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You know what it feels like when your business is alive and well? It’s juicy… It’s got the x-factor, a natural attractant that seems to be making things happen. Clients call out of the blue, tasks get done easily, you feel like your on track and everything is coming together.
…And you probably know what it feels like when your business is not “in the flow”.
You keep on doing the same things you were doing before – sending out emails, calling clients… But there’s something missing. The life energy seems to be missing and the enthusiasm is gone…
I felt a bit like that over the last couple of weeks. And it had me stumped.
So I closed my eyes, opened my heart, and checked in with the soul of my business. I usually imagine it like a vibrant flame full of energy and life…
So I was shocked to find that the soul of my business was sitting there with it’s head sagging, feeling completely depleted and flat… It seemed sad and even a bit hopeless. To be honest, I hardly recognised it.
What on earth is going on? I thought.
My business, was flat and depleted, because it was undernourished. Like a garden, your business needs nourishment to grow. And so do you. A garden is nourished by fairly simple things… sun, rain, healthy soil… and a bit of space from weeds and pests can help too.
So, what are the things that nourish your business?
First up, is you. And if you are feeling depleted, there’s a good chance that your business is too. No matter how many important things you “really need to do”, it really can make a world of difference to both you and your business if you take some time out for self-care…
Go for a walk, go see a movie, take a bath or get a massage. Do something relaxing that feeds your soul. You’ll come back refreshed and your business will most likely feel better too.
So, as I said, I was feeling a bit “off” for a couple of weeks before I finally got round to booking myself a massage. Wow! What a difference. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, it’s amazing what a couple of hours of self-nourishment (in this case some TLC and a therapeutic touch) can do to bring the life back. I felt like a new person. Funny that.
And funny, also, that my business started to feel better again too. A few more clients called to book into my upcoming workshop… and when I spoke to others about my business, I could hear that the enthusiasm was back. Not just for me, but for them too.
The second thing is attention. Like with the plants in your garden, the quality of attention that you give, can really make a difference in how much they grow.
Your business is unlike any other business on the planet. It has unique strengths and unique needs. When you give it attention, what you are really doing is creating a listening space, so you can listen to what it’s unique needs are in this moment.
Businesses need attention on a lot of levels, but the first place to look is at the deepest, energetic level. At the level of the soul. Giving your business attention does NOT necessarily mean “doing stuff” to make your business better. Quality attention is more about just being with your business. Nourishing activities will often naturally arise from giving quality attention to your business in this way.
This might be a good moment to take a moment to check for yourself – How is the soul of your business feeling?
Close your eyes, open your heart and then tune into the soul of your business.
Simply tune into it with your own awareness, and find out where it is at.
Ask your business – What does it need now?
As always, the answer may surprise you. The next question is… Are you willing to listen to what your business needs and take these needs into account?
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2 Comments
I found that the exercise of checking in with my business was really all I needed to give it life again. (I felt a bit discouraged after the last weekend). While I think the self-care stuff is important, what was more helpful to me in this context was regaining the spirit of a loving attitude toward my business and what it is I am about–to get excited about it and what it means to me once more. Now I feel like doing the work of improving my business is a self-nurturing process, rather than an anxious one. Yay!
@cyena… Yes! That’s exactly it. When we work with the essence of our business, it does become a self-nurturing process. I couldn’t of said it better myself. Thank you!