I’ve lost my marbles!

Just last week, I overheard someone say, “I feel like I’ve lost my marbles! Whatever I try to attract new business just doesn’t seem to be working. Business has changed since the pandemic . . . especially now. It seems like the whole world is either losing their marbles or fighting over marbles!”

My older brother used to collect marbles (circa 1960’s), using his hard-earned allowance to buy more. When I was at the very young age of four or five, I remember how he would show me some of his most-prized marbles . . . delicately taking them out of a velvet bag as if they were precious gems. Large ones, small ones, every color of the rainbow . . . even “Cat’s Eyes” which I found fascinating but spooky. I would LOVE it when he would just pour the whole bag onto his bedspread . . . resembling a rolling rainbow of color! We would make up games, like “School,” “Cowboys,” or “Store,” and the marbles took on human characteristics as our stories unfolded. If one marble rolled onto the floor, it seemed the rest of them would follow, water-falling off the bed . . . and soon we’d both be running after and corralling the marbles.

My brother and I both grew up to start and run our own businesses. As one of the many who are independently employed — entrepreneurs, small-business owners, consultants — it’s easy for me to imagine my business being much like a precious marble — cultivated for many years, unique, polished, and carefully wrapped in protective velvet (one would hope). 

When the economy and/or the world changes, the fear of, “What’s next?” can be real for many small business owners.

No one likes losing their marbles!

So, how can we deflect fear when it raises its ugly head?

 

Be the Marble . . .

• Stay visible and embrace your own uniqueness. Be proud of your accomplishments and use those as the foundation for well-deserved confidence. Confidence does not equal bragging. People who brag about themselves are NOT confident . . . use your time to compliment others and share THEIR accomplishments. Be the light who shows others how to shine!
• Roll together and keep a (cat’s) eye look-out for each other. We need each other as our cheerleaders, our brainstormers, our joint-venture partners — share referrals and help each other out! Identify your “Point A” — where do you want to be? Who (and what) do you know that can help you get there? Remember to ask for help when you need it!
• Pick the path of least resistance. It’s much easier to keep rollin’ on a smoothly curated surface. Avoid the drama and avoid creating it for yourself. If/when it appears, step out of the way by setting good boundaries. Align yourself with the people you respect and admire, allowing yourself to rise above the fray of any negativity.

Marbles have learned to go with the flow and roll where life takes them . . .

Keep moving and creating positive energy!

Attention goes where energy flows!

If every year is a marble, how many marbles do you have left?
How many sunrises, how many opportunities to
rise to the full stature of your being? — JOY PAGE

A rolling marble gathers less stress . . .
(or no moss . . . or something like that).

If you are looking for a stress-free, budget-friendly way to stay visible and tiptoe into the world of publishing, simply join one of our upcoming anthologies. You just might find a topic near and dear to your heart that you’d love to write a single chapter about (we even help you write it!). You can hop in for about 1/10 the cost of publishing a full book of your own.

AND . . . If leadership is your “thang” . . . You can SPONSOR YOUR OWN ANTHOLOGY and invite 30-40 of your closest friends and colleagues to share the cost with you. As a sponsor, you have a little-to-nothing investment. You pick the topic, and we walk you through the best-practice steps to becoming your very own Independent Publisher AND an Amazon Bestselling Author!

We do all the work, and you get all the accolades!

Cathy

CLICK HERE if you’d like to schedule a call with Cathy to learn more.