dishwasher drama, permission slips & biz breakthroughs

A few months ago, I started using the dishwasher like it was my job.

Sometimes 2x per day - Pots, pans, spatulas, you name it.

If it needed to be washed - it started going in.

To be honest, this practice was one I adopted out of sheer exhaustion.

I'm in a season of building many things - an actual building, new branches of my business, while navigating being a hybrid homeschooling parent with 2 kids - one who just turned 2 who does not have an off switch except for when he's asleep.

The funny thing is, at first, I found myself apologizing to Ben for it.

I would find myself justifying why I was overhauling our family's entire dish washing protocol when I noticed him going back to the old way.

You see, Ben is a hand washer...

He loves a drying rack.

And with this new leaf, I have come to despise having a soggy eye sore of haphazard dishes on the counter.

I also realized was that our protocol was just creating double the work with way less efficiency.

Putting the counter dishes AND the dishwasher dishes away.

So I hit the overhaul button and it became quickly very clear that we have some serious programming around the dishwasher and its rules. 

Things like: 

• How to load it "properly"

• What goes in and what doesn't

• What qualifies as a full load so it can be run through

• What happens with the things that feasibly cannot go in the dishwasher.

• And so on...

Let me tell you - old habits die hard.

There have been many a kitchen squabble about the dishes.  

Turns out, I was raised by a set of parents who have many, many rules about dishwashers - which knives CANNOT go in, how utensils must be placed in, how dishes must be stacked and an ever-present basin of soapy water at the ready for washing anything that isn't dish-washer worthy.

My level of anxiety around the dishwasher were being transferred to my husband and I realized it was time for a breakthrough. 

But here's the thing...

This email really has nothing to do with dishes.

Except that it does because the way we approach things like dishwashers and kitchen countertop protocol with militaristic discipline and guilt trips inevitably leak into our businesses.

• The black or white way of doing things.

• The rigid rules we inherited.

• The all or nothing approach.

• The way we blindly follow experts who have entirely different skills sets, communities and definitions of success.

I finally got to the place of realizing - the experts' rules don't apply in my kitchen.

The same goes for my business.

Over to you: 

>>> What are you currently doing in your business that you absolutely despise? <<<

Consider this your permission slip to stop doing it immediately.

Dishwashers, ftw! 

Speaking of, I am revising and releasing my Firestarter Accelerator program later this week. 

If you've been seeking 1:1 support in the way of brand reviews, personal strategy support and an immersive 8-week experience to take your idea or stagnant offer and activate it, but aren't quite ready for ELEVATE - this is for you!

We start the week of 5/6.

I will be dropping in with more details in the next few days - stay tuned!  

xo

Amber