My journey to starting a business..#feelgoodbloggingday2

I have desired to create my own business since I was 12 years old. I knew that I wanted to own a store like a bakery, coffee shop, bookstore, or some type of small business. I wasn’t quite sure what I would decide on in the future, but I knew I wanted to manage and own a business. Why? I liked the idea of doing a little bit of everything. I truly enjoy making connections with customers. I love organizing and managing. I love being in charge. I love making decisions. I love being creative and making things look pretty. Ultimately, I would be in charge, but I could work in whatever role that I wanted!  This has always been the biggest draw for me. I never wanted to own a business just to own a business. I wanted the business to be my life! I want to live and breathe the business daily!!

So I did what any motived young girl would do. I went to business school.  My plan was to work in business, move up and make lots of money, and save to start my own business.  Good plan right? Practical?

Back in high school and college, I became super passionate about nutrition. I chose not to study nutrition because I knew in my heart that I was meant to start a business. So I stayed in the business path and graduated in 2012. Before I left school, I started learning about the coaching industry. I regularly watched Connie Chapman (life coach) , Marie Forelo (biz coach), andLinda Wagner (health coach) who were killing it in the online world. I thought WOW this is so cool! They get to talk to people from all over the world, they get to do what they love, and they get to live the life they dream of!  I KNEW this was the direction for me. I started to desire to become a health coach. I thought it would be the coolest thing ever! I could help people make healthier choices, build a business, and use my creativity to create beautiful content! And what made it even better was I didn’t need to invest MILLIONS of dollars to get started. I wouldn’t have to be in debt for 5, 10, or even 20 years – patiently waiting for my business to hopefully make profit.  I decided that choosing the path to become a health coach would be the least risk-averse and it was TRULY the life I desired.  All of these ideas started growing right before I left college.  I started writing on a blog on and off to get myself started in the right direction.

After graduating college, I landed my first salary job! (thanks to my BF) I moved to Chicago and started my NEW adventure! Within a few months, I got bored. I couldn’t believe that I spent most of my life wishing to be done with school and this is where I ended up. I felt unfulfilled and mentally bored. I didn’t want my life to be like this for the rest of my life.

So in October of 2013, I took the leap and invested in a health coaching program called Institute of Integrative Nutrition!  I went back and forth on this decision because it was a lot of money that I didn’t have. But I wasn’t happy so I KNEW I needed to do something.  Looking back, I would NOT be the person I am today if I had not taken that leap. I took the first leap of TRUSTING myself to make my dreams happen. I met a lot of different people in the Chicago area. I made NEW friends.  I’ll be honest I was SUPER scared of what people thought of me doing this. I feared people thinking I was crazy. I feared people thinking I was naiive. But all those thoughts were silly – people will doubt you. People will always have their opinions. All that matters is how you see it yourself! People’s disbelief in you are only an inner reflection of themselves.

The biggest lesson that I have realized about starting a business is that BELIEFS are so HUGE.  It honestly blows my mind how important they are. They are so easily overlooked, but if you don’t focus on changing your beliefs you will not get anywhere.  The second lesson is not being afraid to INVEST in yourself. If don’t invest in yourself why would anyone else?

I am still on the journey of growing my business. I have BIG plans for the future and I am excited to take this journey! I couldn’t imagine a future NOT pursuing this passion and light inside of me!
I do have to say that starting a business is the BIGGEST transformational journey that you can ever take!  If you want to shake and transform your life in EVERY area– start a business!

xoxo,

Chelsea Jolene

***this is day 2 of the FEEL good blogging challenge by Alex Beadon****