It can be hard out there. Sometimes clients bail on you, sometimes your dog/kid/husband gets sick, sometimes YOU need a break. Sometimes you feel like nothing is going to go your way, or you wake up realizing that you totally need to shift business directions. Sometimes things happen that you have no control over.
There’s a ton that goes into having a successful business, and business stuff is only one part of the pie. We are complex, amazing women with families, social lives, friends and adventures to have. It’s not all roses and kittens. Sometimes, things kinda suck.
What I’ve really learned over the last few years of being in business for myself, plus all the other adventures, setbacks and ‘opportunities for growth’ life has thrown at me, is happiness is a choice.
As creative entrepreneurs, it’s sooooo easy to focus on the uncertainty, stress and anxiety from not knowing exactly what’s going to happen next. It’s oh so human, and there are certain things you can do to help yourself choose happy over whatever other emotion you might be feeling.
Because at the end of the day, we chose this unstructured, uncertain life because we know amazing things are possible, and we want to life a life of possibility, passion and the pursuit of our happiness.
Here are some tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way to keep me smiling and upbeat, even when things around me might suck. Hat tip to Bern Mendez and Sally Hope for bringing some of this goodness into my life.
Play music, loud
It’s reeeaaallllyyyy hard to be depressed, upset or angry when your best dance beats are blaring. I’ve got a ‘Beyonce, Fierce’ mix that I wake up to, which no matter what happened the day before, sets the tone for an energetic, positive, and powerful day.
Write down your accomplishments or gratitudes
I have amazing and talented clients that literally can’t see the good, positive, life changing work they are doing in the world because they are so focused on what they’re ‘not’ doing. If that’s you, start a list of the positive impact you made today, and add to it every day. If you’re already pretty good at acknowledging yourself, then your list is going to be things you’re grateful for. Bonus points for doing both lists, but they can’t have duplicate entries. Whenever I am stuck in a funk or mood in the middle of a day, this is how I move the energy along.
Have a super supportive community that helps you see your greatness
It’s no secret that I’m a Wildheart. (In fact, I’m the resident business coach for Wildheart, helping build bangin’ businesses every Friday, woop!) This group is majorly life changing, and one of the coolest things about it is how genuinely supportive it is. Reaching out in that group is like connecting with dozens of hands to help push/pull you back up, a multitude of life coaches to champion your brilliance and help you see yourself and your work in a new light, and instafeedback and support from seriously sweet and cool people. Enrollment is now open and if you feel isolated in your work, and need a hit of inspirational happiness and support, Wildheart is for you.
Ask yourself how you want to feel
Because we can’t control the circumstances around us, but we can control our reactions. So if you don’t want to feel angry, or disappointed, or sad, how DO you want to feel? And what needs to happen to make that shift?
I’m not saying never feel those things, feel them! They are a huge part of being alive. But feel them, let them go, then choose how you want to feel next. Letting things go is the partner skill to happiness. The more you can learn to let things go (which is HUGE for me, so if this is hard for you, you’re not alone!) the more happiness you make room for in your life.
It’s an amazing thing in the midst of the uncertainly and challenges that life throws at you, in business and your personal life, to look around and realize “I’m happy. Even with all this swirling around me, I’m happy.”
And if you don’t feel that just yet, utilizing the tools I just laid out for you will absolutely help you access your happiness, and let you not feel so pushed around by circumstance.
Because life is always going to be uncertain. And things will, at some point, totally suck. But you can train yourself to be happy in the face of those things, and I tell you what, people like hanging out with, and doing business with, a happy person.
Part of how I stay happy is doing nice things for other people. This Wednesday January 29th I am going to be hosting a Business Power Hour on FB! A live Q&A chat where we can talk shop, your business strategy, and give you insight, tips and tricks to blow the roof off your business. It’ll be happening live on my Facebook page, and if you can’t make it live, you can shoot me a question by sending my fb page a message, and I’ll answer it for you!
Stuck on your services? I can help. I’m Ellen, Money Making Expert. I help creative business owners make more money and revolutionize their businesses.
It’s my mission to help you triple your monthly income and start really creating the opportunities you want for yourself. Ready to find out what’s possible when we work together? Book your power sesh here. 20 minutes, you and me, totally free.
“Go for it! In fact, if you have ANY doubt that you might not be going in the right direction in your business, all you need is one session with Ellen. She’s not only extremely business-savvy and able to come up with innovative, creative and totally ON FIRE ideas quick-as-all-hell, her razor-sharp wit and relaxed demeanor made the whole session feel like I was talking to a (super–smart) BFF.” – Erica
