The WA honeymoon period is over (these times are the real training and lessons)

blog cover image
24
1.7K followers
Updated

Dear WA friends

I write this post not to gain sympathy or advice, merely as a sort of diary entry to where I am at, and how I am feeling. I am trying to document my WA journey as honestly as I can. Why am I doing this? So that when I look back, I can be proud of what I over come to succeed. More importantly, I hope it serves as a reassurance to others, old and new, that we all hit the wall, we all want to quit at some point.

Yesterday has to go down as probably one of the hardest days I have had in a long time. I hit wall after wall. It was Saturday but every minute of my day was full, with household commitments, commitments with my children, trying to figure out how I will pay the bills this month, my WA payment was declined.

On top of that, I write and research in the dining room of our house, yesterday there appeared to be people around me, every minute. People 'popped in' for coffee, and were trying to make small talk, while I was desperately just trying to get an article finished. Due to this lack of privacy and to try to fit writing in around, the kids and my two jobs, I have been getting up at 5am every morning (for a month) just to try to get some writing or research or training done. Yesterday I got up at 5.00am (on a Saturday!!) only to have my daughter get up at 5.30am! so service of breakfast and Mum duties started early and no writing got done.

When I eventually got to sit down and write, I was blocked, completely. I just couldn't get my head round writing reviews and how to do them, but still abide my amazons rules. I went into chat to try to get help, but just got more and more confused and upset. Luckily there were some very kind people in chat, who although were probably getting very frustrated by my confusion, were very kind and generous with their knowledge and I offer my sincere gratitude to them here. In particular @DianeScorpio was kind enough to take her time to search out my website and read my review to tell me it was fine. (thank you so much Diane for your kindness)

However I still wanted to quit. It had all got too much. I walked away from the laptop and when I returned I thought I will just get down to writing. Site content decided otherwise! I have never had any issue with Site Content, however yesterday it decided, to paste pictures in the wrong place, or replace others with the new ones I was trying to place in, lower down my page. It wouldn't change the H3 font size that it had made my whole article, and in general, I was a mess, a crazy woman, crying and screaming at the screen. My husband led me away from the computer, with the words 'sweetheart you are in a right mess today aren't you!'. I went to bed with the full intention to quit tomorrow.

So here I sit, back at my computer at 5am!. Why? I am not a quitter. Because I do look at every frustration, every wall, every hard time, as a lesson. There are many things to be learned from my horrendous day yesterday. The most important one is that I am a human being, who has pushed herself hard for a month. I need to be proud of myself for what I have achieved, but also be mindful of how much I am dealing with at the moment. Currently I have lost my passion and enjoyment of writing and building my website (it isn't lost it is in there deep down, however it is being suppressed my the stress of life). My website has become work, a target I have set myself, something I have made myself believe I can fail at. A thing that i have put pressure on to succeed.

I write this honest account of how I am feeling, as I know there are many of you new and old, who hit these points, maybe multiple times. We get to the absolute limit, to the point of quitting. But today I sit at my laptop at 5am I will not quit, I will not say 'I can't do this', today I ask 'How can I do this and not push myself to breaking?'. How can I continue to build my website successfully? How do I fit all of this in and enjoy my family and not make them feel like they are a disturbance to my work, and then have to live with the guilt of making them feel that.

How do I do it?, How do you do it? By being honest about our own personal limitations. If we can only write once a week, then write once a week, and love it!. If we are feeling stressed or blocked, walk away, have a break. If you haven't hit a target you set yourself, so what? who is keeping score other than yourself?. Today I am going to give myself a big pat on the back, some self-love, some self compassion and go spend quality time with my wonderful family. I wish you all lots of love and support at your times of struggle and I leave you with this...

'Just when the caterpillar thought the world was ending, he turned into a butterfly'

Much Love and gratitude

Sara

Login
Create Your Free Wealthy Affiliate Account Today!
icon
4-Steps to Success Class
icon
One Profit Ready Website
icon
Market Research & Analysis Tools
icon
Millionaire Mentorship
icon
Core “Business Start Up” Training

Recent Comments

39

Boy, I hate those days. I think we all have them. Fortunately,the only one who hears my rants and tantrums is my cat. He doesn't say much about it. Sometimes his purr helps.

Take a break. Find something totally unrelated to do. Go for a walk and look for treasures to collect. Sit in the sun and read a good book. Just do something -- anything -- that takes your mind completely away from your website. Sometimes I just take a 20-30 minute "power nap," That helps.

Know that we all have these moments. Time will take you through them. Just put your major decisions on "hold" until the moment passes. Good luck...

Thank you so much for the advice. I tried to take a break, but I am like a dog with a bone until I solve the problem lol. So I got up at 5am this morning and took two hours to complete the post I tried to do all day yesterday. I then decided to make today a research day, so I have a list of 20 Best of's with good keywords. All in all a much better day. I would love to see your cat when you are ranting hahaha

You know, I understand, as I am the same way. If something stumps me, I don't let it go until I figure it out. Then, with a great sigh of relief, I take a break. Sometimes 5 in the morning is a great time to find a solution because your mind has been working the problem over while you sleep.

I hate those moments that stop you in your tracks, but if you think, "Oh, hallelujah, I am going to learn something new," perhaps you can convince yourself that you will find your solution soon.

I love hallelujah moments! So did my family this weekend lol!

Thank You for this post...very timely for me.
Personal blocks have been coming my way as well, and now I know I'm not alone!
Shaunna

Thank you so much for reading my post and taking the time to comment. it is so lovely to know that we have people on here that support us and understand! lovely to connect with you Shaunna

"Just when the caterpillar thought the world was ending, he turned into a butterfly." And began to fly...
I don't know who's quote it is, but I love it

Thank you. Neither do I it was an anonymous one. I love it too xx Thanks for reading and commenting, really appreciate it.

Happy to help. You have a great site, so you deserve your pat on the back!

Thank you so Much for your help yesterday Diane, and for your very kind words about my site.

I'm just doing some training and I've got to the bit where kyle is telling me to add the Google XML plugin, however I have several plugins and on my website health it has already given me a warning that I have over the recommended amount. Should I still install this google XML?

Thank you for this great post. Raising kids is more work than we give ourselves credit for - it's good you're giving yourself a Mommy pass once in a while. I too lost my motivation to work on WA recently (had to make immediate income my priority, which didn't leave much time and energy and motivation for WA). But be like the turtle - steady as she goes, one step at a time. When we have to take a break, our websites are still doing their thing (which someday will mean steady income). Yes, if you can only do one post a week, do that. I can say that eventually the excitement, fun and motivation for WA will return, as mine has recently. My schedule seems to change every few months - now I have more time again and have re-discovered how fun it is to do the WA training and write blog posts - now that my energy is in the right place again. When we have a really bad day, our vibration is off, so don't even try on those days, lol.

Thank you so much. I think us parents try to be invincible and stretch time. We also can get caught up in the guilt trap. Your kind words and advice are very encouraging. I have had a much better day today, and actually finished the post that took me all day yesterday. So all is ok in my WA world today lol

Be strong stay positive, at times live is a real drag, but do not despair, you have the right attitude.
Take care,
Stuart

Thanks Stuart, you kind words and advice mean a lot. I will try my best! Onward!!

Just do not get to uptight.
Stuart

'Just when the caterpillar thought the world was ending, he turned into a butterfly'
So much inspiring proverb.

it's everything but easy when we feel that the universe is doing all what can do to break our plans, however it's just a feeling. All what we have to do is shift our feelings and thoughts in order to see clear, however saying is easier then doing.
That's why reaching out for support is very crucial, by sharing with like minded people.
You should be happy that this happening to you, at the way to success is achieved through consistency , obsessions and perseverance.
Stay Strong

Thank you Rudysafi. Your support and kind words are appreciated so much. I am happy to report that I have finished the post I struggled with so much yesterday. Adsense has (finally after a month) activated my account. And I appear to actually getting people to my website, which is very exciting.


I consider myself very lucky that I joined WA as the community here have been so supportive and helpful, even at my toughest and hardest times.


Wow it has been a long month!

Good morning Sara,
It is, indeed, a beautiful day. Yesterday was damp,windy, overcast and raining on and off for the duration of my time outside. Today the sun is out in a cloudless sky. What a difference a day makes, as they say. The image I've added at the bottom of the page is one I made yesterday. I would like to say that I can come up with a original 'words of wisdom' quote every day and that there is an abundance of them banging on the door trying to get out. Alas not but that's ok. I can't force them to manifest, so I'll just wait. Chances are someone has said some of them before.
It's a slight digression but does touch upon what you said about patting yourself on the back. Something we seldom do.
I have read through your post and can empathise, no, relate, to what you are going through. I am one hundred percent sure that the majority of us on here can also. Well, I say majority, I mean those who are determined to continue pursuing their dreams/goal/ambitions regardless of the obstacles that are put in their way.
Your last paragraph shows that you are one of the few who will succeed. Like you say, success is set at a different place/point/level for all of us. No one will expect more from us than we do of ourselves. This is not the 'norm' but the exception, in my opinion. This exception is reserved for the 'exceptional' and you have to believe that is to be true of yourself.
Remember, if you feel the need to just rant and just smash out a few hundred words, in blind frustration you are always welcome to PM me.
Be well.

As always you make me smile in my time of despair : ) It is always the people who can stop, step back and be the awareness behind the difficulty or hard stuff that will see the truth of it all. That in fact these things, the stress, the bill, the post, the website, are not in fact very important at all. What is important is knowing that I can be aware, observe and let it go. To move past a rubbish day, with the new wisdom and knowledge that it taught me.

I am fully aware that I am a perfectionist, and I worry what people think. I also admitted to myself that I am extremely worried about losing Amazon as an affiliate as they (at the moment) are key to this humble website of mine.

But when I take another step back, what I really fear is not reaching that dream, of freedom. But then I have to acknowledge that 'Rome was not built in a day'. I have put so much expectation and pressure on myself, instead of just enjoying the present moment, the journey. Why is it that we are so hard on ourselves?


There is no one judging me here, other than myself!

Much Love
My friend
x

I like smiling. Bizarrely I bumped into an old friend yesterday. A quick two minute 'Hello' ended up with both of us laughing at the fact that quite often when people see you smiling their immediate reaction to ask 'What's wrong with you ?'
Your reply is deserving of a post in itself.

"What is important is knowing that I can be aware, observe and let it go. To move past a rubbish day, with the new wisdom and knowledge that it taught me."

Not everyone can do that. 'Letting go' is way harder than it sounds.

I was just finishing a post myself, which is the reason for the delay in replying. I have referenced this blog post, all good, hope you don't mind.

Hello Sara,
I so feel your anguish and pain, and not to try and compete but simply to empathise I too had a truly awful day on Thursday. I worked solidly for 12 hours trying to overcome a road block.

On the Journey of Thursday I spoke to three people in particular and one was even helping me late into the night, whilst it wasn’t resolved by the time I went to bed, I kinda knew it would be so couldn’t wait to get up (early like you)

Writing a thank you blog is cathartic and from the heart.
Your blog was more eloquent than mine and gave a powerful description of frustration and anger and disappointment of your own inadequacies, but it today is another day and here you are...😁

Some appear to take to WA so easily and understand the modules without doing them 3 or 4 times and make money after one month 👀 whilst others (like you and I) crawl and win each battle in a hard fought way. But that my lady makes it all the more of a success. You can and you know you will do this, it may not look like the vision of success you had originally but it’s re thinking a few of our preconceptions. I have been told to lower my expectations and then I might be able to appreciate each small gain.

So take time for yourself, look at your core values and if that is time for you and the family take it....
It was 5 am when I awoke this morning and I could not get back to sleep, so here I am reading all things WA, but.....at 8am I am going to stop for 2 hours and go and sit on Brighton Beach and do a bit of mindfulness ...😁😇

All the best and keep on crawling lady..

X

Wonderful philosophy, I wish I lived near a beach!! Thank you so much for your very kind words and support, it means so much.

I think I often bring the battle to myself, as I set such high expectations and standards. I believe I should be able to do things quickly and easily and when I don't I find it so hard.

however what I do have is the ability to step back, and learn from it. even if I have spent 4 hours hitting my head against the wall before I realise I could quite easily have climbed it lol

😁

Thank you for this post, I needed to hear this. I too have just been feeling stuck lately and have allowed myself to get frustrated and scattered. I agree we ourselves are really the only ones keeping track of our progress. The wanting to prove to ourselves “ this will work!” Instead of just letting it happen, when it’s supposed to happen. I often have to remind myself we all move at different paces and some will reach their level of success quicker than others; also remembering that everyone’s perception of success is different as well. This is what makes us individuals.
Thank you again for this honest post, that I am sure several can relate to.

Robert

Thank you Robert. Yes the lesson I learned yesterday, that it is me that is working these crazy hours, it is me that set a 100 article target in 6 months, it is me that has set the bar high for success, it is me that sits like a mad woman crying and creaming at the computer.

But it is also me who dreams of financial freedom, it is me who has built a website and researched content, it is me who has managed to do this with two jobs, it is me who is not quitting!

I think we forget that there are others out in the WA community, some who may have been here for years who struggle. We read the success stories and wonder and compare ourselves and our websites to their success. But we have to remember we are never in competition, there is enough for all of us. Our success will come when it is time for our success.

Have a great day and keep working and being proud of what you have already achieved xx

See more comments

Login
Create Your Free Wealthy Affiliate Account Today!
icon
4-Steps to Success Class
icon
One Profit Ready Website
icon
Market Research & Analysis Tools
icon
Millionaire Mentorship
icon
Core “Business Start Up” Training