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There wasn’t one dramatic moment, no fiery quitting scene, no loud declaration of change. Instead, it was a slow, bone-deep knowing that built up over months of pushing through.
I was burning out.
Physically, emotionally, mentally, professionally, I felt like I was breaking in ways I couldn’t hide anymore. The migraines were relentless, the brain fog unbearable. I was navigating 40+ hour work weeks, 3-hour commutes 3 days a week, and a job that demanded more than I had to give. My health was unraveling under the pressure, and my body, my ever-loyal, ever-frustrated body, was screaming for a different kind of life.
And I’ve finally decided to listen.
This is the beginning of a four-year plan to transition from full-time employment to full-time entrepreneurship. But this isn’t a leap. It’s a long walk. And I’m finally ready to take the first step.
Why I’m Building a Business Around My Energy, Not in Spite of It
Chronic illness has taught me that time management is only half the equation, energy management is the rest.
For years, I tried to follow traditional planning systems. I scheduled like I didn’t have fibromyalgia. I made to-do lists like migraines weren’t stealing half my month. I ignored the deep, cyclic truth of how my energy rises and falls, not because I wanted to, but because hustle culture said I had to.
Now I’m doing it differently.
I’m building my business around my energy, not in spite of it. That means tracking how I move through the week and planning tasks according to my natural rhythms. Mondays and Fridays, when I work from home, tend to be my highest energy days. I use them for journaling, light chores, and creative tasks. Midweek, when I commute, my energy plummets, and I’ve stopped pretending otherwise. Instead, I schedule rest, gentle movement, and walks with my husband, in nature.
It’s not rigid. It’s responsive.
I’m using a simple Energy Mapping Worksheet to understand how my body flows through a typical week, and how my business needs to follow, not fight, that rhythm.
I’ve also started using a Pomodoro app with white noise to help me focus in the fog, and a “Meaning Aligner” practice to identify the most meaningful thing I can do each day, even if it’s just one small task. That one task? It’s enough.
Because instead of asking, “What do I need to do today?” I’ve started asking, “What kind of energy do I have today, and what fits within that?”
My 4-Year Plan: Gentle Growth, One Phase at a Time
This isn’t about quitting my job tomorrow.
It’s about building something slowly, intentionally, sustainably, on a timeline that honors my body, my life, and my vision. Here’s what that looks like:
Year 1: Foundation & Discovery
- Reflecting on what’s possible
- Creating energy-honoring systems and habits
- Publishing six prompted journals
- Launching The Entrepreneur’s Journey Toolkit in Q4
Year 2: Side Business Launch
- Soft launches and gentle experimentation
- Creating energy-friendly products
- Beginning to build multiple streams of income
Year 3: Expansion & Stabilization
- Growing what’s working
- Pruning what isn’t
- Honoring my energy and curiosity as I explore new ideas
Year 4: Full-Time Transition
- Stepping fully into entrepreneurship
- Ensuring my business systems actively support my health and capacity
This plan is flexible. It bends when I need it to. There’s room for setbacks, flare-ups, grief, or joy. But the goal remains: sustainable progress.
I’m not building a business in a sprint, I’m planting a garden that grows in seasons.
Embracing Slowpreneurship: My Strategy, Not My Speed
Slow entrepreneurship isn’t about doing less, it’s about doing what matters most in a way that supports your life, not overrides it.
For me, that means releasing the idea that rest equals laziness. It means untangling my worth from my productivity. It means understanding that my need to always be productive, even when “resting”, was a trauma response, not a truth.
One of the proudest moments of my year so far? Publishing my very first prompted journal. It didn’t happen fast. I chipped away at it one tiny task at a time. I missed my self-imposed May deadline by a week, but it’s done now. And that’s enough.
That’s what slow entrepreneurship looks like in practice: honoring the pace that’s actually sustainable, not the pace I feel pressured to maintain.
Letting go of urgency has been harder than I expected and more freeing than I imagined.
What Building Looks Like Right Now (A Real Glimpse)
Here’s the truth: my weeks are full.
I’m working 40+ hours with long commutes three days a week. I have limited capacity on weeknights. I don’t do anything business-related on Thursdays, that’s my hardest day mentally and physically, and I’ve learned to protect it. I spend most Saturdays recovering, and Sundays doing my weekly reset: planning, meal prep, journaling, and business work.
Some tasks feel energizing (brainstorming, project planning). Others drain me quickly (writing, tech setup). I’m learning to match the right task to the right day, depending on where I am physically and mentally.
What’s helping me:
- Focus To-Do App (Pomodoro + white noise)
- Journaling + AI “life coach” chats
- Notion for my business hub
- Kindle Scribe for idea capture
A small-but-real win:
I published my first prompted journal the first week of June across Amazon KDP, and Google Play Books. It’s a quiet milestone, but one I worked hard for. It’s now live on Amazon and in the Store. If you’d like a paperback version, buy Who Am I? A Journey of Self-Discovery on Amazon. If you prefer digital/pdf, grab a copy from the TJSM Studios Shop.
Progress doesn’t always look like momentum. Sometimes, it looks like rest. Sometimes, it looks like one paragraph written in between meetings or during my lunch break.
What I’ll Be Sharing Here (And Why)
This blog is my accountability. My record. My gentle offering to anyone building something beautiful while managing something invisible.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Monthly reflections and real-time updates from my own entrepreneurial journaling
- Tools designed for chronic illness warriors
- Behind-the-scenes breakdowns of slow launches and imperfect beginnings
I’m sharing this journey out loud for anyone else who’s navigating big dreams on a limited battery.
If that’s you? You’re not alone here.
Join Me in Building with Intention
Here’s how you can start small with me today:
- Download the free Energy Mapping Worksheet I’ve been using to plan my days. (coming soon)
- Try the Slow Entrepreneur Reflection Prompts to reframe how you measure progress. (coming soon)
- Download the Flexible Launch Checklist to help you slowly launch your dream. (coming soon)
- Subscribe to follow along as I share monthly updates from each phase of the journey.
💬 Leave a comment, what does building at your pace mean to you right now?
Suggested AI Prompt for Readers
You can use this prompt in ChatGPT or any AI assistant to help you take action on this blog topic.
Suggested AI Prompt:
“Guide me step by step through creating a gentle, energy-led weekly planning system based on my chronic illness and fluctuating capacity. I want to identify high/low energy days, match tasks to my energy, and create flexible routines that support slow progress.”
10 Journaling Prompts to Reflect On Your Energy-Led Path
- What does “building at my own pace” mean to me right now?
- How do I feel physically and emotionally after a high-demand workday?
- What’s one small thing I can let go of this week to honor my energy?
- When do I feel most creative and most depleted?
- What did I do today that aligned with how I actually felt?
- What fears do I have about moving slowly, and what truths can replace them?
- What does a supportive business look like for me?
- What would it feel like to celebrate rest as a form of progress?
- What kind of support do I need to move forward gently?
- What is one thing I can create this month, even if it’s imperfect?
Ready to take one small step today?
You’re already doing the brave work. Let’s build this together, slowly, and with care. 💛