I have a strong belief that the hardest times can shape us into a version of ourselves that we never knew possible. 

I certainly appreciate this can sound a bit cheesy. But stay with me, because during one of the most challenging times we experienced, we were able to set ourselves up with an online income and lifestyle that once felt like a far off future dream.  

A sudden and unforeseen health battle left me bedridden and in and out of hospital, while my partner juggled running our solar business, caring for our two young boys, and holding our family together. As my capacity diminished, so did our sense of control—and the financial pressure became overwhelming.

We were terrified.

But through that darkness came a shift.

We have always believed in the power of education and new skills. When an opportunity came to explore creating an online income through the E-Business Institute, we leapt. I was spending a lot of time in bed, but instead of feeling helpless, I committed to the learning. That time became my lifeline.

We had already made the difficult decision to shut down our solar business to focus on healing, but with every module, video, and late-night brainstorm, a new confidence began to grow. 

Even when we were at our financial lowest—with young kids and no clear income—we somehow felt less anxious than ever before. 

Because we had skills. A plan. And a renewed sense of purpose.

Fast forward just 6 months later, we’d relaunched our solar business — stronger and more aligned with our values. That relaunch was entirely possible thanks to the skills we committed ourselves to learning in that uncertain time. Yes, we lost money while learning. But once we reopened, we doubled our income within four months through consistent, high-quality lead generation and a 150 percent increase in traffic.

We didn’t stop there. We built several websites for local businesses to gain experience and confidence and landed our first paying client. What began as a $2,000 website job turned into an $8,000 renovation. 

From there, we opened up our own digital agency and started working specifically with solar and trade businesses, helping them attract the right kind of customers.

Just a year after our world was turned upside down, we now had a thriving solar business, a secondary income through our digital agency (www.swellwebsitedesign.com.au), and most importantly a flexible work-from-home lifestyle.  

Here’s how we not only survived—we thrived—and the actionable steps you can take if you find yourself at a crossroads.

1. Recognise When It’s Time to Pivot

When my health declined, it forced us to face a truth we didn’t want to admit: we couldn’t keep going the way we were. Closing our solar business felt like giving up on everything we had built. It wasn’t just a job; it was years of hard work, long hours, and sacrifices. We had reliable staff and whilst it came with a lot of stress, an income that had slowly been building. Shutting it down felt like failure. It felt like we were about to lose everything and go right back to square one.

But here’s what we learned: holding onto something that’s no longer sustainable can cost you far more than letting go. By stepping back, we created the space to not only heal, but reassess what we had been investing our time and money, and build something stronger than we ever imagined.

Recognising that it was time to pivot gave us a sense of empowerment instead of helplessness.

My tip to you: If your current path is unsustainable, allow yourself to change direction without seeing it as failure. Pivoting is growth. Starting over doesn’t mean starting from scratch because you bring every lesson with you.

2. Invest in Education and New Skills

We knew from experience that investing in education always pays off. 

I was bedridden or in hospital much of the time, but I dedicated myself to learning everything I could about earning an online income. Through the E-Business Institute programs, we learned essential skills to start again, this time with more flexibility and purpose. 

It offered us multiple strategies to earn online including building websites for local businesses, how to renovate our own solar company’s website to attract higher quality leads and creating a portfolio of websites that generate their own income through ads and affiliates.  

Importantly, it offered a rewarding sense of purpose in a challenging time. 

Whilst you can get caught up spending your time on urgent tasks, time spent learning has one of the highest returns on investment you can make. If you want to change your life and create the life you dream of, empowering yourself through education should never be at the bottom of your priority list. It’s the best first step you can take, and it opens more doors than you could ever imagine.

My tip to you: Find an area you’re curious or passionate about, and commit to learning it. Education turns uncertainty into opportunity — and today, it’s more accessible than ever, with the ability to study almost anything online and access funding opportunities to support you. 

3. Start Small, But Start

We rebuilt our solar business and launched our online digital agency by starting small: creating a few free websites to build experience and confidence. Within just three months, we landed our first paid customer — and what started as a $2,000 project grew into an $8,000 opportunity. 

I won’t lie — quoting that first client was uncomfortable. I didn’t yet fully understand the value of my skills or how long tasks would take. Yet after just one paid customer, that quoting process became so much clearer. I embraced learning as I went. 

My tip to you: Don’t wait to feel “ready.” Start small projects to build your skills and credibility — momentum will follow. Don’t fear judgment, criticism, or failure — they’re simply part of the learning process. The longer you wait or try to perfect everything, the more ground you lose. You don’t have to have it all figured out to begin; you learn, improve, and build confidence on the road. 

4. Prioritise Your Time, Even When It’s Hard

Even with hospital stays and parenting duties, I made learning a priority. It wasn’t about finding extra time; it was about using the time I had intentionally.

My tip to you: Prioritise your future by carving out consistent time blocks, even if it’s just 30 minutes a day. Small, daily steps compound into big results over time. Success isn’t built in big, once-off moments — it’s created through consistent, focused effort, even on the days when motivation is low. 

5. Find Your Community

At first, we felt pretty crazy choosing this path. Most of our friends and family were walking a very traditional path — working 9-5 jobs, sending their kids to childcare — and here we were, taking a huge leap into the unknown. Even though we knew deep down it was the right choice for us, it often felt isolating. 

That all changed when we enrolled in the E-Business Institute programs. Suddenly, we were surrounded by like-minded people who were learning alongside us, sharing ideas, supporting each other, and showing us what was possible. Finding that community didn’t just motivate us — it completely shifted what we believed was achievable.

My tip to you: The people around you have the biggest influence on your life. Make sure you’re taking advice, inspiration, and motivation from those who align with the future you want to create, not just the path most travelled.

6. Focus on Building a Flexible Life

We always dreamed of creating a life with more flexibility for our family — but it had felt years away. Now, it feels like our reality. Our online income through our digital agency work [www.swellwebsitedesign.com.au], combined with our new-and-improved solar business, has given us more freedom, security, and confidence than we ever had before. Importantly, it allows us to prioritise taking care of our health long term and being present for our children whilst earning an income greater than before. 

Change is the only constant in life but is something that truly terrifies people. If we had been too fearful to try a different path and be flexible with our expectations, we would not have ended up where we are today.

My tip to you: Keep your long-term goals in mind when building your new path. Flexibility, freedom, and fulfillment are achievable if you make choices today that align with where you want to be tomorrow.

Final Thoughts: Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow

Our health crisis was one of the hardest experiences of our lives—but it led us to decisions and opportunities that completely transformed our future.

If you’re facing tough times, remember: sometimes the greatest growth comes when you have no choice but to change. Invest in yourself. Trust the process. Pivot boldly.

You are more capable than you know—and thriving after hardship is absolutely possible.