Hey, you!  How ya been? I've been okay.  I’ve been thinking lately, A LOT, about Best Laid Plans. 

 

Because what happens when things, big things, don’t go to plan?  How do you deal?  What do YOU do? (No, really, what do you do because I could use some help.)

 

It’s all been on my brain because 1) I live in the United States and well…(((waves hands at general goings-on, JFC))) and 2) I finally feel like I’m getting older.  Physically, mostly, but also mentally. 

 

I don’t have the energy, or frankly, the patience, I had when I was 25. God, I was so wily then, so down for the game. So excited for the challenge. And now, it’s just exhausting.  I mean…don’t get me wrong, I’mma still do it, but I’mma groan a WHOLE lot more in the process. 

 

Because life keeps getting in the way of the plan, the world keeps getting in the way of the plan.  And that pisses me off.

 

But good can come from the unexpected. For us, moving cross-country was fundamentally a good thing.  Has it worked out like we planned?  Not even a little.  Is it still a good path?  Absolutely.  Will we get where we want to go?  Still, even after 3 years, it’s too soon to tell. Shit, even having my own business was never part of the plan, but was it the best thing to ever happen to me personally?  100%

 

But even that plan has shifted, so I’ve also spent the last twelve weeks drastically rebuilding my tech stack, eliminating everything except what is absolutely necessary to pay someone else for - because I'm so damn tired of prices increasing with zero improvement to the product. GTFOH with that.

 

So, now, she’s lean as hell and stronger than ever. And after 7 years of doing this (!!!), this iteration is the happiest I’ve ever been with it all.  It looks phenomenal, serves a broader client base, and pays fewer corporations to get the info out there.  Win, win, win.  And did I mention I LOWERED my own prices?  SURPRISE!

 

But would I have done this full rebuild if I weren’t forced to by circumstance?  Probably not.  So not all plans going off the rails is bad, honestly.  And if the economy doesn’t crash out entirely (Will we make it? Methinks too soon to tell.), I’ll be solidly set up for success.  Which is all I want for you, too.

 

And I know y’all are going through it with me. Over the past few months, all the projects have either involved budgets being lowered mid-project and people getting stuck, or someone trying to determine exactly what their AI spat out, because their contractors refuse to use ChatGPT images as a design direction.  (If either of these sounds familiar - I GOT YOU).  People are still building and renovating. It’s just different. Because life - and the world - got in the way. 

 

So if you need me, I’ll be over here gently giving pep talks about your exterior renovation, trying to map out the next steps for both of us, and searching out, desperately, a few…

So that’s what I’ve got.  It’s been a lot of hard work these past few months, without much rest or joy.  But I’m still here, dammit - and here are the Seven Things that have helped me get through it all.  I hope they help you, too, wherever and however you might be:

First name / Friend, I'm so glad you're here!

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