Today is the one year anniversary of setting up my Harley Street practice.  I can’t quite believe that it was a whole year ago that I took the plunge – the time seems to have zoomed past in the blink of an eye.

I can clearly remember the feelings of trepidation I had even just viewing the room I’d potentially be working out of.  The nerves I had whilst I was changing the content on my website to reflect my new location, appointment times and fees.  The sick feeling I had as I waited for my first client to arrive on my first day there.

It had taken me so long to find the courage to trust that I could make it work – what if it all went wrong?  What if I didn’t get any clients?  What if I got the clients but they didn’t make any progress?  Harley Street is so synonymous with professionalism and results – what if I couldn’t live up to that expectation?  What if (whisper it) I wasn’t good enough?

In my first month I only had one client.

In my second month I had two.

I thought about retreating quietly.  About not doing it any more – my belief in myself seriously wavered and I had a bit of an internal mental wobble.  Thankfully this was only momentary – mainly because I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by awesomely supportive people like my partner, my parents and my friends & colleagues.  I (rather reluctantly and begrudgingly) agreed to keep trying for another month.  During that time I (eventually) figured out what was going on with me and realised that it was just my unconscious feeling out of it’s depth – it was attempting to protect me from the possibility of failing.

So I decided to do the exact opposite of what it was telling me to do and I grabbed the opportunity to give a talk/presentation at an Eating Disorder Carers Support Group.  Bearing in mind that I’m an introvert and that I really don’t like standing up in front of people to talk, this was a pretty big deal.  I showed up, I gave the talk, I answered the questions and within a week I suddenly had enquiry after enquiry after enquiry filling my inbox (and my diary).

After a few months I had to increase the number of appointments I offered per day from four to six.  After 6 months I had to increase from being there fortnightly to making a weekly trip to London.  And still the demand is continuing to rise – I currently have more clients than I do spaces to see them and I have several on a waiting list.  It feels like I’m right on the edge of this becoming something more than it already is – I have no idea where it’s going yet, or what form it will take, but I know that I’m close.  And I’m excited to find out what the next stage is going to be…

Just so we’re clear, I’m not posting this to boast.

I’m posting it to remind myself of how far I’ve come and that I deserve to feel proud of what I’ve built.

I’m also posting it to remind myself that if I work hard, create space for opportunities to happen and then take advantage of those opportunities, I can do the things I want to do, be successful in the way I way I want to be, and live my life in the way that I want to live it – in the way that works for me and my family.

I’m also writing it so that all of you out there who are reading this right now can know that you can do the same.  No matter what it is that you want to do, no matter what your dream/goal/ambition/business plan/life plan is – you can make it happen.

Over the past year I have had six words constantly in my head that I’ve referred back to every single time I’ve questioned what I’m doing.

“Build it and they will come”

Those words kept me going, and continue to keep me going on a daily basis.

I hope they help you too.