Who would have thought as we laid down our intentions, goals and dreams for 2020 that we would need to consider how we would need to traverse a global pandemic alongside them. 

Not me. You? I thought not! 

However here we are living and breathing through things that are ‘unprecedented’ in our times including social/physical distancing, home isolation, economic stimulus packages and more. Not to mention the very real and terrible illness and death toll that is now so large we likely all know someone, or someone who knows someone, for whom COVID-19 has impacted in these ways. 

So many of the people I come into contact with through my work as a priestess and life coach trainer are business owners. Or desire to be. And like all corners of society right now I know that this experience is impacting you deeply in many ways.

Me too. Know that I am right there with you.

If it’s one thing this experience is showing me it’s a mirror to how vital key things are in our businesses at ALL times and not just now. When we suddenly have to deal with something we never have before it can show us things we may never have known – even though we possibly should have. And it has been brought sharply into my personal view right now that basic self-care for our businesses is so needed at all times, just as it is for us personally too.

We all know that we cannot simply start to focus on our own personal self-care when we are sick. To prevent ourselves from becoming so, (in at least some but of course not all instances), we have to put loving and sacred measures in place to tend to ourselves every day. And the same goes for our businesses, especially if you see them as an expression of your souls gifts and a part of your life legacy and service. That’s important work! And it requires exquisite self-care. 

If you’re wondering right now what is showing itself to you in your business – especially if things are not feeling that great – or even craving some positive and giving things you can do to support yourself, I hope the following may assist. I encourage you to know as you read them, (and hopefully action!), that these are things that all soulful businesses need to be successful at all times. Not just now. However they are being sharply bought into focus for us right now, especially if they may be absent or have wandered off somewhere….

There is no such thing as a pandemic proof anything. Including a pandemic proof business. None of us truly know how best to deal with the situation we find ourselves in. It’s a moment by moment and day by day unfolding that we have to breathe through, love through, patience through and care through. These however may help. They certainly have for me.  

Protect Your Business (And Yourself) 

Right now there is a sharp increase in cyber security risks due to the higher than usual volume of people online. If it’s been some time since you updated passwords to your key operating systems or you know they are being double used or are weak – update them now. Like…now. 

Set or Get Business Boundaries

If you do not have in place things such as agreements, contracts and policies that guide your clients/customers very clearly and lovingly around things such as refunds, withdrawals and payments, you will likely have already realised how much you need those. Without them, times like now become even harder to navigate when you don’t have a solid container to support people and yourself as well.

Whatever may have taken place to show you that you need these – know it will show itself to you again, (and again), until you get them into action, or if they already exist, update them. Know that when you do, not only will they support you, they will support your clients/customers as well. 

Know Your Best Times

If you run an online business you have the power to set the times you work, whether that be with seeing clients, administrative tasks or creative undertakings. Don’t fall for the trap that you have to do things in the traditional 9to5 way. Committing to finding out when you are most creatively alive, brain alert and can show up as your very best, can be life changing in your business. For me it’s early (very early) morning and this is when I do most of my writing, admin ‘stuff’, social media posts and more. After 3-4pm – I’m out because I know it’s no longer peak time for me.

If you don’t know what your best work times are – have some fun, experiment, and find out. And then really focus yourself on that time to do all you can in a powerful way. If you learn to harness yourself when you are at your best, your productivity will spike enormously and you will have more time to rest and tend to your personal needs when you need that most too.  

Create Business Structure for Business Flow 

I often hear women say they want more flow, flexibility and spaciousness in their business and there’s something I’ve learned that to get this beautiful fluidity you might have to do. I found out I did.

If you want delicious business flow, you’re going to have to lean into business ‘structures’ such as diarising, calendar management, boundaries and more. I have learned that for me to have lots of space where I can choose to do ‘nothing’ – I have to consciously create the foundations for that to happen and that can (and often does) look like blocking out time in my calendar well in advance for it to occur. This may seem like a simple thing, but so often I hear women complain that they have no spare or fun time in their business and they are utterly overwhelmed, but are simultaneously not claiming that time for themselves, but rather hoping it avail itself to them. It won’t. You have to create it and take it.

You want flow? Become friends with structure. And yes…this is exactly what balancing your feminine and masculine energies as a sacred business owner looks like in this particular form. There are of course many others. 

Be Lovingly Ruthless With Your Attention

There has never been a better time to unsubscribe from a newsletter that you never open anyway, but is taking up space in your inbox. There has never been a better time to unfollow anyone on social media that does not consistently inspire or support you to feel good. There has never been a better time to exit out of an online group that feels draining. 

Being ruthless in the most loving, supportive and guiding way for yourself in these ways, and any others, is an act of sacred self-care. You don’t need your attention on anything or anyone that is not fully serving you right now and YOU get to decide what or who that is. 

Embrace Change 

Things may look very different in your business and life right now in ways you never expected. It might not, and likely is not, the way you believed things would be. And you may not be feeling confident anymore about what is to come in the future. I feel and see you sister.

Learning to be with uncertainty, change and the unknown is incredibly important right now and this takes patience and time to accept, let alone embrace. We live in a world where even if we don’t realise it, we are seeking ways to control outcomes all the time. It’s natural and understandable. And so when things like a global pandemic become part of our reality we don’t know what to do. How could we? 

Learning to find small, (and hopefully over time bigger), things you can do to ‘go with the flow’, ‘be with what is’, ‘lean into uncertainty’, ‘know that more change is coming’ and ‘be ok with not knowing’ will serve you so deeply. Is it easy? No. Will you have ups and downs and some days that fear and ego rise? Absolutely. And that’s so ok, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time. You will move through it and get a chance to choose to embrace your emotions and more inevitable change to come as it does. One breath and step at a time. You’ve got this.

Make Your Self-Care a Part of Your Business 

If you don’t consciously make time for something often it just will not happen. You can will or desire it to, but doesn’t mean it will unfold. This is especially important if it is something that your business truly NEEDS for you to make happen, and if it’s one thing I know that your business truly needs, its for you as it’s owner to be healthy and well – physically, emotionally, spiritually – in all realms.

Whatever you know works for you to tend to your self-care in all aspects of your life, is a vital part of your business foundations and success. If you go down so does your business. They are deeply intertwined in all ways. And so whatever self-care undertakings are vital for you as a human being, making those a non-negotiable part of your business planning, time and foundations is – just that – vital. You have magick, wonder and beauty to bring to the world through your business. Put you and your self-care needs at the very top of your list like you know that. Like you really know that.

I hope these sacred self-care for entrepreneur undertakings have given you some inspiration in the best possible way – even if they may feel like a little kick up the pants! (The at home/yoga/lounge ‘at home chic’ pants right now!) 

I’d love to know how you are doing right now. Do you have a specific question about yourself and/or your business that I can help you with? If so please don’t be shy in sharing it with me below and know that I will respond. I’d love to support you and so please ask away.