I spent 6 hours digging a hole this weekend.

I questioned my sanity about 2 hours in.

“Why did I think I could do this by myself? Am I even saving money doing this by myself? My back hurts.”

But I had a vision.

I wanted to create a fire pit area for guests to enjoy at The Catskills Retreat.

So, a few weeks before, I spent hours researching, watching YouTube videos, combing through Reddit, and browsing Home Depot.

I bought all the supplies and arrived to the house with a palette of gravel, lots of boxes, and determination. With more help than my friend signed up for, we unloaded all of the supplies to the future site, and I started digging (cue: holes theme song).

But like everything in life, it took longer than expected.

On top of that, I bought the wrong shovel, was pretty sure I didn’t have enough gravel, and it was pouring rain the next day. 🫠 

I wasn’t sure if I was going to finish the project and my friend was worried that my hole was going to fill up with water. Oh, and I also didn’t have a fire pit ring (like the one in my inspiration photo).

Despite researching for hours prior, I felt very unprepared but still determined to make it happen, so I tackled each problem one by one.

1. Rain —> I decided I needed to prioritize finishing the center of the fire pit, so it didn’t turn into a mud bath and was able to fill that with crushed stone.

2. Gravel —> I got lucky here, and my landscaper saw me digging and said he could help deliver the gravel with a big truck.

3. Fire Pit Ring —> My friends were visiting for 1 night, so I asked if they could pick this up along the way since the place I found was en route.

In the end, we (almost) finished the project! I still needed more gravel for the edges, but it’s 90% of the way there.

🤓 Lessons Learned

Okay, so I’m guessing most of you aren’t out there trying to build a firepit.

So why am I sharing all of this—and what does it have to do with you?

Well, these lessons can apply to any big, new project or change you might be tackling. Here’s what carried over:

1. Research a little but take action: I spent a bit too long spiraling on the internet learning how to do this and figuring out my supplies. In the end, I still ran out of gravel and needed to problem solve day-of. With things that are new, time box the learning/research phase and then set a date to make it happen.

2. New project = new skills you’ll keep forever: When you do something for the first time, there is going to be a learning curve but hopefully, you’ll be using new muscles (in my case, literally) and learning new skills you’ll be able to transfer to future projects. In other words, there’s upfront investment when trying something new but it’ll pay off over time.

3. Everything takes longer than you think: Remember that social media makes everything look easy. I knew it was going to be hard work but no one can prepare you until you actually do the thing. Be patient and keep going to execute your vision—whether it’s a backyard project or a new fulfilling career.

💬 Your turn

What is something that you thought would be “easy” but took longer than expected?

✨ Weekly Feels

I’m feeling very accomplished after finishing my firepit but also a little overwhelmed with the amount of context switching going on at work and at home.

Working with multiple clients vying for your time and attention, signing new clients to ensure future work, and creating content all feels like a balancing act.

There were times last week where it felt like I was “failing”, but I have to remember to slow down, think about what’s most important, and know this is part of the process.

🌟 Upcoming Events

• Tues, April 29 | Women in Innovation Dinner Series at Cafe China | A multi-course dinner I helped plan to meet new women in innovation

• June 9 - 18 | From Full-Time to Fractional: A Step-by-Step Launch Playbook for Senior Leaders | Learn positioning, pricing, and sales fundamentals to land your first client

📖 Keep Reading

• Greetings from the Catskills

• 3 steps to start building your personal brand today

• At least I’m flying free

💼 Ways to Work With Me

• 1:1 Private Coaching: I’m offering free coaching strategy calls to those looking to build a more fulfilling life. Feel free to book some time with me!