Ep 146: Do we need to be with what is (rather than chasing something more)?

00:51 Welcome to Unfrazzle, a podcast for solo business owners with a big vision who are ready for a kinder more sustainable approach to productivity. I'm Louise Miller and each week i share bite-sized insights to help you step away from the hustle stop faffing and stay focused so you can make your brilliant ideas happen and make a bigger impact in the world Before we dive into today's episode, if you enjoy what I'm sharing here on Unfrazzle and you'd like to support the podcast You can buy me a cuppa by going to BuyMeACoffee.com slash Louise Miller and making a one-off donation. I'll pop a link to that in the show notes Okay grab yourself a cuppa and let's get started

01:30 There's so much to love about being your own boss and making money on your own terms, isn't there? But it's not easy. I've been doing this for 10 years now and lately i've been noticing how relentless it can feel running workshops and free challenges inviting people into Make It Happen Club thinking of new ways to bring value to the people who've chosen to hang out in my calm corner of the internet looking for opportunities to bring more of those people into my world And in the back of my mind I'm very aware that i haven't signed any new one-to-one clients in a long time, which could be because i don't talk about it enough. But i love what i do and i'm so fortunate that there's nothing i do in my business that i hate you know? I built it that way on purpose but there is always something coming up on the horizon that needs effort time and attention and sometimes it feels like that never ends

02:17 And I see that with my clients too. You know, we haven't finished the thing that we're working on and we're already thinking about the next thing We all do it and is totally understandable because we are not where we want to be so we are always doing more moving onto the next thing and the next thing It does make sense but can start to feel redentless and exhausting as well can't it? And recently I have been wondering what might happen if we allowed ourselves moments to just be with what is. To serve our clients, deliver the things that we need to be delivering and do the minimum that keeps you present in people's minds without pushing for something more? How long would you feel comfortable staying in that mode a week two weeks a whole month

03:06 I know that times have been tricky for many small business owners lately and if you are genuinely struggling to pay the bills, that might feel like a luxury you can't afford. And i totally understand and respect that so please know that i'm not minimizing the very real challenge of bringing enough money into your business But speaking personally, my life is simple. We don't have kids our overheads are relatively low we've designed our life this way on purpose you know things never feel unsafe for me from a financial point of view which I realize it's a very privileged position to be in and if you're fortunate enough to be in that position too If you know that you have enough and that will look very different for everyone would you benefit from taking some time to just be with what is instead of always pushing for something more?

03:50 To notice how far you've come. Would you of five or ten years ago recognize the you of today? How have you changed, what have you achieved? What would happen if you let yourself be with that a while? If you let go of the striving not forever but just for a brief moment So I'm not going to pretend that's easy, right? It feels uncomfortable for me too. But i am pondering giving it a try this summer so for me that would look like showing up for my clients in Make It Happen Club supporting my one-to-one clients writing an email to my list every week and posting on LinkedIn when I feel like it

04:26 Every summer I take a break from recording new episodes of the podcast, but i will make sure that there's something new for your ears every Tuesday as usual. We're going to go back through some old episodes and republish some of my favorites But beyond that everything else can wait even if it is just for a couple of weeks You know? I don't always need to be working on the next thing It's okay to take my foot off the gas for a moment nothing terrible will happen And if you've ever heard me share the story that led to me starting my business, you'd have heard me talk about feeling like I was on a hamster wheel in my old job. It wasn't a good feeling and it ultimately made me ill so if I start to feel that way again always chasing the next thing because I'm not where I want to be...I'm realizing that I need to consciously step off that hamster wheel so that I can have a rest get some perspective and recharge my batteries

05:18 And I am very good at managing my energy and not overdoing it and giving myself plenty of space. But what i've come to realise is that there's still always this thing in the back of mind, that there is something more I need to be doing and I'm constantly thinking about the next thing and the next thing and the next... Instead of just allowing myself to be in my business as it is right now Doing things I love with people who are paying me to do it Sharing valuable things for other people in my world Just allowing that to be okay for a short while You know, I trust myself to pick up the pace and dive right back in when the time's right. I'm not afraid that if i just take my foot off the gas for a minute I'll never get going again that's not something that worries me so how about you? Have things been feeling a little bit relentless for you as well would you benefit from being with what is for a while and what would that look like for you are you brave enough to give that a go So as always I hope this helps and I look forward to seeing you again soon

06:15 Thank you for listening to Unfrazzle. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and share it with a friend who needs a dose of calm productivity in their life and I'd love it if you could leave me a rating or review as that will help more people discover the podcast And if you're struggling with productivity right now, take my free assessment to find out what's really getting in the way of you getting things done. It takes less than three minutes to complete and I'll send you tailored resources and insights that will help based on your score You'll find that at louisemiller.uk slash quiz and there's a link for that in the show notes So thank you so much for being here and I look forward to seeing you next time