3 Simple things to alleviate stress in your business

Life feels chaotic lately, eh?

2020 just keeps hitting us with the hard stuff, and I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling frazzled. Tired. Heck⁠—exhausted. Can any of us really jump another hurdle? Sometimes I’m not so sure.

No one has it all figured out… Not even me. But I’m trying and I share everything I’ve learned with you along the way. So here’s 3 ways to take care of yourself when life feels chaotic.

1. Make space to rest.

What’s the point in hustling if you can’t eventually pause?⁠ As someone who often runs on overdrive, I’m learning that rest is productive too. We can’t produce quality work if we’re exhausted. We can’t show up and give to others if we lack energy for ourselves. We work more efficiently after we rest.⁠

This is really really hard for me. My first few years in business, I didn’t take holidays. I didn’t take days off. Not because I wanted to live like that, but because I had to if I wanted to make a living: I set my rates poorly when I just started out, decided to go back to school, and spent my spare time learning on my own… so as a result… there wasn’t any space left to rest.⁠
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Some of you might know this feeling. And some of you might share the same perfectionist, Type A, workaholic tendencies… But I also know that not everyone can relate to this problem, which is okay.⁠ Just know that we all struggle sometimes.

2. Create a strategy.

If you’ve been hanging out here for a while, then you know that I LIVE for a plan. I don’t think you can get anywhere well or fast if you want to just wing it.

When I was new to freelancing and struggling to land clients at good rates, I created an action plan to get to that next level and since then have perfected the system to get clients on autopilot online. Apart from simply navigating all that 2020 has brought, the early days of business were some of the most challenging for me, as they are for many others.

All this is why I created my online course, Client Attraction Academy: Sell your services online on autopilot with confidence. Following a step-by-step process saves time, energy, resources—overall, it’s just a lot easier. When I started freelancing, I didn’t feel like there were any affordable resources to guide me, and I don’t want anyone else to feel that mix of confusion and hopelessness too.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve focused a lot on outlining a strategy to find my footing in these crazy times.

However, I know that you might feel stuck in analysis paralysis from time to time and there comes a point when we need to stop planning, which leads to my next suggestion…

3. Take imperfect action.

Ask anyone successful how they got to where they are and they’ll probably say something along the lines of: I failed a lot first. Failing is forward momentum. Failing is learning. Failing faster and getting back up again each time is how to get to that crazy wild end goal out of this world dream.

If you take action, you’re already ahead.

Each day I try to take at least a small action to get closer to my goals.

One way you can take action today? The Academy guides new freelancers and service-based business owners through my proven process to discover what makes you unique and write in a compelling way to attract dream clients on autopilot. The lessons cover brand messaging, brand voice creation, website copy that converts, and sales techniques in 4 simple to follow, yet in-depth modules.

And if you need a reminder working through it all, repeat the affirmation in this photo…

This is an adapted blog post from a version I wrote in 2017, but the techniques above are even more relevant today. It included the following excerpt from my journal…

I create because I want to contribute to our world. I want to leave something behind that is bigger than me. Bigger than all of us. I want to create something that brings us all together so over the course of a lifetime no one leaves feeling alone. I’m not saying that no one would feel alone ever again because loneliness is one of those human conditions that lets us grow as we move through and beyond it. Instead, I want to create something that drags you and me out of the depths of our own versions of hell into a place that feels both comfortable and inspiring at the same time.

I want it to be chaotic and normal and true. I want it to make you feel better.

Please reach out with your own thoughts or questions. I’m here to help!