fears

The Power of Intention

February 5, 2018

A couple of months ago I picked up a DVD set of Oprah Winfrey’s old TV talk show. One of the episodes featured an interview with Gary Zukav, author of The Seat of the Soul. Throughout the interview, they discussed the book and Oprah admitted the book contained practical advice that she was able to apply to her career, particularly the “principle of intention.”

In brief, the “principle of intention” surrounds the idea that the power of our thoughts sends out an energy and that is what causes the outcome; a cause and effect theory – with your thoughts being the cause.

The Power of our Fears

When you look at someone like Oprah Winfrey – she has used intention to guide her business. Her intention became focused on how her show could best serve the world.

Ultimately, I think a lot of us feel our businesses are a service – that our businesses help others. But this is not always the intent we set out in our businesses. I know for myself, what I put out there in my business is not always intentional. I have acted on my fear of failure. I have been influenced by my fear of scarcity. For example when I think, “I cannot lose this client because I need the money!”

We often get caught up in our fears.

Our fears are fed by the negative voices that disconnect us to why we started our businesses in the first place. Our fears, therefore, influence our intent.

Focus on Intention

If you take a moment to focus on what you want your business to be, you will inevitably go down the right road.

Personally, I am trying to do everything with the intention of helping people with their mindset – from the calls I make to the videos I create. I want my intention to be an active part of everything I am doing.

Connect yourself with what your intention is.

If your fears get in the way, acknowledge them and then chose to work to overcome them in order to create the business you intended.

How has intention affected your business?

If find yourself struggling with what your intention is or find your intention is blocked by fears, join me in my free Core Belief for Business Owners Facebook Group or set up a free call and let’s talk.

Bought a Business Planner but Never Follow Through?

December 22, 2017

A business planner is typically a physical book where business owners create intentions. It helps in the creation of a plan for your business set out in days, weeks and months. It helps you get organized and helps you take action. Many business owners, including myself, invest in business planners with the intent of filling them out, but some business owners never actually fill them out. Have you ever bought a business planner but never follow through? I recently purchased the business planner, Productive, which is produced by business coach, Shelagh Cummins in hopes of writing out my goals and working toward achieving them. I plan on following through.

Are you procrastinating?

There are many different kinds of planners and they are all great tools for your business unless you are getting in your own way of filling them out. How do you know if you are getting in your own way? It’s if you start off strong and then the enthusiasm wears off and you stop using your planner.The mindset block that may be contributing has to do with procrastination.

If you bought a planner for the new year, but have a history of procrastinating, I want you to sit down and write the first thing that comes to mind as to why you may not take action and fill in your planner this year (or in past years).

Why are you procrastinating?

Don’t think too much about it – what’s the first thing that you think of? Is it not enough time? Is it a fear of failure?

Often people are fearful of committing to taking action. They are afraid that if they write it down or verbalize something and it doesn’t happen then they have failed. If this is the case, ask yourself – what’s the worst that could happen if you fail? Will you feel embarrassed? Will you feel like a loser? Why is this?

Write down your thoughts or talk about it with a close friend. Think about what could be stopping you from taking action; from writing down your goals and working toward them. This will help you see what is stopping you and will help you work through the fears that are holding you back.

Writing things down or talking about them will also help you get clear on how to make your goals and plans happen. It will help you figure out what is stopping you from filling out that planner and will prevent procrastination.

If you struggle with procrastination and want to start taking action, set up a time to chat. I would love to help you dig deep into what is holding you back from a successful new year.

What is blocking you from talking about your success?

May 1, 2017

I recently attended the Businesswoman of the Year Awards in Ottawa, Ontario and spoke with the President of the Women’s Business Network of Ottawa, Karen Wilson, who helps put together this awards gala every year. We spoke about the accomplishments of the award nominees and winners. She said that every single woman who applied for these business awards had trouble filling out the part about themselves and their business. These women still struggle with their beliefs around success!

This fascinated me because these are the blocks I work with. Here are these successful businesswomen who struggle to talk about themselves—so if you’re just starting out and struggle, know it’s not just you! Even successful, award winning women business owners struggle to talk about themselves and their businesses!

The following day I was speaking with a financial coach who told me about how she struggles with accepting that she is successful. This woman has a degree from an Ivy League school and is very successful, yet she still struggles. Why is this?

Do men struggle with talking about themselves?

I don’t think so. Cultural messages that influence them as well as the beliefs that we develop as we grow up affect how we talk about ourselves. These messages tell us that women should not get too big for their britches; that women shouldn’t be too confident in their successes or they will come across too strong and immodest.

These beliefs are deadly to a woman’s mindset.

Hopefully by talking about this we can bring to light how to change this mindset for women in business and how the beliefs around success many women seem to have.

Do you struggle with talking about how great your product or service is? Have you tried faking it until you make it? Imagine what it would feel like if you just felt successful and were not afraid to talk about that success? Think about women you believe are successful and have a great mindset – think Oprah Winfrey. Think of how confident she has become throughout her career and how fearless she is to talk about herself.

Then do the deeper work. When people are not able to value themselves and their business that usually spills into other personal areas of their life. Perhaps they hesitate to advocate for themselves in their relationships or friendships—or other areas of their lives. These beliefs may start as far back as childhood and only once you start thinking about them and digging deep can you uncover them and then work on changing these beliefs.

If you would like to learn more about how to change your blocking beliefs and work on creating a healthier mindset, join my private Facebook Community or set up a time to chat with me. I look forward to connecting!