Hey, Life with Justin Stephens community! Justin here, with a journal entry on the past few days—it's been a mix of wins and challenges as I settle into new routines. As we document this journey through personal finance, success, business, sales, and marketing, these updates keep it authentic. From starting at WinCo to marketing gigs, sleep adjustments, and dating hurdles, let's break it down.

Starting at WinCo: The Night Shift Ride

My experiences starting at WinCo and the night shift have been a wild ride so far. The work is straightforward and rewarding—stocking shelves, organizing aisles—but adjusting to the hours has been harder than expected. I'm loving the team dynamic and seeing the store come together overnight, but the flip in schedule means fighting fatigue during the day. Overall, it's going well, and I'm grateful for the stability it brings to my finances while I grow my side ventures.

The Challenge: Scheduling for Handyman Hustle and Fatherhood

The biggest hurdle has been getting on a good schedule that allows me to balance the night shift with my handyman side hustle and being a good father. The irregular hours make it tough to be fully present for my kids during the day, and squeezing in handyman jobs requires careful planning. I've been exhausted at times, but I'm getting on a better sleep schedule—napping strategically and prioritizing rest—that's helping as I grow. I'm excited about what that looks like long-term: More energy for clients, quality time with the kids, and consistent blog work. It's a work in progress, but the progress feels good.

Marketing Gig with the Painting Company: Fun Alignment

On the business side, I'm working with a painting company on their marketing and building their digital brand, which is a lot of fun and aligns well with what I'm trying to do with my side hustle. Who knows where the relationship will end up, but I think it's going to be a grand adventure! Collaborating on content and strategies feels natural, and it could lead to partnerships that boost both our growths.

Personal Life: Dating Challenges and Staying Hopeful

In my personal life, dating has been a challenge—just finding people to talk with who align with your beliefs and desires, and who have time to invest together, can be hard. I've been prospecting on dating apps to try and find someone who's a good fit for me. I refuse to live life alone and know there's someone out there who's perfect for me, but it's a matter of finding them. That's one reason I do this blog and run my brand the way I do—I want to be transparent and upfront with everyone in my life, whether they're friends, enemies, clients, or future significant others. They can go back and really get to know who I am based on what I've shared and what I've gone through.

Reflections: Gratitude for the Ride

Overall, life's been a wild ride lately, but I'm grateful for the growth. Balancing it all is challenging, but the pieces are coming together—work providing stability, hustles offering creativity, and personal pursuits keeping hope alive.

Why This Matters for Your Journey

Updates like this show how real life intersects with success—balancing schedules for finance stability, building partnerships for business growth, and staying open in personal life for fulfillment. It's all part of the adventure.

At Life with Justin Stephens, we share raw Journal Entries like this, alongside Point of View stories, Life Strategy tips, Resources, and Great Causes to inspire your path in finance, business, sales, marketing, and beyond.

Call to Action: Subscribe at justindcstephens.com for daily motivation. Share if you're navigating similar challenges, and comment: What's one thing helping you balance life right now?

P.S. Tomorrow, a Point of View post from a marketing pro on digital branding. Stay tuned!

To your success,
Justin Stephens