Howdy, Women and Womxn – how are things going so far this week?

Have you struggled to find a balance between your work and taking time for you? How about space for your growth? Or, a favorite question that I ask myself: Am I allowing time to be a balanced human and businesswoman?

Creating a profile on Instagram has been an enlightening experience. Who knew. I tend to live under a rock with technology and I’m definitely not on the up-and-up with new gadgets. So, Instagram for FSW has been a learning curve, to say the least!

When starting with IG, I tried to “stay in my lane.” I tried to just connect with others in the business world, those who were side hustling, or in circles that were “like me.” This also included female leadership, some spirituality, and service.

But since then, I’ve realized something important–>to not limit my attention or fall into such a deep tunnel vision with entrepreneurship. Why? Focus matters, yes. But seeing beauty or different ways of doing things, in multiple spaces and venues, can give us the energy to keep moving forward. It gives us a break or a pause and can jumpstart our creative fire. 

So, let’s get onto the three tips to get your energy back by going outside the box. By coloring outside the lines. Or, a personal favorite: seeing opportunities to learn and grow outside a restrictive paradigm.

Tip #1: Connect with Others Outside Your Circle or Purview to Expand Your Perspective

Maybe you’ve heard the term “intersectionality” in the DEI sector, or you’ve learned about it in a course or training. Outside the term’s use by others, I see intersectionality as woven connectivity of identities and behaviors in us and between us. Or, I try to see the world like a web, a network, or an ecosystem. And, as you know already, FSW’s work and message, in general, is trying to live from a holistic foundation.

What all of this means is that there is usually more than one way or perspective to living a balanced life. There’s depth and complexity, in the best sense. Many of us have been conditioned to look at situations and each other in linear, polarizing manners. But in connecting, sharing stories, and expanding our perspectives through learning and growth, we can take what we do to a whole new level.

When we can come to witness others, empathetically and without judgment, we not only connect with them, but we can deeply serve the world. Life is more than just “following” PLM (People Like Me). I’ll explain more later, but let’s talk about a baby elephant first. Because I can.

When a Baby Elephant is a Business Teacher

On a weekly basis, I post on FSW’s Instagram. After getting my work done last week, I took a minute to watch a video of a baby elephant. Initially, I wondered how watching that video had to do with FSW’s work–nothing yet.

But what I saw in that video were a few traits that can help me grow as a business owner and human. Maybe they’ll help you, too.

• Be brave, even when you feel small.
• Play with a stick (in its case) to be less serious all the time.
• And once you’re done either being brave, playing, or following your instinct, come back to home base for downtime.

There are definitely times we look at nature and get enamored with it. Laugh it off, maybe. Think it’s cute… But what if we really looked at Nature and saw little guides or little memos from the Universe? Let’s let that marinate.

Witnessing Other Creators Because Creation is in All of Us

Another non-entrepreneurial group that I’ve started following is artists. Seeing folks passionately create something or put their Soul into it is truly inspirational.

And in a very simplistic way, when I witness them creating a piece I am reminded that I, too, can create. Sure, from a business perspective it’s a project or maybe graphic design work. The funny thing is that witnessing their work and seeing the outcomes is like having indirect moral support and a coach. We can “follow” each other not for likes or whatever, but because as creators we are seeing one another, and acknowledging and expanding our work. And as that creative energy builds up, beauty and possibility expand and we feel uplifted and energized.

Tip #2: Take a Pause to Receive Unexpected Guidance

First off, I give 100% credit of this section to the founder of Women’s Entrepreneurial Network, Jeanette Spencer.

When I was trying to work last week, I knew my Human Element and fears were stifling (true) progress. Have you been there, too?

Perfectionism… You saucy, sly, piece of work. Seriously, Fellow Womxn, I’ve been stumped for more than days *cough, going on weeks now* freaking myself out in a certain stage of a project. I’ve been telling myself it’s because “I don’t know what I’m doing…” (which isn’t exactly true). Or “I don’t belong in the areas of these trends or popular searches…”

The point is, guidance comes in many forms, but we have to be open to receiving it, first. If we aren’t open to course correction we can get stuck in a tunnel or echo chamber of not being good enough. We can be our own worst critique and that voice is loud sometimes, especially when doing something new.

In Jeanette’s last newsletter, she aptly reminded me that procrastinating can stem from perfectionism. Sure, I’ve known this and believe it, but if I hadn’t taken a break to read her memo in my Inbox, I wouldn’t have had that awesome reminder while I was in my own head about market research. I got stuck because I wanted to do the task right, a.k.a perfectly, and because “everything hinges on this research…” And FYI, that isn’t exactly true either.

Tip #3: Break Out of the Box–No More Restrictive Paradigms

Regardless of what our “jobs” are—and parents or caretakers, I see you, too—there will always be two million opinions, secrets, or tips about it. Especially in the age of the internet and accessibility (and lack thereof) to resources.

Yes, I understand that I’m telling you tips today or share perspectives on FSW. But when we boil it down and simplify the matter, I’ve found out a few things:

• Information overload and too much noise can be stifling and overwhelming.
• As new business owners, parents, employees, etc., we tend to gather facts and figures because we want to genuinely do the best we can in this role.–>But perfectionism, “analysis paralysis,” and the comparison game, could rear their ugly heads in this process as we go along. It’s worth looking out for.
• When you see a model that makes you feel off, inferior, or not good enough, it may not be worth your time and 100% focus. Take what works and fits your work, and leave the rest.
• Recognize outdated, archaic information for what it is: that human’s or organization’s opinion. And after that, deep dive into your intuition for guidance or see Tip #2 and be open to genuinely helpful memos from others who want the absolute best for you.

To wrap the post up, we’ve talked about getting our mojo back by taking time to connect, witness, and live outside the box. What do you think about trying these tips to reconnect with yourself? Does it feel a little scary? A little empowering? Or a whole lot of uncertainty? Leave a comment below or contact me this way.

We can also take a couple of other approaches: here, you can join the FSW Circle and get 1:1 connection with me. But if you’d rather do your own thing for a bit, that’s cool, so here’s the FSW Quiz that’ll help you see areas of growth for living a full life. Either way, when you join the Circle or take the Quiz, you’ll get a free mini-guide that will help you begin to live holistically and grow, pivot, and thrive, Womxn! Let’s walk this journey together!