There is no doubt that being an entrepreneur is hard work. Sure, it’s also very rewarding and can bring great amounts of joy into our life by pursuing our passion, but the days can also be long, lonely and frustrating at times too.
I'll admit that there have been a few times this year when I’ve been close to throwing in the towel with running my own business- there were moments when it has all seemed too hard, it was no longer fun or enjoyable and I felt downright stuck and overwhelmed by everything I needed to do.
I believe it’s normal to have periods like this when we feel stuck in a rut. And the way to get out of a rut like this requires doing some deep mindset work so we can get motivated again and not sink deeper into the dark hole.
Our mind works in mysterious yet powerful ways. Our thoughts, actions, responses, and future are all affected by the mind. Transforming our mind to think more positively and to help us shift our mindset might seem like something magical, but it is very doable. Here are my 5 top tips to a happier, more focused, and enlightened mind so you can be the boss babe you know you want to be.
1. Train the brain to be more positive
Going through life with a negative mentality will get us nowhere fast- simple. When we come across a negative in our life, we need to train our mind to turn that into a positive.
I had to employ this a few months ago when my laptop was dropped by a contractor in my home, leaving it totally un-usable. Of course I was devastated at first, but I knew that I couldn’t let this get me down. Instead of having a total meltdown, I looked at this as a chance to replace my old computer with a new model, which is something I was going to need to do sometime this year anyway.
Instead of getting upset when unfortunate things happen, we can train our brain to accept this circumstance as a new, happy and fortunate change- who doesn’t love a new gadget? I now have a new laptop that is more powerful and works better than my old one did, so the broken laptop was not the end of the world after all. Positivity really is key to transforming your mind- but it requires practice to notice negative thoughts and them to switch them before negativity strikes us down.
2. Think with an abundance mindset
Many times we bring limiting beliefs into our thoughts, in the actions we take, and the decisions we make in our business. If we can start to flip our limiting beliefs and play to our strengths rather than stifling them, it helps us to move forward. To be a successful lady boss, we need to have a growth mindset. When we stop and look at how far we have come, it can act as fuel for our motivation. Rather than look for approval, look for learning opportunities and the chance to grow. Rather than going for perfection, go for finished.
For example, I recently lost a lot of people on my newsletter list due to GDPR compliance. I had to catch myself from the thinking that I had lost my whole community and that my business was doomed. Instead, I flipped my thinking- this was a great chance to declutter my list and to rebuild a new, better and more engaged tribe of people. This also spurred me on to find new ways of connecting with people like you, other than through relying on emails all the time.
A scarcity mindset will not move us forward. Believing that anything is possible and do-able is much more abundant than letting our inner critic think we are a failure.
3. Be in love with yourself and your life
Happiness comes from within- it is up to us to do what’s needed to tap into our happiness. We can do this by radiating love onto others and focussing on our inner peace and happiness. Projecting positivity onto others and ourselves will transform the mind into the greatest self-love machine you have ever had.
Be grateful for all that you have and everything you have achieved with your business. Celebrate all your successes- no matter how small they may seem. With time, true self love will come and morph into something beautiful. Just focus on loving yourself, there’s only one of you!
4. Take time to do what makes you happy
A lot of times, we can get stuck in the rut of day-to-day life, having to do tasks that are important but lack a deeper meaning (hello, monthly book-keeping), and doing things that don’t seem to add value to our life or business (urgh, tax reporting). It can be a struggle to get started and stay focused on things we don’t enjoy, and we need to dig super deep to get the energy to keep going.
This is why it’s important to live our passion and to do things that light us up outside of our work. When we’re deep in the trenches of our work, we can lose sight of why we started our business in the first place. It can be helpful to step out of our comfort zone as a way to disrupt the monotonous patterns we are in.
I recommend thinking back to the things you did as a child that you loved, and doing those things again as it can re-ignite joy and help keep you going even when things might really suck. Staying inspired by the work you do and the message you share is key to being happy.
This happened to me recently when I went for a long walk on the beach while on a little weekend getaway and I found myself deep in thought as I collected shells. This triggered a memory of when I was a child, growing up near the beach, and collecting shells every day. This was something I loved doing then, and I found great enjoyment in doing it again as an adult. It triggered my playful pleasure centre and shifted a heaviness I had been feeling for a while.
5. Eat organic brain food- vegetables and fruits
Feeding our brain the purest and highest quality foods is important for keeping our mind strong. Chemicals in non-organic foods play a big role in the hormones associated with our feelings. Too many hormones/pesticides in our foods can cause an imbalance in our own bodies, which will make balancing our mind and keeping on top of our game even more difficult. Eliminate those pesticides and hormones and eat the best quality food possible. Your body, mind, and soul will thank you!
Transforming our mind and pulling ourselves through challenging times so we can be the best boss babe possible isn’t magic. It requires doing the inner work and transforming yourself on a deep level. Even though it won’t feel easy, when you can overcome any negativity you feel, your level of happiness and drive to move forward through the tough time will be possible.
