A successful business starts with a happy business owner. As a business owner, you are responsible for making this thing work. You can’t depend on anyone else to make this happen. So, you have to be super motivated every day to get up and do the work and build your successful business.

Sometimes (a lot of times) that’s easier said than done. Especially in the beginning, when you aren’t reaping the rewards of your efforts quite yet. In those moments, it’s easy to fall into the trap of negative self-talk. Frustration seeps in, followed by his close friends doubt & fear. Don’t take their bait.

The most important thing about running your own business is that it makes you HAPPY. If you aren’t happy with the work you’re doing, everything else will suffer. It is so clear when content is being forced and the energy it gives off does not attract ideal clients.

So, here are a few tricks I practice to keep myself happy as I build and run this successful business by myself.

Routine

Your first hour can determine how your entire day will go. Don’t waste it! I talk a lot about having a strong morning practice. It’s important to have a game plan when you wake up. That way, you have no excuse not to get up and get to work. From there, write a list of what you need to do that day. I’ve just learned about the bullet journal, and it seems like the perfect fix for lack of routine. I’m going to look more into it and share what I learn. Bottom line is, wake up with a purpose and set yourself up for success. Your work & content will reflect that energy.

Work Space

Currently, my work space is my dining room table. But it doesn’t matter where you’re working, as long as you’ve made the effort to create a space specifically for your work. My little corner of the dining room table is the perfect work space for the loeyllc HQ. I have my laptop, my oil diffuser that plugs into my laptop, my Tervis tumbler full of water (and lemon, mint & cucumber), my coffee/tea, my favorite music. It’s all right here and its an environment where I always feel productive, motivated and inspired.

Rest

You need to give yourself a break from the screen. This used to be a major challenge for me, because I never wanted to stop. I was always afraid I’d miss something if I stepped away. But, over time, I began to experience the toll it was taking on me. Now, I take periodic breaks away from the computer. I’ll walk my dog, eat lunch outside, go run an errand. Not only do my eyes need the break, but so does my mind. It helps to set alarms on your phone to keep yourself accountable. Do yourself a favor, and unplug from time to time.

Tribe

Find your tribe and love them hard. Surround yourself with like-minded people that you can learn from and laugh with. This has also taken me some time, but it was so worth the effort. I am doing my best to find a group of women, on and offline, who share the same values as me. We can talk about business and branding and life and love and everything in between. These women fill up my tank and keep me inspired.

Celebration

Celebrate your wins! We spend way too much time and energy on our failures. And the truth is, as a new business owner, you’re going to have quite a few of those. But you NEED them! A successful business is built on those mistakes. Learn from every mistake and carry that lesson with you into your next success. Don’t dwell on what you’re doing “wrong”. Celebrate what you’re doing right! Treat yourself to dinner, buy a nice bottle of wine, take a trip to your favorite store! Remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. And, if you’re anything like me, you started because you wanted to create a freedom-based business and help the people who need your gifts.

If you’re having trouble injecting more happiness into your business, we should talk! First of all, I think you’d LOVE my online community, My Brand Of Happy. So please make sure to join us there. Also, it would probably serve you to talk to someone about where you’re feeling stuck. It’s only natural to get tripped up in this process. You can only teach yourself so much. I’d love to help you iron out any kinks you’re feeling are holding you back in your effort to brand your business online and reach the people who need you. You can schedule a free call with me today to get that conversation started!