Real talk, 6-month review and how to reset
A casual chat
At the mid-way(ish) point in the year, I thought I’d take a minute to check in with you and have a quick chat about business, life… and everything in between.
As online business owners, it’s so easy to be swept up in the wave of comparison.
We see what other entrepreneurs are doing and we judge ourselves against their curated Instagram feed. Forgetting their public profile is a filtered and *often* polished part of their real life.
So, instead of talking about goals and how to “stay on track” to achieve them, I’m having a heart-to-heart check-in.
Life on the road
In the video (above) I’m sharing how the past 6 months of travelling with Drew and the kids have been - the challenges of running my copywriting business on the road, home-schooling the kids and our commitment to having as much fun along the way.
As a copywriter and self-confessed perfectionist, I’ve fallen into the comparison trap many times. Most recently, I was beating myself up because I hadn’t posted in a while.
But when I stepped back and asked myself, “Why am I beating myself up over this?” I realised it was because it’s the messaging many people in my industry (online marketing gurus) promote.
The Hustle Mindset
Now, I’m not bashing content creation. Far from it. Creating valuable content is really important as an online business owner - for sure.
WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR SEO? WATCH THIS VIDEO TO SEE HOW CREATING CONTENT CAN HELP!
But the hustle mindset is so pervasive. It can create feelings of not-enoughness, suck you into a state of scarcity and diminish your confidence.
Not to mention hustle mentality dances way too close to the border of burnout for me, which is sadly worn as a badge of honour in the entrepreneurial world. In case you're wondering... Nope, burnout isn't a prerequisite to starting and running your own business. You can totally avoid it and still achieve remarkable things. Ok, rant over!
Rebel with a cause
Being a rebel is hard! And believe it or not, when you decide to...
... leave the 9-5 world
... get off the hamster wheel of grind and hustle
... start your own business
... be a freelancer or enter the world of entrepreneurship…
You are going against the grain. Because you're challenging conventional norms and making your own rules (or breaking them as the case may be).
And that’s a good thing.
Don’t think you qualify as a certified rebel? Check this out. According to the folks at Lunarmobiscuit.com 400 million people are entrepreneurs. That sounds like a lot but it only makes up less than 5% of the world’s population.
Know your why
Simon Sinek, said it best when he said Start with Why. As online business owners, it's important we know what drives us, inspires us and motivates us to keep going.
Your why is that big bright red hot burning reason why your business exists. Your why doesn't have to be grand, noble or world-changing. Of course it can be but it might be tied to more personal reasons - at least in the beginning, such as having the desire to do work you love, make your own money so you can contribute to the household income or prove the naysayers wrong,
READ THIS POST! It walks you through the 5 things you need to know before you start your online business, including how to identify the why behind your brand.
In the post you'll learn, explore and expand on the following:
WHO - who you are and who you serve
WHAT - what you do
WHY - why you do what you do
HOW - how you do it
WHEN - when you’ll bring it (your products or services) to market
Source: Thekennedyconnection.com
Like Frank Said…
Do it your way. (I know he didn’t *actually* say that but you get the point!)
OK, pour the wine… here comes the cheese…
You have one precious life and you get to design it however you wish. There’s no one way to live or run a business. It’s all up to you. You get to choose.
If a goal, intention, desire or dream no longer lights you up or inspires you then you can change your mind. Rewrite the script and pursue something new.
It’s entirely up to you!
This mid-year check-in was very powerful for me.
If you feel a little restless, uncertain, stuck, overwhelmed, or disengaged with your work then maybe check in with yourself. Have an honest conversation with your soul.
Are your goals still in alignment with your heart?
Do you still feel passionate, joyful and connected to your mission?
What brings you peace?
What’s no longer serving you?
If money and external validation weren’t a factor, what would you do?
Taking a moment to reflect, review, reassess and reevaluate the things that matter in your life - sheep and a castle backdrop optional - can be refreshing.
It’s perfectly OK to take a break or change your mind.
Trust your gut and give yourself permission to honour your wishes. Even if they don’t make sense to anyone else. You know who you are and the business you want to build.
And guess what…
Even if you’re not 100% clear… that’s alright too. Have faith in your capacity to figure things out and trust The Universe has your back and is always conspiring in your favour.
Till next time,
Nat x
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