Holistic Business

I read a lot of coaches blogs and see my clients speak to their audience all the time on fear. Specifically how it can immobilize you and keep you from experiencing business success.

Fear of failure/success really go hand in hand. I’m experiencing that myself right now.

I’ve had some wonderful opportunities present themselves to me over the last week or two. These are things that if I bring them to their full fruitition will put me beyond my wildest dreams from when I first started my business over 5 years ago.

Do I know I can do it? Yup, without a doubt! Well, then, why am I frightened?

I’m not afraid of succeeding, I truly can’t be! I’m not just talking about the monetary end of this, although that is the springboard.

So, I have to believe my fear of success is directly related to (ta-da!) my fear of failure.

Who the hell do I think I am to achieve financial freedom (I don’t require a lot, I’m not a “stuff” person)? What makes me think I can pull this off? These questions I can quickly answer and set myself straight. That leads to the next question:

Are you actualy afraid (now, be real honest Joy) that you can’t pull it off and am going to fall flat on your face?

Yes, I’d have to say that is it. I don’t like that - need to work on it this week and pull myself out of it.

I know that these issues will keep me from taking chances. They really aren’t chances either, just a bit outside of my norm and new ground for me. I know I’m a smart, hard-working woman and anything in my life I’ve really put my mind to - I’ve achieved. So, this will be no different.

Ah, feel much better now. I give myself great pep talks.

I know one thing for me, no matter how many times I’m watch it, it always leaves me full of spunk and a real “can-do” attitude - watching “The Secret.” I apply LOA to my life everyday, but there are times it kind of gets pushed to the background and I need a re-charge. So, that is going on my to-do list for tomorrow morning.

I’m also real excited because I ordered some products (well, actually signed up as a distributor) that I believe are going to transform my life. I can’t wait to receive them, try them, and then be able to honestly promote the products. I’ve spoken to quite a few people about them, and have received some phenomenal feedback that I 100% respect and believe.

Here is my question to you -

What do you do to pull yourself together when this type of fear grabs you? Do you have a method you employ, or maybe even teach? What happens when someone has to consistently give themselves pep talks to get out of this mire?

I’d love to hear from you!

Namaste ~ ~ ~

Technorati Tags: Fear of failure, fear of success, The Secret, LOA

Are you a holistic practitioner or do you work with people who are? Do you embrace this community and want to surround yourself with other like-minded individuals?

I’ve kind of goofed-off a bit with my forum - Holistic Business Networking - but I’m really wanting to get some business conversations going over there again.

I’m also looking for articles you may have written to post there that may help forum members with personal and business growth.

Come on over and give your holistic business a shot in the arm!

Namaste ~ ~ ~

Technorati Tags: holistic practitioner, Holistic Business Networking, holistic business

My mother used to throw this little mom-ism out from time to time. She would use my sister as an example. 3 kids, work, husband, household - and she could be the first to show up with a homemade meal when someone was sick or there was some tragedy. I would marvel at how she had it all together. But, I see now, she was so busy that she had to structure and plan her time almost by the minute, and that included leaving time for such things. Or at least allowed time to swap to-dos.

I’m seeing this now as my business grows. I have more and more lists, and am getting more and more organized. I love calendaring and schedules and I’m doing more than ever in the business growth department. I’m attending more tele-seminars and getting more training then I did two years ago. I’ve also taken quite a lot of time off this past summer. Granted, it was a lot of single days here and there and a handful of long weekends in addition to one full week, but I really had a lot of fun and got a lot of accomplished.

How can this be?

In my heart, I’m really a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants person. But I’ve learned that it’s easier for me to retain that if I stay super-organized. Not that it was something on my life list, but I’ve taught myself how to be anal in my business - how funny (especially if you know me).

One of the reasons I struck out on my own was to add to the quality of our family life. We were always scrambling, nothing in the house to eat (well, that is still a struggle, baby steps ya know), weekends filled with getting the laundry done, etc.

I had allowed myself to get back in that rut once things started to take off. Then it got out of control. My husband started calling the dryer his underwear and sock drawer.

One of the things I started doing last week that has helped tremendously is taking about 20 minutes every morning after going through my emails to go over my notes from client calls, look at what was in my email progrom’s to-do folder, and checking my calendar and online shared to-dos. I make a list of what I need to accomplish that day, based on priority, deadlines, and when the project was received. If I really should get to the grocery store, or it’s a great day to hang the laundry outside - I put that on the list too.

Then I put an order to these items. This is’t based so much on priority but common sense and knowing myself. For instance, all the quick things get done first. All the items that take 20 minutes or less are out of the way early in the day. Instant graitification from crossing things off. Then, knowing myself, I’ll do any personal things that need doing. Post office, bank, grocery store, etc. Then, what is remaining does take priority and time of day into account. For example, if I know I have to get on the phone with 1ShoppingCart, I plan to do that the moment they open. I generally know when my clients are in the office and if I need to send them a proof I make sure I’m getting it to them when I’m most likely to get it in front of them for a quick look.

I get so much more accomplished in this manner and my time goes so much farther.

Have you found ways to add more time to your day? Let me know!

Namaste ~ ~ ~

The Virtual Assistant association I belong to, the VACOC, is hosting yet another fantastic teleseminar… this month the focus is on “Earning Your Worth” for women business owners with Mikelann Valterra, founder of the Women’s Earning Institute, and you’re invited!

The Five Strategies for Earning Your Worth

Date: Thursday, September 20, 2007

Time: 5pm PST / 6pm MST / 7pm CST / 8pm EST

Duration: 60 minutes

Cost: FREE!

To Register:

http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/teleclass-registration.htm

Women business owners often find themselves struggling against an “internal income ceiling.” In this powerful teleseminar, Valterra explores the psychology of why even successful women undersell themselves, and what to do about it.

From having lower pay expectations than other people, to difficulty in asking for what they truly want, women who “underearn” deal with complex emotional issues around making money. Participants will elarn five crucial skills to earning what they are really worth:

• How women can make it easier to ask for what they want;
• How and why women underprice themselves and what to do about it;
• How to conquer the “Good Girl Syndrome;”
• How women can get in touch with “resentment” to make more money;

This promises to be a great teleseminar, I’ve been following Mikelann and she is so dead-on with her insight and viewpoints.

Be sure to register, our seminars fill up fast!

Namaste ~ ~ ~

Technorati Tags: Virtual Assistant, VACOC, Earning Your Worth, Mikelann Valterra, Women’s Earning Institute

We all probably remember what it’s like when you are a kid and can not wait till your next birthday. You always want time to go fast and to be older than you are. When you are 9, you can’t wait for the double digits. When you are 10, 11, and 12 - 13 is what you dream about. After that - it’s whatever age you can start driving, then voting, then drinking.

Well, as we (notice I’m including all my readers in here too) age - we want things to slow down. We want our own aging, as well as that of our children and grandchildren to slow down.

So, why is it that retailers (and - shhhh - internet marketers) rush us?

I was in the grocery store before Labor Day weekend - and they were setting up the Halloween displays!

I had a momentary panic - am I forgetting the date that badly?

I went to look for a new bathing suit in the beginning of August. Down to one rack - extremely discounted which would have been great if they had tops and bottoms that even came close to being the same size. Another rant - how can there be small and medium tops and only x-large bottoms? Yikes - please tell me I’m not built all that weird!

But, anyway, my point is - we all need to slow down. I know, especially as an entrepreneur, there is always this drive and the need to be working on at least your next 3 projects and have another 6 in your brain, but are you really enjoying any of them? Are you spending enough time to cultivate the maximum from each of them? Or are you rushing along just trying to get people to “sign up” and be damned if they are really going to benefit from what you have to say and sell? That may add names to your list - but not to the one of satisfied paying clients.

I don’t like to read the pushy, in-your-face, that’s-not-all-you-get sales pages myself. You know, the ones that tell you you only have a week to sign up. And if you wait that long, all the spaces may be taken.

I don’t do things impulsively, at least not when it comes to my business and spending hard earned money. I need time to roll things around in my head, plan, forecast, and make sure my heart, head, and stomach are in agreement.

Don’t rush me - you’ll lose me for sure. Slow down - make it worth my time, money, and thought.

Namaste ~ ~ ~