Just a few years ago, I was in a downward spiral. Every morning I got up, did the work I believed I needed to do, tried to live as if and ended almost in financial ruin. And there are lessons to be learned.
But here is what I know about myself, I am not a quitter, if anything that makes me push harder, and that was exactly the problem.
As I am sitting in my office, I reflect what has changed for me and that while I still work hard, it doesn’t feel overwhelming and difficult.
Here are 7 lessons that I learned
Business and life need to be on your terms
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in how other people are doing things, and we believe that if we do it like those other people, life will be grand. The truth is, however, that we are living on someone else’s dreams and terms and not on our own. The moment, I got really clear on what that meant for me, I could align my goals and actions accordingly.
Money isn’t a true motivator, it’s a bonus
I like money and need it just like everyone else but it isn’t my motivator of why I create art, coach people on getting started nor the reason I blog or build websites. I love helping people, supporting them in going after what they want and seeing them taking action and taking steps forward, that lights me up like nothing else. The money I make is truly just a bonus.
Reading is of the essence in your growth
I used to be an avid reader, usually, crime-related in fiction and non-fiction, but ever since I graduated from my master’s program, I hadn’t felt the desire to read. But I had a choice to make and to expand and grow, reading had to once again be part of my life. It’s essential if we want to expand our knowledge and grow as a person. There is always something new to learn.
But it also requires you to be able to step back, implement what you have learned by reading specific books. And take a break and start reading fun stuff, like fiction.
Create a morning routine that supports you
I wasn’t always aware of my morning routine, other than my habitual coffee drinking. I started reading the Artist way, and began a daily journaling practice and added reading the time. Just a few hours to myself, to support me mentally as well as emotionally. Writing about my fears and doubts and then bust through them with affirmations and actions, has really done wonders for me. But also that the morning routine will change and that new things will matter more in the mornings!
Stepping away from Facebook gets things done
When I first began the journey of 100% entrepreneurship, I totally got sucked into Facebook. Everyone talked about how great it is to build your business but 6 months in, I was burned out. They tell you to be vulnerable, give value and answer questions, but it has become such a spam fest in the groups, that I no longer feel excited about them. And I stepped away from groups and all over sudden, I found myself to get things done.
Staying true to your values and feelings is key
I have 3 primary values that I want to embody every single day: Freedom, Peace, and Joy. If my activities don’t provide these feelings alone or in combination, odds are I won’t complete them. But also, by asking myself every day: How can I feel free today? How can I feel peace? How can I feel joy? Those questions guide me and truly provide for me.
Being open to opportunity and possibility brings achievement
When you get clear on the life + business you want and actively take action while being open to all the things, your life can and will look different – often in ways that you couldn’t even imagine. And all you can then wonder, what’s next?
And that kind of thing makes life + business the funnest journey ever!
Taking this moment to share the lessons I learned, I hope that you find them helpful for your own journey that we call life.
