This is a guest post by Lara Tabatznik who talks more about building 42 Acres – a dream retreat in Somerset, UK. You can find out more about Lara here, read our interview with her here and read her last blog post here.
I see lessons as gifts, not always at the time, but usually in hindsight. The lessons I have learned – and continue to learn – on this journey have truly been gifts.
My biggest lesson so far has been to trust the process. This lesson has come in many forms and whenever I have felt I’m being tested I’ve held onto the belief that this is my opportunity to learn and grow. From the quote for the conservatory coming in at double what we expected (hence the reason we’re holding off building this for now) to numerous adaptations for our planning permission – ultimately I can see already how all these things have all served us.
Having never done this before, unknowns and uncertainties come with the territory so I’ve had to rely on my intuition to make decisions and accept that I’ll probably make mistakes along the way. For example we haven’t done any marketing yet as we want the buzz about 42 Acres to spread simply by word of mouth and through our existing network. This just feels like the best type of marketing for us. Of course I have no idea if this will work, but I am trusting the process and following my gut instinct knowing this approach feels right.
Wonderful wooded wilderness at the 42 Acres retreat
Asking for help was another big lesson I learned quickly. In the beginning I was trying to do too much on my own when, in reality, I don’t really believe that anyone can do this kind of thing alone. I am a big proponent of collaborating and bringing my brother on board and inviting others to be part of this venture has changed everything – the whole process is much more efficient, and also much more fun!
Over the course of the project I’ve checked-in with myself often. As we continue to create and the vision continues to evolve, I find I’m influenced and guided by others so it’s important that I remind myself of the bigger picture and make sure I’m staying true to my goals. I am grateful to be working with people who I love and trust – people who are aligned with 42 Acres and who I enjoy working with – even when we disagree on certain things. It’s been a huge learning curve but I’ve learnt to let go of some control, to not be overly attached and to be open to change.
The more I am on site, the more I realise what a huge undertaking this is. There are so many things to think about and so many balls to juggle but I am learning to enjoy the process rather than let it overwhelm me.
Still lots to do!
Living in the present and engaging deeply with the process reminds me that it’s not just about the destination, in fact I don’t believe there ever is a destination, it’s all about the journey. I am grateful that while I am bringing my dream to life, I am able to enjoy new experiences, meet new people, learn new skills and discover things about myself that I never knew before.
I visit the site at 42 Acres a couple times a month and it is incredible to watch the build progress. The builders have been amazing – they have been living on site and working very hard to ensure we are still on schedule for our completion date, which at this stage, we are! I’ve been happy seeing the physical changes, like walls being knocked out and new bathrooms created, as I can feel the energy of my vision coming alive through the space.
Gradually coming together – one of the bathrooms
I don’t know what, if anything, I’d do differently but I do know that 42 Acres continues to be my greatest challenge yet and, most likely, my greatest opportunity. My confidence has grown so much already, and this includes being comfortable with asking questions. Before if I didn’t know something, or if something wasn’t clear when I was talking to someone, I may have pretended that I was following, whereas now I’ll ask until I understand.
Looking ahead one skill I need to work on is setting and maintaining healthy boundaries. I am, by nature, a pretty generous person; I like to help others and I will go out of my way for people but already I worry that this could be my biggest challenge. I need to identify what I’m happy to accept and what makes me feel uncomfortable or stressed so I set boundaries without creating barriers.
I have been on such a personal journey of transformation since deciding to create this dream retreat. It’s been a parallel process; as I learn, grow and change so does 42 Acres and it’s mind blowing to think that this really is just the beginning for both of us.
What is your big challenge at the moment? What is this teaching you? How is it helping you to grow?
