Davis Creative Publishing

Step Up, Step Out, Stand Out

I was NOT happy.

My Mom had just lifted me out of the boat and now my feet were in the muck and mud. I can vividly remember the feeling of this strange, new substance oozing between my toes.

Get me out of here, FAST!

It was the flood of 1960 in northeast Oklahoma. The flood waters had not reached her home, but the only way to/from my grandmother’s house was by boat. I had just turned four and figured out very quickly, I DO NOT LIKE STRANGE substances touching my feet. What the camera does not show is how fast I ran towards the house, screaming.

Fast forward several decades, and I still DO NOT like being stuck in the muck — even metaphorically speaking.

Our business is growing, and although we are on target to double last year’s sales, I can still get caught up in the muck of temporary slow periods or hign-maintenance clients (no, not you).  When I step back into the muck, business slows down, clients tend to pay more slowly, and I have the tendency to isolate (not good) . . . or run towards the house screaming.

So how do I get back into the flow of clarity and Step Up, Step Out and Get Going?

  • I take the small, 1″ Post-its and start posting “gratitudes” all around the house
  • I catch up on returning phone calls and get current with emails
  • I pay a bill . . . even a small one . . . to let the Universe know I’m interested in the flow of money
  • I move to “receiving mode” . . . if I get a gift or an invitation, I accept it and say, “Thank You!”
  • I add “Sir” or “Ma’am” after every “Thank You!”
  • I ask for help with something I’ve been avoiding
  • I stop trying to “hold it together” . . . I let go of the “hold” . . . I surrender
  • I smile at strangers and open doors for everyone
  • I give away a perfect parking spot to a total stranger
  • I pay for the person behind me in the drive-through lane
  • I rest. I breathe.

And sometimes, I DO NO THING. I value my silence and my “alone time”. I sit (or lay) in silence with my eyes closed. Some call it meditation . . . I call it “plugging in”. It restores my energy, which allows me to better serve our clients.

I’m ALSO learning that when you run a business, the “muck” will always be there. How I choose to react to it is determined by me. If I don’t like to be in the muck, I’m learning to step out of it.

So, the next time you find yourself stuck in the “whatever” with your business, give me a call.

If you’re ready to STEP UP and STEP OUT of the muck, I can help you look good, STAND OUT and attract more clients.

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