Why did you start your business? Most business owners start their businesses because they desire personal freedom and an extra stream of income. They want to be their own boss or they have a great idea that they want to try. When you started your business, I bet you were full of passion and excitement. It was like the first days of a new romance. All you could think about or talk about was your business. This month, celebrating the season of harvest, I’d like to ask you to fall in love again. In the time since you started your business, you’ve been through a lot. You’ve worked hard. You’ve had some rewards and maybe a few challenges. Your love of the business has ebbed and flowed. Ask yourself now, are you in love with your business still or has it just turned into a partner, a faithful companion?
If your answer is the latter, I have some suggestions for you to rekindle the flame and ignite your love again.
1 Take some time away: Absence does make the heart grow fonder. Take a little time off and reconnect with the reasons that you started your business. Reconnect with the excitement you had at the start. Relive the dream of going after your personal freedom. Really let yourself feel what you felt at the start of creating the vision for your business.
2 Conduct an audit: Ask yourself what you really love about your business. Some of the work you love, some of it may just be plain old work, but focus on what you truly enjoy. Appreciate what’s working. Develop systems to make the hard work easier and delegate the work you don’t enjoy. Do what you love and give the rest away.
3 Make a plan: Make a plan to get yourself out of overwhelm and back doing the work that you really enjoy. Put it in writing by dusting off your business plan. Read the first page where you wrote about all the exciting stuff and where you saw your business in the future. Having a written plan eases stress and gets you back in charge. You’ll feel more powerful and in control with a plan.
4 Share your excitement: Celebrate all wins – big and small! With your new plan and your renewed vision get out there and tell people about it. Just like after your first romantic date when that’s all you’d talk about, share your enthusiasm for your business. Sharing the feelings of the freedoms you enjoy will help your reconnect with that love again. Being in love is contagious and you’ll be amazed at the difference this makes in your business and your life.
Remember your passions and rekindle the flame and fall in love with your business again.
Lynnecia S. Eley
Lynnecia S. Eley is Founder & Managing Editor of Soigne’ + Swank Magazine. She is a career-driven entrepreneur, wife, and mother. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, she is an award-winning University Assistant Dean and Adjunct Professor committed to excellence, dedication, and caring for others. Known as the Confidence Doula, Lynnecia is a best-selling author and coach, a founder of Two Queens Media and Black & Ivy League, Inc. You can learn more about Lynnecia and her platforms at www.shecaninspire.com.
