Someone asked me a few months back: “Kristi, how do you manage to balance your coaching business with your veterinary career?” I loved this question and I thought it would be a really cool (and pertinent) topic to address, particularly because it seems these days that so many of us (especially women!) are branching out, building businesses, sharing passions and doing big, big work in this world.

If you’re reading my blog, I’m guessing you are multi-passionate and hard working with big, inspired dreams. And I’m also guessing you just don’t fit into one box (which is what I love about you!) It’s only natural to want to pursue (and excel in) the multiple areas of our lives that we’re passionate about. I mean, our dreams are in our heart for a reason, right? That said, balancing it all can sometimes be a challenge. Finding balance is definitely something I work on  every day, but I’m happy to share what I’ve learned about balancing these different areas of my life with you. Here you go!

I don’t expect myself to do everything well all the time. Here’s the truth: sometimes finding balance easy, and other times it’s really, really hard. I once heard Kris Carr say something to the effect of, “If you feel like you’re failing in one area of your life it probably means you’re kicking ass in another.” I love this because I think it can be really easy for those of us who are trying to balance a lot of different things —- a career, a side business, a family, dating, etc., to get down on ourselves for not being able to manage it all. (Especially those of us who have a tendency to be, ahem, perfectionists. 😉 ) The reality is that we can only do so many things at once and do them really well. Sometimes we can easily juggle it all, and other times (depending on career or other demands) we have to pick and choose.

Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t find a balance, but understand that there will be times when you are stretched and pulled in different directions and you kind of just have to go with the flow, let yourself off the hook and do what you can.

This past month, for example, I had a lot going on. I was in one of my best friend’s weddings, life in the veterinary world was extremely busy and both of my sisters came to town on two separate occasions  —- all of this happened to fall on the heels of launching my new website. Unfortunately, my business and blog took a bit of a backseat. In the past, I would have powered through and tried to fit everything in (and there’s a time and a place for that), but I knew that I wanted to spend time with my family and be able to be present and enjoy my best friend’s wedding. I also knew that I needed REST, and that pushing myself to the point of exhaustion wouldn’t be good for anyone.

The key during these times when it seems like you have a million things going on is to check in with yourself. I know it can feel really scary to take a break from something you’re passionate about (especially when you have a big dream and you’re trying to make it a reality), but trust yourself to find the balance. If it’s really important to you, then you’ll come back to it when you’re refreshed and rejuvenated.

I remind myself why I started. I do this often. Like on a daily basis. Listen up: If you’re spending a significant amount of time working on any kind of business or project that you’re passionate about, there will be many times you want to give up, or wonder why the heck you’re even doing what you’re doing. (I’ve had plenty of moments where I’ve thought to myself, “Does anything I’m doing even make a bit of a difference? I mean, does anyone really care?”) When these thoughts creep in (and they will), remember why you started.

For me, I discovered shortly into my personal growth journey that I had a deep desire to help others let go of their false limiting beliefs and discover their full potential. When I connect to that energy of why and how I want to help people, I feel it in my core that this is something I’m meant to do. That feeling is enough for me, and it keeps me going on the days when it would be easier to abandon my blog and business and just stick to my day job. If you’re feeling down, overwhelmed, or questioning whether anything you’re doing is making a difference you have to pause and reconnect with the reason you started it all in the first place. Read back through your testimonials if you have them, connect to the joy and love of what you’re doing, call a friend (maybe someone who you’ve helped in the past or who has been touched or affected by your work) and ask them to help remind you of why you started. (Or check in with me, I’ll remind you!) There will be days you wonder what the point of it all is. Don’t give up. Keep going.

I focus on one thing at a time. I’ll be the first to admit, finding focus isn’t always easy for me. In fact, this is an area of my life where I’m constantly restructuring and refining, making little tweaks here and there. It can be extremely difficult to shift gears mentally, creatively and emotionally when I’m pressing send on my newsletter at 7:00 AM on a Wednesday and I have to be at work answering calls and making medical decisions at my veterinary job at 8:00, but I do the best I can to leave my business at the front door the moment I walk in the clinic. That means, if I didn’t get my blog or newsletter out that morning, then I let it go. When I’m at my veterinary job I have to focus, and my heart and mind have to be there 100% for my clients and patients.

The same thing goes when I’m writing or working on my business. If I don’t focus and make my business a priority when I can (at least the majority of the time), then I can’t expect anything of value to come of it. This doesn’t mean I don’t ever get interrupted with work calls or family obligations or distracted by Instagram —- that’s just life. But I do my best to set specific days and times aside to focus solely on building my business and to stick with that commitment.

Now I’d love to hear from you! Do you have big dreams that you’re trying to balance? What do you find challenging about it? Any tips to share? Leave a comment below!