How to prioritize joy while building a business

There is nothing like starting your own business. I personally fully enjoy the creative birthing of a brand and a business. Thinking of a name, a concept, a strategy, every part of building a vision for a business is absolutely delicious to me. Keep in mind, fastidious effort is required to see a business through from conception to execution for it to continually grow and thrive. Starting and growing a business is just not for everybody.

Ever since I was a young girl, I had a passion for interior design. I knew that was my calling and I can remember the day I decided that is what I was meant to do in my life, it felt like falling in love. So, for the last 12 years of my life, it was my purpose and I worked my butt off to grow my interior design career/business, read more here. I went, I saw, I conquered. I set out on a dream and I achieved. I moved across the country from Los Angeles to New York City and built a blog, a business and a career in the interior design industry. Looking back I am so grateful for every minute and every single opportunity.

But to be completely honest, After 12 years, I got totally burnt out. When I got pregnant, it was almost a breath of relief for me because it gave me the opportunity for a change. So, I felt like it would be a good idea to discuss with you something that I feel like I learned the hard way…..the importance of prioritizing joy while building a business.

You see, I am a Capricorn, I thrive on hard work, I always rise up to a challenge and the word hustle has always resonated with me. It’s like who I am. But after getting so burnt out over the years, I look back and realize, I totally did not prioritize my self, my personal life and I spent zero time checking in with myself to make sure I was happy. These days, ‘sparking joy’ and ‘self care’ are at the forefront of everyones mind but sometimes I feel like it is misleading us all to take longer baths and invest in facials/beauty routines.

The truth is, when you’re a woman up to something in your life, its important that you prioritize focus at the same time you must prioritize your personal joy. What I have found, as I started my jewelry business, is that when you go within to connect to your deeper purpose or calling and find a way to make money at it, true magic happens and a blissful babe is unleashed.

I’ve been seeing it happen all around me, a sort of ‘second life’ movement going on. Women going deeper within, and a more meaningful calling and purpose emerges and their business takes off like wild fire. I’ve seen a business coach toting Chanel ditch the high life and start a purposeful vegan living movement. Or a fashion PR rep become a spiritual crystal healer. Or an interior designer become a coach for creative entrepreneurs based on her career experiences. I’ve loved watching Tobi Fairley evolve her design career, too. You must read this article on Forbes for a little inspiration.

However, a few months ago, I came to the realization that my deep passion does lie with homes, with interior design, with how people live. I actually had an astrologer read my birth chart and it says in the stars that I am meant to have a career in the home sector (pretty crazy, right?). Like my soul came to this planet with a specific purpose of helping others feel more happy within the walls of their home. I questioned myself as to why I had burn out and why I needed a break? The truth was that I wasn’t prioritizing joy in my business. I was doing the hustle, reaching goals, kicking butt, etc.

Fast forward to today, I’m reconnecting with my love of interior design and getting my real estate license this year. I’ll be serving my clients in a bigger way and I could not be more excited for what’s to come. Mamas getting back to work and it feels so right in my gut to move in this direction. So, in order to build something that fulfills me for the next 12 years, I will be making sure I prioritize my bliss and joy while building my business.

HERE’S HOW:

1) Focus on the WHY more than the HOW. It’s easy to get distracted by all the noise out there teaching you strategies for making lots of money or gaining a ton of followers. The pursuit of these things will always leave you frustrated and experiencing lack. That energy is very low vibe which completely contradicts your growth. So, instead of trying to figure out all the strategies out there, try to focus on the reasons WHY you are in business. Who are you trying to serve? Why do you want to serve them? How can you give them more? What do you want to be able to do with all the success you achieve? When you are focusing on your why, the deeper meaning behind what you do, true brilliance comes from within. These answers will help you come up with greater ideas!

2) Set boundaries. Entrepreneurship requires a lot of you. It requires long hours and all of your brain power. It’s so easy to lose yourself while building your brand and business. Decide to set boundaries for your time and energy. One of my favorite boss babe hacks is setting up business activities on certain day, like Lauryn from The Skinny Confidential does all her conference calls on Wednesdays. So you can set things up for how you want to work, I now do blog posts on Tuesdays, newsletters on Mondays, Podcasts on Wednesdays, etc. This not only helps you to stay focused more strategically but it also helps your sanity.

3) A creative work environment. If you don’t already know this about me yet, I am all about Feng Shui and the energy of your environment. It is especially important when creating a business. (Read this tip for setting up your home work space.) You need to be surrounded by things that spark your inspiration, you need your tools organized so you can work efficiently. How is work joyful when you’re always spending several minutes looking for things. When your environment flows and makes your job easy, money will flow in. So if you focus not on the money (which is not so joyful) but focus on creating a harmonious environment that inspires ease and flow, the money will flow in. Make sure to always clean your desk at the end of the day, keep your papers filed and organized. Setting aside a few minutes to upkeep your work environment will always help you enjoy being at work. Bliss Tip: I encourage you to use crystals in your home office, especially on your desk. Clear quartz helps to amplify your business intentions, Amethyst pulls in abundance and Malachite inspires flow. I also always keep an orchid on the desk, it represents life and growth, beauty and harmony, you want that energy where you work.

4) Throw parties. If I have learned anything about entrepreneurship over the last 12 years, it’s that things are more fun when you bring in others to help you. When two or more people come together for a bigger purpose, whatever they do flourishes and prospers. Plus, it creates a bond in your relationships. Thriving relationships are essential in life for overall joy and wellness. We need healthy and supportive connections to keep us motivated and going. I can speak from first hand experience, every time I have had a jewelry trunk show, a lively party with friends, bonds are made and strengthened. People love to offer a helping hand, it makes them feel valued and important. They feel part of your business and you get to share that fun experience when the even is a success. That memory is a gift that keeps on giving. I always loved helping my clients throw house warming parties once we finished their design, things like this cement your client relationships, and its so much fun, too. I love attending book parties, trunk shows, open houses, grand openings, etc. Celebrating small wins and victories and cheering others on is the best part of business if you ask me.

So there you have it, a few things you can do this year while working in and on your business. I hope you enjoyed it. If you liked this post, be sure to pop on over to the Blissful Living Lounge to continue the conversation.

How I manifested my Hermes Avalon Blanket & How to style it in your home

This post is all about how I manifested my Hermes Avalon blanket and ways to style it in your home.

Let me just off this post with a fun fact. Energy is everything. So, the more cleared out, energetically aligned you and your environment are, the more powerful and confident you will walk into your days and you’ll magnetically attract back to you the energy you are putting out.

HOW I MANIFESTED MY DREAM THROW BLANKET
There are many factors to keeping a high vibe home and in the next few blog posts I’ll be sharing my go to moves. For today, I’m going to share a personal story to illustrate how and why your energy determines your destiny.
For years, I swear by the art of manifesting with vision boards. Every year I create a board that has all the things I want in my life. The past few years in particular, I’ve always had chic black and white interior decor images (including the image above) because your home should always be something you want to up-level and enhance continually.

On this particular vision board was a photo of the black and white Hermes Avalon Blanket.

And this year for Christmas, one of my gifts was the ever-so-coveted Hermès Avalon blanket. A true statement piece. To be honest, at first I felt a little disappointment because there was something else I had my eye on and was bummed I didn’t get it.

However, a day later when I peeked over at my vision board, I saw the statement blanket staring right back at me like a spotlight on my vision board (in fact it was the photo above).

At that moment, it hit me like a firework. Holy Crap, I got exactly what I was energetically manifesting via law of attraction!! I didn’t get what I was just thinking I wanted (something that wasn’t on my vision board.)

You see, what happens is that when we subconsciously fill our mind with the images we are attracted to, we call it in, even though you may not even realize it. It can’t help but make its way to you. It’s as simple as that.
I was reminded that energy truly is everything, and even when you aren’t paying attention you’re putting out what you’re in vibration with, like the gorgeous interior photo I placed on my vision board from two years ago. This is why you not only have to be super specific and clear about what you want, you MUST clear out ANYTHING that may stay in your energy that you don’t really want, because you just may actually get it.

Once I got this little bit of insight, I couldn’t wait to use my incredibly chic new blanket in my home. For me, not only does it represent luxury and an elevated level of living but it also represents the energy of manifestation and having everything that you want…..as long as you become a vibrational match to it. Here’s the thing, you can use your home to AMPLIFY your manifesting powers with a little bit of Feng Shui and a lot of intention.

HOW TO STYLE YOUR HERMES AVALON BLANKET:

Now please don’t think that I mean you need an Hermès blanket to manifest your dreams, that’s not the case. What I do mean is that you need to use your home and what you have in it as energetic influencers.

Here’s why: after a lot of thought (and several inspiration images you’ll see below) I decided to style my blanket on my bed. Which led me to the realization that the sheets on our bed need to be upgraded too, as well as the bed cover.

Old sheets carry a lot of heavy energy from our lives. The stress, the tears, the joy, the sleepless nights, anxiety, etc. I instantly ordered a new set of my favorite sheets and this duvet set.

This has me enjoying making the bed in the morning that much more, it also felt good to us to start the year off with a fresh set of sheets. That blanket caused a shift within our relationship and our home, a chance to upgrade, to elevate to get in the energy of a fresh start.

It allows us to feel like we are bringing a better version of ourselves into the new year. There’s some real POWER in that. So for you, it could be that luxurious candle you’ve been wanting, a new tv, custom closet storage or even a throw blanket.

Think about it….

Who do you want to be in the next 12 months?
What areas of your home could use a fresh start or a cleaning out?
Where do you and your home need an up-level?

For now, let me inspire you even further with some gorgeous inspiration images for how to style your Hermès Avalon blanket…