I ran into an old friend the other day. Someone who hasn't seen me in 11 years. It's amazing how a quick walk down memory lane can really bring things back into perspective...
The first half of this year has been nothing short of a crazy roller coaster ride. Or more accurately, a serious obstacle course. 😛
I've joked that I must have signed up for a Life Endurance test at some point, and just forgot that I did -lol.
I've been learning some hard lessons lately, and forced to make some serious changes in my life and business. Some of it has been fun, most of it has not.
I know, I know - everyone thinks I have it made. And honestly, in many ways I do. But I put my pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else, and I am certainly not exempt from the crazy curve balls of life...
Dramatic Revenue Drop
As the year started and I was wrapping up my books for 2011, I found myself in an odd place financially. It was the very first time in my history of 15 years in business that I had earned less than the year before.
Every single year I have earned more than the year before - until then.
I couldn't quite put my finger on the reason. 2010-2011 had been rough years for me personally, and I had relied heavily on my passive income.
When I was actively working it wasn't necessarily on "money tasks" but rather on the things that I enjoyed doing.
While analyzing my books, I assumed this must be the source of the dramatic revenue drop. Me. That's always the first direction we look when things aren't going right, isn't it? As well, it should be - usually.
Robbed & Hacked
Other than that things were going pretty well in my life. Well, mostly. I kept experiencing major downtime with my sites. You may recall visiting one of my sites and finding it down - more than once over the course of about 10 months, even.
I would get on a support call with my host and it would "be fixed", but only temporarily. It was driving me mad but I didn't know what else to do.
Then, during the first quarter, I discovered that my domain (ClickNewz) had been stolen by a nasty hacker. If you're wondering how that happened read this, as it explains exactly what happened to me as well. I had to jump through a number of hoops over the span of several weeks, but did finally manage to regain ownership of my domain.
Next, I found myself seriously hacked. Or my sites, I should say. The hackers locked me out of my own sites and redirected my email so that I couldn't even do a successful password recovery.
Once I hired a security team, it became obvious that previous hacks (that were less obvious) were the source of my site downtime all along.
That downtime cost me almost $80,000 in passive income last year. BINGO! I found the source. And it wasn't me. 😀 LOL...
Perspective & Gratitude
In addition to all those hassles, the expense of the security team and loss of income, I had many personal issues pop up. It couldn't be small things either. Oh no - life was really pulling a doozy on me. From a major health issue to losing Mylah & a few other curve balls in between that literally knocked me back a few paces.
That "walk down memory lane" I mentioned earlier, really put things back in perspective. As bad as things continued to get, my life was still nowhere near what it was a decade ago when I was going through an even worse time.
Even with the major drop in gross income, I still pulled a 6-figure year. I had two healthy, happy children and a (very nice) roof over my head. And I had friends and resources I could count on as I made my way through the current "obstacle course" of unexpected circumstances.
Worst Case Scenario
At one point things seemed downright impossible. I had those days where I just wanted to crawl in a hole, and pull the hole in behind me. I settled for crawling in my bed and pulling the covers over my head. 🙂
That's normal. But I had some very ambitious goals for this year, and I was not about to just give up or give in. I literally had to drag myself out of bed and walk through the "recovery tasks" one at a time - no matter how long they took me.
Yes, at one point I became completely exhausted and felt that "victim mentality" creeping in, but I forced myself to just keep moving forward. And just as I'd get to a point of being able to say "wow, I am so glad THAT is behind me!"... boom, another curve ball. It was disheartening to say the least.
I discovered an exercise that was extremely helpful. It was to simply sit down, clear my head of all the worries and what if's, and draft up a very literal Worst Case Scenario. Interestingly, in each of the cases, it wasn't nearly as bad as it seemed in my head. There was always a "best next step", a solution if you will, and so I focused on that. And of course, in most cases I never had to refer back to that Worst Case Scenario - but at least it was out of my mind, on paper, along with workable resolution. Which was comforting, and reduced unnecessary stress.
Things Are Looking Up!
For awhile there I admit it was ME looking up, half expecting the sky to fall on my head. LOL. I literally felt like I was under constant attack. And for awhile there, between hackers and thieves and "friends", I literally was.
While I'm less than two weeks out from the latest blow, my gut feeling is that this phase is coming to it's end. You know that old saying "this too shall pass". It's true. The one consistent thing in life, that you can truly count on, is change.
This is not the most comforting thought when things are going fabulous, lol. 😀
But it certainly is when they're not. 😉
All said and done, I'm very pleased with how I handled each of the situations. And I am feeling inspired and motivated again, and ready to get things back on track around here.
Life can be nuts sometimes. Business can be frustrating. I encourage you to dig deep down and find your resolve, and power through whatever comes your way.
Whatever you're going through, or whatever comes up in the future, know that you're not alone. Crap happens to ALL of us. And while it's no fun while you're right in the thick of it... it IS what makes us stronger, builds our character, and pushes us to pay more attention to the important details in life.
Just remember, it's hard to put all you are and have into super cool ambitious goals from a point of complacency. The more challenges and obstacles you face, the harder you'll work to get where you'd rather be in life.
*cheers*
Best,
About Lynn Terry
Hey Lynn
Watching you go through struggles will help tons of people realize that they can make a difference in their life. You are daily an inspiration to those who read your blog. No matter the challenge, just knuckle down, dig in and work through it. That is what separates the winners from the losers.
You mentioned the victim mentality. That is the single biggest difference I see in those who succeed vs those who continually fail. Success is driven by taking action and responsibility. Even though your sites were hacked, you took action to resolve it and not sit and whine about it.
Here's wishing you 2012 will be more prosperous, more enjoyable and more Lynn like 🙂 Have a great summer.
Thank you Scott! 😀
I agree. It's very easy to just give up, throw in the towel, and accept that "you can't". That will of course get you nowhere in life. Having a vision of who I want to be, what I want out of life, and where I'm headed has been the one thing that has kept me on track - in both the good times and the bad.
Lynn,
Am I understanding you correctly that there is some sort of security flaw in gmail that allowed all of this to happen? If so, do you know if they have fixed it? My daughter's bank account was just hacked, and it appears that they somehow got to it through gmail. We aren't quite sure yet, though.
Based on the article you pointed us to, it looks like someone is targeting successful sites. Were they somehow able to siphon of your profits, or did the site just not make profits during that time?
I cant' even imagine the anguish you must have felt as you tried to fix all of this. I'm glad it worked out.
Yes, but from what I understand that security flaw has now been fixed. The one thing I would recommend is that you go into Gmail and 1) change your password, and 2) set up 2 step verification at https://www.google.com/settings/security (I didn't even know this option existed!).
"Just remember, it’s hard to put all you are and have into super cool ambitious goals from a point of complacency."
What a very interesting point. I agree with Scott that it's your ability to NOT see yourself as a victim that makes you someone I respect enormously. However I would hate to think that struggle and hardship are NECESSARY in order to live a fulfilled life.
I do see where you're coming from - that the drive comes from getting from where you are to where you want to be. But what happens when you get to where you want to be? Is it possible that we then in some way create drama in order to keep ourselves moving forwards?
Thanks for making me think - again 🙂
I don't believe that struggle & hardship is necessary to succeed. I think VISION is necessary to succeed. It's that vision that has carried me through both the good times and the bad (when I was complacent or comfortable, and when I was not).
Interesting point that you bring up though. When I met my initial lifestyle goals, I did find myself standing around asking "Um, now what?!" LOL. It was a very odd place after working so hard to get where I wanted to be. So I sat down and drafted up my vision for the next phase of my life. 😀
Wow Lynn,
I'm feeling so awful for you, but I never for a second have thought of you as someone who isn't strong enough for what comes her way.
The way I see it, those hackers picked the wrong person to pick on. You're not someone that can be struck down for long.
Life will always turn us a few blows now and then, I just recently had one myself, but as you said, you have to dig down and find your resolve.
It's good however, to hear that you have the worst of this behind you and you can move on, hopefully wildly surpassing your setback.
What's that saying? Something like, "We all have problems in our lives, but it's how we handle them that really matters". You've certainly been an inspiration there as well.
For what it's worth you're often in my thoughts and prayers.
Liz 🙂
Thank you, Liz 😀
Lynn,
Thanks for such a candid post. I struggle to stay motivated some days and to see that you face challenges like we all do and how you are able to forge ahead is inspiring.
I hope your health is OK, because that is really the most important thing.
Tom
Thank you, Tom - I agree. I'm feeling tons better already, and it's good to have that behind me along with a few other issues. I'm expecting good results at my next checkup. Meanwhile, I aim to start exercising more and have gotten back on track with my healthy eating. No sense *causing* more issues, lol. 😉
hi Lynn,
i really hope this phase will come to an end for you. sometimes it all happens at once and everyone and everything seem to be against us. i had a similar period in the first half of 2010 - including losing two loved family members and my cat who was my friend for ten years. so when i read about you losing mylah, wow - i just felt and feel for your. it's always easier to crawl into a hole but i met you as a person who does not see this as an option for more than a day. that is truely inspiring. there are still some month to make this year a good memory, or at least a better one. i love your worst case scenario exercise, i have done it so often and it always helps. i wish you all the best for the rest of the year and i know here are many people you gave so much to and who will not hesitate to jump in and help whatever you need 🙂
Thank you Monja! I am really excited about this second half of the year. The midway point seemed like a good place to "start over" with a fresh perspective and a cleared mind. I have ambitious goals for the next six months, and am feeling inspired & motivated with those in front of me. 😉
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for sharing so openly... I can't imagine what a nightmare that must have been having such a major site hacked, losing all that income, etc. I love your "Worst Case Scenario" exercise, because it really does expose that the worst case isn't that bad. It's so helpful just to let go of fear and keep pressing forward!
It truly is. If you let it, worry and fear can get the best of you - and totally steal your creative energy! The last few months have been a serious challenge, but I'm so glad to have it all behind me and to be back in a position to work on creative projects again. 😀
Lynn,
I'm glad things are looking better for you. I don't know if you've seen the cartoons of Andy Capp. A real rough character. His wife asks him how he manages to get home in such a state after drinking too much, falling into the canal and then crawling through the door. His answer is one of the greatest philosophies I've ever heard. He says: "It's easy. You just get up one more time than you fall down". What I've seen of you after all this time makes me think that you already know that philosophy, and have the strength to follow it.
Hope the waters have calmed down and you have plain sailing from here on.
That's such great wisdom, LOL - love it! 😀
Hi Lynn,
I just wanted you to know you really have been an inspiration to me over the years.
I'm glad things are getting back on track for you.
Thanks for the gmail info. I'm taking care of that today.
mary
Thank you Mary 😀
Thanks for sharing your recent struggles so openly here, Lynn.
I've always admired your transparency when it comes to both the good and the bad. I'm certain that hearing about the not-so-rosy times you've experienced recently will inspire many others to keep pushing forward.
Focusing on gratitude and perspective is a great way to get through the rough patches, rather than allowing yourself to get too bogged down by them. Thanks for the great reminder! 🙂
It really is easy to get bogged down. And I did have my moments (um, days on end sometimes lol). But every time I felt completely overwhelmed, I reminded myself of worse times. Worse times that I made it through, and came out shining - that lead me where I am today. That's the one thing that really kept me going during the worst of it... *cheers*
What an inspirational story. Good for you for pulling yourself up by your bootstraps through all those glitches. I'm sure you learned something from every experience. I hope this year turns out to be much better for you.
Thank you Susan - and yes, lots of lessons learned, lol. Good ones too. 😛 The hacking/theft really pushed me to put things in place and make changes that needed to be done anyway. So in the end, frustrating and expensive as that was, it put me in a better position going forward.
It sounds like you've had several times recently where you've been overwhelmed. I've learned when I'm feeling overwhelmed to simply stop and acknowledge it. And know it does go away...and it always has.
Thanks for sharing so candidly.
So true, Deborah. "This too shall pass." Always. Great advice too, because you can easily get so wrapped up in it that you just cause yourself MORE stress. Some days I had to stop and just BE, take a break, rest my mind, then come back to it and focus *only* on the tasks at hand. 🙂
Your video at http://www.lynnterry.tv/457/living-in-the-moment/ also mentions the worry monster. What you have said in both provides great insight. For me, verbalizing what *might* happen has helped. (I'm not a big "write it down" person.) I get out the web cam, start talking, and then play it back. I've had a lot of "ah ha" moments, yielding solutions that I hadn't found via mental gymnastics!
Thanks for sharing.
Cindy ;}
Putting it out there in front of you is ideal. I tend to journal, as writing is my favorite form of release. But any way you can get it out of your head and straight in front of you - where you can actually deal with it logically (vs emotionally) - is a GOOD thing. 😀
Lynn, I admire you for gutting through the bad times day by day, being willing to look at yourself (even though in the end you had hacker issues), and being willing to share the downside with your readers, too. Blessings.
Thank you Sue. I actually learned a lot by taking some time to analyze my business, my role in it, my levels of motivation and inspiration and creative energy, etc... All said and done, much learned and A LOT accomplished. 🙂
Lynn, I am so sorry for the big struggles and Im always so inspired by your strength. I'm going through clean up right now of every single website I own which are hacked to death. I was in tears over it, and that's when I realized this happened to you too. I DO miss you. Let's please get together soon. You can come down to the Lake with us here. It's so refreshing. Surely good things lie ahead.
I'm feeling good about the last half of the year, and definitely - GREAT things lie ahead! 😉 We'll do that. I've been home entirely too much this year so far, lol. Need to get our local group together for lunch!
Were you able to get your sites cleaned up? What a royal pain. I know firsthand what a nightmare that is. Ugh. The worst instance of it happened to me while I was traveling in April (not the first, but definitely the worst). Had it not been for my virtual team, I would have been "up a creek" as we say around here, lol.
Hi Lynn I sat down with a mentor many years back when I was starting my own retail business & he said the worst thing that can happen is you might be bankrupt. Yes it happened i was bankrupted lost the business the house the lot but I kept my health & it was a great release to be able to go for a run & say thank you for still waking up each morning.This was all caused by the 86 recession I did nothing wrong or anything to cause it. Sometimes we just don't have control of things around us but we need to prepare for the "just in case"scenario. I was introduced to a WORRY box you write down your concerns & then sometime later you take it out & usually you find it didn't happen but you got it out of your head!!Keep smiling girl you are an inspiration & just welcome every new day as a new start.
Thank you Rob. 😀 It's interesting that the things we worry about the most... are never as horrid as we imagine them. And often, they turn out to be very positive turning points in our life. Looking back over my own bigger challenges over the years, this has definitely been true.
As I was reading Chris Coyier's account of the problems he had and those you experienced the question in my mind was "Did anyone try to identify the hacker?" Did the security team have any success in finding out who was responsible? Did they even try? Were any authorities notified and if so did they do anything? On Chris Coyier's site (css-tricks.com) was an item that David Walsh received two emails on November 28th (2011) from moya.server@gmail.com. One said: "trust me godady can't help you," the other: "pay 2k to get ur domain back ..". In light of this extortion was anything done about that?
I can only speak for myself, but yes I am taking action on the information that I have.
Thank you for always being real and proving that working online isn't all rainbows and margaritas on the beach.
LOL, that's true with anything in life, isn't it? 😉
I was talking to someone awhile back about a product she purchased. She was disappointed, and said "According to the sales copy, I should be drinking margaritas on the beach by now." It wasn't a product I would have necessarily recommended, but my reply was...
"You do realize that the man who wrote that copy you read was probably sitting in his mother's basement in his underwear, unshaven and broke, and hadn't seen the light of day - much less a beach - in months on end... right?" 😛
Not to put down copy OR copywriters. Only to say that we get out what WE put in, and our expectations must be in the right place. Meaning: there is no big red easy button.
Fortunately I have achieved a wonderful lifestyle through my online business, and I am seriously grateful for that. There are plenty of beaches and margaritas mixed in there! But yes, like everything else in life, "stuff happens". 😉
This expression will me be my mantra and it will help you. Quoted from the new movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel; "Everything turns out for the best in the end, So, if it's not the best, It's not the end! Have a great day.
I like that saying. 😀
Wow. Very interesting regarding the hacking. Thanks so much for sharing this experience. I would encourage people to click the link you have regarding more information on this issue. So how do we protect ourselves? Is it just more due diligence and keeping watch of all our sites and email accounts? Changing passwords often?
Regarding the rest of your article, thank you! Lynn you always remind me to stay strong and work through. Thanks for inspiring me again.
Here's wishing you calmer waters and blue skies ahead!
Thank you Joanne!
I recommend you subscribe to and read http://www.WPsecuritylock.com by Regina Smola. Make your passwords unique (don't use the same one across the board), make them strong, and change them frequently.
Don't use any plugins or software you don't absolutely need. The more "software" you install (anywhere) the more vulnerabilities you create.
Use 2-step verification in Gmail. A pain, but worth it.
Lynne, thank you for your total public exposure and authenticity. You are an amazing woman and mentor. Since I hadn't been around that much in the Elite Forum the past several months I did not realize there was so much off for you.
AND, NO MATTER WHAT you were ongoing and consistently there fulfilling your self-claimed responsibilities to your "troops." Thank you for that, for ongoingly moving forward, sometimes, perhaps from your perspective, dragging one step at a time - ALL WAYS honoring your commitment to us.
Thank you Sheila. That means a lot. Honestly, most days while I was going through the thick of it, logging in and brainstorming with Elite Members was the one thing that kept me grounded. I absolutely love that group! 😀
Thanks I needed that!
😀
Lynn,
WOW...I have been out of pocket snd out of touch for quite some time with my business, other work issues and family life. Although I have been lurking on occasion, just the past few days I have begun to start to reconnect and catch up on what is going on with Click Newz, Elite and you. Happened to see your post and title intrigued me so I read it.
I am so sorry to hear about all the struggles you have been facing lately, Lynn. But your keen self-awareness, resilience and tenacity in dealing with things head on is nothing short of amazing. As others have said, your transparency and life lessons shared helps us all in dealing with our own issues. Thank you for that gift!
I am sending prayers that God will give you great peace, rest and strength and new beginnings and opportunities going into the latter part of this year. Focus on what is most important and everything else will fall into place.
Hope to return to the Elite chats and forum soon. Miss you all!
Sheri
Lynn,
I never knew you had went through all those things. 🙁 I'm sure this year has been a whole lot better for you. 🙂 I just wanted to tell you again that I've always been inspired by you, your wisdom with home business and affiliate marketing. I have watched quite a few of your videos just within this month. Amazing! I hope your success continues for years. =)
Thank you so much. This post was written just over a year ago. Since then I got terribly ill, wrecked my car "deer hunting" which resulted in a blown engine due to an "oops" at the shop, had a two-week long nasty flu, then had emergency surgery - with two months of bed rest, and several more months of limited cognitive function. LOL. In hindsight, all I really CAN do is laugh. 😛
I'm happy to say I'm still here, still truckin' toward my goals, and still moving forward, one step at a time, every single day. 😉 *cheers*