Welcome to the Messy Middle
Leave room for negative space, they said. It’ll balance things out, they said.
Welcome to the messy middle. The “okay-cool-so-my-business-is-still-going” meets the “holy-sh*t-my-business-is-still-going” — IYKYK.
As a commercially-trained interior designer, messy middles are a part of every project to bring balance to every space.
Being my own boss has proven to be one of the most humbling things my ego has ever encountered. I suppose when I put it like that, I can be grateful for the ass-kicking that is entrepreneurship at times—especially in a season of overwhelming uncertainty.
I thought when I entered my fourth year of owning and operating my design studio as my full-blown livelihood I would feel like I truly arrived. Let me be the first to tell you, that is simply not the case.
Month after month, I look up after tireless weeks of working nonstop and wonder, “Where on earth is H.R.?” I panic as crunch time hits and my computer starts doing that thing again, minutes into a client meeting and I’m like “Where the heck is I.T.?” Ah yes, also me.
A beautiful brainstorm at the Fancy Meeting You Here Studio. Photo by Clarke Creates LLC.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful to be making it “out here in these streets” but this messy middle stretch zone is difficult—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I’m doing my best to find a balance where I can to honor the value of my work, pay the bills, and remain an accessible resource to our local community of budding entrepreneurs who I empathize with so deeply.
As I navigate through this journey, I’m reminding myself to take stock of what really matters. at intention has led me to invest more time and energy into my social life. At the end of the day, it’s the connection that matters—to family and friends that feel like home.
Real talk is like a dolly zoom effect in film. Getting upclose and personal with others; deep into the details while simultaneously stepping back to recognize the beauty of us being nothing more than simple energy exchanges as we dance through the universe.
Everything matters and yetNothing matters. All I know is we are here.
Every thing matters and yet no thing matters. All I know is we are here.
I tried many times to sit down and write a piece from a place of poise and polish—to tell a story from the past with a bow on it or to speak to a future that quite frankly, I know little to nothing about.
When the going gets tough, where can we escape the rollercoaster of emotions that so frequently distort our sense of reality? The answer lies deep within honest, curious, and full-bodied conversation.
So, this is me, encouraging you, to embrace where you are, lean into your loved ones, and express what’s on your mind and heart, even if it’s messy, as a pathway to move through it.
Let your mental chatter out to make space for what’s to come.
Ashley Adamma Ochiagha Meeks
Ashley is a commercially-trained interior designer, cultural thought leader & encourager of fellow entrepreneurs. She is the owner, interior designer & user engagement strategist behind Fancy Meeting You Here, a design studio focused on placemaking for changemakers.
