I am always reading articles and watching videos about improving our quality of life.
So I write and share content around my experience with a focus on 3 pillars:
- Lifestyle,
- Mindset, and
- Business
– all of which is intended to support those with a desire to improve their quality of life…
When I started my business, I had a blank canvas: no solid idea of what I wanted or where I was heading.
All I really had was:
- my life experience,
- a belief that there was something more I needed to do, and
- a desire to create something useful.
I felt very strongly that I wanted to be available for my children, so an online business that offers flexibility and location freedom seemed to be a good fit.
Begin As You Mean To Continue
When I signed up to learn the digital skills required to start my own online business, I had no idea how the path would unfold or where it would take me. I knew 3 things:
- I knew it would have to be about beauty and making life better. Because my life mantra is “Life is short, so let’s make it sweet.”
- I knew it was linked to my being a role model for my girls. I share my work wins and personal challenges with them, and demonstrate ongoing learning and perseverance.
- I knew I would have to work with flexibility around my children – so I realised it would be a side hustle, to begin. I work when they are at school, in pockets of time, and in the evenings. As such it needed to be something I enjoyed, so I actually carried on.
I continue to evolve personally and in business every day. I continue to be inspired by sharing ways to improve our quality of life. I continue to learn, and I aspire to get better and share ways to live better.
Lifestyle
I have chosen a lifestyle based on Simplicity – inspired by Minimalism. In order to live such a life, we need to be very intentional about how we spend our time; how we work, when we play, what we choose to say yes to. I wrote a blog post about starting out with Minimalism which you can read here if you are interested.
Having chosen to focus on the quality of life – I unknowingly created a lifestyle business – which is any business that supports and enables the lifestyle you want to create. I wrote a blog post all about quality of life which you can read here.
Quality of life means different things to all of us. For me, it means:
- time with my family,
- good health,
- spending time in nature,
- doing meaningful work I love, and
- increasingly, focusing on self-care.
Much of my practical way of living is based on Minimalism, and increasingly I look to Stoicism as a practical guide for dealing with life’s undulations. I wrote a blog post about being guided by the two philosophies of Minimalism and Stoicism which you can read here.
What lifestyle do you want to create?
Do you want to travel, or work from home, be around for your children while creating something personal?
Do you believe that you can?
What would it take for you to believe that this is possible?
Mindset
When I signed up to learn digital skills, I was surprised when the primary module focused on Mindset. What I soon realised, however, is that an entrepreneurial mindset is the foundation on which a successful business is built.
The further I travel on this path, and the more I grow and expand, the more my focus tends toward Mindset. The more I learn about Mindset, the more its scope expands to cover a host of emotional, social, and spiritual beliefs, as well as good habits and healthy practices.
Tools
Along my journey, I have incorporated regular and ongoing Mindset-boosting tools like
- meditation
- journalling
- hydration
- getting outdoors, and
- resting
Emotions
I have also learned more about my emotional landscape and how it is primarily up to me to support it.
The pandemic has challenged most of us with stress and change and loss and grief and trauma, and we are having to deal with a lot of emotional weight.
Linked to this, no doubt, I have recently self-diagnosed myself with anxiety. It has been empowering to realise and accept this – because sometimes awareness really is a large part of the solution. I can now be more compassionate with myself on the days I need to be. I can also choose to incorporate more of my Mindset-boosting tools to support myself!
Recently I watched The Wisdom of Trauma, Dr Gabor Mate, which I would recommend for anyone.
Trauma is the invisible force that shapes our lives. It shapes the way we live, the way we love and the way we make sense of the world. It is the root of our deepest wounds.
The Wisdom of Trauma
and
But trauma, as we learned from Dr. Gabor Maté, happens to everybody…
Trauma cannot always be conquered, fixed, or resolved, but it can be heard, held and loved.
The Wisdom of Trauma
Boundaries
With my increased self-knowledge, I am able to support myself better.
For example, I know that I can be a super people-pleaser. So I am now learning about my need to put boundaries in place to support myself from being drained unknowingly by others. I am learning:
- how to set them, and
- how to communicate my boundaries to others.
This is very important because we need to look after ourselves well, especially at the moment.
I recently read a mail from the team at 5 Love Languages where boundaries were mentioned, and so I include a link here and urge you to have a look at this simple and enduring take on a way to improve understanding in relationships.
Habits
I have been interested in habit change for many years, and have been a fan of Leo Babauta for a while, who hosts a habit-change community. I believe that good habits are part of a good quality of life.
I recently read an article in Medium about habits where the author suggests incorporating only 3 habits to improve your life.
- Make your bed, which is linked to the idea of habit stacking – the idea that one habit kicks off a second and a third. eg making the bed leads to meditation which leads to drinking a glass of water which leads to…
- Commit to 1 minute of work every day (I would increase that duration to 10 minutes)
- Plan a 3 item to-do list the night before. The idea of a 3 item to-do list is something I now practise, but I like the idea of setting it out the night before. Incidentally I am a recovering long to-do list lass.
You can read her article here.
Business
Once I began to improve my self-awareness, I began to create my personal unique business, based on ME, and for others.
It has been and continues to be a powerful journey of self-discovery:
- personal evolution combined with
- a real, tangible business.
I have learnt a lot of practical (and transferable) digital business and marketing skills – but I have learnt even more about myself, and this knowledge is priceless.
My business is currently about supporting others to improve their quality of life, through:
Self-focus
I celebrate your importance. You are worth your own time. So pause and get to know yourself, for yourself. Prioritise yourself, every day, ongoing.
Self-care
I encourage you to care for yourself. You are the best person to take full responsibility for your life and make your own life sweeter. The importance of you looking after your wellbeing – physical, emotional, spiritual and inspirational cannot be overstated.
Self-investment
I promote the journey of learning the skills and starting your online business as a path to personal evolution and good quality of life. You are responsible for your life, so you can design it the way you want.
Ask yourself these 2 questions, from a TED Talk by Noeline Kirabo called 2 Questions to Uncover Your Passion and Turn It Into a Career:
- What truly makes you happy, or gives you a deep sense of fulfilment?
- If you had al the money in the world, what would you spend your time doing?
Then – consider letting your answers direct you towards creating your unique work. It will likely be meaningful and fulfilling and inspiring work for you, and helpful for others.
So if you like the sound of this journey of self-empowerment and self-actualisation – add your name and email to the form above or below and start watching the free introductory videos, just like I did.
Then watch the personal stories of members of the community – real people, like you and I, who have decided to invest in themselves, back themselves, learn new skills, and start their own online businesses – and change their lives for the better!
It might just change your life.
Thanks for reading.
