I don't know what's going on lately but life is not going the way I had planned. And I'm willing to bet it's not much different for you either. It seems like no matter what I do lately, my efforts are not paying off. I've lost deal after deal. We've been hit by storm after storm. The economy, the house prices, the insurance, and let's not even get into my personal life. Or let's do. Because this is the beginning of my comeback story. And this is the reminder that you're not alone in your struggles either.
Let's start at the beginning of the year, January 2024. I had hopes that it would be my year. I didn't quite know it yet, but it would not haha. My boyfriend of 11 years broke up with me and I thought my life was over. We moved to Florida together, we started a restaurant together, we were building a future. I'm 32 years old, newly single and my biggest worry was if I would ever get the chance to have kids because my timeline was running out (Listen, even if it's in my head just let me have my pitty party freak out moment).
So, I moved out of the house and into my own apartment while I figured out where I wanted to go–living alone for the first time ever, mending a broken heart and trying to keep my business going because I happen to be in one that if I don't work, it doesn't work. But, I was okay. Keeping my head above water. I feel like I hit a pretty good stride. I had deals going, I started the mini branding sessions, I loved living alone, it was great. Until April.
In April 2024, I got pregnant. Not that I didn't want to be a mother. It was all I could think about but dang did I wish it would have happened when I deemed the time to be right. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, ya know? I was supposed to be married, established, in my dream house, cooking amazing meals on a regular basis, folding laundry the second the dryer stopped–you get it. God had different plans. Which yea, I trust, but that didn't stop me from spiraling. I was nauseous 24/7 for 3 months straight. I could barely stand up, let alone properly work my business. I was depressed and anxious pretty much at all times of the day. Or at least the ones I wasn't sleeping. But even in my sleep, my mind attacked me. I could't escape the impending doom that my brain made up of me being a homeless single mother.
The second trimester got better. I had energy, I was making my calls. My depressive episodes seemed to happen less and less. I had pipeline deals–one $1.3 million condo listing coming up and another $2.2 million expired lead about to hit the market. PLUS, I had made a relationship with a new builder with a spec home almost completed. My current builder had another home ready to go in the next month. I had two new buyers reach out to me. Things were going to be just fine. I could breathe again. Then I went to Europe. Which, by the way, was a trip I had planned before I was pregnant.
This next part still pains me to say. My $2.2 million seller called me up and said "hey, I'm sorry. I wanted to go with you but the old listing agent called and begged for it back. Just go enjoy your vacation and if it doesn't sell by January it's yours."...Okay...first of all, how the heck am I supposed to conduct my prayers after that? On one hand I want to pray that it doesn't sell so I can sell it, but on the other hand I want him to sell it because it's what's best for him. So way to put me in that moral debacle. But hey, I still had the other stuff going.
Then I get a text from my $1.1 million seller. She decided to go with another listing agent because that agent told her she could get more for the home. Side note: I WILL NOT LIE TO THE SELLER TO GET THE LISTING. Yes, I yelled that in all caps. I'm passionately pissed when I lose a listing because another agent promises more money (even though it never ends that way. They never sell for that number because comps don't lie). I have comp after comp after comp saying that her condo would not sell for anywhere near what the other agent promised (in a declining market, mind you). So yet another one gone. I fought for that one. I really did. I had created a great relationship with her and yet she wanted more money. I get it. And I hope she can get that. I truly do. Moving on to the next "devastation".
The builder I had been working with called and said corporate is making them move all their listings to a brokerage that places them with corporate leases. The new builder I created a great relationship had to give his spec home to his other agent because of some investor issues. And my buyers had either ghosted me or said they needed to wait another year due to unforeseen financial struggles. Every single pipeline deal gone in a matter of one month.
This really isn't a sob story. It happens. That's real estate. The point of the story is I'm still pregnant. I'm still single. I have no deals in my pipeline. And no matter what I do it feels like it's not working. But I'm not stopping because this is the beginning of my comeback. I'm one day away from finding that buyer. I'm one call from winning that listing. Life has so many highs and lows. You can't let the lows stop you. I've lived the past 7 months in what I would call a freeze state. I have been so paralyzed with horrible what-if scenarios instead of taking this slow time to make a solid action plan and grow. Until now, that is. I'm not saying I haven't worked, I'm not saying I havn't accomplished anything in the last year, I'm just saying that I haven't lived up to my potential is all. Because I let fear get in the way. But here's the thing...there is ALWAYS going to be something to hold you down. Something is always going to go wrong because life doesn't ever go according to plan. So you have to pivot (insert Friends 'pivot' gif).
Something that has helped me to keep moving forward is knowing that this is just a phase. A season. I was listening to the Rachel Hollis podcast today and one of her guests said that the way to demolish anxiety is through confidence in yourself. And the only way you can get confidence in yourself is if you continue to prove to yourself that you can do hard things. If you are struggling, if you are worrying about something, I challenge you to get up and do something hard. Prove to yourself that you can do hard things! Don't let the world keep you down. Whatever it is that you're going through cannot, and will not keep you down if you don't let it. The best part of life is that you are the gardener. You get to choose what you plant and you get to choose the actions that help them grow.
I'm deeply passionate about real estate, but I'm more passionate about encouraging people to do what they're meant to be doing. I think everyone deserves to have a cheerleader or someone in their corner. You can always reach out to me to chat through your struggles. And if no one has told you yet today, I am proud of you and I love you.
