Note: I write this with the intention of inspiring others to create a life they desire, one of clarity and purpose. It brings me immense joy to share my journey towards building a success at home and in my business.
When I first started my entrepreneurial journey, I had big dreams but was unsure of how to turn them into reality. I faced various challenges along the way, but I persevered and learned from each obstacle that came my way. Slowly but surely, my business started gaining momentum.
From humble beginnings, my business has grown exponentially. I vividly remember the excitement I felt when I crossed the threshold from 3 figures to 4 figures, and from 4 to 5. These were major milestones, and a testament to my passion and dedication.
Achieving success in the business world is a result of various factors. It requires a clear vision, a well-defined strategy, and consistent effort and consistency. Building a strong network and cultivating relationships with like-minded individuals have also played a significant role in my journey – an extremely significant role.
But it’s not just about the numbers. What brings true fulfillment is the impact I am able to make in the lives of my clients and customers. Seeing their businesses grow and flourish brings me immense satisfaction. It is a constant reminder of the importance of doing work that aligns with our passions and values.
While reaching the 5-figure mark is a noteworthy achievement, I am not one to rest on my laurels. I am already setting my sights on new goals and aspirations – oooh am I ever! I am wildly excited to continue expanding my business, reaching new heights, and making a positive difference in the lives of even more women and men across the globe.
About this boozelessness now … I’m not surprised really that this happened, it is completely aligned with my goals. This time was different, but it was an easy different, because I knew that I meant it. I mean I was committed 10 out of 10, and although my confidence was at about 7 out of 10, I still had my Big Why.
There was certainty – something that was well lacking in my life prior to that. I mean I could hardly make a decision to save my own soul.
So, let me share my scrambled thoughts with you, in hopes that it may help some of you move forward with your own personal health related goals:
What I do know:
🙌 It took a long time to make a decision to stop drinking (and really mean it). I played with giving up and having weekday breaks and moderation (one drinking night a week), but when I decided that it was enough, the light bulb moment for me … it was a pure decision that it just wouldn’t be an option anymore, that’s when things really changed. That’s when the clarity and certainty came in.
🙌 Once I made the decision there were difficult times, for sure, because I was breaking a very well embedded long-term pattern, along with some generational stuff as well! I prepared myself well for those occasions where I would be “tempted” (ie. socials, cooking, eating, campfires, stress, etc.), despite my overhanging fear of judgement. Some of those times were hard, yup!
🙌 The first year was the hardest, as with any major life shifting change or transformative event, including death. It became unbelievably clear to me that giving up drinking booze, was akin to giving up a loving relationship – it was like a death. I was a grieving process, like a death. I had to remember the good times, and move on without that person or thing in my life anymore. It was difficult.
🙌 I’ve changed, no doubt about it. But I had to let go of expectations of other people in my life. Just because I wanted to stop drinking, doesn’t mean others wanted to. I had to sift through my own bullshit (yes, judgements, assumptions, expectations, blamings, resentments … pretty much my whole past) and throw out what I didn’t need, and keep the stuff that mattered. That was hard too. And it was hurtful.
🙌 I had to start loving myself. I mean really loving myself, despite all the cuts and bruises my life offered me. I had to say good-bye to the victimized me. That was kind of hard, and that victim still shows up, but I have the tools to deal with it now. (Hint: mindfulness).
🙌 I had to start to accept myself, even if others didn’t accept me. That’s the fear of judgement piece. Big time stuff for a recovering people pleasers and fatherless daughters like myself. I had to kind of release my desire to control situations and people (including family). Yup that was hard as well.
All of this still lingers on … as I’m working my way from physical sobriety to emotional sobriety, I realize that the journey, the learning, the healing will never be over. Ever.
I do have clarity on my side now, mixed in with some emotional freedom but what the best thing I have gotten is my ability to make choices that align with my true values. Create decisions, act responsibly, be mindful, play more, hold myself accountable, listen more fully, be more compassionate. I have all of that. And it’s still a choice as to whether I am that person.
I guess what I’m saying is that, once I cleared the fog out of my mind, my body and my soul, I got to make choices that weren’t available to me when I was drinking.
And that, I am eternally grateful for.
I think the biggest thing I want to share with you all is that I have found so much of my pain has been created by my thoughts, but just not the thoughts themselves … the thoughts that I subconsciously chose to dwell on. So it’s really about recognizing what our thought (and action) patterns are and changing them. Easy right? Not!
So to all of us who have made it a day, a month, a year or longer – congrats! It is a sign that we are showing up for ourselves and our loved ones – I know this to be true from my own experience. It’s hard! But thank goodness we were put on this planet … so that we could turn that hard around and create a healthy, heartfelt and wholesome life.
Ahhhhh – Cheers to that!!
Janine xo
Janine McJannet 
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