6 Habits of People Who Thrive in a Crisis

by vanessa | Nov 25, 2020 | motivation, personal development

6 habits of people who thrive in a crisis

Here are six habits that will help you thrive in any crisis.

This year has been hard on all of us. The start of this year they were a lot of things I wanted to do. For one, I wanted to travel and release my new book. That was at the back of mind, but that didn’t work out. My father used to say to me when I was younger, “don’t worry about what you can’t change.” As a kid I didn’t understand this, and I always used to worry about every little thing. From people’s perception of me to whether I could change someone’s mind.

The older I have got; I have realized most things are out of our control. We can’t change everything, and we can’t change the way the world is. All we can do is change our perspective and pivot from what has happened this year. Pandemics and crisis aren’t new. If we were to look through the history books, they were filled with them and yet people survived. But they are a few that thrived. In 2008, a lot of entrepreneurs emerged, and that changed the dynamic,

It changed the way the world works and runs. It’s as if a light was switched on and a flood of entrepreneurs came out of one of the most trying periods in recent times. If you want to thrive in a crisis, these are a few of the habits you need to have in order to achieve that.

Your story

We all have a story we want to tell. One that will inspire and encourage. But the story we tell isn’t as important as the story we tell other people. What is your why? Simon Sinek spoke about this in his book. But to thrive in a crisis I need you to ask yourself what is your why? Knowing your why is important for you to thrive in a crisis.

Who do you want to be? It’s important to ask yourself this question because this is one habit that will help you thrive in a crisis. This habit will help you understand who do you want to be? Your future you. Regardless of what many of us have believed, your personality isn’t set in stone. You can change who you are. In 2018, I was defensive. I had built walls around me to protect myself, but it took me working on my business to work on myself.

I realized if I was going to be successful; I had to stop letting criticism affect me. It wasn’t a bad thing. My perception of it was what was bad. As soon as I changed the narrative, I knew who I wanted to be, and what I wanted to do with my life. Who you are today won’t be the case a year or two from now? Our experiences shape who we become. It’s important to note that.

Growth mindset

Another habit of people who thrive in a crisis is a growth mindset. You need to have a growth mindset in order for you to move in the right direction. What exactly is a growth mindset? I didn’t know what a growth mindset was two years ago. I had to figure it out. What I discovered is that a person with growth mindset will push themselves to get where they want to go. Regardless of what obstacles that are in their way, they accept they will make mistakes so they can achieve the results they want.

It’s a belief that you can change anything as long as you work through it. Whether those are your limiting beliefs, lack of confidence, finances and your surroundings. Having a growth mindset anything is possible. That is what a growth mindset is. It’s a habit that’s extremely important for you to survive in a crisis. Why? Because whenever a crisis happens, it leaves you stuck.

Everything shifts from what you are used to, and then you face what’s next. What move do you make next? What do you do next? It’s then that you have to ask yourself whether you can move forward. But with a growth mindset you might fall, but you will pick up yourself up. Having a growth mindset is a habit that will help you thrive in a crisis.

Also Related: Is a Success Mindset Still Key to Success

Embrace the unknown

In 2018, I was planning on moving to a new city. I have always had nomadic habits; I should have been used to moving to a new city every couple of years. Still, I didn’t know what would happen. I wasn’t just moving to a new city; I was going to move in with a relative.

The uncertainty of it all was terrifying. But one habit you must possess to thrive in a crisis is embracing the unknown or discomfort. A simple reason is that there are no guarantees. There’s no guarantee ensured in life. You can’t go to a store and give back the hurdles of the challenges you faced. There’s no return to sender when you face hiccups. So, the only thing you can do is embrace the unknown.

You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Sure, they are certain things that will work out. There are certain things that won’t out, but you don’t know what will happen. Just like I did not understand what would happen when I moved to a new city. Next year we do not understand what will happen. If you don’t embrace the unknown, it will haunt you and you will be too terrified to step up your game.

Step up the game

This year the one term I heard more than most was, “learn to pivot.” I did not understand what it meant, but now I do. Now, I realize how important this term is. One habit that can help you thrive in a crisis is you need to learn to step up your game or pivot. What this means is you need to change your routine. Change what you are doing in order to survive.

If the method you used to use doesn’t work, then change it. If you are losing customers, find out what you are missing. If you are struggling to get someone onto your email list, then try alternative methods to do it. If you were fired, find out how you can make money while you find another job.

For every problem there’s a solution, but you just need to look for it. That’s an important factor. Finding a solution for the problem is how you thrive. Those who thrive in a crisis have learned this habit is important. Every successful person has had to do it. Steve Jobs had to do this to improve his sales for Apple products. If you look at any business, they all have this one trait. They step up their game. Whether it is the way they approach business or people or how they sale. Stepping up your game is important for you to thrive in a crisis. It will help you solve your problems quicker.

Also Related: How to Face and Overcome Obstacles

Clear vision

Your vision has to be clear. What does this have to do with thriving in a crisis? A clear vision is a habit that many of us struggle with. But it is important to thrive in any crisis. When you are stuck what helps to get you unstuck. Years ago, when I was in a rut, I would stay that way for months.

Not sure what to do next with your life. And now that’s not the case. Now, I realize a clear vision will help you understand what your next steps should be. It will also give you the motivation to zero in on your goals. There’s nothing you can do about what happens around you. Still, that should never stop you for going for what you want. A clear vision should push you into the right direction. This is one habit many of us don’t focus on enough.

A clear vision defines a strategy for you. It also gives you direction. Let’s say in the beginning of this year you wanted to start a business. But you weren’t sure what kind of business to start. Many of us get overwhelmed with life that we put our dreams on back burners, but it is easier to do that when your vision is clear. But if your vision is clear, then you are most likely going to keep moving regardless of the challenges you face.

Be kind to yourself

Failure is inevitable. You will make plans and they won’t come through. You will face another set of challenges and you might fail to work through them. That’s okay. Be kind to yourself. I struggled with that. Loving yourself in a stormy period isn’t easy, but need to love yourself to heal.

I had to be gracious to myself when hardship struck. Was it easy? No. But this habit is important for you to thrive in a crisis. Many of us forget how to love ourselves in the storms and when we fail. We forget by being kind to yourself it’s empowering and not a weakness. Belittling yourself when you fail won’t help you at all. It will do the opposite. It will cause pain and then comes the doubt. Limiting beliefs stop us from going after what we want.

It prevents us from pushing ourselves. Because to protect ourselves, we tend not to put ourselves out there. But to thrive in any crisis, you must put yourself out there. However, you also need to be kind to yourself. Focus on this habit in any part of your life and you will thrive in any crisis.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

What is your takeaway from the blog post and how will you thrive in a crisis. Comment below

7 Things Holding You Back in Life

by vanessa | Oct 21, 2020 | motivation, personal development

7 things holding you back in life

There are a few things that might be holding you back in life. These are the seven most common ones.

As we wind down to the end of the year, you might ask yourself. What is holding you back in life? It’s a question we ask ourselves in our lives. They are dreams; we have buried within us. Maybe, at the start of this year, we wanted to embark on a journey of self-discovery and then the pandemic happened.

Maybe, for a while now, you have had dreams bubbling beneath the surface. Dreams you have wanted to work on, but you found yourself stuck in a loop of not knowing what to do next. We have all gone through that. But it’s now or never. You need to ask yourself what’s holding you back. Figure out what has kept you behind and why you aren’t as far as you hoped you would be.

I get it. We all have things that hold us back from going after our dreams. Many of us have sunk deep in the sea of unaccomplished dreams, and when we look back, we see all the lost potential. Time can be illusive. It’s tricky to wrap our minds around it and it can escape from our grasp. That’s why it’s important that you figure out what you want from your life.

What do you want to do? Ask yourself what’s holding you back in life. Be as honest as you can about it, because only then will you figure out what needs to be done and go after it. In this blog post, we will look at a few things holding you back in life.

Fear

Fear holds many of us back in life. It grapples and pushes us back. Many of us struggle with fear because no one can be certain of the future. That’s the problem. Uncertainty. If you want to go to a new city. That’s terrifying because you aren’t sure what will happen. We are so used to things working out the way we want them to. We are so used to a constant flow of predicted events.

What I mean by this is going to a new city for college is terrifying, but there’s a safety net. You know this is supposed to happen and you understand in no time you will make friends. But going to a new city on a whim is terrifying. I have done this many times and each time it was terrifying. I didn’t know what to expect, and that terrified me.

Fear holds many of us back. Fear is fake events appearing real. When I realized this, it was as if I had a Eureka moment. You can’t run away from fear. But you can push through it by acting on it. When you commit to action, it gets less terrifying the more you do it, but if you don’t act on it, fear will always hold you prisoner.

No one wants to remain in shackles. So, embrace that fear will always be there. Push past it. Don’t allow it to hold you back in life.

Lack of a clear vision

If you don’t have a clear vision for what you want to do this will hold you back. Why? Because you are stuck in a loop. You might know that you want to start a business. But you don’t know what kind of business. There are dozens of businesses out there. Different business models you can try out, but choosing the right one is difficult.

A clear vision sets those who excel from those who are stuck. Having a clear vision isn’t as hard as we’ve been led to believe. You need to know your why. The big reason you want to do a particular thing. It has to be strong. The stronger it is, the more it will push you in the direction that you want to go.

The next step is that you need to understand the fundamentals. For example, the fundamentals of starting a blog might be to know your niche, choose your brand name, designing your website and writing your pivotal blog posts (these are the blog posts that will attract your first readers.) The fundamentals of doing dropshipping will be different.

You then need to build the business. Building a business is the same in almost every industry, but you can get lost if your vision isn’t clear. A clear vision also includes your ideal readers/customers and what you will sell them. There’s more to this, but when you understand what a clear vision entails, it is easier to work on yours. Not having a clear vision for your life might be what’s holding you back.

Also Related: The Reality of Finding Your Calling

Your lack of a support system

Starting anything new can be terrifying because for a while you will be on your own. Your friends and family might not understand why you are doing what you are doing. It might confuse them or they could think you are acting out. When your loved ones don’t support you the way you want them to, it can be heartbreaking.

It can feel like they don’t love you. That’s not true. They want the best for you. And often what they think is the best for you isn’t the best for you. The best thing you should do is to accept it. Every successful person has gone through that. They have had to overcome their doubt and their loved one’s doubt. It’s a lonely way to the top.

That’s why you need to be part of a community of people who can support you. People who will understand that you are following your heart. There’s nothing wrong with following the beat of your drum. Don’t let anyone think otherwise. And even when people doubt you don’t allow this to stop you because you’ll regret it.

Don’t let this hold you back. What I have realized is that we are all on a journey. On that journey we will find people not who don’t believe in our dreams and it’s our choice. I am sure Jeff Bezos went through it. Many people might have thought he was crazy for creating Amazon. He founded the company in 1994 when online shopping seemed too futuristic, but he carried on with his idea. You do not understand how far your idea can go if you push through with it.

Lack of discipline

For many of us, lack of discipline is holding us back. For me, this was a factor. I would want to work, but I wanted to watch television more. That’s why it’s important that your why is powerful. When you have a powerful why you can push yourself and it is easier to do things.

Will you still struggle with discipline? Yes, but like everything in life, work at it. Many of us don’t become who we want to be because of lack of discipline. And the older we get; we regret never working on it. You can become better at self-discipline. We over complicate things. The simplest way is for you to have a sound reason you want to do something. Then you can use the ten-minute rule.

The ten-minute rule is a game changer. Why? Because if you work on something for ten minutes, you will see it through. This is the easiest way to work through discipline. You also need to realize that every problem has a solution. We all think some problems have no solutions, but that isn’t true. There’s a solution to every problem. All you have to do is find it and in time you will.

Limiting beliefs

Your limiting beliefs might hold you back in life. We all have limiting beliefs and we all struggle with them. The key is learning on how you can quieten the noise and prevent it from holding you back in life. Whenever you are about to doubt yourself look at all the things you have achieved and accomplished. All the things you have done with your life.

We all have moments that were motivation boosters. It doesn’t have to be big. The older we get, moments that appeared monumental don’t seem that way anymore. For example, at twenty-eight, your high school graduation doesn’t seem all that big. We can say the same thing when we graduate from college. However, those moments are still important because you achieved something.

When you think about that, you realize that you can achieve so much more. We all forget those moments and see them as inconsequential. But they are important. My big moment was when I was eleven. That was years ago, but it carries a lot of weight because I achieved something I thought was impossible. I won an award for coming in first place for sprinting. I have achieved more since then, but as a nonathletic person who it was a big moment for me. It showed me that our limiting beliefs hold us back from accomplishing great things.

Anything is possible. But here’s the key you must believe that.

Lack of self-awareness

Many of us aren’t self-aware. Heck, I struggled with self-awareness for the longest time. Not knowing who I was and what I wanted. It took a class in my first year of university for me to understand how important reflection is. Many of us do not understand how to reflect our actions and decisions.

It isn’t your fault. Society hasn’t taught us the importance of reflection. The reason we aren’t where we want to be in life comes to not reflecting on our decisions. Reflection should be part of your daily activities. You should ask yourself why do you feel this way? What your purpose is? What do you want from life? Continue asking yourself these questions and you will shocked and how far you will go.

Don’t be terrified of asking yourself these deep questions. If you are tired of not being where you want to be in life this will help. Lack of self-awareness is holding many of us back. It held me back for the longest time. Whenever I am afraid to do something, I ask myself why that is, and that pushes me past my barriers and keeps me going.

Not being good enough

Five years ago, the one thing that held me back was not being good enough. I never published my books because the thought of not being good enough was unbearable. I never pushed myself because I was afraid that people would judge me for my lack of talent.

This is where comparison hits the most. We care how people see us and compare us to other people. Comparing yourself is like comparing two different car models made in two different countries. Comparing yourself is pointless. Why? Because our backgrounds are different and so are our experiences. Someone who was once homeless will see life differently to someone who grew up in a two-parent household.

We all have this switch that turns on when we’re comparing ourselves. “That person is so much better than me at this.” We say. That is a given. They will always be people more beautiful, more talented, more experienced than you. It’s the world. But you can’t go on and compare yourself. That has to be the definition of madness. So, stop. Love yourself. Stop comparing yourself to people because that’s a recipe for disaster.

Don’t allow this to hold you back in life because it will. I will never be like Marie Forleo or Lewis Howes or Tony Robbins. Because God created that person to be one and not a clone of someone else. Just like God created you to be an equal and not like anyone else.

What are the things holding you back in your life? Comment below.

Keep Pushing

Vanessa

How to Turn Your Life Around in 12 Months?

by vanessa | Oct 14, 2020 | Entrepreneurs, personal development

how to turn your life around in 12 months

These are a few ways you can turn your life around in 12 months or less.

Many of us can agree that this year has been hard. So hard that we are questioning what the next step is. We are wondering how we can turn our life around. Regardless of what has happened in your life, we all get to a point where we want more from life. We want to do or achieve more. This year might have put more pressure on you because you realize that there are no guarantees in life.

You could have lost your job. You might have had to add another job to your already hectic schedule or it could be you lost someone. And that made you wonder if you if there’s more to life. There’s nothing wrong with ambition. This is what many people get wrong. As long as you check it. That’s important. Your ambition mustn’t be so dangerous that you’re willing to hurt the next person. I suppose this why many of us don’t go after what we want because we see it as deadly. Dangerous, even.

This isn’t true. We are weeks away from the end of the year. And they might be things you’re terrified to do because you believe it will change you. One thing starting a business has shown is me is that success and money can’t change a person. All it does it bring who you are into focus. You can’t hide who you really are once you become successful. That’s why successful people come in all shapes. So, ambition and money aren’t bad as long as you understand why you want to be successful. Here’s another thing you need to know: if you want to be successful for validation, then you are in for a rude awakening.

No one has the power to make you feel good about yourself unless you give it to them, but by doing that you will always want validation. You will always want acceptance. And when you don’t get, it will feel as you are worthless. You will feel as if you are sinking in a sea of inescapable pain. That’s why you need a clear why for what you are doing.

If you are still with me, here are a few ways you can change your life around.

Start a side-hustle

Baby steps, remember. As a kid I was wearing a float and my older brother threw me into the pool. Yes, he took the whole throwing someone into the deep-end literal. But many of us do. This should have encouraged me to swim, but it didn’t. We all are different.

Some people do well with pressure. Others don’t. You can’t apply one theory or tactic to everyone. That’s crazy. Therefore, meditation doesn’t work for everyone and I get you might be used to hearing that. Do meditation. Do this. But life doesn’t work that way. If you want to turn your life around, start a side-hustle. Generate a bit of money to start your business or whatever you want to do.

This is one of the best ways to turn your life around. Why? Because you are starting from scratch. You are learning new skills. You are building on the skills you already have. You are working with what you have. And they are a lot of side-hustles you can do from home. So, don’t worry, I have got you covered.

Also Related: Quick Side-Hustle Ideas To Start At Home

Start a business

If you are looking for something more exciting, than starting a business is a step into the right direction. Starting a business can turn your life around in 12 months. They are a lot of reasons it can turn your life around. But to be a successful entrepreneur, you need to develop skills. When I first started my business, I never knew how my life would change. I had to learn about designing graphics. I had to learn about WordPress and how to work on my site.

I learned a bit of marketing and the thing with starting a business is you never stop learning. Side-hustles take only a fraction of your life, but a business is like having a baby. It needs you to monitor, take care of, and worked on it constantly. They are a lot of businesses you can start. You could start a clothing business. Maybe you want to start a grooming business. Or it could be you want to do a start-up. They are hundreds of business models out there. But they all start with the knowledge of wanting to solve a problem.

Figure out what problem you want to solve and work from that. This is one of the best ways to turn your life around in 12 months because it will give you insight to what bad habits you need to kick to the curb.

Also Related: Is Entrepreneurship Right For You?

Start a blog and monetize

Yes, blogging still works in 2020, and yes, you can make money from it. Maybe, you want to start a blog and I recommend you think about starting one. It is still one of the easiest ways to turn your life around. The reasons can vary, but like starting a business, you’ll wear many hats.

That’s the thing about blogging. Even if you pay for someone to do things, you still have to learn how to hire talent. The first thing I learned in starting my blog was hiring talent isn’t easy. Often, you will lose money so I had to learn in order for me to understand who to hire. It was challenging, but also exciting. Starting a blog is only one part of the puzzle. The next part is monetizing it. Don’t wait years to monetize your blog. One thing that turned my life around was when I made my first couple of hundreds of dollars from my blog.

I had earned money from my blog. It shaped the way I saw everything. I realized I could do so much more. That’s one thing that’ll change your life around with blogging. It changes your mindset. You get into it not knowing if you’ll make a difference or change your life then it happens. You have a light moment and that’s so powerful.

They are many ways you can make money from blogging. But it starts with growing an email list, then you can monetize your blog. You can sell a product or service. You could also offer coaching services, sell a course or a membership. The sky is literally the limit for blogging. This one of the easiest ways you can change your life around.

Also Related: How to start a blog

Start to a podcast

Not everyone enjoys writing. So, if you are one of those people, then this too can turn your life around in 12 months. Podcasts have become increasingly popular in recent years, and they are like blogging. In that you talk about stuff that interests you and on a weekly basis you post your podcast episode on your website/blog.

If you feel more comfortable talking, than you can start a podcast. It is like blogging in another way, the barrier of entry is as low. It won’t take you a while to figure it out. You might spend more money depending on your budget. Some newbie podcasters start one without the equipment. Just a phone and a cheap microphone.

They are ways around it. But starting a podcast isn’t as difficult as you might think it is. It is all about dedication. But if you stick with it, a podcast will turn your life around in 12 months. Especially if you do it the right way. Yes, there’s the right and wrong way for starting a podcast.

Some people hurry the process and miss out of the experience. The experience of starting anything new will turn your life around. Keep moving forward in order for you to turn your life around. Remember, baby steps are important so don’t rush the process. Another thing to take into consideration is to not take too long. Procrastination Analysis is one thing many of us struggle with. Don’t be one of those people who achieve nothing because they spend too much time analyzing.

Also Related: How to Start a Podcast

Start a YouTube channel

This another way you can turn your life around in 12 months. But is harder to do than podcasting and blogging. It costs nothing though, which is the significant thing about starting a YouTube channel. In the beginning, as you grow, you will need to buy professional equipment. Still, you need to vamp up your skills. One thing you need to learn is editing videos. Which might take more time depending on how quick of a learner you are.

The funny or interesting thing with this list is that one will come before the other. Let’s say you start a YouTube channel; you might need to add a blog or a podcast. If you start a blog, then you will need to start a YouTube channel. You will need to do this if you want to grow faster. Why? Because those who use different mediums grow faster than those who don’t. Unless you started your business years ago before it became saturated.

Now, it’s saturated and to stand out you need different mediums. That’s the frustrating thing, but it will make it easier on you. YouTube is a search engine. Over two billion logged-in users. Imagine that. There’s 15% of traffic comes from the US. YouTube is the second preferred platform for watching video on screens for 18-34-year-olds. There’s a lot you can achieve with YouTube. Every year hundreds of people become famous from starting a YouTube channel.

Their lives have changed. Yours will turn around. They are a lot of niches you can choose from. A niche is a specialized topic, i.e. husky grooming is a sub-niche and dog grooming is the niche.

Write a book

This is one of my favorite ways to turn your life around. Why? Because it has the lowest bar of entry and you learn a lot about yourself. I get it you might think you aren’t a writer. You can hire ghostwriters to write your story. Everyone should write a book. Because you can change your life around in so many ways. You can shift your perspective.

The first time I wrote my story was in 2017 and it changed my life. I learned that what I thought I wanted; I didn’t. I also understood myself better. I knew that the only way to go forward was to be honest with myself. I stopped caring what people thought of me. The next year I started my business. But it started with writing one chapter at a time. The book was slightly over 20,000 words.

I didn’t have a lot of support. I didn’t see myself as a great non-fiction writer. Yeah, there’s a big difference in the way the words form. Fiction writers write with poetic justice. Words spin cobwebs and flow with such ease that it brings characters to light. With non-fiction writers, you become the character. Write with less poetic justice and more with a cautiousness in your words. Allow your personality to shine through every word you use. Different. You can still write both, but fiction writing has always been where I excelled. Though writing my first self-help book turned my life around. And I know it will do the same for you to.

You don’t even need to write a self-help book. There are hundreds of genres you can work on. But writing will turn your life around.

Create a course

The one thing that has turned many people’s life around has been creating a course. You can create a course from your blog articles, podcast episodes, or YouTube videos. You can create a course on any topic and it will sell as long as you understand what your customer wants and what they don’t want.

Let’s say you have written hundreds of dog grooming articles and even wrote a book. You could create a course on how to take care of your Siberian Husky, but you need to break it down. Maybe your audience is more interested in how to groom Siberian puppies. Find out what your audience wants and give it to them. It’s important that you do that because only then can you grow and turn your life around.

Creating a course can be tricky at first, but with time it gets easier. The noble thing is, you can always sell it. Make it once and sell it many times. That is one of the best things about creating a course. Gurus call this passive income. Every course creator will tell you that courses turned their lives around.

Create a membership/coaching

Another way to turn your life around in 12 months or less is by creating a membership or coaching business. What is outstanding about this is all you might need is a landing page to collect email addresses? A landing page is one page that requires a recent visitor to do one thing. For example, pay for a product or subscribe to a newsletter.

On your landing page you will offer a free premium product such as a checklist or an eBook. Once people subscribe, send them emails every month teaching them a new skill. You can then later talk to them about your membership site or coaching business. Your coaching or membership site can be about anything. It can be just articles, books, audio or video. You don’t need to include everything. What you do need to is focus on helping your clients. You can coach them on their ADHD or lack of focus, etc. In the beginning, solve one problem so it isn’t too difficult for you. The significant thing about this is that you can add to any of the other business models above. Starting a business is more general and the others are specialized business models.

Whatever you choose, these can change your life around for the better.

What is your main takeaway from this and how will turn your life around. Please comment below.

Keep Pushing

Vanessa

How To Reinvent Yourself In Five Steps

by vanessa | Jul 8, 2020 | Entrepreneurs, personal development

HOW TO REINVENT YOURSELF IN FIVE STEPS

These are a few ways you can reinvent yourself.

Even though this post is titled how to reinvent yourself in five steps, I am not going to talk about how to change who you are. Often, when we hear, the word reinvention, we automatically think it refers to changing who we are. The core of who we are doesn’t change no matter what happens. How many times have you had to reinvent who you were or change the way you looked at things. Reinvention is nothing new for many of us, but this time is different. Reinvention simply means changing your direction.

A lot of things have changed in 2020. Maybe you lost your job because it was deemed as obsolete or maybe your pay was drastically cut. Where ever you stand, you have had to look and wonder what steps you should take. Should you do something else? Even the prospect of picking up a second career doesn’t seem to be in the cards, well at least for a while. When you start to reinvent yourself, you realize that there are so many things you can do. You become more open to changing course and that is a good thing.

In 2017, I reinvented myself, two years prior I had a quarter-life crisis and it took me two years to pick up the pieces. To figure out what I wanted and reaccess where I wanted to go. I knew I needed to change course. The things I believed I needed no longer seemed valid. It was as if life slapped me in the face and I started to consider whether it was necessary to go through with the motions and not face the cold truth. It was here that I knew what I needed to do and what I had to work on. I published my first book after I went through that and my second book is on Amazon now. I would have never done any of that if I hadn’t gone through the reinvention process.

Here’s how you can reinvent yourself.

Discover your authentic self

Many of us don’t know who we are or what we want. You aren’t alone. I was the same way. If you had asked five years ago that I had a personal development blog, I would have laughed at you. There’s beauty in discovering your authentic self. When you do that, you figure out what you want to do and how you can do that.

Discovering your authentic self requires writing in a journal. You need to write down all your dreams, every idea you had that you didn’t dare think about and you need to be honest with yourself. Allow yourself to feel things that you never felt before. You must go through this process because it is only here that you are honest with what you want. Maybe you had a dream that you wanted as a kid, but you forgot about it or gave up because you believed it was too stupid.

When you reinvent yourself, one thing you need to do is to take a hard look at all the things you want. As a kid, I wanted to be an author, but I gave up on that dream because it seemed too far-fetched. Years later, I am going after it, but I wouldn’t have done so if I didn’t reinvent myself.

Take risks

There’s a difference between calculated risk and risk that isn’t. Many of us take calculated risks. Do you fit in that category? Many of us would do that. Two years ago, when I embarked on my entrepreneurial journey, I took a risk. It wasn’t calculated. But I was reinventing myself and I knew this was something I had to do.

It was terrifying, to say the least, and often at times, it was as if I had no idea what I was doing. I am still figuring out the entrepreneurial journey. That was the scary part. I thought about what would happen if I failed and often I questioned my sanity. I had to be insane. Maybe, I lost my marbles. After all, I knew the statistics of people who started their own business and it wasn’t pretty. How many people even make money online? I asked myself this question often and my family questioned my decision. I had watched people close to me struggle with brick and mortar businesses and even online business. And yet here I was. But one of the steps in how you can reinvent yourself is taking risks.

If you don’t take any risk, you never go far and if you only take calculated risks you never grow. There are risks where there’s a guarantee. A blueprint that if you follow it then there’s a chance you will make it. But you don’t grow as much from those risks. Learn to take risks that you are afraid of. Whatever it is, you will be better for it. What I have come to understand in life is that there are no such thing as a guarantee. Sometimes, you have to jump with both feet in and discover yourself in the process.

Also Related: Afraid of Risks? How to be Bolder?

Take action

The third step in how to reinvent yourself is you need to take action. What is your dream? Writing a book? Starting a business or maybe, moving to a new city or country. Whatever it is you need to take action because the more you do it the more confident you’ll become. When I first started my business, it was terrifying, but I knew this was what I had to.

That whole year had been one mess after the other. From being ill to not having enough money for food and the list goes on. I took the risks and started my business in November of 2018. I remember the day well. I took a risk. One that changed my life for the better. I became more confident, assure of myself and it was as if something in me awoke. The better version of myself I would say. And it was like all the things I believed I couldn’t do, I dared to try.

I am not the only one who has experienced this, most people who start their own business or reinvent themselves say the same thing. They become better versions of themselves. If you want the next six months of the year to be better then here’s your chance to do exactly that. Here’s your opportunity to improve the areas you lack in and become a better version of yourself. You do have to take action though. This is an important step because without action you can’t change course and move forward with your life.

Become flexible

Another step in how you can reinvent yourself is to be flexible. Of course, you need to also be patient, but there’s a lot of power in flexibility. How would you rate yourself in flexibility? Can you adapt to difficult situations? This year has changed a lot of things and it has also shown you who you are. If you struggled with resilience and flexibility this year might have taken more out of you then you expected.

Certainty was thrown out of the window. But you are here right now and that is a blessing. One that we take for granted. Every year is a blessing, one that we have overlooked. But maybe you have learned to become flexible. After all, the situation called for it. You may have learned patience since many of us have had to stay at home and wait for the lockdown to be over.

Even though, the world isn’t going to be the same ever again. So many things have changed. But for you to move forward with your life, you need to be flexible. You need to figure out what you want and go for it. And be patient enough to wait for it to come full circle. For example, the reason why most people fail online is that they give up too soon. They throw in the towel before their actions pay off. This shouldn’t be you. Another thing is sometimes the way we do things doesn’t work and you need to pivot.

You need to change direction and find something that does work. For instance, many people who start a business online fail because they didn’t do it the right way. It is understandable why they quit. But if you want next year to be better, you must be flexible and patient enough to see what comes next. This part reinventing yourself isn’t easy. But if you want to reinvent yourself you need to go through with it.

Step out of your comfort zone

By now, you might already be stepping out of your comfort zone. The four I listed above might have already pushed you out of your safety zone. This step is important as well. If you want to step out of your comfort zone even further then you need to figure out where you want to go and do that. For example, you want to be successful, but your habits don’t align with what you want.

One step I took when I wanted to reinvent myself was waking up early. This was something I wasn’t comfortable with then I started doing Facebook Lives. I took one step that helped me take another step. Our comfort zones protect us from getting hurt, but if you want to reinvent yourself then you need to change some of the things you do. You need to start pushing yourself because the more you do that, you will be amazed at how much you can achieve.

We are creatures of habit. That is why it is so hard stepping out of our comfort zones. This step in reinventing yourself will help you become more confident and you start to discover who you are. You have so much potential, but the reason why you aren’t where you are because you haven’t stepped out of your comfort zone. You haven’t allowed yourself to be vulnerable or fail at something enough. You often have to fail at things numerous times for you to get better at it.

This is how you can grow and become better.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

What is your takeaway from this post and how are you going to reinvent yourself? Comment below

How Self-Reflection Can Change Your Life

by vanessa | May 27, 2020 | personal development

How self-reflection can change your life

Self-reflection is one of the ways to drastically change your life.

Many people underestimate the power of self-reflection. Some of us understand how self-reflection can change our lives, but many of us don’t attempt to improve in it. Self-reflection is a skill that many successful people have and we all admire them for that. Self-reflection is important in improving your life. The pandemic has forced to change the way we look at life. Many people lost their jobs because of it or went into debt. It seems impossible that self-reflection can change your outlook when everything looks bleak. However, I will show you all the ways self-reflection can change your life.

Many of my plans were thwarted because of it. But when I take a deeper look, I realize that there are people in hospitals struggling and suffering. People have lost their lives. Regardless of the uncertainty, improving my skills in self-reflection I am at peace despite all that has happened. The first time I learned this skill I was a twenty-year-old who was frustrated I had to learn this skill. My professor believed in the power of self-reflection so he gave us assignments built to make us think.

It was agonizing going through the questions, but the more did it I realized I had no idea who I was. Self-reflection can make you take an earnest look at yourself. You then start to see yourself. The real you. You start considering that maybe you’re hiding from the world and that is scary. Maybe, that is the reason why many people choose not to use self-reflection.

But with what’s going on in the world, now more than ever it’s important to learn how to self-reflect. But if you need more proof of the importance of self-reflection I will give you a few reasons why you should do it.

Develop a growth/success mindset

Do you want to be successful? If you answered yes, then you need to learn how to use self-reflection. One of the first steps that people rarely talk about in becoming successful is self-reflection. I understand why people don’t talk about it. It isn’t something people like to do especially in the beginning. Self-reflection requires uncovering who really are. It is about digging deep into your past and asking yourself how you got to this point.

It involves looking deep down and understanding who you are as a person. That can be a painful process. Because it is then that you realize all your flaws. Most people want to ignore their flaws and that is normal. I was like that when someone pointed something out I was so quick to go on the defensive. I thought I was helping myself, but I wasn’t. I was hiding. It took me time and sitting on a couch talking to a therapist to realize I had to change. If I wanted to grow and evolve then I had to stop allowing the pain of the past to push me back.

That is what I eventually did. When you learn how to use self-reflection correctly, you will develop a growth or success mindset. This will help push the needle forward in your life. So, yes if you want to become successful, it starts with taking care of your mind.

Reduce stress

So many people focus on the things they can’t change and that is why they are so stressed. Have you ever heard of the Serenity prayer? It is a look into the human condition. Us, humans are conditioned to carry the world on our shoulders and act as if it is all on us. Even now, people are stressed about the pandemic. If you can’t control it then why focus on it.

Self-reflection can be used as a tool to help you reduce your stress. What happens is you start asking yourself questions about what you are going through. If you lost your job there’s nothing you can do about it. Whatever happens, when you learn how to self-reflect you start realizing that so much is out of our control. Maybe, that’s the point of life. To realize how short and precious it is. Even before the pandemic struck, we weren’t exactly in control of anything, but our actions. Though we had the illusion of control.

Now, many of us are waking up to realize that we weren’t in control. It is a scary thought, but the longer we spend trying to control everything the worse it becomes. If you want to reduce your stress levels, use self-reflection to help you. It will ease the burden that you carry and push you forward.

Learn a new skill

Something interesting happens when you learn how to use self-reflection. This is another way self-reflection can help change your life. When you have reduced your stress levels, you fill in the gap. Maybe, because you realize that whatever problem you are going through will end or it could be that you want to focus on improving yourself.

Whatever the reason is you start looking for creative avenues. This can come in the shape of building a business you always wanted to start, learning a new language, or picking up a new hobby. Here’s a success tip that you might not know, most successful people have a hobby. Why? Hobbies or learning a new skill changes your perspective. When you learn a new skill you focus on the positives, your world changes. However, when you focus on the negatives, your world becomes smaller.

Hobbies change the way you look at the world. Your perspective-changing is a good thing. That is what hobbies can do for you. It is also a great way to get access to dopamine (the happiness hormone,) but it will also help you to solve problems better.

How to do self-reflection

There are a lot of benefits associated with self-reflection, but the question you might have is how to do it. Self-reflection can change your life in so many ways, but it isn’t easy to start doing it. If you are new to self-reflection then there are a few ideas you can start with to help you with it. One thing you should note is it does take time to see the results.

The benefits of self-reflection don’t appear overnight and that is one of the reasons many people don’t like talking about it. Success is all about measured steps and it isn’t as immediate as many people would like it to be. However, it is a skill that is necessary and will equip you with tools for you to survive in any climate. If you want to start a business, self-reflection will give you the push that you need. You will never know how self-reflection can help change your life if you don’t try it.

The list below is a few ways you can do self-reflection effectively.

Journaling – This is one of the best ways to do self-reflection. Write about your highs and lows. Talk about what you are feeling and why you are feeling it. When you start asking yourself questions you are forcing yourself to think about what is going on beneath the surface. Too many people have no idea about the destructive thoughts preventing them from achieving their goals. Once you are aware of it you will understand yourself, way better. This is how many people start their self-reflection journey.

Ask questions – One way you can do self-reflection is to ask yourself questions whenever your actions appear negative. For example, maybe someone close to you said something, did it trigger you? Did you lash out and become withdrawn? You need to ask yourself why you acted that way. Once you know you are likely to know what steps you can take next. If you are stressed and depressed, ask yourself why are you feeling this way? Is it the people you surround yourself with or has it more to do with an internal conflict.

Brain dump – Who doesn’t love a brain dump. We have been using brain dumps since school and this one shouldn’t be too difficult to do. Whatever you are feeling write it down and then sort it out later. Sometimes, the best solution is to get every out in the open, and only then can you figure out your emotions.

What is your main takeaway from the blog post and how will you use self-reflection to change your life? Let me known in the comments section.

KEEP P USHING

VANESSA

9 Ways to Build Confidence

by vanessa | May 7, 2020 | Entrepreneurs, personal development

5 WAYS YOU CAN BUILD CONFIDENCE

These are 5 of the best ways you can build confidence.

Building confidence is extremely important because without you can’t move forward in your life. What I mean here is you can’t face your fears and doubts. Building confidence will push you out of your comfort zone and it is a necessary skill to have if you want to be promoted at work or start a business. Confidence is one of the keys to success and without you will always talk yourself out of it. That is why it is important to build confidence. With it, you can achieve more and do more. When you look back on your life, you’d be surprised how far you went because of confidence.

As terrifying as it might be building confidence is so important especially if you want to start your own business, go to a new country, meet new people, or quit your job.

Why are some people more confident than others? The answer to that is simple they have built their confidence and that has enabled them to do things many of us would be too terrified to think of. In the last few years, I have realized that confidence is all about taking daily action so that you can achieve success. When you don’t take action then you don’t achieve the success that you want. It may seem simple, but the reality is that confidence comes from believing in yourself and pushing yourself out of the door. There are many ways to build confidence, but the most effective methods are the ones I listed below.

Work on your thoughts

Our thoughts are insights into how we see ourselves. If every time someone says something positive you think negatively about yourself than you are doing damage to your self-esteem. Every negative thought is highlighted. Our brains are powerful machines, whatever we think about is showcased in how we walk, talk, or approach things.

If you think you are unworthy, you slouch, mumble your words and never speak up. This can affect the way people look at you and how you look at yourself. Every day, focus on something positive that you did or achieved. When you keep doing that then you will see yourself as someone capable. Yes, it is scary showing who you are to the world, but that doesn’t take away the impact. Maybe, what you achieved seems small compared to other people, but don’t focus on that.

When you want to build your confidence, one thing you should focus on is what you accomplished and how far you have come.

Stop comparing yourself

If you want to build confidence then don’t compare yourself. If you compare yourself it doesn’t stop there. It is normal to want to emulate people, but you aren’t that person and therefore you will never be that person. No matter, how many times you wish you were. You will always struggle to catch up, but when you are true to yourself then nothing can stop you.

Be true to who you are and this will help you build confidence. Many of us compare ourselves and this only messes up with our self-esteem. When you compare yourself, you will start wondering whether there’s something wrong with you. You will always look for reasons to compare yourself and it only gets worse. Comparing yourself tends to make people insecure in their body and as a result, they act out. It is easy to start doing things you normally would never have done before. You are perfect the way you are.

Also Related: How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others Right Now!

Talk to a stranger about your dreams

As scary as that may appear, when you talk to a stranger about your dreams it gives you confidence. Speaking about your problems or dreams is terrifying to most. When you go out of your way to do it, you build confidence. What most people don’t realize is that confidence is a mental muscle.

If you want to be healthy then you exercise, but we don’t do the same when it comes to our mind. You need to work on your mind so that it is mentally strong. Confidence is the same way. You need to work on it for you to build confidence. This is by far the best way for you to grow mentally and emotionally. Once you talk to a stranger, you start to realize that it isn’t as terrifying as you imagined it to be. Often, our fears seem by far worse in our minds. Facing the fear builds resilience in you and it builds confidence.

Technology has enabled us to communicate with people in different parts of the world. There are hundreds of Facebook groups online, you can join one and connect with people. You could also talk to someone on Instagram and Twitter about your dreams as well.

Talk to a friend about your dreams

Most people are terrified about telling people they know about their dreams. Maybe, we are so consumed with what they will think about our dreams. However, talking to a friend about your dreams will not only build your resilience but your confidence as well. You would also be shocked to find out that maybe they need your services.

This is was how I made my first dollar online. I wasn’t even looking to make a sale. However, when I was talking to my friend, I started believing in my dream and it became real when they asked how much do I charge? I had a Eureka moment then and I realized I could make money from my dream. That was the beginning of a beautiful journey, but if I hadn’t told them about my dreams then I wouldn’t be writing this blog post.

Often, when we discuss our dreams, this instills this confidence and conviction. It can be as simple as calling a friend you haven’t spoken to a while or chatting online. Whatever method you choose, doors can open, and the world as you know it can change for the better. However, it all starts with taking a step forward. Whatever dream you have, talking about it can help you achieve it. Maybe, you want to develop an app but have no idea how to do it. Talking to a friend or colleague can help you. For one, your friend or colleague might know someone who developed an app and made millions from it. You don’t know what can happen by stepping out in faith.

Pick up a hobby, project or side-hustle

Whichever one you use can help you build your confidence? Maybe, you can pick up the guitar or piano or art. Not only will this increase the dopamine but build confidence. Dopamine is the happy hormone. If you aren’t into creative hobbies, you could go to the gym or a golf course. When you feel good about yourself, you exude confidence.

This is by far the most rewarding way to build confidence. Another thing you could do is pick up a project or side-hustle. A lot of people speak highly of side-hustles because of the numerous benefits they have. For example, you can learn different skills that you didn’t possess before. This will reveal how far you have come and you can money from teaching people those skills.

Maybe, you know nothing about coding, WordPress, or Photoshop. When you start working on your side-hustle, you can build this skill. Some people start a side hustle, create a business from it, and make millions from it. One such example is Lynda.com that was sold to LinkedIn. The woman ended up making billions of dollars from it.

If you want to retire early, the only way to do is by creating a side-hustle then turning it into a business.

What is the one thing you will do to build confidence? Please comment below.