As I sat in the quiet of my room this morning, a wave of sadness overcame me. Today is officially our last day as Advocare Advisors.
Two thousand ninety two days ago, I began the Advocare journey for myself; to gain energy, lose weight and pass my Navy weigh in. It was only a matter of days before I started sharing how much better I was feeling, that I didn't need my afternoon nap anymore and that I was, in fact, losing weight. It was only a matter of weeks before my first teammate joined us and gave grace as I stumbled in my leadership trying to navigate a company I didn't yet fully understand. Thankfully, there was always another leader ready to stand in the gap. It was only a matter of months before I was able to happily report that I had lost my first 20 pounds and it was only a matter of about two years before our team grew to over 150 active members. Together we introduced hundreds of people to our company through nutrition workshops, mixers, one on one chats, and many social media events.
There was always another leader ready to stand in the gap
Two thousand ninety two days ago, I was introduced to a company that would change the trajectory of our family for good. The values the founder expressed were aligned with that which Joe and I pursued for our own family, but had not yet known how to achieve; the ability to put faith and family first, to achieve debt and time freedom, and to gain optimal health and wellness. Over the course of the following five years, I grew more as a person and leader than I had in all the years of my life prior. I was convicted to shed bad habits, to remove toxicity from my life and to relentlessly pursue a life for our daughters that is profoundly different than most. Some days, I look back and barely recognize who I was.
The ability to put family first, to achieve debt and time freedom, and to gain optimal health and wellness
Sixty one days ago, Advocare announced it would change its business model from one of leaders and teams to one of single layer sales. Every distributor on our team, from the newest one who enrolled this Spring to the very first who came along before I lost my first pound, will be realigned directly under Advocare corporate. As of tomorrow, the business model of Advocare will never be the same. I never started Advocare to be in sales. I sold products that worked because I met people who needed and wanted something I could offer. Building relationships through teams allowed a network to come together and support the goals of each individual and the group. It is the only way I choose to live my life; in community.
The way I choose to live my life is in community
In one day, we will officially not be Advocare leaders any more, but our community is still together. We found a new home and it is more than we ever thought it could be. Sixty one days ago, I was devastated to learn that our business was being taken, ripped like a rug from under us. The reality is, the last two thousand ninety two days was prep school and tomorrow is the grand opening of what will prove the be our greatest endeavor yet.
The last two thousand ninety two days was prep school
I am thankful for the past two thousand ninety two days. I transformed physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Through the opportunity to work from anywhere, I was able to build a business while homeschooling our girls. Through the valuable lessons taught through the incredible leaders who guided me, we were able to dump over $400k in debt and paint a vision for a future that will be more than we could have ever dreamed before. Through the struggles that came with the ebbs and flows of our business journey, we have been strengthened and I know, it is all worth it.
The struggles are worth it.
PS: As I sat in the stillness of my living room this morning beginning to write this blog about how I was hit by a wave of sadness on the last day of our Advocare leadership journey, the doorbell rang. Fedex delivered an order from our new company. I set it on the table and Barley immediately started sniffing it. He knows there is something good inside. I snapped a picture of him and the box to capture the divinely inspired arrival of this new opportunity
at exactly the right time today specifically, and in our life in general. In the picture it looks like Barley is kissing the box -- and that is all I needed in that moment. Thank you Jesus, and I'm sorry Charlie.
Barley is kissing the box
