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Flowers through the snow

What Season Are You In?

by EvieBurke, posted in Goals, planning

Flowers through the snowSupposedly, the season is changing here in the Midwest from winter to spring. The weather must have received the memo on that a bit late though. So, I’ve been thinking more than usual about seasons changing.

And while I was wondering if it was ever going to warm up, I had a random question pop into my head: What season am I in and what’s the next one?

I journaled about that for a bit and it highlighted what I want to leave behind me in my business and what I want for the future. It was really useful, so I wanted to share the prompts I used with you.

  1. What season of your life / business are you leaving?
    And what behaviors, habits, results, feelings, etc. characterized that season?

  2. What is the next season of your life / business?
    1. What is the melting snow washing away?
      What behaviors, habits, feelings, results, etc. are you leaving behind?

    2. What flowers are coming up?
      What behaviors habits, feelings, results, etc. will characterize this coming season?

    3. What additional behaviors, habits, feelings, results, etc. need to be washed away to allow those new flowers to flourish?
    4. What kind of fertilizer or care will encourage those flowers to grow?
      What support or strategies will you have in place?

Print this out and spend some time with it.

You’ll find some really great insights to where you want to be in your business. And, you’ll outline some of the ways that will support you on that path.

I’d love to know a little bit about your seasons! Share what season you’re leaving or what season is just beginning for you below!

Businesswoman Looking Through Binoculars

What Are You Noticing?

by EvieBurke, posted in perspective

Businesswoman Looking Through BinocularsSomeone I respect and love recently posted a video for their upcoming program.

In person, I find them kind, warm and funny.

In the video, they were clearly trying to make a point and take a stand.

Which is good, right?

You want videos (and articles) to make a point and stand for something.

And maybe it’s only because I know them in person, but I couldn’t help but wonder – where is that kind, warm and funny person I know?

The person in the video is rehearsed and awkward.

Where is the smile and twinkle in the eye? How could have they brought more of that to the video?

It seemed too… perfect and planned… trying too hard.

And then I wondered: What does this say about me? Why am I noticing this? Why am I not appreciating the message being delivered, the stand this person is taking for what they believe in?

I came up with two answers:

  1. I’m afraid of coming off as too rehearsed sometimes, too perfect and planned, trying too hard. Interestingly, I’m also afraid of coming across as unprepared or not prepared enough. Or somehow not sharing the warmth and kindness that I know I have.
  2. Maybe this video is exactly what it needs to be. Maybe I don’t resonate with it because it’s not meant for me. Or maybe I’m so busy putting my “stuff” on someone else, that I’m not allowing the message to really sink in.

Why am I sharing this story with you?

It’s easy to be critical of someone or something else, easy notice that they’re doing it wrong.

After all, we see those things pointed out all the time – worst dressed lists, reality TV shows or someone casually saying “that’s not how I would have done it.” We expect it and we look for it so we have something to talk about with our family and friends.

What if we started looking at ourselves instead? No, I’m not suggesting you notice everything you perceive as wrong with yourself.

Instead, what if you asked yourself why you noticed what you noticed? In many cases, you’ll find that it’s (1) something you do yourself (or think you do) that you wish you didn’t do or (2) something you used to do and wish you hadn’t. Basically, there’s some self-judgment happening.

I challenge you to think about this and observe what you notice this week.

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Business Woman Writing In Notebook

Staying Focused

by EvieBurke, posted in engaged, Task List

Business Woman Writing In NotebookBack when I was a computer programmer, my job included a lot of troubleshooting for clients. So, when something wasn’t working right, it was my job to (1) determine what the problem was and (2) fix it or find a work around and report it to development.

What does that mean? It means that was no shortage of options when it came to what to work on each day. Quite frankly, some days it was hard to stay focused because there were many important tasks I could be working on at any moment.

Now, fast forward a couple years, I’m an entrepreneur working from home. While I don’t get phone calls from clients with websites or software that’s not working, I still have a lot of important tasks I could be doing for my business at any one moment. And because I work from home, there are also a lot of personal things I could be doing.

And of course, at home, no one but me is going to notice if I’m watching TV, YouTube or doing something else instead of working on one of those important tasks (well, my husband might start to notice).

So, how do you stay focused to work on those important tasks?

Here are some things you can do or consider:

  • Lists. You’ve taken the time to write down all the tasks that you need to do. Yes, it took some time that you could have used working, but it also saved you all that time and energy of worrying that you’re going to forget to do something. And when you remember something else, you have a spot to write it down so you don’t forget it (hint: it’s that same list, don’t start a new one!).
  • Plan tomorrow at the end of today. When you don’t have to think about what the next thing is to do, because you already planned it out, it’s easier to jump into the next task. It’s another reason why creating your master or weekly list is so important.
  • Clarity. You are clear on why the task is important to you, your business and your goals. You know that this task by itself might not be important, it is important to your larger goals.
  • Minimize Distractions.
    • Email / Phone – Close your email (yes, really do that!) and silence your phone. This way you have a solid period of time to work without distractions.
    • Family – You’ve also let others in the house know you’re working and should not be disturbed for 1-hour (or whatever period of time you need) or until you open your office door. However, once the time is up, go engage with your family, play with your kids for a half hour or talk to your husband. Why do this? If your family knows that you’ll emerge from your office and be there for them, they’re more likely to leave you alone for a bit.
    • Noise – If there is distracting noise (or distracting quiet – yes, I occasionally find silence very distracting), find some soothing music to play in the background. Pandora or Spotify are great for that.
  • Just sit down and do it. Personally, this rarely works for me. I need to have one or more of the items above figured out before I can just sit down and do it. And I’m guessing, because you’re here, that you’re probably like me in this regard.

Anything else you do to stay focused on the task at hand? Share in the comments below!

Image courtesy of adamr/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Covered Walkway

Taking a Break

by EvieBurke, posted in Gratitude

Covered Walkway

This week I think we all need a break.

I invite you to spend the couple minutes you would usually take reading this article to think about three things you are grateful for (write them down if you’d like!) and then close your eyes and allow yourself to feel gratitude. Really feel it! Let your thankfulness seep into every nook and cranny of your being.

When you’re finished take a deep breath and get a glass of water.

Enjoy your break.

Sign reading "Leap and the net will appear"

Trust Yourself and Leap

by EvieBurke, posted in comfort zone, Fear

Sign reading "Leap and the net will appear"My husband plays the french horn and is part of a local orchestra. Last weekend they had their yearly Children’s Concert and it was so much fun. They had a clown during the first piece, “Circus Overture” and during intermission they had an “Instrument Petting Zoo” where the kids could try out instruments that were their size (on a side note, one of my nephews plays the violin and when he was small, he had a tiny violin that was adorable).

However, in my eyes, one of the coolest things they did was allow the kids to “direct” the orchestra. Each child had just under a minute to stand on the director’s podium and “direct.” They each received their own baton to keep.

The kids were all excited to step up and try their hand at directing. From where I sat it didn’t look like any of them were concerned with doing it right. And it was fun to see some of them turn around and look for their parents with a huge smile on their face.

When was the last time you just jumped into something? You didn’t worry about if you were doing it “right” or “wrong” you just jumped in and tried it out and trusted that it would work out somehow.

Earlier this week I was at an event with a panel of speakers. The topic was about taking the plunge into business and the panel consisted of three women with different businesses in different stages. They shared their stories of how they started and where they are now.

One of the themes someone pointed out after a bit was “ignorance is bliss.” Meaning, if they knew exactly what they were getting into, they might not have done it. And also, sometimes they were really successful because they didn’t know you were supposed to do it a different way – that the path they should have taken (according to others) was over there and instead they followed this little, slightly overgrown path and it worked out really, really well.

When was the last time you didn’t worry about having enough information and moved forward anyway?

Personally, I’m a planner. I like to have steps mapped out. And since we’re in the “information age,” there is no shortage of information about the right way to do things. When you search for something, you can find hundreds of articles and they all claim to be the way to do it – and yet they seem to contradict each other.

So, where does that leave the planners? Frustrated, overwhelmed and really tired.

Have I made mistakes, had huge blind spots and been really frustrated? Yep. I bet you have too. Many times, the mistakes were because I was listening to someone else and not trusting myself.

Don’t let the worry and the fear hold you back. Trust yourself. The world needs you, your voice, your gifts.

Step forward into the unknown and know that you will be supported, just reach out.

Leap and the net will appear.

Do you trust that? Or are you so busy clinging to the side of the cliff that you haven’t looked down to see the net there waiting for you?

Running a business is scary sometimes isn’t it? And you know what, despite the fear, I bet you really wouldn’t have it any other way.


Photo credit: sarahwulfeck / Foter.com / CC BY