I am blessed to say that my childhood was filled with love. Love that I couldn’t have imagined from a beautiful family. Even with this deep love I still have memories from my childhood of navigating anxiety. As an infant and toddler everyday I coped with the emotional and physical symptoms of severe eczema, chronic sinus congestion, and asthma. There were meltdowns in Walmart where my mother would hold me as I cried in pain. Expressing that I wanted to take a knife to cut my skin off because I was in such distress. Striking myself because I felt like this inner anxiety gremlin was taking over my body, my mind, my identity. With a voice so loud that it was screaming its reality and truth into my psyche.

You met Doris The RV in my August blog. Now she’s back with an update on her journey and of course an update on what I have learned along the way.

Doris, a new-to-us RV, was our response to traveling to see my elderly mother during these unusual times. We traveled (with a side of work) from Ontario to Alberta, visiting with family and friends along the way.

Welcome to Costron + Co!

As entrepreneurs, we have experienced the benefits that great support from our team and collaborators provide for tasks outside of our wheelhouse. To grow a business, it is crucial to be aware of new opportunities for synergy. We’ve all had those points at various stages of our business when we feel the weight of juggling all the ‘stuff & things,’ and we come to realize that if we want to continue to serve with joy, structural changes may be needed for a return to clarity, confidence and calm. 

Ever do something that you said – and openly told others – that you would NEVER do? 

Yep – me too. And it recently happened again. Meet Doris, The Roadtripper! This new-to-us RV motorcoach is something that I said I would never own. My spouse and I said never would we ever own an RV. We were quite proud of our judgement, with our list of things that didn’t make it right, and frankly couldn’t understand why someone would choose an RV as a method of travel. 

Putting pen to paper - or fingers to keyboard in this case – is again proving to be a challenge. At this moment I have much to say and no words to articulate my thoughts and feelings. I mentioned in my last blog that I would talk about the learning and experience of hosting the KEDCO call on Navigating Marketing & Social Caused as a Small Business Owner. I have thought a lot about the experience in the last two weeks. 

It has been difficult to write a blog this week. To be honest, I am distracted and can’t seem to get inspired to focus on a topic. That stupid voice of ‘you should sit down and write your blog’ is nattering around in my mind.

I have been working at self-care for years now. Sometimes I think I’m getting the hang of it. Other times I feel like: Hey wait a minute, I wasn’t looking for another job or list of chores!  Anybody else feeling a bit overwhelmed?

Domi is a Certified Intentional Creative Coach. This coffee chat you will experience the undeniable passion that Domi has for her work helping people heal and experience joy through art.

In fall of 2019 Emily attended a Desire Map workshop that I hosted. We spent a couple of sessions together which then shifted to her and her partner, Matt, completing Desire Map as a couple. In this chat, we talk about her experience and the impact it has had on her life and her relationship. I am humbled by her kind words.

When I see the hurt and trauma in the world, through TV or social media feeds, I realize I have so much to learn about how to support the vulnerable, care for mother earth, and hold space and be an agent of change for BIPOC community members. 

Ann Marie and I serve humanity in very similar ways and I am grateful to share this space with her.  I know that this time in our our world is a kairos moment and the work that we do is needed and in abundance. 

Cory thought he achieved his dream when he built a global social media agency that he founded in 2016. But then came a restlessness that had such a pull away from what he thought was his dream to a life that he knew in his soul was necessary, healthier and more fulfilling. He leaned into being uncomfortable and the tension of responsibilities vs the path to authentic living.

As I referenced in my blog last week there were points in my career journey that were appropriate at the time but not truly my authentic purpose. I’ve been reflecting on this and asking myself what I discovered along the way.

During my chat with Sheri she shared her journey. Touching on the shifts and pivots and how it all led her to where she is today.

Spending time with Diana is always so rewarding.  Her journey has led her from there to here, with the beauty being in her journey to authenticity. 

The idea of my purpose being ‘where my deep gladness serves the world’ is a deeply inspirational idea for me. I genuinely believe that if we can find that sweet spot, where service and deep gladness intersect, we will find passion in our work that inspires us every morning, and at every obstacle.

Shari has had a passion for entrepreneurship for most of her career and has also held leadership roles in the corporate world but made the jump to full time entrepreneur. We chatted about what drew her to the entrepreneurial world and why the shift to fulltime.

Sharing time with Michelle is good for the soul. During this 2nd chat you will learn where to start to make meditation part of your every day. Subscribe to the mindfulBliss Youtube channel to experience her meditation series for beginners; 7 Days to Calm.

Heather is an inspiration. Her single life focus on being an artist is living proof that purpose, passion and profit can align. She has been supporting herself and her family from day 1 through her art. This chat share just a piece of her journey

January 2nd, 1992 - a day I was courageous. I became an entrepreneur.

So why did I start? What did I learn?

The courageous part of me was drawn to be an entrepreneur. There are many reasons that I was drawn to be an entrepreneur. I have learnt a lot of things along the way. Some through the excitement of success, but many more by the discomfort and disappointment of failure. Here are just a few.