Updates from Colorado

 I'm well into my second summer in northern Colorado. It's not nearly as hot as last summer. We had 11 or 12 days where it was 100+, and I don't think we'll see one at least through the end of July. Early July is typically the peak of summer heat, and temperatures start trending downward. We could still see some heat waves, but it's been much easier.

This summer saw a grand new landscape. I did exactly my vision and created huge raised beds from filing cabinets painted the same colors as my big pots. I even started growing vegetables! That's really new for me, and so far, they aren't dead. I had a spaghetti squash growing until storms got it. I have 2 little red peppers growing. The basil plants are doing well.  

I'm also growing so many plants inside this year, too. I've never had so many plants, but they are in clusters around the house. They make me happy.

I've checked off many more projects around the house this year. I still have more on my list, but I am happy with what I've done in 2023. I don't like to make resolutions. For several years, I've picked a word as my theme for the year and just tried to bring or live that word to life during the year. I like to use Wordle to create word clouds of my word and synonyms. I'd have to go look up in my office to remind myself what this year's word is, but I sure have been thinking about tenacity a lot in the last few months. 

Many things in my life have been the products of tenacity. They say shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll end up among the stars.  Well, astronomically, it's backward but the point is good. 

So while I haven't accomplished every goal and every task, I've done remarkably well. Literally remarkably. I put 10 things on my list, and when I accomplish 3, that's actually great. And often much more than other people do. Over-achiever? Can't deny that. 

Do you focus on the goal or the journey? Do you over-plan and do well when you accomplish a smaller percentage that was on the list? Do you dream big and feel proud along the way? 

Have you ever...?

Sitting down for today's blog, I reviewed my project board: coaching, writing, and home projects. 2023 has been a whirlwind of "busy." I've tried to take a night or two every week to just unwind, but the more projects I work on, the more ideas for projects come to mind. 

Have you ever been overrun with ideas and projects?  Not overwhelmed, but overrun. All seem radically awesome, and all keep your focus and energy, but there's simply not enough time to get them all done.  Honestly, I don't even know how to make a schedule with the number of projects and tasks involved. So I got a posterboard, sticky notes, and Sharpies. Yes, there are project and task programs I could use, and I have used them in the past. But my brain was going so fast that anything digital would have slowed me down. Plus, I can see ALLLLLLlll the stickies at the same time. 

How do you manage? 

Pick one project and complete all tasks to the end? 

Pick the easiest or the most interesting tasks as you go? 

Do you work differently at different times? 

Do you have mentors, accountability partners, business partners, or friends that you keep up-to-date? 

I feel like I've done all of the above at different times in my life, and as a life coach, I know there isn't one answer. My clients, like myself, have had to plot out their journey based on what worked for them at the time. One method does not fit all.... not all people, not all situations, and not all times of life. 

As a coach, my job is to ask questions so that my clients explore what their next steps are based on what makes sense to them. I can't and won't do that for them because 1) it isn't my place, 2) telling someone what to do removes their empowerment, 3) they lose buy-in with the plan, 4) I can become the target of disappointment if they don't make forward progress. Plus, life happens. Life gets in the way, and we have to adapt. 

The key takeaway is that you choose what works for you. You do what you need to do based on the best information at the time. You do you, boo.   

Now an LLC in Colorado!

My friends, dang. 2023 is shocking. My ideas and energy are through the roof this year. I attribute that in part at least to my move to Colorado where I feel so much freedom. I'm also now an empty-nester, and I am simply not involved in the same activities as I was in Texas. Naturally, I miss them, but it's terribly exciting to have new possibilities ahead. And if you know me at all, you know I tend to fill up all the hours in the day, even borrowing a few hours from nowhere at times. 

This week, I filed my LLC (Success with Tess, LLC) in Colorado.  Under my umbrella company, I offer life coaching, self-care awareness, writing coaching, and essential oil support. I find joy in helping other people with their journey. Sometimes, we all need a little extra support, guidance, and maybe some tough questions to get us moving forward. That's what I do.  

I'm also growing my self-care community on Facebook with interviews of people who are working on their own self-care. Last week, I interviewed, Eli Schmane, (https://www.instagram.com/elisartanddesign and www.elisartanddesign.com) for her amazing journey into self-care from a traumatic past to her passion for art.  In March, she was part of an amazing art show and charity to raise support for other female creators and money for the Greeley, Colorado women's shelter. I could not be more honored and proud to know her and be her friend. She gave us great insight, and you can watch/listen to our interview in my Facebook group. 

I firmly believe we can all learn from and support each other - that's self-care! Maybe I'm a little silly when it comes to self-care because I believe that if it serves you, it's self-care. We are all unique - we have different needs and different comforts, so we need to build a toolbox of strategies for whenever and whatever we need in the area of self-care.

Feel free to write me at tess@successwithtess. Check out my services on www.successwithtess.com and other writing on www.tessvotto.com. 

I can do that...

I’m not sure when I first started using the phrase, “I can do that.” It’s apparently so much a part of me that my entire family says it in jest whenever I get a certain look in my eyes. When I saw belly dancers dancing on stage at Scarborough Faire in Waxahachie, Texas, I said, “I can do that.” (Note: my mother had taught belly dance lessons at a local junior college when I was very, very little, so this was NOT my first exposure to this awesome dance form.) I immediately signed up for lessons with Isis at her studio in Bedford, Texas. 

I've done the same with writing books, participating in adventure race sprints, and learning new instruments. I didn’t say, “I’ll try,” “I’ll see” or “I want to do that.” I affirmed that I already had the ability to DO it. If you read motivational and self-help books, they give the same advice. Speak as if you've already become or done that thing. 

Start telling yourself, “I can do that.” Go out there and DO IT!

Leave me a comment on a time you did the same. I'd love to hear from you, and you might inspire someone else to live their dream. 

So many opportunities!

I'm working on many fronts right now with exciting big ventures including new coaching clients, essential oil education and coaching, creating courses and free offerings, affiliate marketing, publishing books, opening an ETSY store, writing articles...man. It's exciting, but it can get overwhelming.

I've had nights where I was in an easy flow, and ideas AND the next steps came quickly.  Other nights, I sat paralyzed because I couldn't figure out my next step, even if I had identified it the night before. I wrote the steps down, and I was still paralyzed. 

Life can be like that. Easy and hard. Free and frozen. But the one thing I didn't do was to start negative self-talk. I asked what was just 1 thing in 1 of these big ideas that I could do. I did that 1 thing. It felt as good as the nights when I accomplished so much more, but each night I did what my brain allowed. 

With my coaching clients and myself, I gauge where we might be at any given time. Can we work fast and furiously? Do we need to look at baby, baby, micro steps? Do we need to just feel the feelings and review past accomplishments?  - That's another great tool for your toolkit by the way. It's all good. That's the point. Living is just learning lessons. 

This post is a bit of a scattered mess, but that's ok, too. Today is authentic. 

Back to Blogging

I had a grand vision at one point to write all the things and share all the things. But, then I was living all the things. I quit teaching after a horrible year under a horrible principal when I had horrible students in one class - yes, I said it. I took a technical writing job with another horrible boss and quit that job after only 6 months. I have been working for almost 3 years at a good company with a good boss and team. Oh - and I moved from Texas to Colorado. Because I could. 

I'd talked about living near mountains my entire life. The DFW metropolitan area was just not my style, but I grew such large communities of friends and had family there. I was raising my daughter there, and it didn't make sense to move for a long time. After Covid restrictions let up a bit, my company didn't ask employees to return to the office (and still hasn't) . With my boss' and company's approval, I packed up and moved to Colorado. 

It's currently -2 degrees with a wind chill of -16. It's supposed to snow for at least the next 12 hours straight, so we'll see what we wake up to.  

My house is even a new-build, and I never dreamed I'd be in a new home as a single woman. I signed a contract on it when it was still a big hole in the ground and moved in 4 months later. BAM. 

The take-away in this situation is multi-faceted.

1. Just because it can't happen soon doesn't mean it isn't meant to happen.

2. Just because it doesn't happen the way you thought it would happen, doesn't mean it's not going to happen and possibly better.

3. Don't stop dreaming. Things might turn out better than you thought they could.

4. The option you think is the least possible might be the most probable. 

5. DO IT. Dammit, just do it. Even if you have to take a detour, back-track, or go back to step 1, you still did something amazing. 

6. Similar to #5, be brave. People are looking at you, and some think you are a hero. 

Maybe there's more, but I think 6 is plenty for now. 

Big Goals - Little Steps

I had a great talk with my friend, Christy, last night, and we talked about our health journey. I loved the reminder she gave me - just look at the next 24 hours and make intentional decisions one at a time.


Isn't that relevant to all aspects of our lives? Big goals and long future timelines can be overwhelming. But, setting goals clearly is important. So there is a balance we need: look at the big goal, but focus on the small daily choices and steps to take.
Life is not "black and white" or "all or nothing." Just take the next step.