Ramblings of a Wildpreneur™

We are living in uncertain and extra-ordinary times. Everything that we took for granted a month, a week, a day ago—kids being in school, flying to a conference, going to visit a loved one, going on a plane to vacation—are all on hold, indefinitely.

It feels much like someone scrambled all of our puzzle pieces and then walked away.

There are so many questions and so many feelings! 

How do we put the pieces back?

Do they need to go in the same spaces as before?

Were we trying to fit square pegs into round holes?

I’m angry. 

I’m happy. Am I even allowed to be happy?? (Yes, yes I am.)

I’m scared. 

I’m excited. 

The list could go on and on. 

This time in the world reminds me of...

Spring is coming, can you feel it?

The geese certainly can and were vociferously sharing the news, this morning.

I've been feeling the energy of Spring in my business, too, finally!

In the last few months, I've taken time to honor the energy of winter. I made space to dream, not to have all of the answers, and to listen to the stories around me. I needed time to discover what was being called forward in my business. I could see it in the distance, and it wasn't yet clear.

I'm not going to lie sometimes it felt a little (aka a LOT) scary ~ the words will I ever have a plan, may have been cried out with more than a bit of angst, more than once this winter.The deep creative incubation period can take much longer than we want it to take, aka...

Being an entrepreneur is hard. It is personal, intimate work.

And when things don’t go as planned, either in your business or in your personal life —

you send out a newsletter, and a reader tries to shame you for homeschooling your children,

‍a contractor flakes,

a sales cycle slips,

your parents end up in the hospital

— you can quickly spiral into a cycle of shame, worry, and self-blame.

Or you can choose another way, a middle way.

You can choose to treat yourself with compassion and love. You can give yourself grace.

That is precisely what I chose to do this week. It’s been a week of one thing after another — the list above contains a few (not all) actual events from my week.

In...

I've been thinking about cultural norms this week. My daughter, whose homeschooled, asked if we could read Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants.

From just the title, you wouldn't think that it would have much to do with building a coaching business, but oh my, it does.

In Braiding Sweetgrass, she talks about the way western culture demands that we know something only from our scientific and linear mind.

What a limited way to move through the world, and yet it is what is ingrained in us from a young age.

Schools taught us to ignore our emotions, to only focus on what it takes to get an A in the class, to not ask too many questions, and certainly not to question the cultural norms.

That...

Clarity comes from releasing our offers into the wild.

Only then can we experience how they impact those we wish to serve.

Scary, right?

Any excuse NOT to push the button . . .

The dog needs to be walked. I couldn't possibly push send before I take him.

I need to learn one more thing, and then I will be qualified. Then I will be enough.

Sound familiar?

I've heard it from clients. Let's be honest. I've heard it from myself.

It's hard to release our treasured ideas and projects.

What if they laugh?

What if they don't respect my work?

And, my love, what if they adore it and clamor for more?

What then?

What then?

Truth is you can figure it out, either way.

Through experimentation, analysis, and iteration you will grow, you will discover your...

Culture teaches us to solve our problems with our beautiful minds.

It teaches us from an early age that the only way to a gold star is through following the rules and being "smart."

We quickly learn to push down all the pesky emotions that get in the way of being logical and rational.

I mean we WANT all the gold stars Right?!

And yet, is that really where the real intelligence lies?

Um, hell no.

It is in our ability to lead with our hearts.

A brain in service to the heart is a much more powerful tool.

I remember when I attended the Nine Day School for The Work with Byron Katie, the terror that I felt as the control of the ego/mind slipped away.

I was terrified about what would happen to my business. I mean, I make my money through...

An easy button. Wouldn’t it be grand if we could all have one for our business creation?

I know I would like one.

Sadly, there isn’t one. I’ve looked high and low — no easy button.

That doesn’t mean that being an entrepreneur is all hard work and hustle.

Nope.

I believe the key to consistent, sustainable success is found at the intersection of mind-body work and principles of sound business practice.

It is an unusual combination and one that I have seen work across the board for my clients, time, and time again — one that brings creativity, joy, and excitement to their business. Their business becomes their haven.

We can achieve our goals when we learn to listen and trust our inner knowing, along with...

In response to my recent post about my obsession with James Fraser, someone asked, "How do I know if I'm checking-out or if I'm resting?"

Such a good question! 

The answer is you can tell the difference by how it feels in your body. 

I know, I KNOW, feelings They can be so . . . uncomfortable.

I, too, avoided listening to mine for years. And yet, leaning into the discomfort of our feelings is what can unlock the transformation you're seeking. 

Back to resting vs. checking out . . . 

Get still focus on your action or inaction, as the case may be. Ask yourself, does it feel like slipping into a hot bath on a cold wintery evening, or does it feel like trying to walk through thick sticky mud? 

If it feels...

Have you ever found yourself mindlessly binging on Netflix? Outlander, perhaps? Me neither, but I've read about it on the internet, or maybe, just maybe I found myself watching episode after episode of our favorite Scott, Jamie Fraser this past week.

At first blush, I could justify it and say I was resting by watching hours of Outlander. I deserve the time off. 

But if I'm honest, that wasn't the case–and that's why we're here for real talk about building your business.

Nope. I wasn't resting. I was avoiding uncomfortable and vulnerable feelings around my business. I was checked-out. 

You see, before I found myself admiring the benefits of a man in a kilt, I had been in a meeting with my Mastermind when my FULL on...