Big changes are afoot: what to do in a time of transition
Welcome to the latest episode of The Simply Smart Business Show. In this show I’m talking about how 2017 has established itself as a time of transition for so many entrepreneurs, and what “transition” really means.
Listen to this episode here.
A lot of women in my circle are going through big changes this year.
There has been a lot of unease, of feeling stuck, of feeling lacklustre about their work and who they’re working with.
They have no enthusiasm for their work, and some are questioning if something’s wrong with them, as things are seemingly great from the outside. But inside, things are a bit messy. A bit bumpy.
This is REALLY common.
I went through it towards the end of last year, as we stepped into 2017. Things were going great, but something just felt off. I didn’t want to do my usual 90 Day Planning (the thing that keeps me on the straight and narrow). I didn’t want to create anything new. If there was an award for procrastination, I would have won it.
I thought there was something wrong with me.
But I realise now that I was about to head into a major transition, and could well have been ULPing (facing “upper limit” problems).
This happens whenever I’m about to undergo a big change, and reach a new level with my business.
When I realised what was going on, I tried not to be so hard on myself. I took a step back, stopped everything and just served my clients while I worked things out. I needed the space to breath, to think, to feel. I soul searched, I threw all my mindset and woo woo tools at it. And I came out fighting.
Things became clear. I realised that one of my products, my academy, wasn’t working for me. So I stopped what I was doing with it and have been redesigning the offer ready for a relaunch soon (academy members, watch this space).
I realised that masterminds light me up .. really light me up … so I redesigned my mastermind, made it longer, made it even better than before, and sold out. In fact I more than sold out, I oversubscribed and it’s now full of some amazing, powerful women I adore mentoring. I had my first ever £90k month. Without really trying (seriously!).
Now I feel fully in alignment and in flow. Work is easy, I’ve returned to all of the things I stopped doing — the 90 day planning, the reviews, the systems that make everything work. I’ve empowered my team to manage their respective areas, freeing me up to do what I love, and I’ve created the space for me to design my new signature program.
I’m sharing this, not as a #humblebrag, but because I want to help anyone else feeling that unease. Those of you who feel stuck, or unhappy with your business…I truly believe it’s part of the process and a signal to really look at what you’re doing.
Here are my 5 tips to help you through the funk.
Know that it’s all normal.
Don’t assume there’s something wrong with you. Every entrepreneur will face ups and downs in mood, energy, and progress, so don’t worry that this is the end for you.
Create space.
Embrace the way you’re feeling and create the space you need to deal with it. Stop doing the things that you don’t need to be doing. Stop doing all the things that no longer light you up. Allow yourself some time to feel, and work out what your next steps are.
Mind your mindset.
I firmly believe that most problems can be solved with a little bit of mindset work. I have a nice little box of mindset tricks to help me get to my truth and work out exactly what I need:
- Journaling, where I write about me and what I want to be, where I want to practice gratitude for what I have, and forgiveness for anything negative in my life.
- Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).
- Meditation.
Feel the feels.
Hook into your emotions and notice when you feel great, excited, in flow. This is when you’re doing the stuff that truly lights you up. Make a note of anything that doesn’t make you feel this way.
Get help.
I have some amazing business BFF’s and a coach that always help me to get back on the straight and narrow.
Find the right people to hear you and support you through this, and if you don’t have anyone, do some research and ask for recommendations for coaches and mentors that could be a good fit for you.
Above all, just remember to take care of you.
Uplevelling is hard, it makes us feel messy and uncomfortable. But when you get to the other side, it’s so worth it.
Listen to this episode here.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
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Originally published at gemmawent.co.uk on July 4, 2017.
