My May blog post really comes from the heart. It’s a reflective piece but also contains some great learnings from the first five months of 2022 that I wanted to share with business owners like you.
You have a million and one things to do. You are forever trying to spin about a 1000 plates and be the CEO, Finance Director, Sales and Marketing Manager, and make sure your customers are 100% happy with the service you’re providing or product you sell. So it’s not surprising that investing in your own self-development and growth often falls to the bottom of your list.
I want to take you through 4 things I’ve tried in 2022 which have really made a big difference in my life both professionally and personally. I hope you’ll be inspired and by the end will be encouraged. Here goes!
EMBRACING ‘THE SECRET’
I’ve always been a positive person but The Secret by Rhonda Byrne takes this positivity and optimism to a whole new level. I was gifted a copy by my business associate (and true friend) Natalie Moulden for which I will always be very grateful.
The idea is to switch your thinking to only positive thoughts and visualise the outcomes that you want in life and affirm how you want your life to be. It covers gratitude, loving yourself, money, health, relationships, and more.
The results I’ve seen are amazing. I’ve learnt to try and think only positive things and work with the universe in terms of what I am transmitting. It takes practice but by using it I’ve been able to grow my business, play better at netball (and win) games, get a car parking space, and even won a competition just by believing the end result I want will materialise. I also wake up and thank God for literally everything! There is so much to be grateful for. By doing this you see the world from a whole different perspective and you start to attract the same types of people that always bring exciting opportunities.
2. SIGNING UP FOR CHALLENGES
This year I’ve taken part in two challenges. The Power of Positivity (30 days) and The Power of You (14 days) both run by JK coaching and are managed via the My Challenge App. By being part of these courses you are encouraged to take time out in your day to read daily mantras, watch videos, share experiences and be part of a unique, extremely supportive community. I discovered so much about myself and met some amazing people whom I’ve been able to connect with on LinkedIn. I find having them in my network is a real blessing. As a result of being in the challenge, I now have connections who are interested not only in me as a person but also in the services I have to offer.
(Image courtesy of JK Coaching)
3. TRYING NEW THINGS
Having been inspired to step out of my comfort zone thanks to the Power of Positivity challenge I said yes to attending a Netwalking event run by Mountain Boardroom and trying out golf at Rudding Park. Both opportunities I just happened to come across on LinkedIn (I love using LinkedIn more on that here if you’re interested).
I got a lot out of the netwalking event spending a fantastic 2 hours discussing the highs and lows of running your own business with Mountain Boardroom Coach and Expedition Leader Anthony Ackers and as a follow-up some great LI engagement with others.
I discovered I’m actually not that great at golf (going to stick to netball) but I met some lovely ladies and enjoyed talking to them about what they do.
Both experiences have helped build my confidence to get out and do something different but at the same time, more people are learning about my business and what I do. I’ve learned that you never know what may come of it in a couple of weeks, months, or even years. It’s all great for brand building and awareness.
4. MINDFULNESS COURSE
Completing the Mindfulness course run by Christine Bell has been life-changing. I completed the 8-week course with my husband which covered the following topics:
Awareness
Mindfulness principles
Neuroscience
Mood perception and thought
Stress and the overactive brain
Stress/anxiety and the mind/body link
Mindful leadership
Taking care of yourself and others
Knowing our backgrounds (and having a corporate background herself) Christine delivered the sessions primarily from a work perspective but we found we could also use some of the learnings to also help with family life (like the psychology behind my six-year old’s meltdowns).
Mindfulness is now an everyday part of my life. It’s taught me to live in the moment, how to accept the peaks and troughs of life (which as a small business owner comes in very useful!), and opened my eyes to a whole different way of thinking. I have access to attention training (via the Christine Bell Mindfulness Sound Cloud recordings) which I make time for every day and I’m more aware of the values I want to live and work by.
It’s also something we’re doing more of together as a family.
Since investing more time in my own self-development I’ve also been able to inspire others too. I love nothing more than sharing knowledge and the experiences I’ve learned from.
Fired up after reading this? Here are 4 suggestions to help move you forward.
Read The Secret and start visualising the life you want to lead.
Research what challenges you might want to take part in. The next one I’m doing will be ' 30 Days In The Power Of You' starting on Monday 30th May 2022. I’d also encourage you to sign up for Jo’s Positivity Pause which happens every month usually on a Monday. Drop Jo an email if you'd like to know more about joining this group Zoom call: jkcoaching50@gmail.com
Start saying yes to new experiences! Do that one thing you’ve always wanted to do.
If you’ve not heard much about mindfulness it’s worth doing a bit of research. I’d also encourage everyone to read The Chimp Paradox by Prof Steve Peters which was one of the texts our tutor recommended. You can also find out more about Harrogate Mindfulness and the course we did
Have you read The Secret?
What recent challenges have you taken part in?
Do you follow a similar value system?
What mindfulness do you practice?
If you’re interested in sharing your experiences and want to jump on a virtual chat I’d love to e-meet you.
Or maybe you’d just like to hear more about the positive impact these four areas have had on my life. I’d be very happy to discuss this with you.
Get in touch by connecting with me or hop over to my contact page to get my details.
Discover the benefits of investing in yourself and take action today.
Who knows what you might unearth and the impact it can have on your business?