By Heidi Dahlke

About five and a half years ago, I reached out to my brother, who was flipping houses for a friend. I had always been interested in remodeling and knew I’d enjoy working outside the home while my kids were at school. So I jumped in with both feet—and got to work.

Fast forward five years and about 20 houses later, we took on a flip for an acquaintance we’d worked with before. The project was ambitious: adding a bathroom to the basement, opening up doorways, reconfiguring the kitchen, updating the upstairs bathroom, and finishing with new floors, paint, and trim. Plenty to do, with a two-month timeline. We’d done it dozens of times. I wasn’t worried.

At first, things ran smoothly. But it didn’t take long before progress started to stall. My brother and his special needs son were still adjusting to life without their wife and mother, who had passed the year before. Some days were just too much—emotionally and physically—for them to make it to the job site. Sometimes my brother would show up for an hour, then leave. His son had recently begun therapy to help him cope, and that took priority.

Meanwhile, I had a family trip planned for Christmas break after my missionary returned home—a trip I’d been working and manifesting for an entire year. I was hesitant to leave, but everything pointed toward this being the right time. The trip was unforgettable: full of new memories, blessings, and miracles. But when I returned and stepped back onto the job site, it hit me—nothing had moved forward while I was gone.

I dove back in, determined to get things back on track. But it felt like the setbacks wouldn’t stop. Our drywall guy disappeared mid-job, and what he had completed had to be redone. The flooring I had special ordered got lost and had to be reordered, causing a month-long delay. I kept showing up, doing all I could to move the project forward—but it was discouraging. More often than not, I was working alone.

I started bringing my recently returned missionary son with me for an extra set of hands—and someone to help me think through problems. Then came the tool theft. Our storage unit was broken into, and many of our tools were stolen. As we went deeper into the renovation, more issues came to light—like having to completely rebuild the stairs due to poor construction by a previous contractor.

On top of that, my brother—still grieving—had underbid the job, unaware of how much building supply prices had risen. Money got tight, and the months were slipping away. There were weekends when I worked into the early morning hours just to hit deadlines for carpet installation and inspections.

At home, things were strained. My family needed me, but I was stretched impossibly thin. I’d race home, pick up the kids, and rush them off to practices or games. My husband’s demanding job and church calling needed my support too. There was no downtime. I was burned out. I was also doing everything I could to support my brother through his grief—and still trying to keep up with my Rare Faith courses. I began to seriously doubt the timing of it all.

But then—on April 30th—I walked out of that job site for the last time. Heart and soul poured into that house. The owner didn’t even have to list it—it sold from a single Facebook post.

Looking back, I see how much I grew. Listening to the Mindset Mastery recordings kept me grounded through the chaos. When I felt overwhelmed, I’d pause and ask, “What can I do next? What’s my next step?”

Tasks my brother used to handle became mine—and I figured them out. I discovered just how capable I am. I’m proud of the fact that even when I didn’t know how to start something, I found a way. I realized that this work—this creativity and persistence—is a gift, and I’m good at it. I’m a hard worker. I do what I say I’ll do. I loved having my son at my side, learning right alongside me.

The obstacles? We handled them. We grew through them. And I learned something powerful: I get to decide how hard a situation is. I can observe it, choose whether or not to assign it meaning, and move forward. The less emotion I attach to the circumstance, the faster I can move through it.

This experience stretched me, shaped me, and taught me so much—not just about construction, but about myself. I feel incredibly blessed for the opportunity to grow, learn, and elevate my life and mindset through it all.

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