Turning down a promotion, feeling behind 🏃‍♀️ + life update

Hello Reader,
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I’ve been away for some time and the last time I wrote to you was when I told you I was going away for vacation.
Honestly, the past few months have been incredibly hard, here’s why:
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1. My supposedly course launch got delayed due to the delay of the launch in my full-time job (Domino effect).
2. I was so behind my paid coaching hours required at where I was getting my Coaching Mastery.
3. Nobody signed up for the Unstoppable Lab VIP Days nor anyone who joined the giveaway.
4. I was feeling down at my full-time job, feeling overlooked and unappreciated and not growing.

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These are just a few of so many other things behind the scenes that are happening when you are running a business while on your 9 to 5. It is not at all glamorous + fabulous as it looks on social media.
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Please read until the end to get the golden nuggets of wisdom – you won’t regret it I promise.

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Then when I came back from my vacation (Sep), I have no idea at all how to complete the requirements in my master’s, create clients when I haven’t posted in a while on social media, attend to the declining performance of the new site we’ve launched at my full-time job while also feeling so downright confused in my career path.
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To make things more complicated, when my director resigned and there was an opportunity for me to finally move up. However, I wasn’t feeling called internally to pursue this and I am judging myself why…
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“Wait, why? Have I not always wanted to keep growing? To get promoted and keep moving up? Why do I suddenly feel I do not want this anymore.” This is what I thought.
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Slowly, I took small and conscious steps towards everything that’s pending.
I know for sure with my calculations, I can’t make it, there is no way I can complete all these things before December – school, business, full-time.

But I did what I can and focused on managing my energy and attention instead.
I have asked for extension at the Institute where I am getting it and accepted that for once in my life, I am late.

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And then something happened. 😯

As soon as I spoke to my director that I am no longer pursuing the promotion, all doors break loose! Like What. The. Heck. 🤯

Clients whom I never thought will be, came; previous clients signed up; and best of all, my group program was booked by 2 classes of a university!

In 2 months, I superseded the number of hours required from school and heck, I even won the highest revenue in the 30-days challenge from the institution! 🤯
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​Like pinch me – how did this happen?!

And here’s the even crazier part: My director who left pushed my career progression plan, but for a different role.

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And so, I am writing this to you to share key points I have learned over the past few months of my hiatus.

1. We can plan but always leave a space for the universe to surprise you.

I’ve always been 10+ years ahead when it comes to planning. It’s the Type 5 and Type 1 in me combined (enneagram).

And one thing I learned from the coaching mastery I took is questioning even the things I or other people deem good – example: hyper organization and planning.

It is good until it becomes the very block that hinders you from stepping into you next level.

I realized that maybe the God (or the universe) allowed this to happen so that I can truly learn, not only conceptually, the real meaning of surrendered action.

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2. You will attract the right people you are meant to serve.

Yes, nobody signed up in the VIP Days I opened and heck even when I was literally giving away a spot for free – but if it’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be.

I created the VIP Days because I initially planned to launch my course and since there were lots of delays, I thought I could not launch my online course already, so the easiest way to comply with the paid coaching hours is through this quick win.

To my surprise when I came back, not only did I launch one course, but two: Digital Marketing Classroom and Digital Business Lab.

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3. You won’t get it until you ask for it.

So, I told you that I initially felt unappreciated and not growing in my full-time job anymore, right?

The thing is even when I already turned down the opportunity for promotion, my director asked me if she can do anything for me before she goes, I told her that I still wanted to grow in my corporate life while I am waiting for my business to grow, but I do not want her role.

(Side note: My director is amazing, and values open communication, but I wouldn’t advise you professionally to always tell your directors or line managers that your ultimate goal is to grow your business and then later say goodbye.)

Had I not told her this, even when I am confused myself, even when I already turned down a promotion, the company would not even think about how to grow a technical expert like me in my field.

Because I told her that, she supported me in finding ways on how I can still grow within my expertise and something that aligns in my overall vision as a corporate entrepreneur.

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4. Mastering your mind through meditation and managing your energy with 8 hrs. sleep is key.

It’s not emotions that you should master over. In fact, if I learned anything, we should let the feelings come and flow.

I literally slept 8.5 hrs. every single night and meditated every single day for 2 months!

Even when I was busy trying to “catch up” I did not let my self-care fall to the cracks. I used to do that, hustle, and that didn’t really bring my any good except burn-out.

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If you reached this part of the email, I appreciate you for making it this far.

I hope I was able to inspire you and serve you today.
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​If you feel like it, take a screenshot of this email and tag me on IG @trainwithdanenow so that I know you read it. 🤳

I’ll catch you soon!

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Lots of love,
Denielle

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