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I'm probably blowing the minds of my regular readers right here and now and I totally get that! I wouldn't usually be the sort to talk about "mindset"! Namely because I have always come across as a very literal thinker and writer. You wouldn't be wrong either....
However, the longer I'm in business, the more I see a relevance for this ideology. When we as business owners have a few years of experience under our belt, we all start to appreciate it was more than simply luck, pluck and guile that got us where we are today. It was also (they all had a role as well in fairness) mindset.
We have proven we didn't cave or give in, we obviously didn't hold ourselves back or stay in our lane. Mindset is a motivator, an imagination taker and it not only hones and focuses our minds but shapes our physical and emotional well being too.
With the right mindset frankly, you're unstoppable...
Over the years I have had to overcome mistakes, false steps and downright full blown "Imposter Syndrome" and because I am lucky and thankful to be surrounded by a powerful and supportive group of friends and family I have been brought back from the brink more than once from closing my business down and getting a "proper job".
We have all had to change and adapt over the last couple of years and its' affected us all: at home and at work in so many ways. So for me, in August of 2021, I finally realised what I was previously doing, wasn't working well for me any more.
"If it's no longer working, something's gotta change and I'm starting with myself"
I realised that I was feeling so low and depressed that after my doctor said that my blood pressure was higher than it ever had been before (I usually have a low BP!) I had to do things that were frankly out of my comfort zone. So I started using Meditation as a means to manage my mental and emotional health better.
Initially it was using the Mindfulness App on my Fitbit and I started going on 30-60 minute walks at night a couple of times a week doing walking meditations. Then I started doing spells of them at home for a few minutes and sometimes up to 10 minutes.
Finally, one app I would heartily advocate for was the "I am" app, a paid for and free app that sends you uplifting and encouraging messages several times a day to help empower you.
Now I felt stronger, I wasn't weighed down with my usual baggage of self doubt and lack of energy I felt motivated to go on and do more.
For many years I had been using pen and paper and Google Calendar to get what I needed prioritised and done and it had worked but with this new sense of urgency upon me I wanted to redress a few things. I had at the time an endless bevy of notebook and notepads, things I had collected from many network meetings and conference that I had written dozens of little nuggets of knowledge that I thought at the time would transform my business or that of my clients and I actually never did anything with them!
So instead of leaving them littering my cupboards, I opened each one and went through the minutia of fragmented and age old topics I had copied down and moved what was still relevant onto my new Asana Boards and put them under either Green, Amber or Red. These were ways and ease of how I could and should implement or learn more about any of them.
For many years I have been using a Traffic Light system just like this for prioritising my work and building a strategy using it. Over the years I have been giving this technique to my clients and have honestly had some lovely feedback from it. So instead of having this system only in my head I decided to write a blog which I have linked to above.
For those of you that prefer to have a tangible method of recording your day to day life, that you can touch and feel I would recommend this Social Media Planner from Lucy Hall. It's been a life saver for me and many of my clients (no I'm not an affiliate and I really should be!)
I have heard all the mindfulness things I can manage. "Don't measure yourself against someone else ruler" is a really good one and for a long time I paid it no mind and did so anyway.
After finally getting out of my own way, I realised what a pointless exercise that was. My experience, presentation of my work and skillset are my core individuality. I don't actually want to be someone else. It's tough being someone else! I have attracted custom over the years by being myself - even when I did want to emulate someone else and hadn't even realised it.
I may not be the greatest expert in my field but I'm damn good at what I do and work to improve myself daily. Not just for me but for my clients too. I don't stop investing in myself as I am my product after all.
Since putting all of the above in place I have genuinely made so many changes to myself AND my business. I have attracted larger clients, secured longer term ones and built relationships with peers in my industry that frankly a year ago I wouldn't have thought possible. I wouldn't have thought I would have been worthy of their time and attention.
Getting into the right mindset for YOU is imperative. As a business owner, a mother and a wife I now feel I can manage so much more and want to help others feel the same. So are you getting in your own way? If you are, it's time to stop. It's time to surround yourself with the right people and build yourself up from within. It's not magic or hocus pocus, its truly inward work that only you can do.
If I can help you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Working with clients Nationwide from base in Mullingar.
