Do you consider yourself a marketer? And if not, why?
Marketing stems from confidence and HeartSpace. And I want to highlight how important marketing is in order to have a successful business.
Traditional marketing is tied to sales. The both co-exist, and still do in holistic marketing. But what holistic marketers different from traditional marketers is the magic that happens when they decide to be one with their audience. Holistic marketing is about focusing on where you can give your audience value and providing an essence of support that speaks their language.
One thing that I’ve been focusing on more is seeing how can I provide my audience, not just value, but not making them feel like they’re not complete already. How do we elevate the audience in a way that your service or your product will be an add on to their already existing, and thriving abundance?
I always get a hot seat moments when I sit down with my coach. And he gave me the best way to create a really engaged community: to inspire them to join a movement, to be part of a mission, to be part of a greater vision. And this is the most effective form of marketing – it just so happens to also be holistic!
So in your own marketing, hunker down on your mission, and solidify with the movement that you want to create with your services or products.
For example, if you sell yoga clothes. Do you think that you can create a movement where people are more aligned and more in line with the why behind your products?
A percentage of profits are donated to a specific cause.
Sourcing your materials from a local community you support.
Practicing eco-friendly and sustainable business operations.
So every piece of your marketing has to have a bigger purpose to it – it really has to nothing to do with the right words.
If you think of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Purpose is ranked as the #1 priority. Second to purpose is wants, and finally we have needs. The main idea is that once we work downwards from purpose into desires, then what do you think happens? We now have a purpose-driven business.
So if your business has a movement that people can connect with, your marketing will be so much more effective. It emanates authenticity, and comes from a place of heart. It comes from a place of, of abundance versus from a place of needs and scarcity.
And then you’ll be able to serve a bigger purpose, and have a greater impact on the world. And people want to align to that.
Look at so many companies out there, like, let’s say Nike with Colin Kaepernick. “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything,” Kaepernick says in the ad campaign. People really rallied to that – especially young people. Gillette also had a whole campaign around the “me too” movement. People really rally for a good cause, or they rally against them. Now this really brings in light. You know, what team are you on?
I recently heard a successful fitness coach say at a conference, “Give your tribe their cause.” Once you give your tribe their cause, they will be so much more in alignment to how you do things, and will support you through your programs and events and practices.
Today, we’re talking about something super important called a Wealth Strategy. That’s right. Why is this so important? Because it’s the foundation of your entire business.
What ends up happening with a lot of us who are holistic entrepreneurs, yogis, and service
providers is that we get so caught up in inconsistent one-on-one services or an occasional group, but not really having a stack of offers that work together strategically. I do want you to think about how you can get more clients with your time, but also while working smart.
As a business coach, I love to talk about offers, also known as offerings, because they are the foundation of you being able to show up as credible expert, who gets paid well to do what they love to do all day every day.
The 2 steps to making more money as a wellness entrepreneur…
Step 1: Play to your strengths!
Ask yourself…
Do you like to work one-on-one with people?
Do you like to be in group settings?
Do you like to speak in front of big crowds?
How do you like to show up?
It’s important to determine how you like to work so that we can makes sure you are comfortable, that you are going to shine, and that it is going to be fun for you. That’s it!
So once we understand how you want to show up, now we can start creating your magical business layer cake!
Step 2: Examine different revenue streams
Trade Time For Money
Although a lot of people say that you shouldn’t trade time for money, this is still a fabulous way to generate an income. And it’s an essential part of every offer ladder.
Plus, guess what? As wellness entrepreneurs, I am guessing that you love to work with your clients. You love to interact with them. You love to treat them. Are you acupuncturist, massage therapist, yoga teacher? There’s still such value in working one-on-one with clients or in a group setting. It’s okay to still trade time for money.
What’s not okay is relying on that being your wealth strategy. One-on-one, small group
classes, large classes, being a speaker. This is still trading time for money, and some are scalable, and some are not.
So let’s go over the ones that are limited, and also the ones that you can also charge premium
prices for.
So, for example, if I want to get fit, or I want to get flexible quickly. Instead of going to group
classes or going to the gym on my own, I might hire a private teacher that way we can address my needs, my concerns, and my body. That’s going to cost me money. If I hire a trainer, if I hire a private teacher, I’m going to pay premium because it’s 100% of their attention on me.
So when you are positioning yourself as a one-on-one teacher, please make sure you charge accordingly.
Now, this is going to vary on your town, your city, your state, your country. Every time I’ve gone to Peru to teach whether it was yoga or Acro Yoga, or even Thai massage. I had to lower my prices a little bit because the currency there is very different, and I wanted to be of service for the people.
What I would charge here in Miami, where prices are a little bit higher, we have premium rates I wouldn’t do down there. So be smart on where you are and how you create your prices.
Next, determine how much value you’re delivering to decide on your price. This makes sure that your one-on-one prices can become up-leveled, and make it easier to charge a premium because you’re delivering more value.
Maybe your one-on-one work comes with a membership to your online yoga studio, or essential oils, a beautiful treatment, a tote bag, something that is going to allow you to raise your prices a little bit without also feeling icky because I know we’re of service and I don’t want to ever make you not feel like you’re showing up fully as a holistic entrepreneur.
So that summarizes one-on-one work. Pros? You give 120% of your attention on your client. Cons? There’s only one of you, which makes it very limiting. Typically, you could only take five clients a day.
Group Classes
I love group classes! I love people. I’m a group person. If you could just hug me. That’d be
great. Why? Because I feed off people’s energy. So for me, group classes is one of my favorite ways of working. Now, pro. Lots of people, lots and lots and lots of people can mean lots and lots and lots of
money.
But depending on the situation, for example, when I used to own my yoga studio, yes, there was be lots
and lots of people for my teachers, but their pay rate was not all the money. Why? Because the model of being an employee isn’t the most fruitful.
Now, if you’re going to do group classes, always get people onto your email list and always, always, always have an upsell.
Cons of group classes is that obviously, you’re not giving 100% of your attention to one person. So maybe people won’t feel that 100% focus on them. But if you’re a good instructor or you’re a good service provider, guess what? You can still have great outcome.
In my yoga conferences, the Global Yoga Conference, and my Yoga Expo, sometimes the
teacher teaches to a hundred people. Obviously, there’s no way to personalize that, but there’s still a great way to cue, message, give information that can serve somebody at each part of their experience, their practice, or their journey.
But again, be sure to always have an upsell and always show up as inclusive as possible.
Small Group Private
Why do I love this one? Because it has a blend. You can still charge a high amount, and provide your clients the attention they need, but the difference is that it is scalable.
For example, I run two types of consulting and coaching. I do one-on-one work, and I do group work.
Now, when you’re doing group work, this means you have scalability. You are you to many. It’s going to give you a lot of potential, not only to connect but to also make great change. You can have a deep impact on people because you’re solving lots of problems, and there’s also a sense of comradery and union that gets formed for your members
Info Products
This is where your knowledge is shared to many people. So now this becomes a product consumed by groups of people. This is where the most scalability and leverage lies.
I get this done through my online courses where people are consuming the material in a way that doesn’t take any additional time. When you create an online course, you complete it once and don’t have to add more work as more people join. There’s so much maximization potential.
So think about you positioning yourself out there in these four different ways so that you have a variety. You want to be able to help people in different ways so that you’re also supporting yourself, your self-care, connection to others, and your bottom line, which is your revenue.
Pick the one that’s going to give you the most money right away. Why? Because if you’re looking to grow your financial side of your business, then pick the one that gives you the highest revenue. That might not be your one-on-one. That might be a group. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean teaching classes for low amounts of money. It could be a program. It could be a retreat. It could be a training. Now, this is what I love to teach! The potential to have scalable business through a group setting with also a nice price point. Teacher trainings, retreats, transformative programs, or group plus one-on-one. These all can have price points of a thousand and up. And it’s the best way to change your financial outcome without needing a ton of people.
If we look at the concept of pricing, we’ve got to see that if you’re like a Ferrari, or you’re a Louboutin, Louis Vuitton. You don’t need to sell a lot. You might only need five clients a month to double your income.
Now, if you need a ton of people to meet your baseline. It might take longer. When you’re creating your products, have a variety and think of it like a menu. When you go
to a restaurant, there are lots of things for you to choose from. And in the middle part of the menu is going to be chefs’ choices. So I want you to make your chefs’ choices for the day and see what product you want to promote. What do you want to create that makes sense for you? And you probably want to start at a higher price point.
So what can you put out there that’s worth $200 to $1,000? Is it a certification that’s specific?
For example, chair yoga or Reiki attunement. Maybe it’s a modality of massage. Again, this is where you also start showing up as an expert. So your confidence level, your credibility, your professionalism gets to shine through even more.
The last thing that’s really important is that I want you to do a goal. How much money do you want to make a month? So let’s say it’s about $5,000. Maybe it’s $10,000. If you are
trying to fill your calendar with 40, $50 an hour average, you’re going to need a lot of those hours. But if you can do a few that are $30, $40, $50 an hour, and a few that are $200 an hour.
Now you also want to make sure that when you’re creating your menu of services, that as you figure out what your monthly revenue goal is that we create the price points accordingly.
And then all we have to do is fill in the amount of students that we need per thing.
So let’s say you’re leading a certification. You are an amazing massage therapist, like my husband, and specialize in lower back. And you’re going to lead a certification training or give educational credits. Now, perhaps you do a one-day seminar. You charged $85 per person, and you get 10 people. That’s an $850 a day. Pretty cool, right?
Or let’s say that you are a yoga teacher and you have your E-RYT 500. You can give [inaudible
00:11:56], and you do a weekend that is for yoga teachers, all about adjustments, cueing, how to
become a better teacher. And you charge $250 for this because it’s only a couple hours a day. 20 people, you’ve got a $4,000 weekend.
So start looking at the possibilities of growing your offerings in a way that feels good to you, to where you’re at in your career. So when you’re doing your menu of services, see where you show up. Are you showing up as a credible professional that can give more value? Are you using your knowledge and turning it into a product?
Are you creating opportunities for people to really get an immersive learning experience from you, maybe through a retreat?
So this is your opportunity to shine in the way that you create your offers that match your goals, that provide the results. At the end of the day, we want everyone to look good, to feel good,
and to be good. I’m so excited to see what you put out there!
Deop a comment below if you have any questions, and please share if you think somebody can benefit from this blog.
Well, I’m an egg snob and if my eggs don’t have bright orange yolks, I’m not eating them. It actually reminds me of an episode of Portlandia where they went out to eat and asked the waiter if the chicken they ordered was organic. If it was free range. If it had lots of sunlight. What it’s name was and if it had friends. (Pretty funny episode if you ask me).
Well, I’m the same with my products and things I invest it. I only want top notch food for my family and myself and rather spend a couple extra dollars on that knowing I’m also supporting small farmers in the process.
I do the same with my water, my clothes and anything else I spend my money on. Quality always beats quantity and knowing there’s good energy behind it is even more important!
Why is this blog then about Happy Eggs when I’m a business coach?
VALUE. Plain and simple. Your value and how you price yourself to be more exact.
Did you know most holistic entrepreneurs have a tendency to underprice themselves by 10-15%?
In this (our) industry there is a stigma around money and asking for your worth. In my book, The Abundant Yogi I talk about this exact thing in more detail, but to get an idea we have been used to providing discounts and lowering our rates due to covid almost instantly.
Why lowering your rates is a bad idea
First of all let’s talk about perceived value and what it means in the world of commerce. When something FEELS more expensive and is presented that way, you automatically get the essence that it’s more valuable.
Think Happy Eggs vs plain old eggs. Simply the packaging and the promise was good enough to charge $1 more than regular eggs, and if you’ve ever heard my presentation about pricing then you know $1 based on a volume based business can turn into $$$$$$!!!
Now do some quick math for yourself – if you lower your rates or on the flip side don’t raise your prices (ever!), you’re basically digging a hole for yourself that will be harder to dig out of. For example, it’s easier to give someone a discount vs raising your price right?
Let’s say I’m an acupuncturist and my rates have been $100 a session for the last 3 years and then because of covid I dropped them by $10, it’s going to be harder to raise my price back to $100 since now people think my rates are $90. Instead what I could’ve done, is given a 10% off and kept my prices the same.
On another note I’ve seen plenty of businesses raise their prices in the last 6 months or add a covid tax of 99 cents!
So STOP lowering your value and your prices.
What does this all mean for you as a Happy Egg?
You want to create a value 3 ways.
Your experience, wisdom and time. You want to make sure you show that you’re the best at what you do and price according to all the trainings and experience you have under your belt.
The perceived value of your brand and message. Yup.
You want to show up as a professional and deliver that initial VA VA VOOM feeling when someone opens your website, your social media or anything outward facing.
Making sure your offerings have that added value that goes beyond time. For example, my client Chloe did a 3 week breath course and charged more because she created an irresistible value stack that really (not pretend like many people do) gave over $150 worth of products and services.
Can I side note for a second? This is why ALL my clients create some sort of an online product that can be sold as a stand alone OR can be added as a BONUS on their programs!!!
Why should you apply this info right now?
2021 is your year to create and radiate. It’s vital the offerings you create and put out there show off your bad-assery. You deserve to make back all the money you’ve spent in growing your knowledge and wisdom and your diligent service to help others heal and feel better.
Go over your pricing and get it out there with pride and knowing fully you will deliver 110% of what people pay for. And if you haven’t gotten a chance to get your business planning 15 minute discover call – let’s do it!! 2021 waits for no one.
Every-time I step on my yoga mat I learn something new. Whether it is a lesson from a teaching by my gurus or an internal realization. Today’s lesson sparked a HUGE aha.
I was practicing with Richard Freeman, an Ashtanga Yoga teacher with knowledge beyond the asana that relates to energetic qualities.
He said something that struck me and verified my purpose as a health and wealth ambassador. The word vinyasa which we use often in our classes is “a sequence to which we put order that creates the opportunity to hold space”. He said that it is an “offering that has internal and external qualities”.
Of course my creative mind grabbed my notebook at that moment and drew a chart with 2 columns – and I invite you to do this with me. And maybe sit on your yoga mat and do this so you can connect with the energy you’ve offered on your mat throughout your life as a yogi.
Internal + External Qualities
Create a column with the world internal qualities and write down all your internal gifts – the qualities that make you, you. The good and the awesome and then the ones which keep you stuck or paralyzed.
For example in this column you would write your strengths, gifts and values.
I wrote:
Creative
Quick
Smart
Energetic
Supportive
Courageous
Fearful
Analytic
Then write the external qualities. More of the physical and tangible ones.
For example I wrote:
My smile
Strong body
Flexible
Great hair
Painful left hip
Carpal tunnel
I ask you to write to good and the things to be improved (notice I didn’t write the word bad or negative) so that you can create balance and have something to look forward to working on.
Why Yoga Is So Important In This Transformation
The practice of yoga, the vinyasa aspect of it, is designed to do create a sequence in which your actions lead you to transformation. Your yoga mat is a placeholder for the offerings you give the practice. Everytime you step on the mat, you leave parts of you that are holding you back from attaining goals and partaking in that samsara (the birth and rebirth of the soul in sanskrit).
In my teachings, both as a yoga teacher and business coach, I focus on this transformation as the core of the movement from your current reality to the next aspect of you. It’s the constant evolution which moves you closer to the 8th limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga system, which is enlightenment.
What Your Yoga Mat Teaches You
I leave you with this invitation – everytime you step on your yoga mat, decide what your offering is. What are you leaving on the mat and what are you receiving. What lessons do the poses, the breath and the focus or dristi, teach you.
This is awareness that you’ll take off your mat and into your daily practice. It’s what is called mindfulness and can weave into everything you do.
I invite you to explore the asana beyond the physical pose and find those internal qualities that shift, bend and grow.
Write me back and let me know what you explored and what aha moments happened that created more space and freedom in your body, mind and soul.
Feeling complete and joyful is important in your life as it creates an environment of a healthy mental and emotional state. There are so many ways you can do this and one of them which I particularly like and teach often in my classes and trainings is mantra. It’s a practice that can be done by anyone, whenever, wherever which makes it accessible to all. You’ll find enjoyment in the process!
What is mantra?
A mantra is the repetition of a word, words or sounds. Sometimes it’s as simple as a phrase in your own language repeated over and over or a more complicated sanskrit phrase or sound. We’ll delve into 3 of my favorite mantras below that will lead you to a practice you can maintain for when you need or some people start a sadhana journey which is your own practice over at least 21 days. Mantras have been used over thousands of years by spiritual guides. The rosary is even a form of mantra.
When should you repeat a mantra?
There is no perfect time to start a mantra practice, and really it should be done with a guide so that if you are doing one in sanskrit you get the right pronunciation and get the energetic effect it wants to deliver. Mantras are good for specific moments when you want to attract a certain energy to your life or create a shift. For example, I started a mantra to bring good energy for my baby’s birth coming soon.
Which mantras should I use?
Like I mentioned earlier, there are many types out there and the right one will fit what you want.
Mantra for Transformation:
Asato ma sadgamaya
Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya
Mrtyorma amritam gamaya
“Lead me from the untruth to truth, lead me from darkness to light, lead me from death to immortality.”
This is a mantra from the Upanishads circa 800 BCE which are spiritual teachings and ideas. To listen to it CLICK HERE.
Mantra for Positivity:
I am perfect. I am complete. I am everything I want to be and more.
I am beautiful. I am divine. I am powerful.
I am strong and flexible. I am a creator. I am a receiver.
I am perfect and complete.
Mantra for Peace:
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Sometimes the simplest forms of repetition can have the largest effect. This mantra means Om peace, peace, peace. Om represents sound primordial and is also spelled AUM to represent the 3 aspects of the self – body / mind / spirit.
I hope you enjoyed these mantras and choose 1 that can resonate with you now. Start with a daily practice and see what happens.
If you want more guidance, please connect with me.
I had the pleasure of writing for Better Homes and Gardens about how to find joy along some amazing contributors (like one of my wellness heroes Dr Josh Axe – wow!).
We shared some great tips on maintaining joy and creating it where you might not think of. To read more CLICK HERE but I will post my excerpt for you as well.
4. Write to a Loved One
You don’t have to be Shakespeare to pen a pretty poem. And you don’t have to be in a relationship to scribble a love letter. Arianne Traverso, a holistic lifestyle and business coach, says the act of writing to someone you care about—partner, friend, or family member—helps you to slow down and focus on the here and now. What do you admire about them? What have they brought to your life? Why are you so thrilled to have met them? Think of someone you were friends with or still are but don’t get to see or speak to often. She says this creates a deeper connection as you know when that person opens the letter they will feel joy, which in turn, brings you joy, too.
There are so many ways to smile, appreciate at love life more that we often forget about because we get so busy. I would love to be a source of happiness and inspiration so please reach out or join some of my local and online events.
Joy, wellness and happiness is one om, one meditation and one healthy decision away.
I’m always here to support and guide so check out some of my free meditation resources HERE.
If you’ve been practicing yoga for a while and have become completely comfortable in class, you’re likely at the intermediate level. While there are surely benefits to continuing your yoga practice at this level, chances are you’re finding it more difficult to stay as motivated as you once were. If this describes you, you may be ready to kick your yoga practice up a notch.
One of the great things about yoga is that there are many levels you can explore. And the more advanced your practice, the greater the benefits. However, it’s not as simple as attempting harder poses and holding them for longer periods of time. If you truly want to boost your yoga experience, you’ll need to take some other steps and maybe incorporate a few tools and some tech along the way. Here are some tips to help get you started.
Use Your Phone
You can take advantage of technology in your yoga practice by downloading a yoga app for your phone. The right apps can give you access to several features, such as workout plans and step-by-step instructions for various movements through video and audio. This makes it easy to follow along with challenging yoga sessions and learn new poses.
If you use your phone, however, it’s important to keep it in a case to protect it from sweat and water spills — whether you’re practicing to an app or have it by your side in a hot yoga class. LifeProof, for instance, offers some of the best waterproof cases because it can protect your phone while also leaving easy access to your ports, buttons, and screen. These cases also offer a one-year protection plan should your phone suffer any accidental water damage.
Find a Teacher Who Challenges You
As in any area in life, finding a great teacher can do wonders for your yoga practice. The ideal yoga teacher won’t be afraid to push you when you need it but will do so in an encouraging way. After all, yoga is supposed to be relaxing. So, while you want to be challenged, make sure you resonate with your teacher as well. Your teacher should also be dedicated and attentive, and they should check in with you before and after class to discuss any injuries, ailments, and so on.
Make Space to Practice at Home
One way to help set yourself up to practice consistently is by carving out a yoga space at home. Particularly on extra busy days, it may be more practical for you to practice at home than it is to go to class at a studio. Here are some characteristics to keep in mind for your yoga space:
Whether you set up shop in a whole room or in the corner of a room, make sure you have space to practice comfortably and try to create an area where there will be minimal traffic.
Sign Up for Workshops
While practicing at home is great, don’t limit yourself to practicing only at home. Consider going to yoga workshops that can expose you to new styles and philosophies. Teachers at workshops typically have more time to cover their material in depth, whether it’s poses, meditation, pranayama, or any other topics. Plus, you get to network with other people who love yoga.
Stepping up your yoga game will yield even greater rewards than you enjoy now. Remember to find a yoga app that works well for you, and get a good waterproof case to protect your phone. Find a solid teacher, and create a comfortable yoga space at home that has everything you need. Lastly, consider going to workshops to deepen your learning and technique. As you start to intensify your yoga experience, you’ll likely notice a fresh motivation to reach new heights.
It wasn’t too long ago when I believed payroll was only for “successful people”. For those who were making “real money”.
Side note: Can you see where none of the above statements even make sense?
These were all illusions I had set up because of comparisons to others who I assumed made so much more money than I, who were living more grandiose and who obviously could afford to pay themselves a salary.
I thought, keep all the money in my business account and pay myself as little as possible JUST IN CASE.
Just in case what? What was I setting myself up for? Failure?
So here let’s all say “Yes Please!” to increased income.
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The Reality
Here’s the deal. Now that you and I are professional adults as I like to call it, this is why and how I tripled my salary in just a few short months.
I wanted to settle down and buy a house
I wanted to start investing my money into other things
I asked the “successful people” what they did
Big realization was that I was limiting myself massively on item 1 because no one would lend me money since I earned “so little”. I was also telling the universe that I didn’t need to earn a lot of money because I lived simply. I also wasn’t building up my credit or giving myself cushion to start an IRA, invest or do anything else with my money. It is all about increased income and opening the doors for it to flow in from clients into your business and from your business into your life.
I created an abundance mantra for you:
The Result
I decided to triple my payroll salary and see what happened. Let me tell you – magic. I realized I was scared in the beginning but once I started the 3x everything fell into place. The fear left because I welcomed more clients into my life and saw more abundance via income to support the pay increase. Also I was able to get a better loan for my home which SAVED me money in the long run and started a chunkier savings account that made money FOR me as well as an IRA for my retirement.
I also felt PROUD of myself for not thinking small and limiting myself. Once I committed to saying – money generates more money I was able to feel really abundant and help my clients from a place of growth vs limits.
The Challenge
Here’s my ask of you- notice how much you pay yourself monthly – is it worth your value? Is is just enough or is it party time in your bank? Do you leave all your money in your business account just in case you need to cover expenses or can you trust yourself and the universe to be bigger and more affluent? Can you commit to 2x your salary or even more? And with this extra income, can you commit to sharing it via a donation (whether big or small) or even crazier, treat yourself to something nice?
Let’s all increase our worth and increase our salaries to show 2020 who’s in charge – the ever expansive universe who wants us to be ever expansive and abundant!
Also this is an invite to jump on a strategy session with me if you want to invite growth in life and biz – SCHEDULE YOUR CALL HERE (usually $297) for $97.
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To be independent. This word INDEPENDENT I feel gets used often and thrown around a bit. What does it really mean?
I write from this from England on the day the United States celebrates it’s independence from England which made me think quite a bit.
As humans we love independence. We love freedom. We long for making our own decisions and not be dependent on others for our livelihood.
Not only that, but as creative and holistic entrepreneurs we are drawn to be completely on our own, leading our businesses, creating our schedule and having the life we want because being independent is a top value we hold dearly.
What happens when you loose freedom and independence? How do you feel?
This word and feeling is something hundreds and thousands of people have lost their lives for. Who have given everything to be free.
What does this mean in your life and business? As you know to me as an entrepreneur they go hand in hand.
Freedom To Create
Having freedom to create is a gift that makes us human and those of us with ideas that want to be seen and heard are constantly on the search of how to get those ideas out and express.
This is why many of us turn to be instructors, coaches, creative entrepreneurs. Because of this calling to be independent to express and share.
What happens sometimes is that we are stuck not knowing what to do or how to do it so that our essence of freedom, liberty and independence is stifled under how to make this lifestyle and underlying value work. By the way, this is when most people call me asking for help and advice.
Dependently Independent
So knowing we are on this lifelong search for freedom and being independent, do you feel like you’re dependent on others to achieve your independence.
Let’s name some ways we are independent:
Financially independent – This is a dream come true for many of us yet we are dependent on clients (unless you’re a trust fund baby) to pay us to achieve this.
Relationship independent – If we’re married or single we’re dependent on others affection to fill this area of our lives.
Religious independent – This is a trickier one because many people do not have this freedom. But many are dependent on religion to serve as a backbone for their lives.
As the Huff Post states there are 2 types of independence and one is being free with rules. They used this quote “Any yachtsman knows,” he replied, “that in order to enjoy the freedom of the high seas, one must become a slave to the compass.”
So in order to have freedom and independence we are subject to being connected and tied to other circumstances to achieve the ultimate freedom.
Why This Matters
At the end of it all, your independence should make you feel happy, satisfied, proud and fulfilled. Whether it’s attached to others (like clients, income, spouses, and then some).
If you are not vibing where you are right now, if you feel stifled, over dependent or not connected to your highest self ideals, I invite you to do something.
First take time to make a call with me then check out my last post about the 9 Environments and do the wheel and the exercise.
Lastly, create a vision board of what it means to be independent to you, regardless of your external situations.
I leave you with a quote from Cicero: “What then is freedom? The power to live as one wishes.”
What are these 9 environments I speak of? They are basically a roadmap of your life that show you exactly where you’re at in the process of moving towards your goals in life, career, spirituality, etc…
This was created by my mentor Jim Bunch who I did one of my trainings with. When I did this exercise I was blown away at the exact picture and roadmap that existed and I wanted to create.
Maybe you’ve seen the wheel of life before? Well this to me surpasses it. I actually created a mini course on it for you! Click Here to check it out!
I use it in my coaching programs often because it’s a great assessment tool. Since I work with the 4 A Method (Assess, Align, Activation & Accountability) it’s the 1st step towards harnessing your ideal life map.
How do we do this? Click here and download the wheel and go through it with where you’re at NOW.
Put numbers (1 being low and 10 highest) of where you’re at in each section of your life.
What To Do With The 9 Environments Next
Now that you have quantified your life, don’t use this to see where you’re not excelling but what you want to choose to work towards. And life isn’t all 10’s. For example if you are single and you see the relationships area, don’t put a 2… look at ALL your relationships. Maybe you have the most amazing friends and support system out there.
Don’t go into the worst place and score yourself based on that (and you know how easy it is to do that).
Next, design a plan for what you will do to move out of the lower numbers and into the higher. Again, if you’re a 3 don’t set 10 as your next level – start with small wins!
If you want more help with this, make a moment to chat with me HERE as I know it’s nice to have an outside view. This is also something I do as part of my 1-1 coaching as I know how important it is to have your life map created with a game plan.
As always, I am here to serve and have this work be fun and exciting for you and me.
What happens when you loose freedom and independence? How do you feel?
