Health is definitely wealth, especially for us women entrepreneurs. One way to stay healthy, mind and body, is through mindfulness practice. The word ‘mindfulness’ has been going around since 2017 and became a trend. But beyond that, it can benefit you in many ways. What’s mindfulness? The Mayo Clinic defines mindfulness as ”a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment.” With practicing it, you explore breathing methods, and guided imagery among others to help relax our whole-being. Why should you start being mindful? Most of us have become distracted with our schedules, technology, and the constant worry of the current health situation making us feel disconnected. So, let’s connect back with ourselves through mindfulness. Many women business owners have engaged in this practice and saw positive results towards themselves and their businesses. It’ll help with managing stress, shows improved memory and attention, decreases burnout, and emotion management are just some of the many health benefits of being mindful. A very big plus, you can do it anytime and anywhere.
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 When it comes to the world of entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurs are often underrepresented. But in 2007 the trend started to shift as the number of female business owners increased at least 30%.
If you are an aspiring female entrepreneur, we have listed seven planning tips that you can follow.  The era that we are currently living in is a time for unlimited networking opportunities. Used in the right way, they can pave the road to realization, fulfillment, and success.
Extroverts are decidedly predisposed towards these opportunities. By nature, they can easily connect with and assimilate to various kinds of people and groups. For introverts, this remains to be much of a challenge. Many still find themselves feeling awkward and stifled amid loud, busy social situations.  Women are known to be well in-tune with our emotions. We know how to handle our emotions well but when external factors get too much to handle, it can take a toll on us. We are passionate in whatever work we do and that consumes plenty of our emotions.
As entrepreneurs, we’re exposed to several hurdles in our journey towards building our businesses. We get busy with all the emails, business calls, social media managing, etc. which consumes our day-to-day activities. We’re also surrounded by constant competition which can be draining. The results? We get overwhelmed causing us to become unproductive.  Everyone has slowly liberated themselves from the stereotypical thinking that females have a lesser status in society. It’s still inevitable that men are still thought to have the upper hand, but it's changing deliberately. Progress is still progress, and we’ll continue to advocate to break that bias. Women empowerment has continually been a hot topic for years now and you won’t realize how great the collective impact of women has until you join in with them and collaborate.
Much to stereotype, some think that there should be fierce competition between women due to the male dominance that overrides society. It has never been like that. Women have become safe zones and have been looking out for each other. I know, we know, how the world can put weight on its expectations of us in our fields. Before I formed my very own network of women, there were highs and lows in my life. And when I found the stability I’ve been looking for, I realized how I enjoyed connecting with people and continued to network. My vision for this circle is to continue to educate, support, and empower women. Know the power of having an all-women squad. Here’s what you’ll gain not only in business but in life as well. Enjoy events/activities We’re not all serious talk because we also know how to have fun. In Women Empowering Women Now, I make sure that everyone’s engaging. From free monthly networking groups, conferences, and retreats, we’ve got online and in-person events that could get in touch with our tribe of women. We cater to the woman who has an entrepreneurial spirit who is looking for business guidance, masterclasses, prompts, challenges, masterminds, forms, and networking. We also include a personal development aspect where we engage in the social community by providing art, wellness, and spirituality classes. Although in this time of pandemic we’re constrained to Zoom gatherings or limited in-person events, we’ll make something happen somehow. Spend some downtime with your circle. You need a well-deserved break once in a while. Gain support & advice without judgment Don’t worry if you feel like a newbie in your space, everyone starts somewhere. How nice would it be to have someone give a bit of advice when you need it. Well, you’re missing out on something. When you network through an all-female group, they get you. They can relate to your situation and can give you advice and the support you need without any judgment. Think of it as a team or support group. One of your safe spaces. Be free to talk with them concerning matters, may it be personal or work-related. All of these women come from all walks of life, so rest assured they’ll hear you out. They’ll recognize and acknowledge your importance In the pursuit of finding your relevance in the space you’re in, you could just find solace within a network of women. One of the purposes a networking group is formed is to celebrate and empower its members. It helps build your confidence and helps you find inspiration. Your fellow women will be there to celebrate you. Present yourself as authentically as you can and your sisters in biz appreciating you. Build relationships Don’t think that joining these groups only for business-related stuff, it can also benefit your personal life. You are connecting with other businesswomen, true, but sooner than you think you’re creating a bond that’s deeper than just business. Building relationships with them can give you more reasons to join. The genuine bond women have is something that can’t be replaced. Form your women in biz squad. Grow your network We can’t leave out the most obvious benefit of all when joining a women’s networking tribe - growing your network with women entrepreneurs. This ties back to your professional background. Connect with women who are in the same field as you. Create connections with other members from different walks of life. Or If you’re looking for a mentor, you might just find one in your group. Business networking isn’t something new, but female networking has taken the spotlight. They don’t only do business but they do much more. Women Empowering Women Now has grown a community where giving back, kindness, and empowerment is our principal foundation for developing relationships. We’ll help you create action and momentum to living your best life now. Join our tribe today!  Most women are general doers. We carry around our invisible cape and get stuff done. It’s hard to explain but the bottom line is if it needs to be done for our family we will accomplish it! As a business coach, this is one of the biggest challenges my client have which is if I can run a family and get stuff done for everyone else why is it that I have such a hard time doing things for my business? My answer to that question for a lot of women is planning. Now of course this is not the be-all answer for everyone because each person lives a different lifestyle. So let me explain why I feel planning is the key for most women. Why is planning important for a woman entrepreneur? With anything you set out to do in life, it's a good idea to have a plan. It can help clarify your goals, helps keep you focused, and possibly foresee problems in the future. Planning is preparing a sequence of action steps to achieve specific tasks to reach your goals. And if done effectively and consistently it can reduce the necessary time and effort to achieving your goals. A plan is like a map that helps you to stay on the right road and avoid as many detours and dead ends. The most fundamental objective of planning is to become aware of the things that take you off track and create a better pattern of resources that will help you stay focused and productive. To even start becoming aware we must first commit to starting planning daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. I know it sounds like a whole lot of effort, especially if you are not a regular planner like me but my personal and professional productivity and success is a direct result of planning consistently. I believe in planning so much that I even created my own 10 Point Productivity system but more on that later. Here are some ways you might be currently planning or ways you could be planning. · To-do lists · Check off lists · Brain dumps · Paper planners · Electronic planners · Notepad · Trello I currently use the Happy Planner and have been using one for a couple of years now. I love the flexibility I have with the planner where I can remove pages, add pages, add dividers, and change the format of it. In addition to it, I also use my 10 Point Productivity System. I often recommend to my clients getting a paper planner because you can alter it, you can brand it, you can have fun with it by adding stickers and fun quotes that will keep you getting into your planner much more than normal. But it takes commitment and it must become part of your daily routine. I am in my planner every day. Every morning, throughout the day, in the evening, and on the weekends. If it’s not in my planner, guess what, it’s not happening! I know what you are probably thinking, what if I lose it? Well, the chances of that are slim because I am in it all the time and it is part of me, and it’s a routine. But I do add my appointments to google calendar because I have an online calendar for coaching clients to schedule appointments or consultation calls. I also work from home so the chances of me accidentally leaving it somewhere it slim plus these days there are fewer places I am visiting. Now if you are someone who buys a planner each year and jumps ship to another planner three month later because you fail to be in it. I hate to break it to you but it’s not the planner, it’s you. Let’s look at the common barriers that stop you from moving forward with planning.  Identifying Barriers When It Comes to Planning
· Not allowing yourself to dream big · Not getting excited about your goals or your future · Not getting clear on what your message is and what you are selling · Not knowing who your ideal client is · Inadequate planning · Lack of commitment · Focusing on the now and ignoring the future · Allowing “life” to get in the way · Using excuses to stay inside your comfort zone What is the most important part of planning? Systems, procedures, and routines are some of the most important components of planning. They describe exactly what needs to get done. What are the Basic Features of a Good Plan? Define Specific Goals in your life wheel (Business/Work, Personal, Finances, Spirituality, Health, Home, Relationships) Create specific dates on when you what to accomplish your goals Determine what tasks you need to complete to achieve the specific goal Create a daily action plan Follow the plan daily Be consistent Tweak when necessary Rinse and repeat I think this would be a good time to introduce you to my 10 Point Productivity System. Very simple…it’s broken down like this: 3, 3, 3, 1. Top 3 things you MUST get done today Top 3 Marketing tasks (if you own a business you should be marketing daily) You must be planting the seeds to harvest in the future. Top 3 Self Care tasks (you know that saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup” so make yourself a priority. 1 – that one thing that is on your project list which is a big goal (create a website, write a book, create a new program, etc.) but on your project list you will break things down into manageable tasks and you will take one of those tasks and add it to your list. Keep doing it until it’s done. This system has helped me to write a business book, write a children’s book, co-author 5 books, create several successful businesses, speak at conferences, develop content and the list goes on and on. Life is short. You can have a life you love on your terms. The choice is yours. Now go plan! With gratitude, Doreen Dilger, Founder of Women Empowering Women Now |
AuthorDoreen Dilger, Certified Business Coach, Author, Artist and Founder of Women Empowering Women Now. Archives
October 2021
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