It’s Time to Take Back Your Power, Open Up and Connect with Each Other
Back in June, I held the first of the Deep Real Conversations call, and it was powerful and connecting. Very sacred – really just beyond words. What I know is that we are creating and leading a new way of being in business and being in our lives. Sometimes that means we put our heads on our desks and cry, and it’s ok to release. And we ask for help, and we do it collaboratively and in community. It’s not the traditional way of being in business and going through our lives… we are honoring our intuition, our emotional guidance, our spirituality and our values.
Part of why we as women entrepreneurs are feeling so frustrated is that we feel alone. We don’t have the mentors and the models out there to help lead the way. We’re yearning to connect with other women. To understand and validate that we aren’t alone in thinking about business that’s different from what the business books say.
“People are happiest and most satisfied in life when they are engaged in actions and activities that draw upon their natural capacities, skills, and abilities.”
It’s true, and this is the sixth principle of Perceptual Style Theory or PST a theory that I developed with my colleague Lynda-Ross Vega to help us make sense of the everyday differences people experience between themselves and others.
This is part six of our article series on PST – to review here are the first 6 principles of PST:
People perceive the world differently.
Differences in perception result in psychological diversity, and psychological diversity is the most profound diversity there is.
Perceptual differences can be grouped into 6 unique Perceptual Styles.
Everyone believes that their way of experiencing the world is the right way (and until they learn differently – the only way!).
A person’s Perceptual Style is innate and determines what natural capacities, skills, and abilities they have.
People are happiest and most satisfied in life when they are engaged in actions and activities that draw upon their natural capacities, skills, and abilities.
I came back from my business mentoring completely WIPED OUT. I played some with my kids and then took a long bath. I slept 10 hours last night.
What is amazing is that today, the very next day, I have sprung back to my normal, “energizer bunny” self. It always astounds me how listening to our bodies when they tell us “slow down” …”take a break”…”get some rest”… really HELPS us on our journey to achieve great heights.
We simply CAN’T be highly successful without self-care along the way. The clients I see burnout or continue to go around and around in circles, without much growth, are the ones who don’t listen to their bodies’ plea for breaks.
Blessings to you as you listen to your body and take essential breaks when they are needed!
When you are in business doing what you love, it is natural to fall in love with your clients and their projects. When they put their projects out into the world and make a difference, you cannot help but feel proud of them. Their projects remind you of your contribution, the difference you are making and the important work you are doing in the world.
By the time they hire you they are ready for change. You don’t get attached to their success or rescue them into achieving. You believe in their ability and personal power to make a change in their lives. You hold the vision, believe in them, support them with your insights while they create their own ‘ah… ha!’ moments. You work in synchronicity and miracles unfold.
When they are excited about their work, about your relationship with them, they become a very important part of your life and that’s when falling in love with a client happens.
What most often stops women from making a big shift in their life is the fear of hurting someone’s feelings. In my business, I’m affectionately known as the “Velvet Hammer” because of my soft-but-tough stand with my clients. But personally, I worry as much as any gal about hurting someone’s feelings.
What I’ve learned is to NOT let that stop me from making a decision that is right for me. Here’s what I do: When I feel myself contracting, not wanting to upset someone, I always ask a powerful question my mom, Kailash (an awesome coach on these kinds of sticky situations!) taught me. The question is:
“What is it YOU really want?”
I then answer the question, without fear of upsetting anyone. In that moment, I have found my truth and from there, can respectfully and compassionately have a conversation or take action from a place of authenticity and power, rather than from guilt or worry.
Relationships are tough but they get surprisingly easy when we come from our place of truth, no matter what.
I came back from my business mentoring completely WIPED OUT. I played some with my kids and then took a long bath. I slept 10 hours last night.
What is amazing is that today, the very next day, I have sprung back to my normal, “energizer bunny” self. It always astounds me how listening to our bodies when they tell us “slow down” …”take a break”…”get some rest”… really HELPS us on our journey to achieve great heights.
We simply CAN’T be highly successful without self-care along the way. The clients I see burnout or continue to go around and around in circles, without much growth, are the ones who don’t listen to their bodies’ plea for breaks.
Blessings to you as you listen to your body and take essential breaks when they are needed!
Mindset is so powerful, boosting you up or bringing you down. This weekend reinforced the power of preparation, focus and its impact on outcome.
As many of you know, I am an avid rower. One of my favorite things to do is row around the lake. Focusing on conditioning and training prepares me for race day.
Over the years I’ve learned about the value of practice, practice and more practice. Due to my commitment to the sport, continuing to improve my technique, I experienced some amazing outcomes this weekend.
Saturday was race day. I woke up really early and with fellow team members made the drive to the race venue. It was one I had raced at previously and was familiar with the course.
If you feel more like a rat on a wheel than a successful entrepreneur of vision, then this video’s for you. Maybe you’ve heard of the E-Myth and the 4-Hour Work Week. Here’s my philosophy for having a successful business and enjoying your life!
We are just back from a platinum retreat in Arizona where entrepreneurs openly shared their struggles and successes in this economy. As Diamond level guests at this event, Mark and I loved participating and connecting with some phenomenal entrepreneurs. There is nothing like a live event for real breakthroughs and real connections.
And as I celebrate my birthday today with my loving husband and children, I am struck by how many powerful Leos I’ve heard about lately – Barack Obama and Ali Brown as examples (both share my birthday week). If left to our own devices, we Leos show up in pretty big ways. And as I’ve “stepped into my power”, I’ve had to let go of caring what others think about my innate boldness.
Yet, as a sensitive soul, I had allowed *the reactions of others* to my ambition, drive, and my say-it-as-I-see-it personality, keep me small for decades.
Ever noticed how some days you wake up before the alarm and hop out of bed enthusiastically ready to start your day. You’re motivated, happy and get tons done…
While other days you’re so exhausted it’s hard to pry yourself out of the covers without a crowbar? Or it feels like the hardest thing in the world to focus and get something meaningful done?
Or how you have those days when everything goes incredibly smoothly, and others where everything seems to be more difficult than expected?
Yeah, me too.
And I’ve come to realize that it’s okay. That’s just part of life and being human (Which you have to admit you are, even you work so much sometimes you wonder if you’ve turned into a robot!).
