Well it got cold and snowy up here in NY! I feel like we’ve had a bit of a mlid Winter these last two pandemic years. So much has happened with us and sometimes I feel like time whirls by so fast.
Christmas came and since we decided to go out a few days prior to a a real estate meetup, so did the Rona. (It went through our entire house and I’m 99% sure even our dog had it!) We made the most of our Christmas day, even though I was down and Joe had a Crohn’s attack. We didn’t enjoy the lobster tails we had thawed, but the kids didn’t seem to mind banana pancakes for Christmas Dinner at all. We were blessed with food from family and friends as well as some Theraflu! Not a fun time at all but now that we have all had it, we are ready to travel the world!
You may think I kid, but I am dreaming and scheming for us to go to Paris, travel Italy and more. We will start with Florida for the month of March and go from there. We rented a place outside of Tampa but our goal when we are down there is to do as many deals as possible. We will find a place that we love so we have an escape from these super harsh NY Winters.
The kids are so excited to go down, we will be bringing our dog Holly so that will be an adventure too! We plan on stopping in SC for a few days to spend time with my mom and step dad. They plan on taking the kids for an overnight/day and I can’t wait to go spend the day in Charleston with Joe! You better believe we are already dreaming of those cheesy grits. Southern food is such a vibe! haha
Homeschooling is going well, and I try to get us outdoors as much as we possibly can but it’s been bitter cold, highs in the low 20s and honestly it’s not cute. We miss our daily walks, feeling the sun and running around in warm air. The cozy fire is so nice and I’m grateful we have that, so most of our days are spent in the living room. We’ve been reading a ton of books, practicing spelling and math facts. We are ready for some “roadschooling!”
Our real estate business has really taken off and it’s come so far — no longer just the Jenn & Joe show. We have an incredible team who helps us buy and sell properties all over the US. We hired a consultant company to help us clean up systems and processes. We are implementing strategies each week to improve our skills and grow. We all have the desire to succeed and everyone puts in their best efforts. It’s hard to imagine what life looked like 2 years ago…Joe was never home and we had a few handful of houses. Somethings are still the same (like me trying to keep up with the bookkeeping) but we have truly grown into something amazing. During our consultation day they told us 4% of businesses makes it to year 10. Joe and I bought our first property in 2008. Here we are 2022 and holy cow. It’s rather insane!!
We have truly hunkered down these last few years and became laser focused on how to make our businesses work. In the spring of 2021 we launched our private coaching and that has been so rewarding. We only take on a certain number of students each enrollment since we are still very active in our business, homeschooling and running the coaching ourselves. We don’t have steady childcare and really no family to help us out. Joe and I have 100% created this life during a crazy and uncertain time and we could not be more excited about what is to come.
2021 taught me a lot about where to spend my time and whom to spend it with. There is something about turning 40 and no longer having the desire to people please. I think as women we get caught up in the “I should do the right thing all of the time.” I’ve come to learn that doing the right thing, may mean letting go of people and expectations that you placed. I work hard on loving people where they are, but also protecting my energy, time & family.
It’s ok to lose people as you grow; not everyone is made for your entire book. Perhaps they’re only there for a few pages or a few chapters. You will never make others happy, so you must ensure that your peace and happiness come first. I’ve learned to trust my inner guidance and am always here to serve those who are in need. I believe people are good, but sometimes it’s just time to move on from them. The crab theory has always resonated with me. If you put a bunch of crabs in a bucket, when one tries to climb out, the rest will pull him back down. Same goes for people. As you are rising up and becoming a better version of yourself, there will be others who say or do things to try and stop you.
Not everyone will clap for you and not everyone will truly be happy for you. Honestly? Most people are too busy living their lives to even notice what you’re doing! Social media has taught me that complete strangers will throw kudos to our success before most friends or family ever do. And that is ok. Go be great anyway. I focus on what i want my legacy to be and I put in the work so that my children and their children will have something to enjoy and remember Joe and I. Don’t wait for anyone’s approval. Lead with a good heart, do the right thing and push yourself to be better each day.
If you can dream it, you can do it. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you!
