S1 | E25 What Building an Online Business Has Given Me (That I Didn’t Expect)

Speaker A: Because when I first started building an online business, I thought pretty much I knew exactly what I was building. I thought I was building, uh, income and flexibility and more options for the future. Are you sitting in front of a pile full of tasks for your business,

Speaker B: family, household and everything else to do

Speaker A: and long for that to go away? The trick is creating passive income.

Speaker B: A few. Of course there's some work behind the passive part, but working 20% compared to 120 completely turned around how I enjoy life today.

Speaker A: Great to have you here.

Speaker B: Are you ready to move the needle? Work less and earn more. Grab your latest craft project and your favorite drink. Let's stitch together purpose, profit and peace to create the life we've long been wanting.

Speaker A: Welcome back to a calmer, more aligned way of building online. Today's episode is a little different. It's not a how to and it's not a checklist and it's not a strategy session. It's more of a reflection. Because when I first started building an online business, I thought pretty much I knew exactly what I was building. I thought I was building income and flexibility and more options for the future and also more options for my son for his future. And yes, those things, or most of them, have come to fruition already. But what surprised me most were the things I didn't expect to gain along the way. I'll share a few of those unexpected gifts, especially if you're building quietly and slowly or alongside a job and wondering if it's really, really worth it. The first thing I didn't expect so much was the mental space. One of those first things. Before this, my brain always felt on alert. When will I have time to blank? What if something changes at my work? What if this income stops? What if I can't keep up forever? Even when things were fine, was a background tension that I didn't realize I was carrying. Starting to build an online business gave me something unexpected. It gave me options. Not overnight and not magically, but gradually. I stopped feeling trapped inside of one single outcome and that new mental space. It changed how I showed up everywhere. While working, while at home, creativity, spiritually. I really didn't feel rushed all the time. And the second thing I didn't expect was the confidence to grow quietly. Not the loud, flashy kind, but the steady kind. I really only became consciously aware of it later. It's not the first thing you think, uh, of when you're starting out. Focus is often on the practical details. It's sort of confidence that comes from learning new skills, solving problems like those I once thought were too technical and realizing that I can figure things out step by step. I didn't wake up one day feeling fearless all of a sudden, but I noticed I trusted myself more and doubted myself less. And when something felt unfamiliar, I didn't immediately assume I wasn't capable. That confidence didn't just stay in business, but it spilled into many areas of my life. The third thing was that I didn't expect time to feel different. This one really surprised me. It's not that I suddenly had endless free time that's not realistic, but substantially more time. Time started to feel, uh, just different. I noticed moments like enjoying a slow morning without guilt. Working when my energy was right, not when the clock said I should. Being present without constantly thinking about what's next and having gaps of time to work on my crafts and created more in a less pressured way. Like between two time blocks of appointments, I used to squeeze things in. And that was just a, uh, totally different feeling. I've been seen crocheting while going out for a walk. In the past, my neighbor just shook her head and laughed at me. And today I don't do that anymore. Even now when I work, it feels more intentional and focused without looking at a clock, less frantic. That's something I pretty much never experienced in traditional work environments. The fourth thing was that I didn't expect my creativity to return the way it did. This one is really important to me. When life feels heavy and pressured, uh, creativity is often the first thing to disappear. But as income pressure eased, even so slightly, my creativity came back. In knitting in general, thinking in writing and podcasting, and simply imagining things again. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to. And that reminded me, creativity thrives in space and safety, not when you're in survival mode. And the fifth thing is that I didn't expect to build a different definition of success. And that may have been the biggest surprise of all. Um, not things you think of. From the beginning, the whole definition of success changed. It stopped being about hustle and constant growth and more at any cost and just seeing the financial benefits. It became about alignment and sustainable, peaceful way of working. Being able to say, this works for my life. I realized I wasn't building a business to escape life. I was building a business to support it and make it more exciting and more enjoyable. So to wrap up, if you're building an online business right now, or even just thinking about it, here's what I would like for you to hear. You might start for income and you might start for flexibility. It could be that you might start out of necessity, and that's was what was the case for me. But along the way you may gain things you didn't even know you were missing, like clarity and confidence and calm and creative space and even choice. That's huge. I thought I was building a business, but what I was really building was a different way of living and that has been so worth every step. I was afraid of the risk at first, but now I see it as a risk not to do what I can to change my future and my present. If you want to know more about what building an online business could look like for you, especially one that's designed to work alongside life and definitely not against it, I'm always happy to talk without any sort of obligation. Clarity is, uh, a must so that you can move with intentionality. You'll see my contact details in the show notes. Until next time, keep choosing alignment over urgency. And remember the life you want is often built quietly, one intentional step at a time. Not loudly, not magically. Have a great week. I hope this episode helped you move

Speaker B: forward toward your goals and dreams and that inspired you in some way.

Speaker A: If it did, please do share with

Speaker B: a friend and it would help me greatly.

Speaker A: If you would like to leave a

Speaker B: review on the show, have a look online@beekidja.info where you can find out more about the online business system. I chose to run alongside my knitwear business and that changed everything for me. That's V e k I j a.info there's a link and more info in the show notes. I'd be happy to mentor you every

Speaker A: step of the way.

Speaker B: Keep your heads up and take consistent steps forward with your eyes on the prize. And remember, mindset is the largest factor for success.

Speaker A: See you next time and be blessed.