I’d love to hear from you in the comments – what are YOUR top 3 nutritional/health philosophies?

I’m interested in the psychology behind that…why is it that willpower isn’t enough?

Watch my video here where I answer those questions for you.

This is what authenticity looks like.
This is what living from the heart looks like.
This is what forging your own path and living by your own rules looks like.

Ok, ok, I’ll spill the beans.

Right here, watch this:

…including a ton of excuses well disguised as ‘very real’ questions or thoughts that you simply cannot get your head around and prove to be a wonderful waste of your time, energy and confidence.

Look, we all do it, so don’t beat yourself up about it, it happens, be kind to that overworking brain and vision of yours.

And, I’m here to tell you that you can let go of these 3 main ones right now:

1) What do I do next, this, or that?

You can get stuck a long time in indecision. I totally get it. The thing is, the longer you wait, the longer you wait and the longer it takes to see any results (yeah, I know, you’re kind of hoping to see results before having to do the actual work/make the decisions, right? Yeah, I hear ya).

The answer to what to do next?

Both/and.

Take the path of least resistance.
Then do the other thing.
There you go.

2) Believing your business is ‘different’.

Look, we all want to think that our business is unique. And yes, yours probably does have some elements that make it different to what’s out there. But when it really comes down to it, it has to be said, nothing is that unique. Most things have been done before.
So don’t get hung up on your business being so different and therefore having a particular set of challenges, because though that may be a wonderful excuse for holding back, I’m not buying it (and no one else is, literally, they’re not buying your programs because you’re not getting out there)

3) You’re feeling overwhelmed.

Ah, our old friend overwhelm.

Yes, the struggle feels real. You’ve opened up a Pandora’s box and the more you find out, the more you realize you don’t know and the more you need to learn.

I get it. Really, I do. I’ve been there, and so has every other business owner.

Thing is, that’s what happens in any area of life when you decide to expand and grow. You cannot grow without big emotions and feelings coming along with that.

So, what now? Let the overwhelm be, accept it’s there and it’s part of the course, now put all the information overload away and take the next 3 steps that YOU need to take. Not what everyone else is doing. What YOU need to do.

I hope that this has brought you some element of relief and breathing space. My wish for you is that you take that next step, and then the next. You’ve got this, just don’t over think it.

Want an easy roadmap to follow that gets you moving with real guidance but that also allows a ton of space for personal choice and individuality? Get your hands on my ebook!

Why? Because of ‘not feeling enoughness’. Of not feeling extraordinary in our ordinary human lives.

And so I thought it was important to clarify what extra-ordinary means.

The Oxford dictionary says: very unusual or remarkable

It means out of the ordinary. It does not necessarily mean whacky.

It means having the courage to be yourself. It does not mean having super original branding images.
It means deliberately choosing how you spend your time. It does not mean replacing one stereotype with another by now thinking you have to be a business owner/be location independent/work from a beach/(insert whatever else you’ve seen online that triggers you into believing you need to be/have/do that to be extra-ordinary).

I’m known as the Freedom Seeker’s Business Mentor. This means finding your freedom.

You may want to travel. You may want to live abroad. You may want to stay home and grow your own veggies. You may want to do group courses. You may want to work 1:1.

What makes for extra-ordinary living is not doing what other ‘extra-ordinary’ people around you online (who seem to have it sussed) are doing.

What makes for extra-ordinary living is that you live purposefully, with thought behind every decision you make, consciously creating the existence you want to create for yourself.

Most people follow the herd. What makes for extra-ordinary living is you choosing what works for you, no matter what anyone else is going.

So please, do carry on being extra-ordinary, because simply by being on the path you’re on, you are extra-ordinary (unusual and remarkable).

If you don’t have it already, here’s my guide on how to grow your business to support extra-ordinary living

You’ve heard that before, right?

But the thing is, for many, you included perhaps, it’s hard to find that one thing.

You see others who seem to have their one thing and you don’t understand why you keep changing your mind from one thing to the other.

What’s the secret?
How did others find their one thing.
Was it obvious for them?
Did they just know?
What’s wrong with you that you just can’t figure it out?

The good news is, there’s nothing wrong with you. Most people have many passions.

The bad news is, you’re going to have to deal with not knowing your one thing and just get on with things.

You see, the longer you sit and think and think and think about what your one thing is; journaling, doing one clarity exercise after another…well, the longer your business waits for someone (you) to show up and grow it!

Here’s what you need to do:

1) from all those passions of yours, which seems the easiest and most exciting to go with right now?
Go with that. And stick with it. If you don’t, here’s why things aren’t going to work for you.

2) still can’t decide? Ok, then what makes the most sense? What would be easiest to go with right now? I’m pretty sure you know the answer to that one. Go with that. And stick with it (see link above)

Your one thing will be clear in time, for now, stop switching things up and just choose something. Really, just do it.

Need help hatching out a marketing plan and message to grow your business? This is for you.

I’m taking a 90 day sabbatical. The objective? Self-care ‘till 2017.

Much as it felt scary to make the decision, it feels equally exhilarating to share it with you, officially.

You know, not one of my online business buddies told me this was ‘business suicide’. They know me. They understand why I’m doing this and more importantly, they trust that I know what I’m doing.

After all, I am known as the Freedom Seekers’ Business Mentor. Take out the word ‘business’ and the rest is still the same. Ultimately, that’s what the freedom-based, lifestyle business journey is all about. Freedom and doing whatever it is that brings you closer to it.

Unfortunately, over time, Freedom Base Business has become synonymous with making more money. I’ll be totally transparent here, in my last year of full time work before part-time maternity leave I earned 6 figures, working just 15 hrs/week for the second half of that year. That’s pretty good going.

Why would I ‘let that go’?

Well, for starters, I don’t see it as a ‘letting go’, because the Freedom part always comes first, that’s what I lead my clients with: What feels good, what’s calling you, what is most fun for you right now?

And who wants to replace the 9-5 with an online version of it? What’s the fun of having your own solo business if you can’t give yourself the freedom of time when you want/need/can?

And, on a more practical level, once you have an established business you can allow yourself to take some time off, as long as increasing your income isn’t your top priority of the moment.

Why am I doing this?

Because I’m a mum to two little girls (1 and 4), and for the first time in a year, they are both in childcare.

I’ve been running my own business for quite some years now and lately, two businesses.

We’ve travelled from one end to the world and back as a family with many trips in-between and yes, though our lives are slow and simple (I don’t do busy, really, I don’t, even at the peak of my business I was working around 25 hours/week), being on a conscious living and parenting path means being full-on aware all the time of what you’re doing and saying.

Add to that that I’m a highly sensitive introvert empathic.

So, the truth of it is, I’m tired.

So many of the business owning mama friends I’ve spoken with are exhausted. Many of us don’t have family around for support as we travel. The reality is that it’s tiring running a successful business (two) and being a present mum and girlfriend. It is. And, more often than not, there ain’t no village!

My body is tired and it’s time for me to give it some TLC. My heart and soul have been through the deepest level of transformation and personal growth that I have known to date (and I’ve had more than one dark night of the soul). I have been through a tremendous amount in my life and this last year and a half has been an intense ride, to say the least. Realisations, letting-go, setting boundaries, acknowledging and deciding, and life in-between all of that.

And so, because I can, I’ve decided to gift myself, my body mind spirit some time. After all, isn’t’ that what freedom based living is all about?  Having the courage to follow your freedom wherever it takes you.

‘Self care is a divine responsibility’

‘And like, self care as a divine responsibility is more than a monthly pedicure or treating yourself to your favourite pint on Fridays (though both are fab’.) But let’s think more highly of our cosmic selves. Self care is taking the time to recover. It’s sabbaticals to clear your head and chart your course. It’s leaving. It’s investing.It’s asking for more. It’s being protective and tender and limitlessly compassionate with yourself.“
– Danielle Laporte

I could highlight the whole of Danielle Laporte’s paragraph because it’s just so spot on. It’s about recalibrating. Who am I?Where am I going? Who do I want to be? What do I want to do? Which pieces haven’t I given time to? How do I want to show up? How do I want to serve?

In essence, What do I want?

Sometimes the only way to answer that question is to give yourself the space for the answer to come.

How am I able to do this?

I mean, we all need money to live, right?

Yes, we do. We chose to downsize our lifestyle. We absolutely love where we live and feel filled up by it every single day. My heart sings when I look out our window at the harbor. So we are downsizing where we spend our money – trips, needless spending, ‘stuff’, that kind of thing.

We are very much into simple living; constantly de-clutter (meaning we don’t have to de-clutter as it’s just the way we live) and prefer to buy second hand no matter what we’re earning so that we minimize our consumerist footprint. That’s just who we are.

And my second business is a residual income one that doesn’t take up much of my time and that I absolutely love. It permeates my day whether I’m doing it as a business or not. So that helps.

What am I going to do exactly?

This is the question I am asked the most.

Well, I’m not quite sure. I pick our 1 year old up around lunch time so it’s not like I’m on a 24/7 sabbatical. When you’re a parent everything is just part time!

What I’ve done already done is upgrade my supplements. I’ve found a new yoga studio near me that I’m going to try out. I’m getting all my doctors/optician/driving licence renewal/embassy registration appointments etc booked in and done (yes, this is also self-care. It’s not all about massages and manicures, in fact, that’s just the details, it goes way deeper than that). I’ve started spending time looking into topics that mean something to me.

I want to cook more for my family.

I want to read.

I want to do creative things (huh?! That is so not me of years gone by).

I want to do the deep inner work.

I want to meditate more.

I want to go for walks.

And yes, I do want to spend time sitting with where I’m going to next with my business(es).

And I don’t even know what else I want at this stage.

It’s scary even writing some of this stuff down because, well, what if I don’t get around to it? What if the days are too short? What if after the 90 days I still don’t feel fully refreshed and ready to go full out?

Well, what if…And, so what?

I plan on documenting my self-care moments on social media. Just to share. I’ll try to at least share a picture every day, but then again maybe I won’t.

Maybe I’ll write blog posts about thoughts and realisations that come up, maybe I won’t.

That’s the whole point. I can do what the heck I like.

But you see, how easy it is for expectations to raise their head? “I should really make the most of this time”. The whole point is, it’s a sabbatical. I could disappear for 90 days if that’s what I wanted. But we’re so used to making everything useful in our businesses, that it’s even trying to take over my break.

You see, on our summer holiday this year I was offline for 2 weeks. We had intermittent access when we went to someone’s house, but otherwise, nothing. It was bliss.

I didn’t have to think about taking selfies or posting about what I was up to. My life was my own.

I kind of miss that.

I also know that I love to inspire others whilst I’m on my natural, simple living journey. I love to share that.

What I’m really saying is, despite the fear of taking this time off and publicly announcing it, I’m rather pleased with myself that I’m actually doing it – and I’d love for you to come along, or not – your time is your own. Always remember that.

***

As life would have it, just after I’d finished editing this and ready to hit the ‘send’ button…the childcare we had for our youngest didn’t work out. So now she’s home with me again and the irony of my 90 day self-care sabbatical makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time, except I’m too tired and seriously over it all.

So we’re enjoying our days, way more than before actually as I’ve let go of expectations. Being in ‘work sabbatical’ mode helps a lot. Meanwhile, calling in the most fabulous childcare imaginable and I’m not even putting that into pictures, the feeling is out there and that’s what I’m going for for now…talk about releasing control…

Come and follow over on my Facebook page where I’ll be sharing what I can about my self-care sabbatical as and when it actually looks that way!

I consider myself to be a pretty aware person and as I’m also protective of my private life I know where my boundaries are and what/where I’m happy sharing.

Until…we recently moved to a new apartment that we absolutely love with a real sense of community. It’s the type of place where there are people from all different nationalities, people wave at each other and chat across balconies and are generally happily social (the old dude next door even checked all was ok when baby love was screaming her head off one day!).

Last week one of our neighbours opened a Facebook group so that we could all exchange and organise get togethers. I had a nosy around the FB group (as you do) to see who our neighbours ‘are’, what they do (some really interesting people) and then I realised…I’m right there too. My done up, professional photo shoot profile picture, my title ‘Business & Lifestyle Mentor’, the link to my page and website…

I suddenly felt super exposed.

And embarrassed.

The every day reality is that I don’t look like I do in my profile photo. Half the time the neighbours see me in baggy home clothes as I’m home with Leonie playing on the ground on the patio (more often than not with baby food stains on my top), or negotiating with our 3 year old.

Just a regular mum.

Not the business woman.

I felt vulnerable and felt the whole judgement thing come up again. I could feel my cells jumping up and down a little, you know that awkward feeling I’m talking about.

And then I remembered (not right away, but it came), that there’s also another side to this – that quite frankly, people have better things to do then compare the real me down there on the patio with my profile photo; that someone might actually go ‘wow, how interesting (and that’s why she’s home every day)!’ just as I did when I read what they do; maybe even lead to a business opportunity or two; or even ‘wow, she scrubs up well’ ha!

Ultimately though, my favourite motto ‘What others think of you is none of your business’.

So a reminder, no matter who you think might have it together, doesn’t 100% of the time. At different stages of your business new emotions will come up as well as old ones you thought you’d dealt with.

It’s ok. That’s the way it goes.

So, here’s what I picked up that I feel is useful when applied to business:

“If we function well for the good of others, then we all have it well.”

Basically, you gotta look after yourself my love! You do, really. When you feel on top form, happy, fit, flowing, then this will not only impact those around you but also flow into your business and through to your clients. If part of your mission in this life is to be of benefit to others, then the bottom line is that you need to function well for the good of others.

Q: What can you do today to function better, for the good of all?

“When you enter a situation without a reference /container, it is pure”

Preconceptions. Instead of those, entering every decision you make and interaction you have with a fresh mind, remaining open to possibility. This is what will create the most beneficial, expansive outcome.

Q: Where are you pre-judging a situation/interaction? Where are possibilities ready and waiting for you to grab but you’re not seeing them due to expectations or narrow thoughts you have about them?

“The most majestic way to see the world is to be here, now”

Wow. Majestic. Don’t you love that word – it’s one we don’t hear often. I love it in this sentence. It can be easy to run ahead with the next offer, the next income goal, the next course. How can you bring things back to the here and now?

Q: Where in your business can you think majestically? Where are you allowing your thoughts to be carried away to the past, or the future, or what someone else is doing, or fearing an outcome that might or might not be?

And some parting words that I feel beautifully sum up what it means to be in integrity with yourself and in sincere service to others:

“Keep an open mind and wish everyone happiness.”

Looking for soulful guidance to grow your business? Grab your copy here!