I’m approaching the two year mark of running my own business and have been reflecting back on how I’ve grown, what challenges I’ve overcome and how I’ve been able to transform through service and doing what I love.
It all started a few years ago when I asked myself, “What does success look like to me?” For some it might mean reaching a certain number in their bank account, publishing a book, or receiving an award.
For me, success is about the depth of the transformation I see in the women I serve, it’s about my ability to continue facing my fears even when I feel self-doubt or resistance, and to have a spaciousness in my schedule that allows me to truly take care of myself and follow my passions.
It hasn’t always been easy, but what I’ve found is if I can consistently come back to these six keys, I will always end my days feeling successful…
1. Vulnerability
We often want to see vulnerability in others but we are afraid to show it in ourselves. Being willing to be vulnerable is actually a courageous act, not a sign of weakness.
Brene Brown says, “You can’t experience the depth of joy and love without experiencing vulnerability…True belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world. Our sense of belonging can never be greater than our own level of self-acceptance.”
Vulnerability creates greater connection and establishes a foundation of trust.
People can relate to us when we share our whole selves. I remember when I first started blogging, it was the times I chose to share about my struggles and fears and how I overcame them when students would come up to me after my yoga classes to tell me how much my story helped them.
The world is craving vulnerable leaders. Women want to relate to and understand the people they are going to follow.
Where could you be more vulnerable and share more openly to create greater connection and trust in your life?
2. Generosity
Generosity didn’t always come naturally to me. I grew up with a mindset of scarcity shown to me so often. But, I saw being in a state of scarcity blocked my flow to receive.
When I became generous, it came back to me in so many ways.
Generosity also helped in my business. Even though I didn’t start with a lot of financial resources, I knew I could be generous with my time and my knowledge. When it came time to announce my first online program, people were ready and waiting to sign up.
Where could you be more generous? Where may you be holding back your gifts, your time, knowledge or resources?
3. Gratitude
It can be really easy to get caught up in achieving more, getting more and asking, “What’s in it for me?” But what really opens us to our own desired feelings and attracting more of what we want, is gratitude.
When we tap into the feeling of gratitude, and really feel it in our body, we raise our vibration and send signals out to the universe that actually send us more experiences that will create what we feel.
Take a moment right now to think about three things you are grateful for. Then say the affirmation, “I have everything I need and I welcome so much more.”
When you really feel it in your body and make a daily practice of it, just watch the magic that will happen in your life.
4. Service
When you tap into a vision that is larger than yourself, when you ask, “What kind of world do I want to live in? How can I help and give back to others?” Fear becomes so much less important.
When you are so focused onyour goal, that vision, there is no more room for fear.
We cultivate courage is when the desire of what we do want is stronger than the fear of what we don’t want.
Courage isn’t about winning or battling over fear, it is becoming very focused in our vision and then going for it.
When you ask, “How can I be of service?” You will be given everything you need to succeed.
However, when the end goal is to make x amount of money, or get the new car, it’s going to be more of a struggle.
When that vision has the potential to help so many more people, the universe is going to come in and give you support.
What can you be in service to? What kind of world do you want to live in? What is even more important to you than your fears?
5. Connection to Spirit
When I feel afraid or unsure of what to do next, I go to my meditation practice. My practice is where I connect to my body’s wisdom, and I become a vessel for where spirit would have me go and what spirit would have me say.
When we establish a constant connection with our body's wisdom we don't need to look outside of ourselves for guidance or affirmation. We can then connect to a deeper, innate love within. Then we can begin to know our purpose and service in this life and share our gifts generously. Then we can find the courage to face our fears in service to what’s larger than ourselves.
I do my meditations in a series of 40 days. I get really clear on the vision I want to create in my life and in the world and I allow my meditation to be in devotion to that vision.
My greatest vision now is to see women all over the world finding this kind of connection and love within. That is where we find the courage to love and take care of ourselves, the courage to live our passions, and express ourselves in service to what we love.
That is when we naturally inspire those around us and create beautiful change in the world.
I’ve been creating this Vision by sharing my 40 day practice with others and creating a community of women around the world cultivating the courage to be fully devoted to themselves, to spirit and to sharing their light.
6. Do what you love - every single day
One day a new woman walked into my yoga class. I asked her the usual question, “Do you have any injuries I should know about?” She replied, “Yes, actually I am recovering from several rounds of cancer treatments and surgeries. I am cancer free now, but I am just trying to get used to this new body I am in.”
As we talked, more people came into the room and laid out their mats, I asked her, “Do you have any wisdom to share with us?"
She said, ”I now do something that I love every single day. Something that makes me happy. That’s why I’m here at yoga class.”
Because isn't that we are alive for anyway? To be happy? To do what we love? I thought of my own life, and all the little things I had been stressing about all week.
Yes,I had chosen a career that was my passion, but was I really doing what I loved every singleday?
I made a vow right then, to let go of all the little worries and fears and re-commit to my joy, my happiness and taking the time every day to do something I loved.
We all have one precious life. How are you going to live it?
Now, we all have different versions of success, so wherever you are in your business (or your life) I invite you to ask: What does success look like to me? What does it feel like? What is my wildest dream?
I believe everything you want and desire for your life can be yours. All you have to do is listen to your intuition and be willing to face your fears, again and again.
Often the thing we want most in our lives also takes us face to face with what we are most afraid of.
When you are willing to face those fears and be driven by service, gratitude, and a connection to spirit, we can all create a new vision and a new world. <3
