When I first became a full-time VA, it was a little intimidating. I mean, I rocked admin work at my corporate job… but hanging up a sign and doing it as my full-time business, that was a little scary.

Okay, a lot scary.

And, I was prepared. I had a solid educational foundation under me. I had a coach. I knew what to do. Knees shook. Voice quivered. Butterflies invaded my mid-section. It was hard.

I still remember my first year or so of calls with prospective clients. Upset stomach, voice shaking, uncertainty.

Over time, that went away. I tried to replace the butterfly-filled-upset-stomach with prayer. The butterflies joined prayer. But then, slowly, only prayer remained. Calm awareness took the place of fear. Peace that surpassed understanding. I grew into myself. I was finally “owning it”.

I can’t help everyone. In fact, I can’t help more than 5 entrepreneurs at a time and do the quality of work that I want to do.

I can’t work before 10 AM and have my life together. I don’t want to, I don’t need to, and when I try to, bad things happen.

I can’t do work I don’t enjoy.  In fact, I am faster and better at the work I love than I ever could be at the other stuff. I can take a blog post and carve it into social media posts in just a few moments… some people struggle hours with that. I can combine multiple blogs into articles and book chapters in just a few hours… when some of my clients have struggled for weeks and months to do the same. I can throw together an event that really knocks the socks off of attendees… while some people stall at the wording on the invitation. It’s just what I love to do.

And, the beauty of all of this is… there are enough clients. There are five successful entrepreneurs out there who value, need, and want what I do. (Really there are more than five… and when they contact me if I am full and can’t help them, I send them to the Registry at AssistU so they can find their perfect fit.) There are five people out there who will ‘get’ me… quirks and all, love working with me the way I love to work, and love what I bring to their businesses. There are five people out there who are owning it themselves and want me to help them own it in a new and/or bigger way.

It is in the owning of this (not hearing it, but believing it and really, actually, knowing it) that the butterflies fly away. It is in the owning that I am, in my own way and with the gifts I’ve been given, the talent and experience I have, and the things I have learned, absolutely enough for the right people.  And… if I am not, they need something I don’t have… I can help them find it.

It is in owning my faith, my truth, my power, my uniqueness, my weaknesses, and my strengths, that I can relax and be… and let those who need me see all that I really am and decide.  There aren’t butterflies in my stomach when I own it. I am the butterfly.

As I work with and mentor new VAs, I see it so clearly. The uncertainty of a first call, the worry about stumbling. The concern over perception. I try to share my story with them. My own wobbly start. My old butterflies.

One day they will wake up where I am. Knowing their ideal number of clients and who their ideal clients are. And they will have their processes in place. They will get on a prospective client call and they won’t have butterflies. They will be owning who they are and what they bring to our amazing and wonderful world.

Cheers to them on their journey… may they find their truth and own it in the right time. Completely.

Are you owning it? I would love to hear your story!