Use Intention to Fuel your Goal-Getting

How to Reach Any Goal

If you’ve ever set a meaningful goal then failed to reach it, you’re in the majority (and welcome to the human condition!). Goals require change —change in behavior, thoughts, attitude or actions (or all of the above). And change is hard.

Change your behavior

But as humans we crave change: novelty lights up different regions of the brain, change is challenging and shifts in perspective inspire new insights. So it’s natural that change is something to move toward —in business and in life. Setting goals is a function of change and is a worthy pursuit in business, especially as a conscious entrepreneur with big dreams, powerful work to share, and many passions.

Setting goals is a function of change and a worthy pursuit in business, especially if you have BIG dreams.

But setting goals and actually reaching your goals are very different things.

If you want to make big things happen, you have to commit to taking mindful action that both aligns with your intention and supports your long term vision.  

If you want to make BIG things happen, you have to commit to taking mindful action

You can expand your goal-getting powers by using an intention to align your priorities and your daily actions. That (plus a little strategy) equals your business goals, conquered.

INTENTION + STRATEGY + ACTION =  GOALS, CONQUERED.

Consider the following examples...

EXAMPLE 1

Jane sets a goal to grow her massage therapy practice by 100 clients this year. She first sets an intention to expand, then takes mindful action each week to identify new clients, reach them with her message, and invite them into her practice.

EXAMPLE 2

Cathy sets a business goal of packaging her expertise into a training, product or program this year. Cathy sets the intention of reaching more people with her message, then carves out 2-5 hours a week to develop her program, host a beta offering and learns how to market your signature offer.

In each of the above examples, the goals are specific, realistic and time-sensitive. Each goal-getting plan includes a set of actions (goal-supportive actions and behaviors) that bring Jane and Cathy closer to their goal. Both Jane and Cathy set an intention and use that intention to fuel their commitment to achieving their goals. Finally, both Jane and Cathy are laser-focused.

First, Commit to focus

You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again:

You can do anything, but you can’t do everything.

What is the “anything” you will do —this year, this month or this week? That’s where focus is required. And as a result of this level of focus, you are better able to identify the supports required and to take the specific actions that will move you toward meaningful goals.

Next, identify the supports required

What supports are necessary for you to reach your goal? For Jane and Cathy, those supports were a set of actions and behaviors needed to get different results in their business. Jane had to reach more people with her message —which required upleveling her marketing and being specific in her networking.

Cathy needed to learn about course development, the ins and outs of marketing her signature course, and the technology behind delivering her material. In your own goal-setting practice, the supports required become clear when you are able to articulate (and focus in on) the specific goal.

Next, develop your meaningful goals

Develop your meaningful goals by ensuring they are ….

• specific (grow practice //  package expertise)

• measurable (by 100 clients // into a training, product or program) and

• time-sensitive (within a year)

As in the examples above

• specific (EXAMPLE 1: grow practice //  EXAMPLE 2: package expertise)

• measurable (EXAMPLE 1: by 100 clients // EXAMPLE 2: develop a training, product or program) and

• time-sensitive (EXAMPLE 1 + 2: within a year)

Finally, take action!

Remain intentional in your daily actions and avoid any behaviors, habits or attitudes that distract your from your focus. Keep taking tiny steps forward every day and if you get stuck —reach out for support.

If you are stuck turning your intention into meaningful goals, take some time for self-reflection. Rather than being distracted by the "you've got mail" sound and the impossible-not-to-click headlines floating through your social feed, visualize laser-focus on your most fulfilling projects, dreams or life goals.

Get out your journal and answer these questions…

• What do I want to more of —in life or in business?

• What do I want to create?

• How do I want to show up in the world?

• What is my grandest vision for my business / life / sacred work?

Bottom line: if you want to turn your goals  into reality, stay mindful and apply focus to align your intentions and your actions.

If you struggle to develop, set or reach your goals, accountability could be the missing link. Loads of loving accountability (and hand holding) available right here.

Join us for Kula Conversations :: Mini Workshops to Fuel your Purposeful Business Growth —LIVE in the Kula every Tuesday at 1 pm EST / 10 am PST

How to Stay Proactive When Life Gets in the Way

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” - John Lennon

Eloquent words from a modern poet-prophet, to be sure. But sometimes, life isn’t limited to the swirl of activities on the sidelines of your work and ambitions. Sometimes life actually monkeys with the plans you’ve made. Life can be hurricanes and broken legs, busted carburetors and cancelled flights, sick kids and lost dogs. Sometimes life is an unexpected mini-disaster that brings everything to a grinding halt. Sometimes life is the hulking bully who runs down the beach to stomp all over the exquisite sandcastle you’ve been building all day long.

You can be meticulous and careful, have capable staff on-call to help in emergencies and a half-dozen backup plans … and still get screwed by natural disasters, germs, or planned obsolescence. No matter how diligent you are in your business plans and entrepreneurial actions, sometimes life steps in and derails you.

I watched this happen to a dear friend of mine just last week, so it’s top-of-mind for me now. And I realized that many of you lovely readers could likely benefit from the advice I gave to reassure her that all was not lost. (And to prevent her from constantly hyperventilating.)

Here are some simple, smart actions you can take when life throws roadblocks onto your path to success:

Simplify your business plan

Remember: 80% of your income is the result of 20% of your efforts. Your top-performing classes or offerings are always exponentially more profitable than less popular ones, so when life gets hairy, cut the dead weight. Identify that uber-profitable 20%, and simplify your business to that / those offers. Even if this is just a temporary switch, it can make life in emergency mode SO much more manageable. Need support identifying that 20%?

Choose one point of focus per week / month / quarter

Conscious entrepreneurs are chronic multi-taskers., and we tend to try to do everything ourselves. It’s a risky way to operate, but many of us make it work right up until the studio floods or the server crashes. When that finally happens, we are forced to focus. Focus is practical magic and the more you can laser in on the things that need to happen to move your business forward, the easier juggling everything else will become. Separate the day-to-day operations tasks from the growth tasks, and assign out the former to trusted employees. Pick a single item from the latter group to tackle each week, month, or quarter. Just one. That’s plenty. And focusing on it will help you feel productive and forward-looking even when you’re functioning in the wake of catastrophe.

Stay narrow and strong

Which of your regular responsibilities, roles, or offers are causing your now-limited energy to dissipate? The more you stay in your strength zone—your zone of genius where your unique magic lies—the less of a drain your business will be. And it’s essential that you conserve and manage your energy in times of crisis. Not sure what your zone of genius is or how to identify your unique magic? I’ve got you covered right here!

Let it go

Let’s be real: Sometimes life happens and you absolutely have to breathe into the holes that it creates in your business. Let it go and ride the wave: this too shall pass. (Even if it feels like it never will.) Remember to be gentle with yourself as you put the pieces back together. Ease yourself back into the swing of things when you can, but don’t apply any undue pressure.

Self-care is a business strategy

Speaking of which, never forget to listen to your needs and ask for help when catastrophe comes a’callin’. You are the beating-heart center of your business, so self-care is absolutely a business strategy! Identify three or four self-care practices that encourage you to feel vibrant, healthy, capable, and strong. Then stick to those come heck or high water. Promise me!

Find a community

If you’re in the throes of a business-derailing disaster right now, I sincerely hope some of these tips feel do-able to you. But if not—or if you could use an extra shot of support and empathy—come join us at the Conscious Entrepreneur’s Kula. Don’t go thinking this is “just an online community.” This amazing group knows how to help, heal, and nourish its members, and we’ve always got room for one more.

Crises can teach us essential lessons and illuminate what’s most important in our lives. But that doesn’t make them any more fun to live through. The next time life gets in the way of your plans, use these strategies to keep yourself moving forward.

Being Good Isn't Good Enough: How to Push Your Edge

You’ve done it all … but you still feel stuck and frustrated.

You’re doing it all … but not getting the traction you’re striving for.

You’re following all the rules … but still feel like you’re reinventing the wheel every day.

You’re the absolute best at what you do … but that prowess and expertise isn’t reflected in your current business or brand.

Every entrepreneur must eventually face the fact that although she’s stellar at what she does, she must also learn the craft of business in order to thrive. Being good at your vocation isn’t enough. You also need to get used to marketing/visibility, strategic planning, collaboration, selling your products, programs, and services, delegating tasks, and growing into the next phase of business. Your services are the foundation of your business, but it’s essential that you build upward from that foundation. Tending to a healthy, thriving business requires taking action and that means there will be days when you end up in unfamiliar (and terrifying) territory.

Bottom line: The skills required to do your transformative, helping or healing work are separate from those required to build a profitable business. And both of those skill sets require responsibility and pushing your edge.

I’ve worked with countless clients who’ve eventually entered a mental-emotional space that I’ve dubbed the “growth edge.” When you enter this space, you feel pushed to your capacity and forced to make the choice between comfort and change. You’re stretched thin and frustrated, but also locked into a familiar routine. Step toward the growth edge, and you find yourself thinking, “I want to earn more, build my client list, and create new offerings … but am I ready to take a big boatload of risks in order to accomplish those things?” It can be tempting to just stay put, shirking perilous changes in favor of remaining stagnant but comfortable.

But let’s define comfort, because comfort isn’t always comfortable. Comfort is the expected, the familiar, the well-worn tracks. The expected could be an expected failure, the familiar could be the familiar pain of the feast-or-famine cycle, and those well-worn tracks could be the road to financial ruin. None of those options are preferable (am I right?), but if they reflect a past experience or a set of present beliefs, they are comfortable because they confirm what you know of the world.

Growth, on the other hand, requires leaping into the terrifying expanse of the unexpected, the dark canvas of the unknown, and the new neural pathways that lie beyond the edge of your vulnerability. It means abandoning the perceived safety of sameness and taking a chance on change. It means trusting yourself and being brave and putting yourself out there.

Growth requires change, courage, and commitment.

Business requires the same things.

Pushing your edge isn’t just a best practice—it’s how you live your message of transformation.

Conquer Your Business Goals in 4 Simple Steps

Even non-writers are familiar with the concept of writer’s block; That agonizing, empty-headed feeling of staring at a blank page and believing you’ll never again have a single worthwhile thought to share.

I want to talk about entrepreneur’s block; That dizzying, overwhelming feeling of staring at a meticulously crafted business plan and believing you’ll never, ever in a bajillion years be able to accomplish the tasks outlined therein.

I’ve been there, friends.

Breaking through the block and making headway on business objectives is actually quite simple. Not easy, mind you, but simple.

Implement the following four techniques to achieve your goals.

Focus

It can be hard to channel your energy into long-term goals when you’re constantly scrambling to keep up with the day-to-day. But remember that what you focus on expands: When you carve out the time and energy to work toward those long-term goals, you create space for them to grow and progress and thrive. When you don’t, they stagnate. And so do you.

So choose a point of focus for your business — 1 month, 3 months, 9 months, whatever feels like a reasonable time-frame for your specific goal — and prioritize accomplishment. Make space for expansion, and expansion will happen. Right before your eyes.

Dedicate Yourself to Strategic Action

Moving beyond planning and into action is tough for some … but making that transition is so vital, especially for women entrepreneurs. Once you’ve created space, time, and focus around your goals, nudge yourself toward thoughtful, intentional action. Commit to forging ahead, find ways to make steady progress, and be mindful but agile. If you get sucked into the doubts, the fears, the procrastination, and the overwhelm, seek support. Join the Kula, my Free Coaching Community. Remember, action needn’t be huge. Action can mean ...

Small Wins Every Day

“Slow and steady wins the race” has got to be the least sexy business cliche in the universe. But it’s true. Anyone who looks like an “overnight success” from the outside has undoubtedly put in a decade of blood, sweat, and tears backstage, out of sight, while the world was distracted by other shiny things. Small actions taken daily matter more than frenzied action that leads to burnout. Figure out what small wins you can maintain on the regular, and make them a part of your schedule. I mean it. Put small actions that move you toward huge goals on your calendar. Make them a priority, and do them every day. (I identify my top 3 tasks for the day the night / day before and that’s where I begin first thing).

@@ Put small actions that move you toward huge goals on your calendar. Make them a priority, and do them every day. #growthcatalyst@@

Stay the Course

Distraction kills goals, especially big, bold, far-reaching ones. And again, I totally get that putting out tiny, daily fires keeps your business from burning to a crisp. But when you eliminate distractions and stamp out overwhelm, you prime yourself for success. Doing so can mean delegation, prioritization of tasks, creating a goal-driven daily schedule, or limiting your social media time. (You can watch tiny hamsters eating tiny burritos after the day’s work tasks are complete. And you should. Because they’re hilarious.) Find personalized, effective, sustainable ways to stay the course.

Love these concepts, but need some real-time support? You’re in luck! Join the Kula.

Self Care is a Business Strategy

Self-care is a strategy for business success

As a healer or helper, you hold the space for healing and transformation on a daily basis.

The energy of holding that space takes a toll.

If you aren't filling your own self-care tank, overwhelm takes its toll and burnout is sure to follow.

On top of providing the space for your healing work, you also have the business-side of things to manage.

Managing your coaching, healing, or helping business requires strategic planning, quarterly assessments, monthly targets, and weekly maintenance tasks to keep business operations running smoothly.

It’s a heavy energetic load...especially if you are high on the sensitivity scale.

My best advice?

Sacred energy management: for you and for your business. Energy management is learning to manage your energy at all levels, including the energy of your business.

Sounds simple enough, until you start to seek that balance.

Balancing your time, business activity and finances is a juggling act, especially when paired with your actual healing or helping work. But there are a few simple remembrances that can help to keep you in the flow.

Put yourself first —because without you, there's no business.

This means time for precious self-care is non-negotiable. Committing to your restorative practices shows commitment to your business's success. Nourishment and rejuvenation are essential.

Go ahead, eat something nourishing.

Or put your feet up. Take a savasana. Your business (and your ever-expanding to-do list) will be there in 10 minutes. And the more you nourish yourself, the better off your business will be.

Practice a Restorative yoga sequence for a treat at the end of your day or to unwind before bed.

Make friends with your finances

In order to "make it" in business, you must focus on earning a profit. More income, and / or fewer expenses are requirements for your business to earn a profit —and to remain in a positive energy balance. If you're close to overwhelm (or burned out —again), then it's time to heal some energy leaks. If you're in a service-based profession, time is money, so let's start with what hurts: money. If your current financial situation is dire, take a look around at the places money energy is “leaking out” —maybe it’s your billable or non-billable hours — and stop the leaks! Then decide how much money you ACTUALLY do need to remain in financial ease .

Once you know that, it’s easier to….

Guard your time

Your time is sacred, precious and finite —use it effectively by truly staying focused on the services, offerings, tasks, hobbies and causes that light your heart fire.

Anyone who has time to bingewatch [insert your favorite series] on Netflix has time to build a sustainable business.

Seriously, though, get strategic about how you are using your time —in business and in life.

Could you sacrifice that weekly energy drain and use the time you save to develop a higher value service: like an online program or signature workshop series? Absolutely.

Could you give up one night of Netflix every week to spend a couple hours working on that book?  Sure.

The thing is that you do really have the time: it's a matter of shifting the focus to the tasks and goals that will leverage your business success. But if you burn through productive hours or busy-busy weeks without a measure of thoughtfulness, you will continue to end up frustrated, overworked, and overwhelmed.

Building a sustainable business is a supreme act of self-care because it allows you to be mindful and attentive to where you spend your vital energy. It allows you to manage energy at all levels: subtle, financial and physical.

With a few simple shifts in your business and self-care practices you will find a path to prosperity —that allows you to take precious care of you. Want some guidance?

Kiss Burnout—and Overwhelm —— Goodbye

This month I'm participating in a speaker series called Kiss Burnout Goodbye—a 21 Day Global Virtual Retreat for Service Oriented Professionals.

I went back and forth on whether it would burn me out to expend the time and energy to participate (and promote!) this series. And I finally settled on YES.

Even though there are a thousand to do's on my list and a million ideas in my head, I chose to create time to talk about kissing burnout goodbye.

I did it for you! Because I want you—and all of our kula—to know that you can live out your passions profitably and without feeling overwhelmed. BUT, it does take some effort.

I've often talked and written about the state overwhelm that entrepreneurs—and even more so conscious entrepreneurs—inevitably find themselves in.

It's not just about the tremendous amount of pressure that we put on ourselves. Or the budget constraints that force us to wear all hats. It's also about the laundry that has to get done and the family that has to get fed.

@@ The entrepreneurial spirit is fierce, because it has to be!@@

I am REALLY serious about avoiding burnout and overwhelm. Some people believe that it comes with the territory. But I believe that we can learn from the lessons of conscious entrepreneurs who came before us. (Read: Don't make the mistakes I made, because I'm literally telling you how to avoid them.)

@@Overwhelm IS, in fact, Avoidable.@@

In fact, I've been telling you how to avoid it, all along!

Check out these archives for tips for you to start pulling yourself out of overwhelm and into something more vibrant.

• Set effective goals so that you know where you're heading and you won't be distracted by those pesky distractions that lead to overwhelm.
• Own your weaknesses! This allows us to seek help where we know we need it
• Create Systems. That help that we know we need—because we own our weaknesses—won't need to be micromanaged, if their actions are detailed out for them.

And don't forget to join the Kula—because we have to stick together...for the sake of support and sanity.

Want to do Meaningful Work? Own your Weaknesses.

"Focus on the positive," they say.

"You're so talented," they say.

"Hone your strengths," they say.

"You're flawed. Own it," said no one ever.

Until now.

We can fuel our HeartFire and incite action that will change the world, but even the most talented among us—the women that make you think "how does she do it all," will tell you that they don't do it all. (Assuming that they are authentic and human.) They own the light of their Goddess Gifts, but they also own their dark side.

You have a dark side, too. You're flawed. Imperfect. A Shadow hangs over you. Actually, a shadow lies within and around you. Sometimes it's even out in front.

I still love you and I want you to own your weaknesses. Be just as open about them as you are about your gifts because you can't be a light for others without first shining the light of inquiry on yourself.

There's another very good reason to get seriously honest. When you snuggle up to your shadow, it loses the power to captivate, distract or otherwise sabotage you. Knowing your mental defaults - the well-worn grooves in your thinking - is how you begin to unwind shadow's capacity to captivate.

(If you're thinking you don't have a shadow side, then you have even more inner work to do than the rest of us, so sit tight and keep reading.)

Are you...

Over-busy-ing?

I know, it's not really a word: but you know what I mean, don't you? Are you letting the endless To-Do's and task lists keep you a slave to achievement? Are you spinning your wheels trying to accomplish 20 different things in a single day? Are you feeling ungrounded, overwhelmed and unfocused?

Never satisfied?

You could solve world hunger today, but tomorrow you start at zero all over again. You're either trying to beat yesterday's accomplishments or trying to compensate for a lack thereof.

Procrastinating?

You haven't started designing/planning/selling because

The World Cup only happens every 4 years, you might as well watch.

Orange is the New Black

The phone rings, the baby cries and your Facebook feed beckons.

Whining?

Somebody already took your idea, you'll never be as good / pretty / wise as [insert your personal Shero] so why try?

You're too busy to do your creative work, it's too hot and you'retoo tired.

Any of these sound like you?

You may be feeling a little guilty at this point.

Let's not wallow in guilt.

After all, wallowing in your weaknesses isn't helpful.

May I suggest that you just own them?

Society has taught us to hide our flaws. Skin breaking out? "Slather it in concealer, cover that in foundation and top it off with powder" says the world. BUT, you and I both know, it's only when you let that sweet face get some oxygen and free it from that chemical funk, that the skin starts to heal. Beautiful skin comes from the inside and so does a beautiful, prosperous life.

You almost forgot we were talking about your real flaws (didn't you?)—not the ones we can cover up with makeup, but rather the ones that are preventing you from doing your best work in the world.

The only way to stop sweeping things under the rug is to get rid of the rug. Here's how you start:

: Be honest with yourself

If you struggle with procrastination (for example), ask:

How effectively are you using your time?

How rigid are you with your schedule?

Is that schedule working?

How often are you getting distracted?

What is distracting you from the work that is important?

: Return to the Present Moment.

When you find your thoughts have wandered far far away from the task at hand, evaluate. Stop strengthening the distraction habit, too, by doing one. thing. only. No more checking Facebook in the car line, talking on the phone in the grocery store, eating and reading.

One. Thing. Only.

Then, ask yourself:

Does what you are doing support your long-term, purpose-driven Life Vision?

If it does, than get back to it. If it doesn't, why you are making time for it in your life? Are you getting distracted because the tasks that you're filling your day don't align with the future you want to create for yourself? Stop wasting your time.

Yes, getting back to work is important. But getting back to the right type of work is much more valuable.

: Plan & Incentivize

There are planners and there is everyone else. And even the planners have their flaws. I can fill an 18 month calendar with beautifully patterned washi tape. I know when I start, where my mid point is and when I end every project for the next 5 years. But, even the most prepared, have their moments.

Keep yourself focused with little celebrations for your accomplishments. Live each day as close to your Ideal Day as possible while intentionally acting on the small steps needed to bring you closer to your future dreams. Keep your eye on the prize, but don't lose your intention along the way.

Enough about flaws for now (you're not off the hook though), let's celebrate your gifts. Hop over to the Kula and share - we want to celebrate you!

Enjoy,

Is Passion Enough?

Around these parts, I talk quite a bit about building a business guided by your passions. My own passions guide all my business endeavors, so I’ve got room to talk.

But here’s a little not-so-secret: you shouldn’t start a business just because you’re passionate.

Maybe it’s surprising to read that, especially from me.

Notice the loophole?

You shouldn’t start a business JUST on your passions.

Which begs the question above: is passion really enough?

Passion is the fire energy, the driving force, the heartfire in your business. The fire of passion burns bright and strong. But passion is not enough.

Like it’s kissing cousin Desire, Passion eventually cools.

That’s the nature of time and transformation. All things pass …and fire expedites the transformation process.

In order to keep the flame of your passion alive in business, you need to get used to hard work (over a long time, without wavering).

True, the work will be enjoyable, rewarding and ultimately more fulfilling than most standard 9-to-5’s, but let’s be clear: it’s still work.

The entrepreneurial life involves a deep dedication to learning the tools of the trade. Not YOUR trade: the trade of business.

If you’re a conscious creative type with big dreams and a desire to do meaningful work in the world, the cold hard reality of business know-how is daunting.

Then you have the day-to-day operations. Now you are not only a passionate creative / artist / healer / helper, you are a business owner! Congratulations on your new (business) baby!

This is a wake-up call …even if you’re a seasoned business owner.

Let’s call on our friend, Curiosity, shall we? As the mother of Creativity, Curiosity invites us to remain open, playful and inquisitive. Curiosity keeps you asking the questions you need to answer in order to be successful in business.

Curiosity + Passion are still not enough.

You need to develop the drive to keep going and the will to do what must be done. Self-discipline gets us to do the not-so-fun things in our business: like systems, launching, strategy, vision and planning. All of these tasks are fundamental to the long-term success in your business. If you aren't willing (or able) to streamline and strategize, your passion-fueled business will fail.

The very good news is that the extreme form of self-discipline, grit, is easier for those of us in the passion-and purpose-centered community to develop. Grit is “the combination of very high persistence and very high passion for an objective.” (Seligman, Martin P. Fluorish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being, p. 118)

While passion isn’t enough, you can combine the high passion for your meaningful work with a lion’s share of persistence to get grittier.

For the intentional entrepreneur, grit is self-discipline for the greater good. You have amazing work to do the world: creative, healing, empowering work.

Amp up the grit— in your service-centered business— for the greater good.

Take the grit test!

There's a final element that must be aligned for passion-fueled business success: Purpose.

If your passion-fueled business is misaligned with your purpose, it's time to start shifting that NOW. Your path to prosperity (and your ability to serve the world best) depends on it. Aligning who you are with what you do with your sacred work in the world is the focus of one-on-one coaching and group programs with me. It doesn't matter how gritty you are if the business you're building is misaligned at the core level.

xo,

P.S. Don’t fret if your grittiness isn’t where you’d like it to be. Grit increases with age and education. I’d also add that grit increases with intentional practice: habits. And if you're as fascinated with Grit as I am, you'll love this Ted talk by grit researcher, Angela Lee Duckworth. She literally coined the term. And she's pretty gritty herself!

Feeling Stuck in your business? Rewind to your why!

Are you feeling overwhelmed by all the noise on the internet …

about entrepreneurship, about business, about upleveling, and about marketing to the masses?

It’s difficult to find values-centric business support, especially as you grow into the next phase of your business.

Growing a business takes diligence and focus: there is so much to do and an overwhelming amount of information designed to support you. But sometimes the business of business overwhelms you, then analysis paralysis sets in, then you wonder why you are in business at all!

Breathe with me … inhale deeply….

And exhale.

Let’s get back to the dream you had about starting your own business —- the awareness that you have something wonderful to share with the world and your clients and that it was time to start a business that would allow you to do just that.

Find a tool or a few tools to help you remember why you started doing what you’re doing and create something that will help remind you about this on a daily basis because when things get hard - and they will - you’ll need something in your physical space that will signify the importance of what you’re doing.

Not every tool will work for everybody - some people love writing, listening, talking, moving, journaling, meditating - find the tool that will work for you. Some type of activity that you can do that will help you get back to why you started your business.

Here are a few to try:

1. Vision Boarding

Did you create a vision board when you started? If so, dig that out, does it still resonate with you? If it doesn’t, change it. If it does, take some time to breathe and honor the work that you put in to create that board and get back to those feelings that you felt as you were doing that work - the excitement of dreaming.

If you are creating a new one, hop over to Pinterest and pin to your heart’s conecnt. Or, go old school and cut out images from your favorite magazines. Need another suggestion? Try this online tool like fotor where you can drag and drop on to a board to create your collage.

It’s important to take action after creating the vision board - the action of placing it in an area that you’ll see every single day. Your office wall, your refrigerator, your screen saver, your phone background.

2. Mantras

Using a daily mantra helps to program your brain on a subconscious level to bring abundance into your life and bring you closer to your why. Saying mantras out loud allows the universe to hear and feel your energy vibrations and start working in magical ways to bring you abundance. Remember everything that you say after “I am …” is true. Coming from a heart full of gratitude will allow you to receive abundance easily. Create your own matras or repeat the below mantras on a daily basis:

My purpose is clear, I am on the correct path.

I am open to receive abundance.

@@My purpose is clear, I am on the correct path. #womeninbusiness @@

3. Gratitude Journaling

Think about your favorite client or that activity in your business that feels like you’re in the zone. You know that activity where it seems that time stands still, your face gets a little flushed, you can feel that you are making a difference in the universe. That space … that feeling … write about that.

This is forcing your mind to focus on the positive things and brings about positive energy.  Too often when we are feeling stuck and resistance we gravitate towards a negative mindset and by focusing on things that are working or going right in our lives and business (even small things) really helps move you into a positive and pro-active mindset. Changing our mindset which is what we are doing is going to help bring about more positivity and clarity into our lives.

4. Reminisce with a friend

If processing things out loud with someone helps, have tea with a friend and ask if you could talk about why you started your business. Having those words come out of your mouth about your why can help you get back to that feeling you had as you were starting out. When reminiscing about this with a friend, staying in that space - give no energy or attention to all of the outside noises and all of your to do’s. Just talk about why you’re doing what you’re doing. It may help to record this, listen to it later and pick out a few key words or phrases that you say and put use them as your screensaver, or create a picture with the words - put it someplace visible to have instant, visible reminders about your Why!

These are just a few tools to help you rewind to your why. 

What is your favorite way to get unstuck?  Share some – others may need some help to get unstuck – your experience could help someone else!

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