I’ve previously run an exercise with my former team and clients about how you want to be remembered. This exercise is similar to understanding your why, but reverse engineered. It’s about creating a definition of the legacy you’ll leave behind.
January 2023 was a reckoning for me. I didn’t think I’d actually have to consider how I would be remembered before hitting age 41. After almost 10 surgeries for endometriosis already, I now found myself gearing up for another one — only this one ended up being harder than expected and became life threatening.
As someone who has always been resilient, this was the hardest battle I’ve ever had to fight. During that month-long stint in the hospital, I decided to change my approach to how I always fight my battles, and the outcome was better than I expected.
This time, I chose a more peaceful approach. Instead of resisting the urge to accept help, I accepted it. Instead of pushing myself harder, I let myself rest. Instead of saying, “It’s all good, I’m fine,” I said I wasn’t. I didn’t silence the pain — I let it flow through me. I realized through many humbling moments that in the blink of an eye, that latest title, the 50-hour work weeks, the answering emails on vacation, the being away from your family and friends — it doesn’t matter
This isn’t an “indictment” against hustling, achieving or success. It’s to say, you can hustle and grind, just not to dust. And for me, it was a lesson and newfound respect for the things that really do matter.
After a three-month medical leave and then ultimately departing from a company I was very attached to, one where I cared deeply for the people, both internal and external, I first found myself in a state of grief. But then something happened: that grief transformed into a state of flow. I had never been more convinced that allowing the universe to replace what was now gone was the answer I needed. And thus, I let myself ride the wave.
What I loved most about the former business I was part of, aside from the purpose and the people, was the opportunity to learn deeply about what kept business owners awake at night. Businesses of different sizes and industries mostly faced the same challenges. Especially post-pandemic, the themes I saw the most were challenges with labor, wages, supply chain and adapting to remote work. Understanding so much of the business owner’s perspective gave me the playbook to evolve into one myself and further support the people in this space.
Then, after starting Bestola and spending more time with my new client portfolio, I gained even more insight into another glaring challenge: Being a business owner can be equally lonely, scary and exhausting along with exciting, rewarding and fulfilling. And regardless of size or industry, most people are dealing with the same challenges. As far as human nature goes, more connects us than divides us.
Walking into 2024 — healthy, with peace and joy, and with the trust of the people I serve — is more in line with how I want to be remembered someday than I have ever felt. This is what motivates me. And while Bestola Consulting delivers a defined service, if I can achieve leaving people a little better than I found them and make a business owner feel less alone on their journey, then I am answering the right call.
