Friday Fun Zone #2

Self-care Kitty woke me very early this morning, but I was able to do something I don't get to do often enough...meditate with my camera.

Today's thoughts:

"Every morning is permission to start over." 


Have a beautiful day!

Your permission to start over

Mockingbird Morning

Golden Morning Warbler

Why You Need a Crystal in Your Bra...and other Woo-woo Stuff!

Why you need a crystal in your bra...and other woo-woo stuff!

I know it might sound silly to some of you, but I know many soul-o-preneurs who put crystals in their bras. And I'm one of them. Why in the world would we put a crystal in our bras? These "ta-ta stones" reduce anxiety, calm emotions, relieve stress and worry, and heal the heart, not to mention they can BOOST your business. They positively affect your energy and keep your intentions close to your heart. What soul-o-preneur couldn't use a little of that?

For me, it's a matter of being true to myself. There has been a medicine woman inside of me for years. I've stuffed her down and shut her up for far too long. She wants her time in the sun, so I've incorporated her into every aspect of my life. As a wise medicine woman and business healer, I had to take my own advice and follow my heart. Guess what, it led to poverty. Yes, you read that right. Then I followed my head. That lead to money in the bank, a sickened mental state, and my soul crying out for freedom. Finally, I found the best of both worlds. And you can, too! (Hint: it happened to be a little citrine crystal I put in my bra)

Be true to your soulful self!  Find the medicine that is balm for your soul and helps you shine your light.

Here is my truth:

Friday Fun Zone

Think of your clients or customers as spiritual treasures.

During meditation this morning, these words hit me. Boom Shakalaka! Have a fab weekend my Spiritual Treasures!

3 Soulful Marketing Tips for Heart-centered & Intuitive Entrepreneurs

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by Beth Barany

 

Dolphin teaches soul-o-preneurs how to connect with his or her customers

Like many of you, I didn’t step into my work all excited about marketing my work; all I knew was I wanted to help people. I was driven to connect, serve, build a business, and bring my gifts into the world.

Over the years, I’ve absorbed some understanding on how to market my touchy-feely business of helping novelists write, publish, and market their books. I’m also a novelist, so I’ve had to learn how to market products and services. After nine years of running my business helping writers, I’ve found ways to bring in new clients, fill my programs and classes using the tips I share here.

First, marketing is about making a soulful connection.

Second, marketing needs to be done consistently and continuously.

How can you connect to your audience? Where are your customers online and off? How do you clients prefer to be contacted or communicated with?

When Grandmother Moon Wakes You, Listen!

When the Universe is calling, listen!

Happy Friday, Wise Women! I hope everyone in the US had a wonderful Turkey Day with family and friends, and everyone else had a day filled with love and laughter! I definitely did, but there is something stirring in me. Something from deep within calling.

Grandmother Moon calling

At 4am, self-care kitty woke me, "Hey human, hey, hey, hey..." When I finally peeled my eyes open I was greeted by a warm glow in the room. I grabbed my camera and saw this. I'm not sure what is bubbling up from the depths (I don't think it's turkey), but it has me flummoxed, excited, and looking in the shadows. I may have to get outside and really listen to spirit today.

How have your soul callings been going? What's stirring in you?

What Would Happen If You Quit Social Media?

What would happen if you quit social media?

 I've been toying with the idea of quitting social media all together. I've had many discussions with friends and family about the good, the bad, and the ugly, why to stay and why to go. Why am I even considering such a drastic move? Here are my reasons:

1. Other than my business. I don't get much out of social media. Okay, I do enjoy pinning tiny house ideas to Pinterest. You got me!
2. I find myself comparing and judging not only others, but myself as well. That's not cool in my book and not aligned with my values.
3. It feels like an addiction or at least a cage. How many times do you check Facebook? See what I mean!?
4. I'm trying to be more mindful of everything in my life, including my time. Social media is a HUGE time suck.

 I know quitting seems drastic, but I've taken sabbaticals and felt fabulous during and right after. Then all of a sudden, the gremlins of Comparison and Judgment creep back into my day-to-day life. I hate when that happens. And if I add the verbal attacks that I've witnessed on social media, why would I want to be a part of that world? It all seems odd and definitely against my values.

Passion is a One-Night Stand

"Passion is a one-night stand." ~Elizabeth Gilbert

Recently, I heard Elizabeth Gilbert talk about passions and purpose. They seem to be the buzzwords of the last several years. You always hear and read that you MUST find your passion and purpose in order to be happy. It's important to find your purpose and you find it through your passions. Huh? Really? Who made this rule and why didn't I get the memo? Okay, that's great advice if you have a clear one.


Oh and I bought into it hook, line and sinker. Makes sense. Everyone wants to be happy, right? Did I really believe it. Truth be told, not really. And boy did I struggle with it! My passions are all over the map from tiny houses and helping women with their businesses to art and writing. How do you combine those? And if my passions lead to my purpose...good grief. I don't even know where to begin there.

4 Steps to Cleanse, Clear, and Release In Your Business Each Year

2015 Releasing Ritual

For more than 10 years at the end of each year, I go through a cleansing, clearing, and releasing ritual in my life and business. It is a great opportunity to reflect, re-member, and release what no longer serves. I usually take November and December to do this, so I don't feel rushed to get it all done in a week, or something silly like that. Focus on one area at a time!

Here are the 4 steps that I use:

1. Choose an animal guide. This year my guide for reflecting, remembering, and releasing is Ibis. During a journey, Ibis explained that I needed to bring more balance into my life, revive and restore my heart and soul. Therefore, I will be working with her during this phase. You can find out more about journey work here.
2. Cleanse, clear, and clean EVERYTHING! This means from my spiritual tools to sweeping and mopping the floor. My inner world and outer world both get a thorough going through. This includes backing up and clearing out computer files and paper files, gathering tax papers, putting old notes in a new idea journal, and feng shuiing my space. I sing the song Holy Mother that I heard from Pixie Lighthorse several years ago for all of my inner and outer cleaning. It connects me deeper to the tasks of cleansing, clearing, and cleaning.

Mining the Inner World For Your Business

A Journey to the Spirit Realm looks and feels like this.

 
What is journey work? I get that question a lot!

Here's what it is and how I use it to help other women soul-o-preneurs:

A journey is a powerful meditative state and the gateway to non-ordinary reality. Ordinary reality is the world we can see, touch, and feel in our every day. Journeying is the method that I use to access other worlds where the spirit helpers are found. These unseen forces have guided and protected you since you were born. Non-ordinary reality is the realm of the spirit, of visions and dreams, and the sources of your energy, creativity, passions, and love. Being there is an honor and a blessing not just for me, but for those I journey for. I bring back wisdom and words of empowerment that relate to you and your business.

How it's done: 

What will you do when the sidewalk ends?

A little thought for your Friday: (Feel free to share!)

When the Sidewalk Ends
by Heather Dakota
 
Hello stranger, neighbor, friend
I see you hiding behind curtained windows and locked doors.
The bushes grow to shut out the light.
As the darkness falls on your world.
What do you hide from?

I see your life with the busy days and stress-filled nights
with trashcans standing like soldiers
waiting for the man to take your shit away.
Out of sight. Out of mind.
It's easier that way,
but the Earth feels your throw away life
Do you hear the sacred within you calling?

Let me share what I see...
the yellow flicker knocks on your spirit to come greet the day
the squirrel plays in your yard, hoping you'll play too
the hawk lets out a mournful cry asking that you see things from a higher perspective.
Listen Beautiful Soul.
What will you do when the sidewalk ends?

What will you do when the sidewalk ends?

Are you ready to be a soulful business woman?

Being a Soul-o-preneur is not for wimps!

Five years ago, I was sitting with friends bemoaning my full-time job and dreaming of being my own boss. I was sure it would be much easier and certainly more lucrative. My friends asked why I would want to do such a thing. They told me things like: "I had a job that most people dream about, what about health insurance, income inconsistencies, and having it run your life." I laughed and continued with my plans for "freedom." For once, no one and nothing was going to stop me.

Fast forward to present day. They were right, to a certain extent. Here's what I've learned: Being a Soul-o-preneurs is not for wimps. And that is no joke! However, if I had known then what I know now, I would have done it anyway. There are just some things you have to learn, and it's a steep learning curve. There's nothing like trial by fire!

Here are some thoughts: 

The 5 P's of Being a Soulful Business Woman

I started my soulful career at 5 years old. You see, I had just received my first camera, a Brownie to be exact, and it needed film. I didn't have enough money saved up and my parents thought it best for me to earn the money anyway. I thought for weeks about what to do to make money. Brainstorming was in order, and a technique I use to this day. I decided that everyone likes flowers in their house, so I headed out to an obliging field and picked the prettiest wildflowers I could find. There were purple ones, white ones, and yellow ones. Perfect!

 
 

Field of Wildflowers and the 5 P's of being a soulful business woman

I took them home and put them in water. The next step in my plan was to draw these beautiful flowers. Luckily, I had reams and reams of computer paper. The old kind that was big and perfed with green lines on the back. I drew and colored about 20 different views of these flowers, had a little PB & J, and headed out the door with my wares in my little red wagon. I know it sounds cliché and more than a little old-fashioned, but it worked!

Looking back on those times, I definitely had the 5 P's of being a soulful business woman.

In Honor of National Cat Day...

Kitty says, "Take a nap, so you can take care of business."

Who knew there was actually a National Cat Day? However, cats can teach us a million wonderful things about taking care of ourselves, so we can take care of business, our families, and our communities. So in honor of National Cat Day, my kitty says, "take a nap."

How do you take really good care of yourself? Tell us in the comments below!

3 Super-easy & Soulful Pricing Strategies for Soul-o-preneurs

If you want to take your business seriously you have to know your numbers, no question about it. Oh I hear all the soulful women groaning. No worries! Pricing your work is something you can work on over time. However, it does need some mindfulness put behind it right now. As a soulful business woman, it's one of the things that weighed on my mind. And it was mainly because I wasn't bringing in enough money to sustain me. The scarcity mindset took hold and really wreak havoc on my money flow.


In pricing effectively, you want to:
A. meet your needs and live a comfortable life.
B. have prices that your customers and clients can afford and get the services they want from you

If you're feeling discouraged because you’re working hard and not seeing the money coming in,
or you feel disappointed because you're ready to expand your reach and have a bigger impact, I hear ya! I know what you’re going through, and you’re not alone!


Here are three formulas to unblock your money funnel and get the moola magic flowing in your direction:

Do You Know Your Business Worth?

Coyote knows how to create your business worth

Jill Doneen asked me a great question about how to know what you’re worth. In her words:

I see a difference between asking for what I'm worth and asking for what I want. Those are different. I have no way of putting a number on what I'm worth. Worth? What does that even mean? I can tell you how much money I want in order to put my attention with your Body Wisdom and do my “thang” for 90 minutes. But worth? I don't know.

Hung up on semantics? Maybe. But words are powerful, and I have a policy of being careful with mine when possible. I tend to blow up my household when I'm not careful. Sigh.

Here's my two cents:

Wise Woman: Kimberly Heil

Artist and Wise Woman: Kimberly Heil

I asked Wise Woman Society Member, soul-o-preneur, and intuitive artist, Kimberly Heil to tell us about how she became a soul-o-preneur, her challenges, and triumphs. Here are her wise words...

If you don't like it, build a new way!

Build a new way at the Wise Woman Society!

At the Wise Woman Society, we are building our businesses with integrity, filled with our values, and selling our products and services without selling our souls.  We're creating a more feminine way of being in our businesses and still getting things done.

If you're tired of selling your soul to sell your products and services, let us help each other build a new way! Wise Woman Charter Memberships are open until January 1, 2016.

5 Lessons from Ant to save a Soul-o-preneur Precious Time

5 Lessons from Ant to Save a Soul-o-preneur Precious Time

I've been watching the sugar ants in our kitchen (that we've been trying to encourage to go outside), but they are determined to march across the kitchen floor, up the kitchen counter, and over to the sink. They stop to chat with each other briefly, but are constantly on the go. Then, it dawned on me. There are a lot of them because they are small. They are constantly on the go because their only job is to feed the queen and the nest. As Soul-o-preneurs, we're running our businesses a lot like Ant searches for food. Here are a few lessons that we an learn from Ant:

Stay focused. Your time is precious, so make sure you're focusing that time on the things that are going to move your business forward. These things are: creating products, marketing your services, and laying your business foundations. Staying focused on one thing at a time will get everything done faster.

Stay organized. In order to save time, organize everything from your files (hard copy and online) to your work area. Make sure that you are using a system that works for you. After all, you don't see Wolf using Ant's systems.

Know and write down your processes. If you create a system that works for you (i.e. a product launch, filing system, or marketing system), write it down. This will help you grow your business in the long run. As soon as you're able to delegate a task, someone else can step in and do it just the way you've always done it, because you have a process.

Delegate. You don't see the Queen Ant coming up and looking for food, because that's not her job. She has delegated the job of gathering food for the nest to the worker ants. You can do the same thing with tasks that are not your strengths or that you simply don't like. There will always be another Soul-o-preneur whose passions can step right in and get the job done. And then, we're spreading the energy/money, love, and all of us get to shine our lights.

I know. I hear you...it costs money, but how much is it costing you in time? Your time is a limited resource as well. Most importantly, is the task taking up time that could be devoted to creating for your business?  If so, delegate it! And where there is a will, there is a way!

Communicate your needs. Don't sit in silence and suffer. Spending your precious time researching how to do a task is not an efficient use of your time. If you haven't got it within an hour, it's time to ask everyone you know if they know how to do it. Someone will know or can recommend someone to you.





These tips will help you save time now and in the future.  If you want to grow your business, it's really important to work smarter, not harder. Working 80 hours a week is not serving you or your tribe. Implementing some of these tips will have your business working for you, not the other way around.

For more tips, techniques, and support, head on over to the Wise Woman's Society. What Lesson from Ant intrigues you most or that you already use in your business? Leave a comment below.

How to Spin a Web for your Business

A Soulful Business is like Spider's Web

I've been seeing a lot of spiders lately.
I've been thinking a lot about my business, too. 

The Secret to Knowing Your Worth

One of the things that I struggled with as a soul-o-preneur was not cringing every time I told a potential client the price of my offering. I've done everything from choking on my words, coming up with excuses, trying to convince the person that I'm worth it, and coming up with a payment plan without the potential client even asking for one.

Here's the secret: 
I didn't value myself, my knowledge, my experience, or my wisdom. Yep, it's that simple. I didn't think I was enough. I was playing small. Oooo...that even hurts writing it.

So, here's how I overcame playing small:

7 Simple Boundaries to Set in Your Soulful Biz

We all know those projects that seem to take all of your time and energy. They suck the joy right out of your Happy Place and replace it with complaining and deep sighs of disgust. Is this any way to live? I think not. What we need are boundaries! Just like with people, your biz needs boundaries, too.

Here are seven ways to create good business boundaries:

1. Set a time limit. Each day set a time limit for how long you're going to work on a particular project. We have limited time to get a lot done. What makes logical sense? An hour? Half day? Whatever time you set, the project will fill that space, so make the space as small as possible.

Three Ways to Survive a Business or Life Screw-up

Okay...I fucked up! Not hugely, but I'm really disappointed in myself for this screw up. I priced one of my books $5.00 less than the lowest possible price for which it can be manufactured.  It's my fault. I've been in publishing for more than 20 years and I messed up. I help others create books and businesses, but I entered something incorrectly and didn't see my mistake in time. Uh yeah, not good business there. So, I could beat myself up over this or hide in the background licking my wounds, but here's what I did instead:

My 24-hour, 4-Liter Challenge

On Thursday, August 27, I'll be embarking on an adventure of a different kind. Let me explain:

https://vimeo.com/137008080