It’s not easy being a small business owner. When you are one, everything relies on you. If you ask any entrepreneur, they will tell you it’s not a good feeling. This responsibility can leave you stressed, uncertain and fearful of what is to come in the future. Because I constantly look for ways to learn and grow, I’m probably uncomfortable most of the time. It is difficult living with this type of pressure without unplugging at some point. Which is exactly what I did in December. Traveling for me serves many purposes. It allows me to get away from my normal routine and relax. It also gives me an opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and gain new insights on life in general.



My decision to travel to Colombia while I had so much work to do with my firm was not easy to make. I went back and forth on whether it was a good idea to just go away for a whole week. What if a client needs me? What if when I return, I won’t have all the money to cover my bills because I was negligent and took a week off? These types of thoughts flooded my head, and the decision to take a vacation led me to anxiety and much uncertainty. I pulled the trigger anyway and booked that trip to South America. Why? Because I needed a break and needed time to refocus on what I’m doing on this planet. On a side note, I’m sure you’re wondering how easy it was to find drugs in Colombia…or maybe that’s just the curious criminal defense attorney in me…either way, I will save that for a future post.

Back on topic….going through my should I take a vacation or not dilemma helped me realize that there will never be a perfect time to do anything in your life. Nothing will ever feel 100% certain or make perfect sense to you or anyone else. There will never be a perfect time to fall in love, or to travel the world. You will never have enough training, enough preparation, or enough money. Waiting to feel 100% ready or validated is the easiest way in which we cheat ourselves out of wonderful life experiences.

So as we enter into a new year, I dare you to free yourself from this self-limiting mentality. Book that plane ticket, even if you feel lots of uncertainty. Sign up for that educational course, even if you have no idea how it will go. And keep these 4 things in mind as you begin 2016 with mad gusto.

1. INVEST IN YOURSELF.

Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. It will not only improve your life, it will improve the lives of all those around you. Make it a habit to prioritize your own needs into your daily to-do list. Spend money on your education, health and happiness every single day. Create a life that feels good on the inside, not one that just looks good on the outside to everyone else.

2. LEARN TO SAY “NO” WITHOUT FEELING GUILTY.

A lot of uncertainty can come about when we feel overwhelmed. There are often too many things we feel we should do which, in reality, we don’t really have to do. Getting to the point where we can easily tell the difference is the foundation of living a happy positive life. Give yourself permission to say “no” without feeling guilty. Anyone who gets upset or expects you to say “yes” all of the time clearly doesn’t have your best interests at heart.

3. NEVER STOP DREAMING AND ACHIEVING, EVEN IN THE FACE OF FAILURE.

The main reason a lot of people never become successful or never reach their goals is due to the fact that they can’t handle discouragement, and so they abandon their aspirations when they find themselves struggling. But remember, failures are simply the stepping-stones of growth and success. Try not to sweat the small stuff and know that daily obstacles are bound to come up daily. You must keep things in perspective.

4. STOP LISTENING TO THE NEGATIVE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD.

When you manage to keep things in perspective you realize that, the biggest critic lives in the way you feel other people see you, not in their actual perception of you. One of the greatest journeys in life is overcoming insecure thoughts and learning to truly not care so much about other people’s opinions. In fact, you will never make a great impression on others until you stop thinking about what sort of impression you’re making.

Life has become so complex and complicated. There is always something that needs to be done. Checking emails and social media before breakfast and getting all the current news updates before leaving the house in the morning has become the norm. We get so busy rushing around trying to meet everyone’s needs that we forget to look out for ourselves. There’s so much to remember and so much to do that we often lose sight of what’s truly important. As we begin a new year remember to take care of the most important person in your life…YOU.

About Me: Prince Williams, Esq., is an AVID Lawyer with AVID Law Firm, LLC. The premiere accident, DUI and criminal defense firm in Maryland. Call today at 240-561-7433. Let us

know how we can help you.