Three years ago I was just starting my business up. I had recently quit my job and the reason for doing this was because I wanted to start a business. I could tell by the look in my employers eyes that it was a risky (yet, bold!) move. I’m sure they thought I was naive. Well, I was. But, I also had a great deal of determination and wanted to see big things happen!

At the beginning of my business, I was planning on splitting my business 50% photography, 50% lettering. So, as a way to grow my portfolio, I had asked my friend if I could take her portraits. We went at sunset, took lots of adorable photos (let’s all laugh at the editing I did...LOL), and ended it with a self-timer picture of the two of us.

I wanted to post the picture on Instagram (which I did!) and share about my photography business.

The current marketing mindset I have is laughing hysterically that I thought adding that little hashtag was a good marketing effort. Proof that God had a plan for me.

Anyways. Back to the story!

So, we took the self-timer, I thought we looked super cute and we went about our day. Two days later (I remember it was Sunday), I got an itchy spot on my face. Turns out, as I was laying across a big log setting up my camera, I had come in contact with poison oak. In the winter, the plants don’t have leave, but the branches are still very poisonous. I am extremely allergic, so it was BAD. Since I didn’t know about it for two days, the oils were ALL over our house. I mean EVERYWHERE. It tooks months to get rid of it.

As a result of this poison oak, I was in bed for 10 days. It was so bad, I couldn’t move. This picture is about two weeks after contracting it, so this was ON THE MEND.

I just want to drill this home: IT WAS TERRIBLE.

All this, right after I was launching a brand new business.

I cried every day for at least a week.

The hardest thing for me was that I felt like I had a lot of momentum going into the start of my business and this felt like a huge setback. And then, I realized (during my time in bed) that I didn’t really have much going for me. I felt isolated and started to question and second guess everything I was doing.

But, here’s the thing. Every single business owner gets sick. Or is forced to take time off.

And just because we aren’t able to stick to our perfect plan that includes working way too much, doesn’t mean failure in inevitable.

In fact, I think that time away, to just rest and think before I jumped into the “doing” aspect of my Which isn’t a great thing.

Times of rest are often the moments of ultimate clarity.

So, this mandated rest in between my desk job and my business start was actually quite a gift for me. Now, I know hindsight is 20/20 and the only reason I can say these things is because of my experiences in the last couple of years.

Here’s what I want you to know: there’s always a lesson in the setback.

Life is going to be a constant state of change and things will always be in flux. So, the sooner we can realize this and set ourselves up to have a business that can adjust to change, the better!

When life throws you an unexpected curveball, take a deeper look at your business. Take time to step away and use this “setback” to your advantage. Take time to would ON your business.