Creating Change During A Cosmic Reshuffling // Reinvent Yourself, Your Business And Your Life!
In Colorado, it's beginning to feel like the pandemic is finally ending. After what has felt like a very long, frustrating, uncertain and often scary year, society is opening back up. It feels surreal going back into restaurants, studios, gyms and venues of all sorts. Yet, it's inspiring to witness the different ways people weathered the storm by reinventing themselves and their businesses. It’s also great to see friends and family without the confines of social distancing orders and masks. I didn’t realize how much I missed seeing the smiling faces of strangers on the street and being able to embrace the people I love. What a gift it is to connect again!
I spent the majority of the last year-and-a-half in quarantine with my husband and baby girl, who turned one-year-old last month. I’d be lying if I didn’t come right out and say it: This has been one of the most challenging (and rewarding) years of my life. Prior to the pandemic, my husband and I had created what felt like a solid plan that would enable us to bring our daughter safely into the world and navigate the first year of her life with the support needed to keep our careers and businesses flourishing while ensuring that we had plenty of time to nurture our precious new child and each other. But, the universe had a different plan for us—all of us.
Immediately after returning from our babymoon in Hawaii in February of 2020, when I was six months pregnant, stay-at-home orders were issued and the life that we knew and had been thoughtfully planning for months, was turned upside-down. Our solid plan A was now going to need a plan B. And, as the days and months progressed, plans C, D, E and F became necessary. I recall counseling my friends and clients to avoid making long-term plans and instead just focus on the day—or just up to the next three days. It had become obvious that all that we could count on at that time was what was occurring in any given moment. What an exercise in presence!
Somehow we made it through all the bumps, twists, turns and uncertainties, and now, being at what appears to be the “other side of the pandemic,” I find myself exhausted both from pandemic fatigue and from the inevitable sleepless nights of raising a one-year-old. However, I’m also acutely aware that now is NOT the time to rest.
Now is the time to seize the moment and act!
In this great time of transition, the burning question for me and so many others is, what now? What’s next? Who are we as individuals and as a collective society after so many of the things that we assumed within the pre-pandemic “establishment” were certain became uncertain?
For me, quarantine felt like its own verion of torture. I couldn’t introduce my baby to friends and family. My husband and I were left to manage our jobs and our precious child with little to no help. Furthermore, so many of the resources I use to keep myself healthy, such as the gym, massages, nature and travel were unavailable due to COVID-19 or impossible with a newborn.
But, being in quarantine also came with its gifts...
We were given time to consistently evaluate and reevaluate our values and priorities. My husband and I went on regular walks and discussed different versions of our future, as well as our hopes and dreams. Even though we were limited with what we could do in each moment, we both felt certain that this pause from what was once “everyday life” had the potential to right the ship and give us an opportunity to hone our skills, dreams and collective desires toward living our Inspired Life.
I also know from talking with family, friends, colleagues and clients that we were not alone. Everyone was dealing with their own version of COVID chaos—which often presented as anxiety, depression, frustration or anger. But, the upset and uncertainty was often coated in a glimmer of hope and recognition that although things would never be the same again, that maybe, just maybe, this was a gift.
I’ve been referring to this chapter in our collective human experience as a “cosmic reshuffling.” For every business that closed, a new opportunity emerged. Bohemithic corporations, typically stuck in their ways, began reconsidering the way they do business, the products they sell and their underlying philosophies. Society is finally shining light on major injustices. People want answers, and people want change.
I firmly believe that right now is the most fertile moment in our lifetime to build the life of your dreams. But it will take courage and it will take clarity. If you can come out of the pandemic clear about the role you want to play in this emerging society, you can carve out a new way of being in the world.
Creating Change Through A Rebirth Of Self
As a coach and mentor, I’m curious as to what has arisen within you over the last year and what is coming up for you today as we experience this cosmic reshuffling.
Do you sense a rebirth of Self?
If you feel called toward creating real and lasting change in your life, now is the time to act!
With the establishment no longer feeling stable, perhaps you’re rethinking your profession, business goals and are considering going out on your own. With remote working being the new norm and big companies rethinking the virtual office, maybe you’re envisioning a new location or lifestyle for you and your family. Being constantly confronted by the uncertainties brought up by the pandemic and the environmental, political and social injustices in the news every day, you may feel compelled to get involved and make “creating change” a critical part of your life and, perhaps, even a new profession.
How do you want to rebirth yourself?
Thinking Big
Times of great societal change offer an unparalleled opportunity for reinventing the self. As challenging as the pandemic was, its ending is offering us an invitation to make important, life-changing decisions and to act fast. This might sound a bit harsh, but the world is shifting again—and quickly—and it isn't’ going to wait for you. If you’re feeling called to create big change in any area of your life, the time is now!
As the world is shifting—AGAIN—there is much to be explored, communicated and capitalized on, especially in terms of career and business. Big thinkers and doers, such as entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, philanthropist and life and business strategist Tony Robbins and author, investor, entrepreneur and trainer Dean Graziosi are saying that the digital self-education industry is the next revolution. Other big changes are afoot.
How can you use this unique time in history to uplevel your life, business and wellbeing?
A Few Questions To Consider...
I know this time has been disorienting for many of us. While you may feel an internal stirring and know change is brewing, you may also feel overwhelmed and/or unclear about what is arising and what actions need to be taken.
The following journal prompts are designed to help you begin excavating what you’re being called to uncover during this fertile time.
Start by listing your top priorities today.
How do these compare to your priorities a year or two ago?
How are these the same, different or relate/compare to what they were a year ago?
What areas of your life (career, relationships, health, fitness, self-care, personal growth, etc) do you know need to be reconsidered to be in alignment with what your priorities are now?
Now, pick one or two of these areas and ask yourself what has been revealed through this brief exercise and what can and, perhaps, needs to be addressed NOW so you can live your Inspired Life?
For those of you considering what you want your career, business, work-life, etc to look like, ask yourself the following questions:
Do you want to work with people in person again or build a digital business?
Do you have a sense of how much money you need and want to be making?
Have you considered changing industries? Is there someone supportive in your life that you can talk with to see if that's really something you want?
Do you want to work for someone else, or are you feeling called to start or uplevel your own business?
Get The Support You Need
I’ve built my coaching career around supporting people through major life transitions. Times of great transition—as we’re in the throes of right now— offer the opportunity for great self-reflection and are ripe for creating change. Perhaps you realized that your relationship is no longer serving you. Maybe you had the time to evaluate your health—especially if you binged on TV shows and over-ate during stay-at-home orders—and now feel called to take ownership of your health, fitness and overall well being. Or, like so many, you may feel called to shift, change or uplevel your professional and financial life.
If you’re sincerely interested in gaining clarity, creating exciting goals and effective strategies through one-on-one coaching, and want to expedite the process during this fertile time, I’d love to talk with you. Don’t wait! Contact me today to schedule a call for us to get to know each other and discuss what it is that you need to do—that you get to do—to live your most Inspired Life! Allow me to support you in the process aligning with your priorities and making swift and efficient change in any or all areas of your life.
For those of you ready to build your own business, uplevel your business or want to explore the possibility of becoming an entrepreneur, I invite you to join my upcoming, private Marie Forleo’s B-School Group to fast-track your progress!
Fast Track Your Business Success!
B-School has been instrumental to my own achievements as an entrepreneur in launching and growing various businesses. There are core principles to entrepreneurship, and B-School delivers high-impact data, helping you dive into all of the critical areas of your business. It's important to realize that different industries and business styles require different strategies and priorities. Having the support of a mentor, while integrating the lessons of B-School into your unique business, is invaluable for optimal success.
When you purchase B-School, you own the program for life and can join the LIVE program every year. I’ve personally put myself through this program over five times and, every time, I learn something new! B-School helped me grow my clothing business, The OM Collection, over 10x in one year. B-School helped me get clear on my latest project, Inspired Living, allowing me to launch it as a profitable business on day one. And, B-School gave me additional skills and tools to launch successful start-ups in the media, cannabis and health and wellness industries.
If you or someone you know is looking for their next big move or is ready to make a career change, B-School helps clarify vision, set a viable profit plan and make dream businesses come to life.
In my experience, the community that comes along with B-School is just as valuable as the content itself. You gain access to an enormous network of fellow entrepreneurs via a private Facebook group, learning and growing alongside others and getting feedback on your business for years to come.
Whether it's through one-on-one coaching and/or as your mentor and coach through B-School, I would be honored to support you in building YOUR Inspired Life. Or, as Marie Forleo says, “building a business and life that you love.”
If you feel called to make swift and effective change in any aspect of your personal and/or professional life, contact me to learn more about my coaching process and how we can work together.
Or, if you feel called to start, grow or change your business and want to fast-track your process and ensure success, join me for Marie Forleo’s B-School.
The time is ripe to reinvent yourself and your business and live your most Inspired Life!
Blessings,
Katie
Action Items:
The exercise of slowing down and taking the time to ask yourself what MUST be done and creating a written list often reveals that you know most, if not all, of the major steps needed to reach your goal or, alternatively, that you need support in developing strategy. As stated above, creating your roadmap is an imperative first step in building a successful strategy because it maps out the major milestones you will need to meet along the path toward reaching your goal.
It’s also important to identify what I call the “low-hanging fruit” on your list. These are the items on your list that can be done quickly and easily. The low hanging first on your list are the perfect first steps on your road map. Accomplishing these early incremental goals creates the energy and momentum that you’ll need to solidify your commitment towards reaching your goals .
Remain vigilant and continue tweaking your strategic road map until you feel confident that it’s the right path for you, and do not be afraid to ask for help along the process. Reaching your goals, especially those that push you to your limit and ask you to uplevel as a person, is going to require a lot out of you. Keep an eye on tasks that can be outsourced to save time and energy—and recognize that developing strategy itself could be one of them.
Quick Sidenote:
Beware of the potential trap of ONLY doing the easy things on your list. If your goal is asking you to grow as a person, it's likely asking you to do things that make you uncomfortable or that you find difficult. While the easy things are a great place to START, be sure to carve out time to push through the challenging tasks on your list early in the process.
Also, I mentioned it briefly above, but it's worth noting again, if you’re starting a new venture—whether that be in fitness, business, relationships or making a transition—and nothing seems “obvious” and everything feels hard, consider hiring a coach or talking to a friend who has already been where you’re aspiring to go to help with developing strategy and creating your personal road map to success.
Address Potential Hurdles, Obstacles And Hesitancies While Honoring Your Strengths
In building an efficient and effective strategy it is important to assess both your strengths and weaknesses. It's through honest self-reflection that you can anticipate and overcome what I call hurdles, obstacles and hesitancies that arise on the path.
Hurdles are those specific tasks that require a lot of you and make you work hard to get over them.
Obstacles are the impediments that pop up and require problem-solving to get around.
Hesitancies are all about mindset. When we hesitate, there may be no big challenge in the way but, for whatever reason, we’re not doing what we set out to do.
By knowing our innate skills, talents and gifts, we can lean on them to get us through challenging times and use them to our advantage to remain committed to our plan.
Having an honest and humble understanding of our weaknesses assures that we aren’t blindsided or sabotaged by them. Even the strongest among us still have an Achilles’ heel. By anticipating and addressing the hurdles, obstacles or hesitancies that could arise on the path, you can correct your path and/or ask for help before any challenge becomes overwhelming. Reach out to your friends and family, find/consult a mentor, hire a coach.
An effective strategy that is thoughtfully designed to get you where you want to go requires knowing where and when to push hard and where and when to pass on tasks and get the support you need. Use your energy wisely.
Journal Prompt:
Take a few minutes to review your road map to success, visualize yourself progressing from one critical step to the next.
Highlight any tasks you consider a hurdle that will push you or require significant effort. Evaluate whether you would benefit from support in accomplishing these feats or whether you feel confident that you can push through them on your own.
Next, ask yourself how you will address any obstacles that arise on your path. Is strategic thinking and problem-solving one of your strengths or are these or others areas in which you’d be better served through asking for help or calling upon an external resource?
Finally, assess your mindset. Do you have a can-do attitude or is self-doubt, anxiety or negative self-talk keeping you from living an Inspired Life? It's important that you become your greatest fan, cheerleader and aly in the process of reaching your dreams. If, instead, you find your mind bringing you down, seek support immediately. Nothing will take you down faster than being your own worst enemy.
Action Item:
Include what you can see as hindering your progress in a sidebar of your strategy. Take steps immediately to get support in place to assist and support you in overcoming both the real and perceived challenges.
Strengthen Your Resolve With Healthy Habits
Setting a goal and establishing a strategy for getting there is only half the battle. It’s in following your plan consistently that the real magic and personal growth occurs. The single best way to assure continued effort and progress on the path is by creating healthy habits that are consistent with your goals and that reinforce the strategy you’ve put in place to get there
When I work with clients I spend as much time helping them tweak their schedule, improve their habits and cultivate a positive mindset as I do in helping them choose a goal and build the strategy to reach it. It’s well known by coaches, trainers, athletes, CEOs and others who have attained high levels of success that one of the most effective ways to shape the future is to continuously examine the habits that you routinely engage in, transforming those that do not serve your highest self and building upon and strengthening those that do.
If you want more information on accessing your habits and a few tips to keep honing them, check out my blog Changing Habits: The Simplest And Most Effective Way To Change Your Life.
Journal Prompt:
What activities do you do on a regular basis that support you in reaching your goals? How can you do these more or build on them with additional healthy habits?
What habits or beliefs are holding you back from reaching your dreams? What can you do to improve upon these, or where can you seek support to make a change?
Work With A Coach
The fastest and most effective way that I know to overcome limitations, reach goals and ascend to higher levels of performance in any area is to work with a coach.
A great coach offers the guidance and support necessary to efficiently and effectively uplevel. An excellent coach saves you the precious time and energy that you need to focus on and work toward becoming the next version of you. If you know—or are starting to realize—that you need assistance in identifying the RIGHT goals for YOU, developing a solid STRATEGY that aligns with your lifestyle and breaking down bigger tasks into incremental actions to continually move forward, build strength and endurance and maintain momentum, let’s talk. As a coach, mentor and trainer who has excelled in athletics, academics and business, I’m inspired to help others reach their full potential and fully enjoy this precious and incredible life.
Whether you’re pushing yourself to accomplish new physical feats, starting or upleveling a business, reinventing yourself or in the midst of trying to gracefully and effectively navigate a life transition, together we set the right goals for you, develop a solid and realistic strategy, and assure you have the support you need to build an Inspired Life ripe with ongoing growth, health, happiness and vitality.