doable, yet fun and exciting first milestone I can work toward in my time frame?

[5:27] You know, sometimes getting unstuck means asking different questions and listening carefully. But what if you’re still unsure about what you want to create next month? Well, you can join me for the free October Compass Circle next week. We will use an Oracle spread to help you clarify what you want to create in the new cycle of your work, what can help you take action, and what your next step is. And then we will share in the circle to get even more insights and inspiration. So the next one is on October 9th at 11 a.m. Central. You, of course, will find the link in the show notes and I really, really hope to see you there. Thank you so much for spending some time with me today. See you in the next episode.