Good evening!
This post is coming straight from the heart!!!
So I am just going to write everything I am feeling right now. Bear with me!
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Make Your Dreams Comes True…Yes, YOU!
Today ranked up there in the top 5 moments of my life.
I am so grateful for the support I have received with Glo Bakery, I can’t even begin to describe it.
I was so overcome with emotion when I saw how excited you were to be ordering my bars. I just kept wanting to pinch myself and truly savour this moment today. One which I will never forget. To have other people be excited, enthusiastic and supportive of my business, is only something I dreamed of early in 2009.
I thought, "Even though I have this vision that I want to do with all my heart, I just have so many doubts that I have what it takes to make it come to fruition."
My negative thoughts were indeed daunting at times and I would be lying if I still didn’t have them.
As I was furiously baking my heart out in the kitchen, lugging 50 pound bags of oats, cleaning, packaging, and trying not to let my head spin off, something occurred to me.
And you know what that was?
It occurred to me that if you keep the faith and work your butt off, you can do anything you want!
One of my favourite quotes says it all:
"The only place where dreams are impossible is in your own mind." ~Emalie
Just think about it for a moment. Had I not silenced those negative thoughts in my mind, I would never have had the courage to start up a business. You know where I would be? Stuck in my old job, miserably unhappy, saying to myself, ‘I just am not lucky with my career like some people are.‘ And oh yes, I said that to myself many times.
I am here to tell you that you don’t need to be stuck in a miserable job or pursuing a degree that makes you unhappy.
When I was in grad school, I felt it in my heart that it wasn’t the right place for me. I didn’t feel like I was being true to myself from day 1.
I had that little voice inside my head telling me that I would not be happy doing this for my career. I saw other students who lived and breathed the program and my heart just wasn’t in it like they seemed to be. And you know what? I felt extreme guilt over this. Why couldn’t I get into it like them? Why couldn’t I be as passionate about grad school as they seemed to be? Why couldn’t I sit in a lab for 14 hours a day and enjoy it?
The guilt doesn’t come from that voice inside of us. The guilt is what silences the voice!
Guilt tries to tell us that we are less of a person and that we are not worthy of being happy. It tries to tell us that something is wrong with us.
The guilt also largely comes from the expectations that we think others have of us. What society expects of us. What we think is expected of women in general. Whether those expectations that we feel are true or not, they only serve one purpose- to divert us from listening to our hearts.
Guilt is a distraction from finding our authentic selves.
I think so many of us women feel that we have to prove something. I know I did. I felt like I had to prove to everyone that I could get my degrees, make lots of money, and be successful. Well, none of that matters if it isn’t what you truly want to do in your heart!
No amount of success matters when you are unhappy. For me, it just added to my guilt. I co-authored on a book chapter straight out of grad school. Very exciting, right? Well, I couldn’t appreciate it because my heart wasn’t in it. I felt like I was regurgitating some unauthentic psychology babble instead of being able to speak from my heart. Yes, I may have written the book chapter, but I can’t truly say that I am proud of it in the full sense of the word.
I have received so many emails from many of you who feel stuck in your current situation.
I think the first step is taking a moment to reflect on the little voice inside of your head. It may be difficult at first because it has probably been silenced for a long time.
When I did this last year this is what I heard:
1) Help women love themselves and stop depriving themselves. Show them how to be healthy, to eat good foods, and to nurture their bodies and minds. Teach them what you have learned!
2) Start an online healthy bakery.
I think the this is a crucial first step that everyone should reflect on.
I want you to tell me what the voice inside you is telling you.
If you knew you could not fail, what would you do?
While the question seems simple, it is very telling.
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. ~John Quincy Adams
PS- More Glo Bar variety packs have been added!!
How exciting and congrats on the U.S. launch! You truly are an inspiration. I am job searching right now and your posts have reminded me not to settle.
Congratulations Angela. I’m so happy for you. :)
I’m currently in the process of starting my own photography business. I really wish I could travel the world while doing my job as a photographer. It’s definitely one of my dreams.
*like*
congrats! it’s great when something you want works out!
Great post! love it! I totally agree that women settle far too often. I have always been very good about following my dreams and my heart, regardless of others expectations. I think a lot of people view that as selfishness in women. Well, 5 schools later and 7.5 years of college, and in December I will be graduating as a registered dietitian, a career I am truly excited and passionate about. Thanks for reminding us of what is important. I think too many women settle.
I’d write a book about all the great challenges of my life, and how I overcame them all.
Wait. I’m doing that now.
May the power of positive thinking be with me!
Love your blog!
Your success is so inspiring, even though I don’t “know” you, I can’t help but feel proud!
My voice says: ‘Your true calling is to do something meaningful, to help people that might not be as fortunate as you are. You’ve done it before, you’re trained in the Child and Youth Care field!’…If I knew I could not fail (and money didn’t matter), that is what I’d do.
Fortunately, I’m not miserable where I’m at, but I do one day hope to do something that means more to me and to others.
This is an amazing post. I have no idea what I would do if I could not fail – probably a zillion things but I would feel confident pursuing all those dreams that crop up inside my head.
I am printing out your quote “If you knew you could not fail, what would you do?” and posting it in my house and at work. You are so inspirational and give so many women confidence and courage.
Thank you!
Angela, Congrats on making your dreams come true! I’m going to check out those bars of yours, and order some!
Angela, great post! You always write the most inspiring posts. They have really helped me cope with being jobless. I would love it if you would read my blogiversary post today. I think you would really enjoy it. I’d love to see your list of positives too! :) Have a great and congrats on Glo Bakery shipping to the US!
This is incredible. Thanks so much.
Congratulations Angela! You are an inspiration to us all.
Amazing post, Angela… Your drive and faith are so inspiring :)
You have no idea how much this was so needed today. Thanks Angela :)
I’m taking this year to “reinvent” myself – my blog chronicles this. Your post today is just great – gets right to the heart of getting “unstuck” and not fearing it either. That has definitely been the focus of my posts this week and I can relate. Girl, you do INSPIRE. Once again, all the best and congrats on this HUGE milestone.
I can not believe after all your hard work today, you still were able to post such a great post!!
thank you for being a HUGE inspiration! I can not wait to buy some globars… when i get paid next week :)
quick question- what if you are miserable in your job but have NO IDEA what you want to do?? I am so in that place. I hate my job and the people I work with but i am afraid to leave because the security of the pay check.
i feel like i have no direction.
Great post, and congrats! Your career change is so inspiring!
If I knew that I could not fail, I would become a writer.
That’s one of my all time favor quotes! It is a scary thing to think about and to allow ourselves to dream so big, but it’s an absolute necessary step to find happiness.
Congrats on your successful day!!
Awesome post! So inspirational! I can’t wait to make my own dreams come true =)
xo
K
Angela, congrats on living the dream! If I could do anything, I would get a Masters in Gastronomy and work for a beautiful winery doing PR/,Marketing/Events.
P.S. Just thought I would tell you I had a nightmare about green monsters last night! I was at a smoothie shop and all of the blenders started breaking and I was shouting “All I want is a kale smoothie!” Haha what goes on in this head of mine?
OMG… Meghan… Masters in Gastronomy and work for a beautiful winery in communications (promoting Canadian wine!) is EXACTLY what I would do if I knew I could not fail.
Good luck to you :) and all others. Dream big – and thanks Angela for getting us to in the v. least type these aspirations out! You gotta start somewhere. ;)
Totally agree….I didint even ASK myself what I really wanted to do until last year!
Sitting where I am, it’s very hard to look at you and know that you never thought you’d succeed- you seem destined to be a excel in all aspects of life from what I read on your blog! (that’s a compliment by the way!) With a positive attitude and your high energy, I believe that the sky’s the limits! Congrats on the beginning of something wonderful!
Congratulations! I said it before and I’ll say it again…It’s amazing the difference a year makes! But that being said, things don’t change unless you do something to make them change. You’ve worked hard for this success and you deserve all of the success that is coming your way!
I would drop everything and move to Africa and be a documentary photographer I have the degree, the equipment, the passion to want to change the world but not enough money to leave or live there if I couldn’t sell photos right away. I know I belong in Africa and everyday I am in Philadelphia feels like a waste. It is hard for me to stay positive in my current situation:(
Angela-
You are an inspiration to all us women! I am happy to play a little part in your U.S. launch(I placed an order-LOL)I could probably buy similar bars cheaper and closer to my home BUT they would not be made with the same love, joy, caring and enthusiam that you are putting into your products. I can hardly wait to get my order!!!
What would I do if I knew I could not fail? I’m still thinking on that one!
Congratulations on the success of your bakery :-) It is obvious in how you write about what you do that you are passionate about baking with real, wholesome ingredients and in feeding people wholesome, delicious food :-)
Congratulations on your success!!
This post rocks! I’m with you all the way :-)
If I could do anything and not fail I would jump right into the relationship that I just started, not be worried about what everyone else thinks and live my life. I would start studying harder for the GRE’s and apply for the program this year and not next. I want my master’s and the one thing in life I want if I was assured it would not fail would be for this relationship to be the right one.
Congratulations on all of your wonderful success! you are truly an inspiration to me. I started being a healthier person the night I found your blog. Thank you for blogging and sharing your life with us!
What a great post, I was at an Networking event this afternoon that talked about women having to prove themselves. What is in our nature that makes us do that? That topic has been on my mind so much lately!
I want to find the dream job that allows me to help women start business all around the world, while traveling and enjoying good food and wine.
Angela,
I just walked in the house after finding out that my position is being eliminated. My last day will be November 2. Thank you so much for baring your soul and sharing your life with us. I have no idea what I’m going to do as my next job. Whatever it is, i’m going to make sure it makes me happy. I’m off to order me some glo bars to celebrate my independence!! Congrats to you and your very very bright future!
xx
Stephanie
Stephanie, my heart goes out to you! I know you will turn it around..you have a positive spirit and no one can take that away from you! Keep me posted :)
Congrats! I’m still in the process of trying to figure out what my dream is so I can go after it. Reading your series about your job has really hit home with me. I’m in a job that is okay…but I’d love to be in a job that makes me as excited as you are about your bakery. One day!
Congrats again on your bakery opening!
Angela…I can’t tell you how much your 7 part story has affected me. You are such an amazingly strong person and you really do inspire others!!!
If I could do anything…and succeed. I’d go full force into a singing career. I’d play bars, dives, hotels and get to the the top….I get beyond my stage fright and be who I want to be.
if only it were that easy:)
B
Angela, you made me cry! Thank you so much for posting this. I am going through a very rough time at work because I know that I am on the wrong path. I have decided in the past couple of days to finally follow my heart and pursue my dreams. It’s really an inspiration to hear a success story of someone who did the same thing. I can’t thank you enough…and congrats!!!
Thank you for sharing your journey with us. It’s inspiring to think of how far you’ve come and how awesome the journey is.
congrats angela! you have come such a long way and so many of us have been with you through it all. I first saw these bars in blog world and wondered where they came form bceause they looked ubberly delicous! then I discovered YOU! :) you deserve everything you have and have accomplished! embrace it! I wish you the best of luck!
Congrats Ange! :-) You are so inspiring and amazing. :-D
Angela, you are an inspiration to me and your posts, quotes, and advice always gives me a little boost! Thanks for sharing your healthy journey with us (and your awesome tips and recipes!)
What a great moment for you: enjoy it to the fullest!
Wonderful post, Ange. I really want to own my own business one day, and this was just what I needed to hear. I will make my dream come true one day! Thanks for the jolt of inspiration. :-)
Dearest Angela,
Thank you so much for writing this. I feel the guilt right now. I feel like if I do what would make me happy in a career that it would make me a selfish mother. I would love to become a nutritionist or dietitian. However, I feel that would take time away from my children (who are 18 months and 2.5 years). I love being a mom but I feel I am missing a piece of myself. Even writing that I want to do this makes me feel guilty. I hope I can get to a point in my life (like you) and have my dream realized. You have got me thinking though, and that is a good start. :)
Jennifer
I have always loved the “If you knew you could not fail, what would you do?” quote. It’s so true though — fear (often of failing ourselves or not meeting our own made up expectations) often is the only thing that is holding us back!
Thank you for sharing your inspiration! I love the quote you shared. It’s true that we set our own limitations and the only person stopping us from living our dreams is ourselves. Thank you for showing people out there that dreams and passions can come true!
SO TRUE. I am so happy you are so happy with your life.
If I knew I couldn’t fail, I’d march into HBO and sign on as a writer for an epic TV show.
That’s still a goal…but I may take a more subtle route ;-)
So inspiring Angela!
Angela, the first part brought a tear to my face! You are doing such an amazing job, your bakery is a huge succes and your blog inspires so many women! And yet you sometimes don’t even realize it or you are very modest about it.
The second part is so inspiring (again). I am not unhappy but I am still in search of my dreams for the future and this really motivates me to keep thinking about it. Thanks!
Angela,
Thank you SO much for being such an inspiration and positive role model for us. You deserve so much happiness and success with your business and I know you’ll go far!
If I knew I couldn’t fail … I’d jump head-first into fixing things with my husband, quit my job and focus on my holistic health counselor classes, and find more people/places locally that I could work with once I’m certified. I’d volunteer more and really share my love of being healthy with others.
Congrats again! I’ll be ordering my very own stash of glo bars very soon!
If I could do anything and not fail, I would quit my day job and really focus on my wellness consulting business that I do currently as a hobby on evenings and weekends. You’re always inspiring, thank you for that!
angela, you are so inspiring! thank you for this. i am so, so happy for you and your success. you’re living the dream, and it’s incredible to watch!
Thank God for inspiring people like you. You should seriously be a motivational speaker…you know, with all that free time you have ;-) hehe kidding, kidding.
I love that quote..I’m totally using it and going to live it every day!