Are you on your own list? You better be.

You love your family, your friends, your pets, movies, music, cooking, etc. Make sure your business and yourself are on that list of love, too.

This past weekend was Valentine's Day and we decided to take a long weekend and go skiing. This year has felt so different with respect to barely any travel due to the virus so hitting the slopes felt even more exhilarating for us.

The four of us went to a local mountain and spent about a half day. It was wonderful to be outside and to see how families were gathering in a safe way. I was totally impressed with what the mountain did for safety. A ton of outside fire pits to gather and have hot chocolate and of course we indulged in this, as well as skiing. Innovative cabanas to rent for the day in advance to keep your things and they had a heater and picnic table for a family to eat together in a safe environment.  

Creating dedicated space to spend quality time with my loved ones is part of loving myself. It’s self-care. And when I take care of me, I take care of my business. If I’m burnt out, my finances know. If I’m not showing up refreshed and energized on my Zoom calls, my clients know. If I seem stressed and anxious, my team feels it, too. 

What have you done for yourself lately?

It’s not as easy to go to that happy hour or get to the salon or take a day trip with friends depending on where you live and what circumstances are happening in your environment and with your own health, so what can you do to bring joy and love into your life?

Love your thoughts! Start to journal and watch the ideas flow from your fingers. I have a lot of notebooks. My team laughs because I can never remember where I put my notes, but they have helped me define so much of my work. Jotting down ideas for the next book, writing out a plan for a new service, writing down potential podcasts and LinkedIn live guests. It’s my brain on paper. 

Love your home! Hanging a new photo, putting up new curtains, organizing a bookshelf. Sometimes a simple switch in your scenery is all you need. I’ve been working at our home upstate for almost a year, but have recently been traveling to the City again and spending time in our apartment. It’s been so missed and I do enjoy balancing the time between the two. 

Love your dreams! Do something to lead you toward your next goal every single day. The course, the class, the call, the email. Follow-up is on my list every single day. I rarely let a day pass without a good and deep conversation with a current client, potential client, team member, colleague, etc. 

Love your emotions! We are feeling them all. Sadness, happiness, fear, anxiety. Embrace them and find mindful practices that work for you. Mediation is a big one for me and when I start to get out of my practice, I can tell. The mood shift is very apparent, so I always try to get back to it as soon as possible.  

Love your network! Ask for support, share resources, just get on a call and chat! Your network is a trusted group of people that have your back. I’m part of yours, so reach out to me anytime you need a little love coming your way.