How to Create Opportunities and Make Yourself Magnetic

When people meet you what signals do you send them?

This very issue is covered in a wonderful book I recently read called The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism. I also read a second book that blew my mind. It was called The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level. If you are someone seeking something–whether that be career opportunities, love or customers to your business these two books are absolutely amazing.

Have you recently met someone who seems down and out? Like nothing could lift their face into a smile or light their eyes up? Lately I’ve been more cognizant of energy–every time you meet someone it’s an opportunity to exchange energy. Your energy can actually change the molecules in a room–and you can lift up others’ energy as well.

Energy and happiness levels impact opportunities generated. However, opportunities will impact energy and happiness levels. It’s the chicken or the egg. A good head and heartspace generates opportunities, and opportunities lead to a happier head and heartspace.

So what does that mean? It means you need to get yourself into a positive place even when you don’t feel like you have plentiful opportunities at every turn. The truth appears to be that perseverance and pivoting are two incredibly important things in this world.

When you work for opportunity–no matter what that means for you personally–it takes time. If you are a small business owner lead-times can range from three months to one year or more. Small business owners need to check themselves on being positive, grateful and optimistic.

Earlier this year I gave myself my own gratitude boot camp–and it’s something I’m still working on.

The first book The Charisma Myth shows you how charisma can actually be learned. We live in a time where extrovert qualities are actually really important, so if you grew up with your nose in a book like many of us did–there is still hope for you no matter what your field is.

What’s always surprising to me is how some of the most charismatic glowing people in the world would describe themselves as incredibly shy.

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The secret about charisma is it’s something learned.

“Our body language expresses our mental state whether we like it or not. Our facial expressions, voice posture and all the other components of body language reflect our mental and emotional condition every second. Whatever is in our head will show up in our body language.”

Cabane adds that “What your mind believes your body manifests.”

Cabane teaches the reader how to prepare for a big opportunity–contrary to popular belief most of being charismatic has to do with internal tools–less about the car you drive or the label on your purse.

What surprised me about Cabane’s research is how every single detail in our body language is hugely important–most of our communication is not verbal whatsoever. From eye contact to the way you shake hands, to how much you pause while you speak–these are a few of hundreds of tools she gives you. For book worms like myself–who didn’t grow up cheer leading–it can be very helpful to learn better magnetism tools and tricks :-)

The second book I highly recommend is The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level.

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Have you ever known anyone who self-sabotoges? They get a big raise at work and then have a terrible accident or cheat on their partner….People who are very successful who tend to need some kind of drug to convince themselves they are worthy of the blessings received?

Basically this idea is on some level people feel like they don’t deserve their achievements–success, joy, love. They have an upper limit problem and it gets in the way of getting to their “Zone of Genius.”

Here’s how Gay Hendricks (yes that is his name) introduces the challenge. “The glass ceiling they were operating under is held in place by a single problem–a barrier they didn’t know they had. Once they saw the one problem–and how to solve–they were free to go beyond ordinary success to a new and extraordinary level of abundance, love and creativity.”

The book teaches you how to get past your blockages–and we all have them. In fact the more successful you are, the more you need to keep working on yourself.

You deserve love, you deserve meaning and you deserve the opportunity to make a better life for yourself. The bright flashing lights that are there telling you what is best for you can be misguiding. When you’re clear–in your head and your heart–you know exactly what needs to be done, and how.

If you are still with me, here is a “mantra” you can use for yourself.

“I expand in abundance, success, and love every day, as I inspire those around me to do the same.”

It’s a service oriented approach to life without losing yourself in the process. Let’s uncomplicate life to bring more meaning, joy, love and clarity into our lives.

 

Replenishing the well

I’ve been working on myself lately. I’m working on my attitude to come from a place of yes. I think this is something no one can ever stop working on. Gratitude is truly an every day thing. Every single day.

I’m starting to realize the less complicated our lives are, the less we need. The less we need, the easier it is to take risks–moving in the direction of our passions.

My dog Athena is my hero. This fifteen pound puppy doesn’t have an ego–no ego, no demands, no negativity. She’s utterly blissed out by the seemingly trivial opportunity to sniff another dog, sit in the sun, or get a bite of her mommy’s steak.

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There’s a difference between coming from a place of love, wealth and faith as opposed to fear, scarcity and anxiety.

But this is also an every day thing. I recently also saw an article that women wake up grumpier than men. It’s important for us ladies to replenish the well every day.

If you’re a soloist you might need to draw inspiration from other places–since you don’t necessarily have a coach or a boss who can give you a friendly, loving kick in the pants.

Here are five resources when you need a glass of inspiration:

1. Makers interview with Ursula Burns, CEO of XEROX, first African-American woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company. There’s something about Ursula–she’s so brilliant, and so cool.
2. Positively Positive. I love this magazine–they have inspiring quotes, articles and other great content. It’s a little crunchy, but some days we just need that.
3. The Best Brain Possible facebook page.  This is a great resource for inspirational photos, quotes, infographics and more. Debbie Hampton started the website Best Brain Possible. She has her own incredible journey I encourage to read about.
4.Marc and Angel hack life. This is a great post called 30 Things to Stop Doing Yourself. It went viral–for good reason. Everyone can relate to these everyday conundrums.
5. Ali Brown. Ali is one of the most influential thought leaders as it relates to women entrepreneurs. She has great nuggets of wisdom and will inspire you. She also started with nothing and it’s an inspiring tale.

 

Caring More Is A Good Thing

Any good stuff in my life happened because I cared more–I gave with my heart.

Caring more compelled me to raise my hand. It compelled me to write about stuff that you would never “monetize.”

I never just wanted a paycheck from my job. I also never just wanted a paycheck from life. I wanted to live big–make life memorable.

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The people I love the most in my life are not the ones that always seem “cool.” They often have big personalities. They love hard. They speak their heart. They make themselves vulnerable. Sometimes they look scared. I honestly find these people so refreshing. If this is you, I want to tell you your ship is coming. If you’ve set out to sail with your heart on your sleeve it’s a good thing. There isn’t enough heart in this world. When you put your heart into it everything you touch comes to life.

Your Computer Is Not Your Friend

There was a time when I forgot how important friends were. There was almost zero people in a twenty mile radius I could call if things were difficult.

I forgot that spending time on social media is not “social” time.

I literally didn’t have good girlfriends–and it was negatively affecting my life.

Community is not just something you build so you have users for your website. It’s something you REALLY need in your life. I’m pleased to say I’ve been on a bit of a friendship “binge” lately–getting so much joy out of hanging with the girls. Even if you’re in a great relationship, there is no replacement for girlfriends. Not having them has left a gaping hole in my life–don’t make the same mistake that I did. Friendships take some effort–you need to invest your time and energy–but if you aren’t thriving in the friendship portion of your life you are really missing out. Life is dreary without friends!

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Friends do the following for you:

Laugh with you about the ridic stuff that women have to go through.
Complain about the lack of a female James Bonds.
Stop you from hitting refresh on your email.
Allow you to complain about your man while understanding you love your man.
Don’t try to fix the stuff you complain about, but just listen.
Asks you “what’s on your mind” without having it permanently etched in a data base somewhere to sell to Facebook marketers.
Shares honest stories about what’s happening in their lives (much better than the plethora of Facebook yacht or weight loss photos on Facebook).

Ask yourself if you have people in your life who you don’t talk business with. If you look around and you’re hanging out with people just because it will help your career-you are living a life out of balance. Take a serious look in the mirror about your life. Social media does not make people happy. Go out there and make some real friends. I did it and I feel so much better. I feel human again.

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Bringing More Of What You Want By Letting Go

I don’t have the stomach for fear based media that tells us everything we care about in life could disappear (just after this commercial break). As a result of our rush rush rush culture, we rush through life sprinting from one milestone to the next.

We are not encouraged to think long-term. We are encouraged to grab at whatever comes our way–a reactive attitude toward our careers. Everything in our culture moves us along quick quick quick.

Do you feel you are in charge of your career decisions? Would you walk away from an offer right now if it came with a caveat that was hard to stomach? Are you so consumed by the day to day you feel like you have to do the tasks in your life you hate? Sometimes we forget that everything in life is a choice. To bring change, we need to slow down. Looking at the unfavorable occurrences of 2012 brings valuable insight into what needs to be done differently. If I do X, then I will get Y. I’m trying to live this practice myself. It takes patience and calm–not an easy thing during the holidays.

Don’t be afraid to walk away from the people or activities in your life that leave you where you know you don’t want to be. The events and people you do want to attract will come to you, but first you need to identify what you don’t want in your life. Have faith that the path you’re walking is the right one. Don’t lose faith and make knee jerk reactions for the short term.

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Sometimes opportunities will come your way that come with an unfavorable caveat that’s hard to ignore. Do you take the job, client, lateral move just because in the short term it seems like a good move? Or do you take time to step back and think about where you want to be in one year’s time?

Three Very Honest Career Tips For the Younger Version of Myself

If you are reading this and you are in your first job out of school—things are going to happen that you are not prepared to deal with. We don’t prepare you for this, and we need to so you have tools at your disposal when stuff gets weird. I’m working on this one..for now I just have my little blog below.

I have a lot of stories, and I know better than to publicly blog about them. I don’t have regrets, but I do have some hard lessons learned. I hope you don’t make some of the mistakes that I did, but if you do–let them make you stronger. Here are some of my tips. Share yours in the comments section below.

1. It’s not worth it.  If someone does cross the line–in a major way–you need to stand up for yourself. But sometimes we take small stuff personally. Whatever you are upset about right now is a small in the scheme of things. Learn to breathe deep, take some space and let it go. Learn to back down. Learn to walk away. You will be the bigger person in the end. Sometimes it’s just better to walk away–that means find a new company, new colleagues or new business contacts. Starting over is better than fighting over scraps.

2. Learn to close one eye. Sometimes you need to learn how to close one eye when you see things at work that you don’t like–or qualities in people that you find unattractive. This kind of sucks, and you should make sure you have friends you can meet up with after work–you two can grab Pinot Grigios and laugh about how the real world is so crazy–you can’t even make this stuff up. Whatever you do don’t gossip at work and don’t fight with people. Get yourself a supportive, hilarious, accepting group of girlfriends. Laugh it off. Cry it off. Then go back to work the next day and keep it in til you see them again. Every woman needs good girlfriends. And don’t get rid of them when you get a boyfriend.

3. Men. Do not confuse your relationships with older men. There will be men that are mentors, and there will be men that are not mentors. Some of them are in unhappy marriages. Have compassion, but stay away. If you find you have what is known as “older daddy issues” don’t worry about it–but get a therapist. Don’t let unresolved childhood stuff ruin your professional life. If you didn’t notice this in Mad Men and countless tv and movies, older men like younger women. Young women tend to seem/be naive. That doesn’t mean you need to engage in that trend. Become known for your mind and your work, not for being flirty or short skirts and high heels. There is no shame in needing a male figure in your life, but do not confuse your needs, and under no circumstances should you date your boss (I never did this, but I feel compelled to remind you not to do it).

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When you learn to ignore what you don’t like, you’ll find yourself attracting more people that inspire you and make you light up. As you progress in your career you will find more people who share your values. At the same time manage your expectations of other people. Don’t idolize people just because of their titles. Respect their knowledge but understand they are human too.

When you see the way people behave, let it go, have compassion. Forgive but don’t forget. You can always leave and join someone else’s camp or even build your own camp. Who wants to write a guidebook with me for Peggy Olsen?

Managing Holiday Stress

Every American was affected by the Newtown tragedy.

Many of us feel snowed in by the maelstrom of fear-based media that didn’t let the children, the families or any of us really process what happened. I think most of us are walking around shell-shocked. I’m personally broken hearted for those babies who thought they were going to school one day and walked into someone else’s nightmare.

How can we make ourselves feel safe in a world that feels just really unsafe? We are all grieving in our own way. That grief on top of the standard pressure of the holiday season and it’s easy to lose it.

My best advice for you these next two weeks–in considering the often overwhelming holiday stress–is to take some quiet time for yourself. That quiet time can include a nice walk, jog, meditation or related activity. The place in our hearts where compassion, love and spirituality live is a place that can be accessed through quiet.

These next few weeks–to reduce holiday stress–I encourage you to give yourself the option to opt out. No one is judging your level of “holiday spirit.” There is nothing wrong with being spiritual in your own way–a way that doesn’t involve going to Target at midnight on Christmas Eve or spending every night out at holiday parties drinking a bottle of wine and losing yourself in a platter of broken Christmas cookies.

Feel free to turn off the soundtrack of Christmas consumerism and take some time. That means the song “White Christmas” [actually written by someone who was Jewish named   Israel Isidore Baline--known as Irving Berlin].

It’s ok to opt out. It’s ok to take quiet time for yourself. It’s ok not to spend all your money on gifts. It’s ok to skip the holiday parties because you don’t want to be around social stress, alcohol and sugar. It’s really ok. And you are going to be more than ok. Remember, we’re all going through this stuff together. You’re not alone, and you don’t need to try and be everything to everyone. I will always accept you just as you are.

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7 Tools to Set Yourself Free From Your Inner Critic

Many people, for whatever reason, have trouble turning off the critic. It runs its mouth all day never letting you get a moment of peace. From the moment you wake up in the morning until you close your eyes at night this critic sabotages your day.

Sometimes the root of this is childhood trauma, sometimes it’s chemical and other times it’s just how we’re used to living in the world–with someone hovering over us with a close eye. Eventually that someone becomes you. While you can’t always just decide to make the critic go back in its whole, there are some things you can do to calm down and relax your mind. I have a few of my own tools that I personally use, and I’d like to share them with you. I hope some of these tools bring you calm so you can live a happy life, and truly live life to the fullest.

1. Move. No matter what, I do something every day. If everyone in the world did Zumba, Latin or African dance every day–there would be no war in the world. I love these classes (offered by the YMCA) because in my interpretation these dance moves are a celebration of life–the movements accentuates the moves of a woman. You’re encouraged to shake and move your hips. You’re encouraged to embrace your femininity with “ladies styling” as they call it in latin dance class. With all the pressure to be thin, small and frail these classes encourage you to take up space and celebrate the womanly parts of yourself. While the weight room or the cardio machines are nice at times, it’s nice to get away from what can feel like an aggressive or testosterone driven environment. Go to those eccentric sounding dance classes at your gym–you won’t be sorry!

2. Learn to laugh. There’s nothing the critic likes less than when you learn to laugh in its face. Learn to laugh at what you’re judging about yourself. Make it light hearted. Say “so what.” Learn how to let it go. I’m X, honor it, embrace it, let it go. Learn to say so what, or “fuck it.”

3. When you look in the mirror, look at what you like most about yourself first.
With the insane pressure to look perfect, it’s easy to feel ashamed when you look in the mirror. See discussions on Project Enough here. Instead of looking in the mirror and seeing something you don’t like, learn to choose one thing you DO like about yourself and look at that first. Examples include, “I have nice eyes” or “I have a nice nose” or “I am so strong looking”…you get the idea.

4. Learn to breathe. Getting oxygen into your body is very critical when you’re feeling down. If possible take five deep breaths into your belly. If possible do some meditation with guided visual imagery–imagine a beautiful beach or imagine laying underneath a tree in a forest. If it’s bad, let yourself cry. Call a friend. If you’re crying (yes adults cry too)–breathe too! Get all those toxins out of your system. Breathing gives you strength and takes away strength from the critic.

5. Learn to walk away from your laptop. If you’re feeling vulnerable you’re not in a good state to be faking your way through work. Sometimes one bad day–where the critic has a hold over you–can sabotage months of good work. If you’re feeling vulnerable you’re not going to respond to people in the way you would when your head is clear. Sometimes it’s important to just take a break from working. If you don’t have this option and you work in an office go take a walk around the office or even go into the bathroom and take a few breaths. This can be the difference between a flare up in the office or taking a few moments for yourself. You don’t want your colleagues to see you getting overly emotional at work–take space if you can and when you come back you’ll fully rested and clear.

6. Learn to ask for help. I always say this but learning to ask for help is one of the most important factors determining your success. You can’t always do everything on your own. Don’t let the critic win by being too proud. Calling a friend, a loved one or even a coach or therapist can be the most critical factor in your resilience. Don’t try to be the brave cowboy who does everything alone. That’s a myth. Successful people get a lot of help and they know where to get it. Ask for help. People will love you more for opening up to them. They’ll be happy to help you.

7. Know this too shall pass. Being sensitive is a business advantage. It makes you intuitive and empathetic and all the characteristics that can make you a charismatic leader. At the same time you need to learn to manage yourself. This will wash over you like a wave. You will feel better tomorrow. Figure out how to get yourself what you need to help quiet the critic. That way when it passes you’re ready to get back on the horse.

 

Seven Lessons In Business and Life From 2012

It’s the holiday season and I’m contemplating the year behind me and the year ahead. While the season is the busiest time of year, juggling holiday parties, work and family, it’s important to take time to contemplate the milestones of 2012 and how you’d like to grow in 2013. I’ve certainly had a year of unexpected twists and turns. I’d like to share my lessons with you.

Business and Life Lessons From 2012

1. Not all that glitters is gold.
While in theory we generally know that what mainstream culture upholds as valuable–isn’t actually that important–sometimes it’s harder to remember that. Even people who are famous and rich have their own problems. Sometimes they seem even more unsatisfied with life than others who have less. When you see the beauty and richness in the mundane around you, your whole perspective changes. Turn on the television and you’re told that you need a fancy car, perfect body and expensive jewelry to be happy. The truth is you have everything you need right now to be happy. It REALLY IS all in your mind. Can you appreciate what you have? Can you let go of the critic who tells you you’re not enough, you don’t have enough and all that garbage? Let it go, learn to laugh, see all the wealth around you.


2. Don’t fall in love with being famous, fall in love with the work.
Perhaps due to the internet, everyone seems to be interested in getting famous. After all that seems to be the ultimate life achievement–that old trope of moving out to hollywood to be discovered. With the blurring of scripted television and reality television–and YouTube discovered stars like Justin Bieber anyone can be an overnight celebrity. At the same time in the Bay Area it feels like more attention is being paid to this area of the country. With social media it’s easy to become addicted to checking that stardom in the form of how many people endorse what we say or do–retweets, likes and views–without any thought if this even is helping us with our high level business goals. Generally one can tell the difference between someone who wants to be famous for being famous, and someone who falls in love with their craft, and word quickly spreads because the product, ideas or work is just really that special.

3. Learn to let go and let it go. Sometimes you learn things about yourself because other people tell you they’re true. Successful people who are try to control everything are sometimes called “Type A.” They are successful because they get a challenge and take it by the reins. At the same time I’ve realized this can be an unattractive quality when it’s too much–and I’m guilty of this as well. I’ve learned how to reframe my thinking and loosen my hold on the world. I try to not have so many expectations of how things should play out. People who are controlling have a hard time moving through the world because no one can control the world’s order. The harder you try to control everything around you the more life becomes out of whack–rebelling against you. Let’s take a lesson from financial expert Suze Orman who says, “let it go.” She’s referring to goods people can’t afford. The single biggest lesson for me this year was learning how to let things go, and let IT GO.

LET IT GO.

It’s simple but I love it.

4. It will get better, but it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
This year I had some frustrating surprises in my career. I am an entrepreneur so it is expected things don’t go as planned. Some of the unforseen events that happened this year through me for a loop. I wasn’t prepared for this curveball and I lost myself for a little while. I had to dig down in my soul to get back on the course. What I couldn’t see was these un-forseen events that left me flailing (and feeling totally out of control) were tests of strength and character. This one particular experience made me a lot stronger–but no one could have told me at the time that this curveball was actually a gift. It’s hard to tell someone who is going through a hard time, it will get better–but it’s going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better. We are so blinded by our own monkey mind, we can’t see at all. It takes an “incident” to remind us of the truth.

5. If you don’t appreciate what you have, it will go away.
This one can be related to number 2 about wanting celebrity. If you don’t appreciate the projects, people and resources that you do have, it is likely they will disappear. It can be that in pursuit of what we deem to be “greatness” we lose site of our biggest fans, the clients we’ve generated or the opportunities on our plate. It’s that American “MORE MORE MORE” mentality. We are literally programmed to not appreciate what’s in front of us. If you focus on the relationships, work and opportunities you do have, they will grow and multiply. It’s not by fantasizing that we generate more of what we want. It’s by appreciating what we have that we multiply and grow what we want.

6. If you say it will be hard, then it will be hard.
What you say out-loud comes true. If you believe that getting what you want will be a long arduous journey paved with hindering blocks, that’s exactly what you’ll get. In fact you’ll sabatoge yourself to make it feel hard. If you tell yourself you can have what you want and it will be easy–that will also come true. When I say “easy” I don’t mean overnight. I mean that when you are positive and encouraging to yourself–when you pat yourself on the back and celebrate every accomplishment no matter how small, you will feel happier–lighter, and carry less of a load. What story are you saying outloud?

7. When you learn to control what comes out of your mouth, you become truly powerful.
The word is powerful. People don’t realize their affect on the people in their lives. Some of the most influential people don’t realize how influential they are–and they say things outloud that are hurtful to others. Sometimes saying nothing is very powerful. Sometimes taking space from others who are trying to bate you (even unknowingly) is powerful. When you can learn to go inside and get quiet–when you can learn to delay confrontation and cease from judging others–you gain true strength.

Thank you for your readership this year. I’ve enjoyed writing for you on this blog and look forward to much more writing in 2013. What are your own lessons from 2012? Please feel free to share them with me in the blog section below.

 

How Self Confidence Helps Small Business Owners

There’s something about Mad Men’s Don Draper—while on the inside he might be an emotionally torn man with a dark past, you never see him sweat. His personal challenges never get in the way of his advertising meetings or a-list affairs. He exudes charm, charisma and competence.

His former secretary and now only female copy editor Peggy Olsen said it best:

“I want what you have, you seem to have everything.” What Don does have is confidence–a lot of it.

Confidence can be the chicken and the egg–when you need it most you feel the least confident, and when you need it least you feel the most confident. You can’t hide behind your computer–you must get out into the world and represent yourself and your business. In my tips below I give you some suggestions on how you can work on building your own confidence and watch your business grow as a result.

Here are my ten questions and answers for you. Tell me your own confidence building story in the comments section below.

1. Why is self-confidence important for a small business owner?

If you are not confident in yourself, would you expect others to have confidence in your abilities? As a small business owner you are the face of your company. You need to exude confidence so people get the feeling you are a capable person to do business with.

2. What are the attributes of a confident person?

A confident small business person makes eye contact. They do what they say they’re going to do. They give a strong handshake. They don’t say the filler works in their sentences “like,” “um,” “ah,” or “you know.” They take good care of themselves physically. They don’t apologize too much without reason. They have boundaries in their lives, and they don’t feel bad about notifying someone when they’ve crossed that boundary. They can take negative feedback without having it crumple them. They smile frequently and easily. They exude a glow when they talk about their company and services.

3. What are activities that can help improve confidence in small business owners?

Doing your homework can greatly improve your confidence. When you’re prepared for meetings, you will exude power because you know what you’re talking about. Challenging yourself with achievable tasks will improve your confidence in yourself, but piling on too many challenges too fast can be a confidence killer. Keep a network of supportive people around you–especially other small business owners. Having community and relationships will improve confidence. Having a coach to provide feedback is a confidence booster. Everyone needs someone unbiased to bounce ideas off of, to help them through hard times, and give encouragement when it’s needed. Continuing education and training can also help build confidence as you become more savvy in different areas of your business.

4. Is it possible to improve confidence by changing your thoughts?

“Thinking positive” is a powerful way to change your thinking. Tony Robbins says “change your state, change your life.” If we can learn to control our mind, we can completely change the landscape of ourselves and our lives.

5. Is there anything a small business owner can do to improve their impact on others?

By standing tall you will greatly improve your posture and how others see you. Body language is a hugely important factor with regard to how others perceive you. By improving your posture you will change this.

6. Do looks really matter that much for a small business owner?

If you dress nicely, you’ll feel good about yourself. You’ll feel successful and presentable and ready to tackle the world. By showing up groomed, you will feel more confident. Additionally you are an extension of your products and services. If you are not personally well put together, it’s possible your prospects will assume you don’t take care with your offering either.

7. Does gratitude help confidence?

This one is related to humility. By being grateful for what you have in life and what others have given to you you will change your entire outlook. It can improve your self-image and your overall mood. The universe rewards those who are thankful. “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
― Melody Beattie

8. Does exercise really improve confidence?

Exercise is very important for any small business owner. While sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day, exercise can improve mood. It also helps with focus and makes us more calm. Many of us get our best ideas when we are exercising. Not only are the mental and spiritual side effects important, but it will help you feel better physically, and you’ll look better too!

9. How do small business owners avoid feeling overwhelmed, insecure and anxious with all the tasks that are required to run the business?

Don’t forget to start small. You don’t want to stress yourself out by biting off more than you can chew. Learn to break off small chunks and work in short bursts. Small tasks that you succeed in will help your overall sense of happiness and confidence.

10. Does a cleaner business person feel more confident?

Keeping organized and clean will greatly impact the amount of clutter in your mind. When your environment is cleaner you’ll find you can think clearly. Clear your desk. If your desk gets messy the world can quickly turn to chaos. Having an organized desk will help maintain a calm environment so you can think clearly (and stay organized).

11. Will relaxation help my confidence? Should I be working instead of relaxing?

We all need scheduled white space in our calendars. That means a little “me-time” every day. This “me-time” is your opportunity to recalibrate so you can continue to be an amazing creator. Relaxing can include a 5 minute meditation, a massage, a bath or even a walk with some nice music.

12. Should I celebrate my own achievements?

Absolutely. Celebrating your small wins is a hugely important aspect of having your own business. If you don’t make time to enjoy your success, you might end up feeling burned out. Feel free to make a list of all that you’ve accomplished even on a daily basis. Since you’re your own boss, you’re your own coach. Make sure to pick yourself up frequently with pats on the back.

Do you feel like Don Draper yet? Let me know your own journey to a more confident you in the comments section below. There are no judgements on this blog.