Heart of the Business

This year I have embarked on making changes to my business in a way that felt right for my soul.

I have started an online course with an amazing group of Soulpreneurs and I recently attended a three day, very extensive business conference. It was definitely not the traditional structured marketing, sales, figures hype that has most people doodling or worse still, nodding off.

No prizes for guessing that would not be my preferred environment. Alternatively, I have found people that speak business but in a language that I understand.   Enter the psychology and heart of why we want to become Soulpreneurs, the Entrepreneur with a Soul.

What was obvious in these teachings was that business principles, used ethically and with integrity mirror our personal principles and are in fact, Life Laws and are interconnected.

The recipe is commitment, discipline and opposing limiting beliefs.

One limiting belief that was raised for me was that my previous successful business venture was due to the business skills of my husband and I didn’t put a value on being the heart of that business.  What I was reminded of was that my contribution was actually both, as the heart doubles up as the brain.

Some may be excused for thinking that often businesses have connotations of being greedy, unethical, and the money they generate is evil.

The take away message could be that all types of traditional business tools of marketing and sales, if not applied from a heart centred place, may not be sustainable.

Some businesses may look on the surface to be running financially viable but the health and relationship quadrant of the life of their operators may be running very ineffectively.  At some stage there will be a burnout and a restructure will be inevitable.

In my case I have been all about healthy mind, healthy body, family and community and if someone had tried to mention structure in the form of business planning, my rebel archetype would have dug my heels in so far I could have struck gold.

Finding that balance is the awareness of what areas of your life you thrive in and what areas you are merely surviving and understanding the psychology behind that resistance, reluctance or in some cases, even self-sabotage.

The awareness will then enable us to challenge those beliefs and archetypes who choose to come out and play often causing chaos and confusion. Rather than ostracizing them, we need to make peace with why they are showing up and get them to all play nice.

One of the first principles of wholistic wellness & psychology I learnt was about the pendulum.  Making sure its primary position was to be in the centre so we can maintain balance. An overshot either side can definitely tip us into a highly reactive position where we are at a disadvantage to see all the varying options available to us.

These archetypes are often referred to as our shadow selves and they all have had a purpose and were definitely, at one time, employed by us to do a job.  Like any good employer sometimes we have to re-evaluate job descriptions as our business or life evolves and changes.

The only thing constant is change and we have to be open and willing and flexible enough to take ownership and responsibility of what is working and what is not and make necessary changes.  So am I still talking business principles or personal?   I would say BOTH !

What I realised was my own judgement of many businesses who weren’t (in my opinion) running ethically, and this had become a giant wall (or excuse) that whenever I chose to establish my business further, I would lack motivation, focus and discipline.

Success had to take on a new meaning for me that was not associated with greed, power plays or unethical tactics.

My new definition for success was not based on my fear of being seen as materialistic but the freedom to do what I do best in service whilst still earning a healthy living from it.

No one would benefit if I played the martyr card and no longer could offer my skills, instead earning a wage working for another.

We are all individuals and we have all come here with our unique talents. Playing small serves no one. Live your dream and shine your light.  The world is waiting for you.

There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions in a way that serves the world and you      Richard Branson

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