business coach Archives - Page 14 of 15

The Big New Idea: the pendulum swing

Sooooo… It’s taken me a good two weeks to get to writing this update on my Big New Idea. Partly, there was a bank holiday and sunshine that distracted me for a bit. And partly I got totally overwhelmed by the response to my last post!

I wrote the post on a Friday afternoon, after meeting with a photographer who’s on board and excited to work on the project. It suddenly felt like there was momentum! So I woke up on Monday, read through the post and sent it out, merrily getting on with the next thing on my to do list.

I kind of forgot that I was revealing a massive piece of news, directly to the audience I hope will be my customers.

So there I am, trying to focus on getting some more stuff, you know, done, and I start getting emails, comments and direct messages from people who are excited to have a service that offers the full package of product content. Someone even asked if I could do all the “boring” bits of her business, so that she could just spend her time drawing and creating!

Let me be clear: this is totally awesome. Thank you to everyone who got in touch and felt excited! It means a lot to me and I really appreciate the support. It gave me a whole new level of momentum.

For about a day. Because this is what happened next: I did a 180 on the pendulum swing of “Is this going to work?” One day, I was worrying that starting the new content studio would take up too much of my time for not much reward. That I’d really have to drive business hard and spend a lot of time trying to fill a day a month of actual paying work. The next day, I had the opposite fear: the “oh $£!&” feeling that I might not even be able to keep up with demand – that this could take over. And do I want it to take over? What if it’s too successful?

Well. First of all, it’s kind of confusing and tiring to feel so many emotions in the space of 24 hours.

It’s also that thing that I often forget: being afraid of success. I’m going to step onto my soap box briefly here, because I want to share this with you.

In our culture, we’re primed to believe that success is always just around the corner, but never quite achievable. We’re programmed to stay small, because keeping us small means that millions of million-pound businesses can market to us based on fear. (“Buy this and it’ll make you lovable.” “If you were really successful, you’d buy this big TV.” “Don’t forget, you need to lose weight in order to be truly acceptable and successful.”)

Especially as women, we have generations of predecessors whose primary role was to support others, regardless of talent, ability and potential to lead fulfilling lives and careers. We’re still carrying those stories around, untangling them bit by bit.

And here’s what I’m trying to untangle: We’re allowed success on our own terms. Truly. But sometimes those old stories – the fear of success, of letting ourselves be seen and loved and really good at what we do – hold us back more than we realise.

Marianne Williamson puts it best:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are more powerful beyond measure. It is light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”

Oh boy. Let’s sit with that one for a bit, shall we?

So, yes. I’ve been trying to go with the pendulum swing, trying to accept the positive response and really take in that this big new idea, this content studio is a good idea. This is something worth pursuing, and has the potential to change my life and my business. I don’t know how or in what direction. But part of starting something new is surrendering to the journey.

As ever, I hope that sharing my thoughts and experiences as I set up something new is helpful, whether you’re starting something from scratch or looking at a new project or phase of your business.

If you have thoughts, feedback or questions, I’d love to hear from you. If the past two weeks have taught me anything, it’s that hearing from people is helpful!

Here's the thing: slowing down

So, it’s nearly a month (already!) since my 2016 retreat. As with last year, I found that the retreat weekend is an eye-opener for me as well as for the attendees, and this year, having moved house and had some time off, I’ve been left with some revelations.

One of which is: it’s time to change gear and slow down.

I know for so many of my clients, this is counter-intuitive. For so many of us, especially creatives and visionaries, we want to be changing UP a gear, moving forward faster and moving up as high as we can. Don’t get me wrong, I have a whole heap of ambition. And a whole list of projects (including my Big New Idea).

And so much of my ambition and inspiration comes from within me and within my work. I get inspired by the clients I work with. I listen to them and their challenges, and I can think of lots of ways I want to help. Or I simply have a growing need within me to do something new.

But there’s also part of that ambition and inspiration that is driven by fear or comparison, and that doesn’t feel so good to me. First of all, I don’t need it. I’ve got enough ideas and scope without needing any more fire behind me to get me moving. Second, I don’t want to be driven by fear, or by what other people are doing.

There are people and businesses way ahead of me – people who’ve been building their businesses for years and years.

There are people who started out (or have since received) way more financial backing or other support than me.

There are people who have a team, even of just two, to carry the load of running a business.

I cannot expect myself to live up to what other people are doing. I don’t know the truth of what’s going on in their business, anyway, no matter how shiny and amazing it looks from the outside.

For me, it’s really the people further down the road than me that get me. I want to be there already! I’m impatient, and like many creatives, I am visionary, so I can see myself further down the line, even when I’m many years (probably) away.

So here’s the thing: I’m slowing down

My ambition and vision aren’t going anywhere and, rather than push myself to the limits, I’ve decided to trust that they’re sticking around. This is what’s going to keep me going in the long run.

That means cutting back on the number of projects I’m trying to plan, launch, and think about. It means I’m going to let business run as usual (rather than pushing it to grow, fast) while I work on the Big New Idea. And it means that I’ll be planning way more time around each activity, so that I can do things slowly.

This is not easy for me. At all.

I like working fast. I like doing things. I like calming the fear that says, “If you don’t do this now, someone else will.” Sound familiar?

But more than anything, I want to be sat in two, five, 10, 20 years’ time able to say: “I built this my way, and it has stayed the distance. I’m so glad I built it right. I’m so glad I didn’t burn out along the way. It’s such a pleasure to live this life, to do this work, and to bloom in my own right timing.”

So. Who’s with me?

Bloom: my word for 2016

Can you believe it’s 2016 already? In fact, can you believe it’s the 20th January? Crikey!

For the past three years, inspired by Susannah Conway and close friends, I’ve chosen a word for the year. A word to help guide me as I move through the year. In 2013, it was “let go”. In 2014, I chose “trust”. Last year, I decided on “care”. This year, it’s “bloom”.

When I look back at those words, I can see how I started with letting go of old beliefs and things that held me back, moved on to trusting myself and the universe as I started to dream of and create a new life and business for myself.

And of course this feels like a wonderful opportunity to check in with how care influenced last year for me. Having created a new home, a new business, started a new relationship in 2014, I was ready for some care in 2015. I was ready to care for myself, for my home, and for my clients. I was ready to explore what I needed to feel cared for. I also wanted to feel free to care about whatever I cared about – to follow my heart’s lead, rather than the things I “should” care about.

It worked! And it all unfolded in ways I couldn’t have predicted. I invested more in the yoga I love in order to care for my body. I threw myself into the work I love, and allowed myself to care about creating a really beautiful, nourishing retreat. I re-discovered how much I love to work with small businesses, with women, with like-minded folk.

And, at the end of the year, I’m not really done with care. There are ways in which I haven’t yet cared for myself. I’m still working on them. Care, like trust and letting go, has weaved its way into my values and thought processes. Which I thoroughly recommend, by the way. Caring for myself has led to better care of my partner, my home, my clients and my business. Check out last year’s Pinterest board if you’re looking for inspiration on how to invite in more care.

So what can I tell you about bloom?

It feels exciting. It feels expansive. It feels beautiful and feminine and gentle – and yet powerful.

In a session with my coach, Rachel, she suggested limitless as a potential word for 2016. Well, that was terrifying. But I knew what she was getting at: I’ve created this business, I’ve laid down the roots, and now I’m ready to take it to the next level, to expand in all kinds of ways I can’t even predict yet.

I can’t remember exactly where bloom came into my awareness, but I’m so glad it did! All that growth and expansion, but with real beauty and gentleness.

I love that it’s impossible to bloom without roots and nourishment.

I love the idea of blooming into a full expression of myself.

There are delicious quotes about blooming:

“Bloom where you are planted.”

“Happiness blooms from within.”

“She was learning to silence the noise and reawaken her own bright bloom.” (Kelly Rae Roberts) (And I do love a word that’s a verb and a noun…)

“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.”

“Nothing in nature blooms all year – be patient with yourself.”

Don’t they feel hopeful? In fact, don’t they feel full of live in general? To feel alive, that’s what bloom feels like to me.

Of course, I started a Pinterest board for this year, too. I’ll keep adding to it throughout the year as I discover more about what bloom means for me. I can’t wait!

And what about you?

Do you have a word for the year? Have you chosen one before? Is there something you’re ready to invite in to your life and business? Do you fancy joining me in blooming?

I’d love to hear!

I kind of forgot that I was revealing a massive piece of news, directly to the audience I hope will be my customers.

One of which is: it’s time to change gear and slow down.

So here’s the thing: I’m slowing down

And what about you?

Enter The Forge