An Entrepreneurs Journey ~ some of the hardest days of my life.
There's been countless times where I could have listened to some of the negative voices around me, even those who cared about me and who were well meaning.
Some of the things I heard as I built my dream business...
Not many people could afford private therapy, the economy in Saint John wasn't great...
I had no experience, I was young after all and people probably wouldn’t believe I could help them
There were no guarantees financially and no pension
I couldn't be part of their "network of providers" because I didn't have enough experience
I couldn't get a loan because I was too new in business
They couldn't refer to me because they already had someone with the contract for their clients
They couldn't publish my story, after the 2 hour interview I had with a reporter, because it didn't align with the publisher's plan that week
My workshop was not what they expected and they wanted their money back
My social media post was inappropriate, people may lose respect for me
I could have stayed in the safety of the government job as a social worker with a predictable salary and a pension that I may never live long enough to receive. But I was disillusioned by the system and how many people were falling through the cracks. I knew I wanted to help more people and stop more suffering.
This journey to start my own mental health therapy practice has encompassed “blood sweat and tears” and some of the hardest days of my life. Like the day I ended up on the floor of my office, propped up against the closed door crying, trying to pull myself together. (this may have happened more than once). Luckily, I am surrounded by some of the most amazing mental health therapists - my associates. We understand and support each other through our daily challenges. We are all human - even therapists!
Through it all, I have become more self aware - I have learned so much and continue to, every day. And it's all been worth it.
When I see so much learning and growth (and a lot of beautiful cultural changes) in Saint John around mental health over the last few years, I feel a sense of pride. We help individuals and families, we help kids because we help their parents.
We work hard every day to move the culture toward “it’s OK to struggle”, we aren’t supposed to have it all figured out or walk through hard things alone. We are making it safer and safer to reach out for help, we strive every day to normalize mental health as health.
How did this happen?
Despite the negative voices, I kept going. I found the right people who shared my vision to walk alongside me. I found incredibly talented and caring people who weren’t afraid to have some doors closed on them, who would give up security to be part of something freakin' awesome. My team is as good as it gets! We get to do what lights us up every day and wake up each morning with a sense of pride.
Happy National Entrepreneur Day to my fellow entrepreneurs who had to bust through many closed doors, but who came back and “bought the building” (literally, in my case), or figuratively for many.
The truth is, entrepreneurs have grit. We have a passion and perseverance for our long term goals, and an obsession to accomplish things greater than ourselves.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
~Laura
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