Sometimes, life throws challenges so relentless that no matter which way you turn, you feel resistance. You push forward, but every step feels like dragging your feet across rough, unforgiving sandpaper. That’s exactly how I’ve been feeling since January 7th.
I lost my home. I lost my office. The fire in Pacific Palisades took away not just physical spaces but the sense of stability that comes with having a place. Since then, every day has felt like an uphill battle, with friction in everything I do.
What Does It Mean to Land on Sandpaper?
This morning, my husband put it into words when describing how he experienced life since we got back from our honeymoon to virtually nothing: “It feels like we were landing on sandpaper.” And I thought, This is freaking brilliant. Because that’s exactly what it feels like. Because…
- … no matter what direction you take, nothing is smooth.
- … There is constant resistance, the weight of challenges that won’t let up.
- … It’s the exhaustion of trying to move forward when everything is a drag.
Truth be told—when you land on sandpaper, you may as well not fight it. That creates even more friction. You recognize it for what it is. You understand that sometimes, the only way through a sandpaper moment is to sit in its discomfort. Sometimes, you’ll have to sit in a dark room. Sometimes, you’ll feel like you’re carrying a weight too heavy to bear. And sometimes, there’s absolutely nothing you can do except be with it.
This is part of resilience. The painful part. Roadburn and all.
How Do You Keep Going?
Pushing through difficult times isn’t about avoiding pain—it’s about accepting that discomfort is part of the process. Growth often requires us to sit in uncertainty, in loss, in frustration, and still keep moving.
So if you feel like you’re landing on sandpaper, know this:
- You’re not alone. Friction is growth.
- You’re stronger than you think or even want to be. Even when everything feels impossible, you’re still here, pushing yourself forward.
- This moment won’t last. Even sandpaper smooths out eventually, and so will this phase of your life.
Finding Purpose in the Chaos
For me, part of getting through this has been reconnecting with my purpose. In the hardest times, I know that what I do—helping entrepreneurs build businesses that resonate with their souls—matters. And if you’re an entrepreneur struggling to find your way right now, I have something that might help.
I’m inviting you to Unleash Your Inner Architect: Building a Business That Resonates with Your Soul—a live webinar where I’ll share what’s actually working in business today.
Forget the old persuasion model – too much friction. Forget chasing clients, pushing sales tactics, or shoving online courses in front of people – too much friction. That era is over.
What’s working now is an attraction model, a resonance model—where you align your business with the right energy, operate at the right frequency, and attract the right people to you. And I’m going to show you exactly how to do that. Because you want as little friction in the way you do things as possible.
🔹 Want to learn more? Comment “UNLEASH” below.
Because even when you’re landing on sandpaper, there’s a way forward. And I’d love to share what that can look like.
Let’s grow!
Beate
Beate Chelette is The Growth Architect & Founder of The Women’s Code, a training company specialized in providing companies an ROI on Balanced Leadership. She has been named one of 50 must-follow women entrepreneurs by the Huffington Post. A first-generation immigrant who found herself $135,000 in debt as a single parent, she bootstrapped her passion for photography into a highly successful global business and eventually sold it to Bill Gates in a multimillion-dollar deal.
Beate works with business leaders and supports organizations by developing and providing training the training, tools, and expertise to create and maintain a balanced, equal, and inclusive work environment that fosters creativity, employee engagement, and corporate growth.
Recent clients include Merck, Women’s Legislative Caucus of California, Cal State University Dominguez Hills, Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), NFTE, CreativeLive, the Association of Corporate Growth, and TracyLocke.
Beate is the author of the #1 International Amazon Bestseller “Happy Woman Happy World – How to Go From Overwhelmed to Awesome” a book that corporate trainer and best-selling author Brian Tracy calls “a handbook for every woman who wants health, success and a fulfilling career.
To book Beate to speak or train please connect here. Your Time Is Valuable!