
Most people make excuses to get out of doing things they don’t want to do, but do you also make excuses to get out of things you do want to do? I had been doing it my entire life and I never really noticed it until a few years ago.
I think of an amazing idea, I even take the time to plan how I’m going to achieve it and then the excuses and limiting beliefs start – I’m not smart enough, I don’t have the time, I don’t have the money, people will think it’s stupid. The excuses literally go on and on.
I own two businesses, Mindful Soul Collective (Mental Health & Well-Being Service) and Bras By S (Lingerie Boutique). Both businesses seem completely different but they were started with a very similar timeline.
1. The idea of the business came to me
2. I started planning what I wanted to do (products and services I wanted to offer)
3. I thought of business specifics (logo, name, website)
4. Excuses and limiting beliefs
5. Hard work with myself
6. Launch of the business
I REALLY wanted to do both businesses, they’re different from each other but they both mean a lot to me. The limiting beliefs that came to me about both businesses were very similar. I felt I didn’t have the motivation or time for them. I was scared and worried about what people would think of me. I was worried I didn’t have the knowledge needed (which in hindsight, now sounds ridiculous).
But here I am with a three-year-old Lingerie Boutique which is very successful (I’ve just had my biggest month of sales EVER and it was in the middle of a pandemic – woah!) and a 3-month-old Mental Health & Well-Being Service which has already been featured in a magazine article and has already ticked over 2000 followers – at three months old!!
So, how did I do it? What changed for me? Why did I choose to push through and ahead?
♡ I defined exactly what I wanted
Launching my businesses wasn’t to be able to say I was a business owner; it wasn’t even for the money. My two businesses begun because I had the passion, I am passionate about women feeling confident and truly loving themselves and I am passionate about people living their life full of happiness, love and joy.
I also took the time to define what I didn’t want. I didn’t want to own a business where I was only in it for the money and I didn’t want to own a business that didn’t care about their customers.
By defining exactly what you want to do and why you want to do it, you’ll find a whole lot more motivation and determination to get it done.
♡ I shared my plans and goals with my family
Whenever I have a goal I want to achieve, big or small, I tell somebody.
The person I tell depends on the goal; I usually tell my fiancé first because he is always SO supportive of whatever I want to do. I could tell him I wanted to sell both my businesses to go and live in the outback of Australia donating all of my time to build brick houses for disadvantaged people and he would say okay, let’s go. I also usually tell my Mum, she’s a bit more realistic and makes sure I understand the implications of what I want to do, she would tell me the outback of Australia is very hot and I don’t like getting dirty.
When I tell my friends, it basically means I have to do it because then I have people checking in on my progress and asking when I’m launching, what I’m working on and if they can help. That was the case with both of my business ideas and that’s when I knew I couldn’t go back!
♡ I constantly made progress
Each day I did something to work towards the end goal. When I was in the creation stage of my businesses, I had “to-do” lists with simple and more complex tasks. For example, creating an Instagram account and registering my business for tax. Both tasks are important but one takes a lot more energy than the other.
On the days I was feeling a bit “bleh” about it all, I just did a simple and quick task. This will also create a snowball effect; you do one thing and then another and another and so on.
♡ I didn’t wait until “I was ready”
I’m not sure I’ve ever really been ready for any of my biggest changes. But once I started or did them, I found my way and I know I started at the right time. Just start. Honestly, if you want to do something, just start it.
♡ I changed my mindset and worked on myself
The most important factor to stop talking yourself out of things is to work on your mindset.
I spent a lot of time challenging the limiting beliefs I had (blog post explaining this in a lot more detail coming soon). I physically wrote down the limiting beliefs and wrote why they weren’t true.
For example:
Limiting belief: I don’t have the knowledge to be a Mental Health & Well-Being Mentor
Challenge of limiting belief: I have spent years studying and completing qualifications. I have learned a lot from situations that most people would find difficult. I have more than enough knowledge to be a Mental Health & Well-Being Mentor.
I also spent more time on my own self-care and ensuring my mindset was at the healthiest it could be to move forward with my plans. I started journaling, exercising for enjoyment, doing yoga and meditating. I also starting nourishing myself with more water and nutrient-rich foods.
The more I loved myself and my own body, the more confident I was to get started and reach my goals.
While my personal experience was about launching my businesses, this exact process can be used in any form of your life. Whether you are wanting to try a new career, start a family or move to a new city. No matter what it is that you want to achieve, these steps will help you to stop making excuses and start making actions.
With love
Shorina xo
Counsellor + Wellness & Mental Health Coach
Hi, I'm Shorina and I'm an Australian Counsellor + Wellness & Mental Health Coach. I'm here to support you to redefine your relationship to self and life! I incorporate a mind, body and soul wellness approach to my work with a focus on healing and mindfulness ♡
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