| WORK AT HOME MOM Update June 2008 |
The fulfillment I feel in my own life and the example
Hi Ken, My first site is approaching its 4th birthday and it's difficult to believe, looking back, how my life has changed within that time. Dreams have been realized, fears conquered, challenges battled. And the future looks brighter than ever. Just thinking about all the possibilities sends a ripple of excitement through me! Every day! My husband and I and our two boys moved to the ocean nearly a year ago. He left a lucrative, but grueling job in the oilfield when the income from my sites grew to a point where he didn't need to bust his behind anymore. It's been quite a journey since then. We now live the quiet island lifestyle that we longed for before, back when there was no obvious way to make it happen. We used to travel out here for holidays and dread the moment when we had to sail away on the ferry... back to "real life." There's no more of that now. We're all settled in and feeling very fortunate as we watch the tourists come and go. On The JobI work on my site(s) every day. Okay... not every day. After all, I can take time off whenever I feel like it, which is good, because we get a lot of company these days! During those times I limit my "work" to checking stats and income and answering the odd email. But when the visiting is over, I truly can't wait to get back to work. My income continues to grow along with my passion for this business I'm building. Some recent additions to SBI!s functionality have made it possible for me to take the business in exciting new directions. With the addition of Content 2.0 (which allows visitors to contribute pages and comments), my page count has increased by nearly 300 pages within the past six months. That's not including the articles I've written and added to the site. Traffic is strong and my rankings are always improving. Manufacturers are beginning to approach me to review their hair products and tools on the site. "Hi, can we send you some free stuff?"... "Um, YEAH, okay!" New challenges are presenting themselves now that my site is poised for takeoff. 
Sometimes it's overwhelming when I think of all the additions and improvements I want to make. Even after nearly 4 years, there's still sooo much to be added or re-worked. The good part is that my site earns enough just the way it is, so I can relax and enjoy the process more now. There's a comfortable balance in my life -- time for everything in its own time. Project FreedomThough I didn't know exactly where my website would take me when I started the process, even then I had a clear intent to set myself free. Within the past few months I've moved into the freedom phase of this journey. Not just financial freedom, but liberation from the "musts" that kept me from living each day the way I'd choose to if I weren't required to be doing something else. It's A Family ThingMy mom became interested in SBI! about a year after I started my first site. Since then she's been working on her own sites which are now bringing in a nice monthly income for her. Many people ask me about how I earn a living. They're all curious... lots of questions and a sparkle in their eye as they think about how they could do it too... and they could! In truth though, most of them don't. So seeing my mom go ahead and create her own success is incredible! My 7 year old son (who has a strong entrepreneurial streak) is showing a keen interest in starting a site of his own at some point. What an incredible thing it will be to show my son how to build an online business! Enjoying Life!
I am content in a way that I've never been before. I have lots of future plans for my sites, but also the time and resources now to do a few home improvement projects and break in my workshop with a handful of art projects I've been planning. Then there's the gardening (don't get me started)... Both of my boys will be in school in the years to come and I have the luxury of being able to get involved with the school, go on field trips with them, and be around to help them with their homework. We're enjoying going out as a family to explore our new (forested) surroundings and take in a bunch of exciting community events in this whimsical, wonderful place we now call home. My online success means so much more to me than money. The fulfillment I feel in my own life and the example I'm setting for my kids far outweighs the dollars (although dollars will always be welcome!). ;-) My boys are growing up with the knowledge that they really can achieve their dreams if they're willing to have faith in themselves and take action in their lives. Then all it takes is some dedication and hard work, which is easy to muster when you're doing something you love! ... Oh yeah, and SBI! of course. ;-) I've said it before, and I'll most definitely keep saying it... Thank you Ken, for what you do and the way you care. I'm sure (with a bit of struggling) I could have gotten a website online without SBI! but there's a spirit to the Site Build It! community that takes the journey to a whole new level. Not just in terms of the site you create, but who you become and the LIFE you create in the process. With gratitude, Michelle Schill |
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