As I write this post, I’m sitting on my back porch still in my yoga clothes. It’s 9:44am. My daughter is napping. The work day has officially begun (even though a shower never happened).
My day started at 4:50am. Brush teeth, wash face, pack my gym/yoga bag. (On Tuesdays I teach a 6am Vinyasa yoga class.) Grab some trail mix, my water bottle and head out.
Teach class, more trail mix, read Dream Year on the elliptical, do some free weights, pick up veggies at the farmers market, back home to officially start the work day (after cuddling with Leona).
It’s not even 9am, and the entrepreneurial dance has already begun. Does reading business books at the gym count as “work” or “me-time”? Does teaching my yoga class count as “professional” because I get paid or is it “personal” because I enjoy it so much?
My days are always some version of this back-and-forth between wife, mom and entrepreneur. I’m used to it by now. I’ve never had a typical 9-to-5. I live the dance every day.
For years, my work week has been a hybrid of working-laundry-working-running errands-working-prep dinner-working-yoga-working (and now you can throw breastfeeding into the mix).
On the best of days it feels like a (mostly effortless) dance. On the worst days it feels blurry. Confusing, stressful and like I’m not 100% present no matter where I am.
When you’re an entrepreneur, this is what life is like. It’s a blending of personal and professional in order to build a lifestyle that you love. Hmmm...a lifestyle that you love. Is this love??...
But, let’s be honest here, the lifestyle of an entrepreneur isn’t always glamorous, fun or easy. Far from it. It’s hard, takes A LOT of dedication, and rarely looks like what we imagined when we first started our businesses.
Sometimes having a “lifestyle” business is the very thing that leaves us feeling the most frazzled! It leaves us asking, “Where does work end and life begin?”
If you aren’t enjoying your life (at least a little) then what’s the point of building this business anyhow? The whole point of creating a business you love is to enjoy a life you love! Stop putting that on hold for “someday”.
In this week’s lesson, I’m sharing my 4 favorite strategies for balancing work & life so that you can start living the good life NOW.
How’s your work/life “balance” treating you? What do you struggle with most? Or, if you have another tip that I didn’t cover in the video, please share in the comments below! I love learning from you.
xo,
P.S. Wanna connect with fellow purpose-driven entrepreneurs like yourself? Meet the people that "get you" HERE.
I recently surveyed my community, fellow entrepreneurs and the members of a bunch of groups I’m in on Facebook asking what the hardest thing is about being an entrepreneur. (And if you’re part of my Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurs Facebook Group, you may have seen or even commented on it -- Thanks!)
I got a number of responses like work-life balance, wearing too many hats, feeling guilty about working all the time, and not making steady money. But, the one that really caught my attention, and I want to address in today’s lesson is resistance.
A number of people said that they feel major blocks to working on their business, business projects and big ideas.
I’ve been fascinated by resistance for a while now for 2 main reasons:
(1) I definitely feel it (not all the time, but often enough), and (2) It seems at complete odds with my vision for my business, my life and how I want to move through the world.
So, what’s the deal?
Trust me, it's not that we lack willpower, motivation or drive. We wouldn't be entrepreneurs in the first place if that was the case!
So, why do we feel such push-back when we’re doing (or trying to do) work that we love, find meaningful and will make a difference not only in our own lives but the lives of others?
Hmmm...curious…
In today's lesson, I dive into the REAL reason purpose-driven entrepreneurs experience resistance. The truth is simple but surprising and will help you move beyond the resistance you're encountering in your own life right now.
I want to hear from you!
Do you encounter resistance when you're trying to work on your business? Share your story in the comments below -- remember, the recognition of resistance is the first step to moving beyond it, so, put it out there!
Oh, and in case you're itching for a copy of War of Art (it's sooo good!), you can check out my buddy Steven's book HERE.
