Wow. That went fast.
I was about to mockingly congratulate myself on sending out my second JOYmail in 2016, when I realized that, you know what, there’s actually a reason why I haven’t sent out more than one newsletter this year. In fact, there are several reasons, and I’m thinking now that it might be helpful to share some of them with you.
And then, if you're feeling inspired to do some reflecting on your own year, I invite you to use the tool I've shared below (just click the button and it will take you to The Core) to look back on your 2016 and what you did (and didn’t do), and to check in with how you feel about it. Then follow the process to create a conscious vision and map for 2017 that feels right to YOU.
Three Good Reasons Why I Sent Out Only One Newsletter This Year
1. I was burnt out. By the end of 2015, I’d spent the year working hard and trying out a business model that wasn’t quite picking up the traction I wanted, even though people loved the results they got in my programs; my seven-year-old was suddenly having a difficult time in school and needed more attention; my husband and I were putting a lot of energy into building a deeper, more meaningful partnership; I’d spent the last two days of December manically creating a virtual program from scratch to share at a free New Years Day workshop I was teaching; and I was coming down with my kids’ cold. As soon as I walked out of the New Years workshop, which I’d taught sick, and at which exactly two people registered for the $25 course I’d created just for them, I decided I was done. I didn’t even know exactly what that meant, but I knew I needed to do something different because I was more unhappy, exhausted and uninspired than I wanted to be.
2. I decided to only do things I wanted to do. On that New Years Day I declared that my new guiding principle was going to be, “I’m only doing it if it makes me happy.” That meant stepping away from two mastermind groups I was in and cutting out traditional networking meetings. Neither of these things were rewarding for me anymore. I knew I’d rather be home with the kids at night than at a networking event, or at lunch with someone I already really liked rather than having starter conversations with more new people. I also knew that I was starving for nurturing and joy. Luckily I discovered Mary Balogh and her historical romance novels. Happy sigh… I gave myself permission to read as many of them as I wanted, as often as I wanted, and it was such a gift to indulge in something that was Just. For. Me.
I also decided to stop feeling bad about not writing JOYmails consistently. I wanted to write to you guys when I had something to say, when I had something I wanted to share, and not otherwise. So that’s what I did. (*Note: I am not saying this is the ideal way to stay connected to your community or to share and grow your business; I’m simply saying that it’s what was right for me at that moment, and it was what I needed, so it was what I did.)
3. I went into a free-form, open-ended rebuilding phase. This was essential for me, and every time I panicked and thought, “What the hell am I doing?? I can’t just stop networking!! Where am I going to meet new clients? This isn’t how you run a business,” I took a breath and said to myself, “It’s OK. It’s going to be fine. I have faith and it will be fine.” And even when I felt crazy for saying it, I said it anyway and then I went back to reading stories where, in spite of various trials and tribulations, everything works out in the end and everyone wears pretty bonnets trimmed with roses and cornflower blue ribbons.
I let myself be. I let myself rest. I let myself trust that it would be OK. I did NOT stop working, I simply worked with the clients I already had and welcomed new opportunities from the Universe. I did NOT stop parenting, or doing dishes, or working on my relationships. What I did was give myself a break. I stopped beating myself up for all the things I wasn’t doing and just let myself focus on doing fewer things with more intention and patience. I did this from January first until July, when I began to reemerge.
The choices I made opened up a whole new way to experience my business—and life. Of course a lot of other things went into this self-imposed semi-sabbatical, but these three pieces were core to creating a year in which I reconnected with and nourished myself. This process ultimately led to my uncovering a much more aligned and inspiring business model, a resurgence of creativity in my life, and a deeper, more meaningful connection with the people I love.
This is what I’m doing with my clients now. I work with Visionaries doing transformative work who have something BIG they are launching into the world. I serve as thought partner, creative collaborator, strategic thinker and belief navigator to help these extraordinary people design, launch and ignite unique programs, services and creative work that changes lives.
This is rewarding. This is inspiring. This is a lot better than how I was feeling this time last year : )
In 2017 I’ll share more tools with you that I’ve been discovering and creating along the way so that you too can use them to connect with your own unique vision and find out how to make it real. And I invite you to start here, as my gift, with The Core process. It will help you identify where you stand at the end of 2016, where you want to be standing at the end of 2017, and what core principle will help you get there.
This is one of the tools I've created that is, at this very moment, helping people make their Big Mama Visions real, faster than they expected and in harmony with the rest of their lives. To sum up: use The Core, gain some insights, and start making space for the vision you're ready to honor this year.
So get to it! No strings, no pitch, just doing this because *I want to.* And that feels right and that feels good, and I wish the same for you.
JOY!!