Talk through your problems with family and friends

 I have been lucky enough to have a business coach help me in the past, but finances have been tight with van repairs, dental bills, acupuncture, lots of things at the same time, and I have felt stuck and scared about my business future.

It's not easy being self-employed, and two and half years ago I decided to move house and my business to another part of the county, and I did keep some clients, but in all honesty I am still building up my business in North Devon, and it's tough.

It's so tough that recently I have considered keeping my business as a hobby, and getting a 'proper' job instead. There are issues with this though, because I have built my life, and the life of my pets around my business, I would need to pay for a dog walker, I would have to work much longer hours to fit in my business as well, and for the extra money I would make, I would have to pay for the dogs, it would not be worth the extra hours.

I talked this through, finally with my husband, he's a clever chap but also asks questions, looks at all possibilities and finds the pros and cons in everything, he's a thinker! I'm not at all, I do things that need doing, but little thought goes into it, I need to be a bit more like him at times. So, the outcome was that I give it another shot, I'm giving myself six months to make improvements, and then look again.

From this, quite serious conversation with my husband I have written down all that I need to do, an action plan, and I do like a plan, I know where I'm going then, and now I am doing all the things to act on said plan, and so far it's hard work, and it's going to get worse, but in theory, it will be worth it in the end.

I have to change what I am doing, and  I also have to remember that worked in South Devon, really doesn't work in North Devon, so I have to adapt to this community.

I have kept my business worries to myself for way too long, I didn't want to discuss them because, in all honesty I have felt like a bit of a failure, I also didn't want to bother anyone with this, it's my problem to fix, I had to deal with it. But I wasn't dealing with it at all, I was trying the same things over and over that didn't work, I needed fresh eyes, fresh thought, and who better to trust than the man who cares deeply for me? 

I would tell my clients to ask for help, great at the advice I am, not good at doing it myself, but this time I have, and I will be checking in with my husband too along the way for support, now that I know he doesn't mind.

The moral of this story is to ask for help, it won't jump out at you, and you are better to ask than to go it alone. There is the right person to ask for help with anything, even ask the professionals if you can afford to, or need to. Don't be too proud to ask, it will ruin you!