Hi Lady,
This week I am feeling called to talk about intentional living. I know, this is not something most business owners (think!) they have time for. I hope this insight will help you grasp the concept a little faster than I did.
Flash back to my business 2.5 years ago. The month prior I had filled my Mindset Mastermind + Mentorship program, was booked out with 1:1 clients, was in the midst of launching my Visibility Group Coaching Program, AND was in the development stages of creating my membership community. I felt on top of the world in my business. I had achieved above and beyond what I could have imagined achieving 8 months into year ONE of business.
However, my personal life was suffering. I was working around the clock (which I LOVED doing. I get energized working… a blessing and a curse!) and making very little time for a LIFE. Earlier in the year I had implemented a new strategy into my business by taking at least a total of 7-10 days off each quarter. Which I did....... but it would be “cram-time” before setting off and then “catch up like a mad woman” when I returned. It just didn't feel sustainable. Again, working lit me up and I didn't want to slow down. But I knew deep down there would be personal and health consequences if I didn't. So I set this intention and began praying about it. Asking God to give me STRENGTH to slow down. Which is quite opposite for most!
So now you're probably wondering how I went from working 16 hour DAYS to now being a busy mama (with two sweet babies under two), working 16 hour WEEKS.
Here's the not-so-secret secret.......
Already having the business foundation. I personally can't discredit this piece. I always say...there are seasons in business. Season one for me, (months 1-10) were quite the hustle days. But I would never take this back because it set the foundation. I did the hard work. The dirty, painful, grueling work most wouldn't want to do for a day. And because I did the planting, sowing, weeding, and nurturing, I am today reaping the harvest. Many things are on autopilot in my business. Passive income is a big part of my business model to allow me more time and space to be with my family. I also have MULTIPLE streams of income. In total, 4 with two more in the works. Most recently I even partnered with a vegan haircare company to lead and support other mamas who want more time home with their babies. This residual income business allows us to not only provide our families with cruelty free non toxic products, but also a way to make money from our phones straight from the nursing chair. NO computer required. Lastly, having a team to support me with all the backend parts of my business that are totally OUT of my zone of genius. My business wouldnt run without this crucial piece. And it’s also a plus that my backend support is local and that she LOVES holding babies when things get nutty around here!! YOU’RE a Godsend Diana!!!
Discipline. At this point I was getting close to hiring a digital marketer as well as an online business manager. I knew if I was going to invest $$$ in help like this I would need to get even more disciplined in my work aka have content batched way ahead for them to use. I would also need to set more boundaries with myself in saying no to even more things and cutting out more of what wasn't serving me. I began to focus only on what really needed to be done and cut out the stuff that wasn't necessary. I began simplifying BIG TIME. My motto became: Say NO twice as much (if not more) than you say yes!
Mindset. In order for me to go from 120 mph down to a steady cruise, I had to FIRST work my mindset. Most of us don't change habits for reward, but to avoid consequences. There's a reason people use it in their marketing-- most resonate more with pain points than pleasure. I knew if I didn't change I would be at risk of losing relationships and doing damage to my body from lack of sleep and constant hustle mode. Which did begin to show itself evident in loss of a period. And at this point it was NOT because I was pregnant--It was from exhaustion on my body. So I began to work more intently on my daily mindset practice. Began praying more. Began saying out loud there were more than enough hours in the day. I mean if Beyonce could be Beyonce and work out and eat right and do #allthethings, little old me could certainly find the time. Right? And so I began surrendering more and more over to the big guy upstairs. I also began to replace “this is HARD” with, “it doesn’t have to be hard in order to be successful”. This my dear was a GAMECHANGER!
Today I want you to take a few minutes to evaluate where you are in your business. Are you going a mile a minute trying to do #allthethings + save the world, while possibly losing touch with the people you care most about? And maybe even losing touch with yourself and your needs?
Are you ready to take it down a notch and bring intention back into your life? If so, ask yourself, have I walked through the season of foundation building? If so, awesome. This will make it easier for you. Then evaluate how disciplined you are and cut out the unnecessary. Lastly, evaluate your mindset. What can you do to reset your muddy thinking and get more intentional with believing there is MORE THAN ENOUGH time to make things happen.
How will you commit to getting more intentional in life +business today? What do you know you NEED to surrender in order to continue to grow your business without losing sleep and precious hours with your loved ones? Does any of this resonate with you? Comment below and let me know! If so and you think you might be ready to get some support with this, shoot an email to me at kate@katecrocco.com
Blessings + Abundance,
XO Kate
