Learning to Say No

I speak to you today from a place of love. 
How often do you say yes when you really want to say no? 

I'll be totally honest, I've always struggled with my natural desire to please others and say "yes". I'm not sure if I've always been that way, but my heart would rather come from a place of yes than a place of no. While that might sound nice, it's not always nice for me.

Do you relate?

I have been feeling really lucky lately to be increasing the amount of marketing services I provide as well as signing on super fun coaching clients. Things have been busy and I love that. Seeing clients have a light bulb go off about a certain idea I've suggested or be really pleased about a press release I've written is so amazing and fulfilling to me. I truly enjoy being helpful.

Yet, just recently, I found myself in a predicament of wanting to take on a new client. However, after some real soul-searching,  I decided it wasn't the right fit for either of us and referred them to another person that may have more experience in their industry. It was one of those moments where you realize you've grown in a new way. 

I pride myself on being fully transparent when I feel my expertise in a specific area is lacking. For someone just starting out, it can be scary to say no to new business. Yet, being honest about it is quite freeing. I think a lot of people may have taken on the project because of fear that their client may leave them for someone that could meet their needs more fully.

Working like that just doesn't work.

What about you? Are there aspects of how you run your business that aren't jiving with your goals? Has it just been easier to just say yes? It's never too late to make changes and be true to yourself.

I thought I'd share an article written by Michael Feeley for the Huffington Post, titled: Saying 'No' is Saying Yes to You and What Matters. 

It's a nice reminder to learn how to say no as well as how to say yes in our professional and personal lives. 

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In other news... I'll be traveling this week to a very special conference for entrepreneurs and creatives called, The Unique Camp. Four days of perspective changing experiences - no electronics allowed. I'm quite excited to step outside of my comfort zone and come back brimming with ideas and inspiration for all of our businesses. 

Throw Out Your New Year's Resolutions

Stepping into a new year has most people looking forward to a fresh start and the opportunity to make changes in their personal and professional life. When it comes to business, the types of changes I'm interested in are the ones that will bump up the bottom line for my clients and myself. 

This post is not about New Year's resolutions, it's about transformations. 

Over the past 6 months, I've been transitioning from an in-house Director of Marketing for a single company to a Marketing Consultant/Coach with multiple clients. It was a personal choice and something I've always dreamed of - being my own boss and making my own way. Probably the reason I'm attracted to small business owners. There is something special and inspiring about a person who has the drive, courage and determination to put it all on the line in order to make their dreams a reality.

"People sabotage themselves because the alternative is to put themselves into the world as someone who knows what they are doing." - Seth Godin.

The great Mr. Godin perfectly put into words what holds many of us back from reaching our full potential. Fear. I force myself to be acutely aware of this and have been taking steps since the end of last year to rethink how I am shaping my business. For me, this means putting myself out there in situations that I (as an introvert) am very uncomfortable with. I know that this is how I will grow and become the person that I want to be.  This is why my word for 2017 is: BRAVE. 

When you run your own business, you must be brave. Being brave can mean many things. Maybe it's gathering up all of your inner strength to say yes to a public speaking opportunity or it can also be as simple as taking a hard look at your methods/processes and trying something new. 

I encourage and challenge you to throw out that list of New Year's resolutions and instead find your one word for this year. Let it become a part of a personal mantra to help push you towards positive change for yourself and your business. You can do this!

You can do this!!!

Cheers to a transformative and exciting 2017!

-Arica