Yep. They snuck up again. The Naughty Nuffs.
Just when I least expected it . . . there they were. I could hear their voices whispering, “NOT ENUFF time.” . . . “NOT ENUFF clients.” . . . “NOT ENUFF help.” . . . “NOT ENUFF $ in that bank account.” It was a never-ending loop, and I knew it was time to put a stop to it.
Juggling 10,000 balls (sometimes it really feels like it).
As a small business owner, it is easy to get caught up in trying to “do it by myself”- especially when I fool myself into thinking I’m saving $$. Unfortunately, I end up sacrificing sanity and sleep in exchange for setting myself up for a Naughty Nuff visit. You see, on some days, I wear too many hats . . . Sales Manager, Project Manager, Marketing Manager, Web Manager, Social Media Manager, Customer Service Manager, Designer, Writer, Collaborator, Bookkeeper, et al . . . NO WONDER the Naughty Nuffs start to tap me on the shoulder . . . AND if I pretend to not notice, the “taps” become “whacks”, eventually knocking me off my feet.
Standing up to the Naughty Nuffs.
When I recognize the return of the Naughty Nuffs, I’ve learned the best solution for me is to pause and simply B.R.E.A.T.H.E.:
- BACK-OFF from my TO-DO’s. Take a step back for a better perspective.
- REASSESS my priorities. Of ALL the things on my list, which ones are essential for only ME to do? What can I delegate out?
- EXPECT the BEST to happen next. I know that a fantastic solution exists and is about to reveal itself to me, any minute now.
- ASK for help, and be willing to ACCEPT it. Asking for help allows me to jump off the “mouse wheel” and puts me in a better position to receive. Accepting help creates a new collaborative energy flow and allows me to better focus on my priorities.
- TRUST the process, trust the people I delegate to, AND trust myself to make the best decisions to GROW our business.
- HAVE AT IT. When I celebrate the “HAVEs”, such as, “I have all the time I need . . .”, more time magically appears. I really like saying, “I have all the money I need . . .”, and watching more money magically appear.
- EXHALE BIG deep breaths. When I remember to breathe (especially the EXHALE part), I’m more calm, more centered, and I get more accomplished.
I’ve noticed the time in-between the Naughty Nuff visits has started to expand – they visit less often than they used to. Eventually, I expect to reach a point where I no longer receive visits from the Naughty Nuffs. Wouldn’t THAT be grand?!