​By Eliana Barriga
Publisher and Managing Editor for The Retail Observer

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know many of you over the years. I know some who are still gung-ho and driven to navigate through the changing times and find new ways to grow their businesses and others who have lost their passion for what they do long ago.

But I say, what’s love got to do with it? Yes, ultimately love for your work is very important to your overall well-being and quality of life. But it’s not the feeling of love that will get you to work 80 plus hours a week to get a new business venture up and running or come up with creative ways to keep it going when sales are low, really low and the industry is bleak. During these times, it’s a choice to continue pushing on through with the understanding that change, one way or the other, is inevitable. But if you remain adaptable, have clear vision, and a plan in place and stick to it, you will eventually find yourself enjoying the benefits of business ownership
and in love with what you do once again.

I’ve found that those who seek to feel in love with their businesses most of the time are the ones who end up broken and defeated. They are now stuck in a rut because they made impulsive choices based on what they loved. Instead, it would have been wise for them to have made smart decisions by ensuring that their plan covered the things that they don’t necessarily like to do or talk about, but are necessary for running a successful business.

This goes for almost everything in our lives that we say we “love” – parenthood, marriage, friendships, health, hobbies, etc. We don’t always have that loving feeling, but we stay committed to these things. We spend time to nurture and work on them, which is why we reap the rewards of what we all call love.

Happy Valentines’ Day!
Eliana Barriga
eliana@retailobserver.com

Wow! What a ride it has been and continues to be. 2020 was a year like no other. Everything we thought we knew, everything we trusted, and everything we came to rely on changed. Between the quarantine, lifestyle adjustments, cognitive dissonance, and the never-ending roller coaster ride, I skidded into the end of 2020 a bit roughed up and mentally exhausted. I bet most of you can relate.

So, if you think 2020 was a doozy, just wait till 2021 gets underway! Ready or not, life has a way of changing course in a heartbeat when destiny calls us to move in a new direction. Current world circumstances beg us to take the time to examine not only our businesses, but our personal relationships and most importantly ourselves.

So, what does ‘living the best version of yourself’ look like? This past year kept me exceptionally busy with little time for myself. As I look at how to approach 2021, I feel the need to turn my dream machine back on and imagine a fun-filled future no matter what is going on in the world. So, I think it’s Bucket List time! Bucket lists help us articulate what we want to focus on and explore in our lives and make them a reality.

Tal Gur, blogger, entrepreneur, and devoted adventurer said it so well when he wrote: Inspiring People Chasing their Bucket List Dreams Around the Globe. (www.fullylived.com/bucket-list-dreams) Check it out - it’s a great article!

“More and more people are being inspired by the idea of chasing their bucket list dreams. No longer willing to settle for the lives they feel they should be living, they are deciding what they want to do, and then, doing it. Inevitably, this involves going outside of their comfort zones, taking risks, getting rid of unnecessary stuff, and more consciously planning their lives.”

So, plan for good times ahead and keep the positive energy flowing. Live your best life. Inspire others. Nothing can stop what is coming.

2021–The best is yet to come!
Eliana Barriga
eliana@retailobserver.com