Photo: The Blondely Way Photography
When I first started my brand, I did not have kids. My husband and I wanted to get a head start on our businesses first because we knew there was a chance it could change the course of our lives once parenting came into the mix. Not only was that 100% true, but becoming a mother also changed my perception of what I consider to be my life’s purpose.
With my son, I spent numerous nights in the hospital. While he slept, I would have my husband bring me my computer, and I’d stay up all night working on my brand Native Atlas. Despite the ups and downs of starting a brand while balancing parenthood, we never thought of putting off our dreams. I realized that I am a real human with huge responsibilities, and trying to launch my own company at the same time was going to be tough. Some days, I’d be able to dedicate more time to be a wife. Some days, more of my energy went into being a mother, and then being a business owner. But, despite trying to find that perfect balance, I never saw one thing not being able to exist without the other.
Cut to this year. 2020 truly opened Pandora’s box, and COVID-19 happened. When the pandemic hit, my husband and I, both being business owners, reached a point where we didn’t know if we could handle one more thing on our plate. It’s natural for all of us to enter into panic mode when inconveniences are thrown our way, but I’m big on training the mind to have a healthy mindset. We had to ask ourselves, “If not now, then when?” At a certain point, we decided that braving the pandemic storm would be motivation enough to power through and make our businesses work despite the uncertainty.
Given the current climate, I have had a lot of time to look inward and think about what I value most, why I am doing what I'm doing, and what my next moves are. To say becoming a mother changed my life’s purpose is no understatement. I knew that I had to stay motivated, passionate, and positive to be an example for my kids. Though debuting a new line of products during a pandemic was not the original plan, we wanted to share the true Native Atlas story and showcase our authentic selves with the recent launch of the Universal Oil Collection.
Being both a business owner and customer, I noticed that people want to invest in brands that are 100% genuine, so it was important that this collection mirrored who Native Atlas is.
For us, it wasn't about coming out with another product, it was to share this very story through the products: we are your everyday people. People who care about each other, our loved ones, and the people around us. This collection is purposefully accessible to your everyday people; to be able to practice self-care and work on yourself without having to spend an arm and a leg; to be able to own something that was made purely for your benefit that will help you build on self-love, whatever that may look like.
My goal with every product I create for Native Atlas is to be a catalyst for continuing self-care. I want to bring light and joy to taking care of yourself and make it a comfortable, high-end experience at home. So here are five tips for maintaining mental resilience under pressure.
Don’t try to be a superhero.
Sometimes we get by with a little help from our friends, and your circle is the best support system to lean on when you’re under pressure. Whether you need emotional support, or a second opinion on a business decision, reach out to your network for a helping hand. You’ll be surprised and how many people are more than willing to bring you up rather than watch you fall.
Avoid burnout.
Allow yourself to walk away and come back to work when you’re refreshed and rested. Everyone deserves a break, and some of my best ideas have come from outside experiences and not being buried in work.
Think positive.
It’s exhausting to dwell in the negative. Allow yourself to feel your emotions, and quickly pivot to find a solution or a way to fix the problem.
Put it in writing.
Write down your goals and keep going until you achieve them.
Knowing your why.
Really drill down to your purpose and understand why you are a business owner, what your business means to you and to others, and that is what will keep you going through anything.
“It’s exhausting to dwell in the negative. Allow yourself to feel your emotions, and quickly pivot to find a solution or a way to fix the problem.”
—Alexia Wambua, Founder of Native Atlas
About the Author: Alexia Wambua is from Cocoa Beach, Florida, while her husband Chris hails from Nairobi, Kenya. Together, their children Faustin and Priest serve as a constant source of inspiration and innovation for the modern, holistic beauty brand. She founded Native Atlas with one intention: to provide simple, clean, and effective products sourced globally from their local origins.
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