Life is good

In case no one ever told you, owning your own business is hard.  There are so many hopes and dreams riding on it.  There are so many things to be watched over every second of the day.  If you're a small business owner, like myself, your mind is filled with the day to day operations of the facility, plus marketing, plus current financial status, plus hopes for future financial status, plus employees, plus uniforms, plus inventory, plus, plus, plus.  And the overwhelming thought is, "No one will love you like I do."

And it's true.  No one, aside from maybe Hans, will love this kennel the way I do.  No one will fret over it or try to care for it the way I do.  No one will cry over it or laugh over it the way I do.  No one will stay up at night dreaming about it the way I do.  No one is willing to sacrifice sleep or social time for it the way I do. 

This is a hard realization.  Currently at the kennel, we are trying to find some people who can maybe take on an early morning or a late night shift.  As much as I love my kennel, I also need a break, and so do some of my more dedicated employees.  But interviewing some of these people can be so tiring.  None of them seem to care!  None of them seem to understand how important this place is to me, and the few employees who do seem to understand don't necessarily feel exactly the same way.  So, I'm left struggling to find some balance in life.  This is where I'm grateful for Hans.

One of the things I love best about running is how it gives me time to think.  It helps me clear my mind and focus, which makes getting through the day much easier.  If it weren't for Hans, I wouldn't have time for this.  Hans is willing to get up early with me, go to the kennel, and let me go for a run.  He sacrifices much-needed sleep, so I can have a moment of me-time.  For this, I am grateful.

I am also extremely grateful that all our hard work seems to be paying off.  I won't go so far as to say that life is easy...far from it, but life is far easier than it was a year ago.  I'm able to watch and appreciate the fact that all my hopes and dreams seem to be coming true.  I'm finally able to say that this business, this small child, is starting to learn to walk on its own.

So, to sum up this rambling post, life is good.  Life is hard, certainly.  But life is good.  Who knows where I'll be next year.  Maybe next year life will be even easier!  But for now, at least I can say, life is good.