The reason it’s NOT working is because you’re trying so hard [a lesson from my 2 year old]

The other day, I was watching my two year old daughter with a toy that was frustrating her. 

She was forcibly trying to get a small magnetic “hook” at the end of a toy fishing pole to latch into the magnetic mouth of a little fish. 

She was holding the hook in one hand and the fish in the other and smashing them into one another, each time getting more and more frustrated that they weren’t connecting -- so much so, in fact, that she then closed her eyes and looked away as she was still trying to make it work.

The funny thing is, if she had just released her grip from the hook and the fish and simply dangled the little hook anywhere near the little fish’s mouth, they would have latched effortlessly. (Which I then showed and explained to her, but she still wasn’t having it.) 

The toy was designed for success, but she was so determined to do it her way that it just wasn’t working. Cue major “ah-ha” moment: the reason that it wasn’t working was BECAUSE she was trying so hard. (Did you just have a major ah-ha moment too?)

In that moment, seeing how easily my daughter could have avoided the total frustration and disappointment she was experiencing, it was snapped into focus all the times when I’m behaving in exactly the same way!

Instead of believing in the natural process of things, I think I’ll muscle my way through. Instead of trusting the divine timing of my life, I force my timeline. I effort, instead of allowing ease.

I push a little too hard, work a little too long, fight instead of forgive, doubt instead of believe, worry instead of trust. And, instead of feeling in the flow of my life and supported on my journey, I feel alone and tired -- not because the simple solution and support aren’t there for me (they ALWAYS are!), but because I have closed my eyes and turned my head away from the path of least resistance.

So here’s the deal... 

Don’t push so hard. You’re on your way. It’s happening. Keep showing up, offering value, shining your light. You’re designed for success. 

Release the worry, the fear, the frustration. Let go of the rigid timeline and the obsessive control. Have more fun, lighten up, believe in yourself and your worthiness to receive all that you desire. 

And, most importantly, keep doing your thing, and let the Universe handle the rest. (It always does.)

P.S. Tired of feeling unclear, overwhelmed and STUCK? Join my upcoming Mindset Reset Challenge for 5 soul-nurturing days that'll launch you into a new phase of life + business with filled clarity, ease and abundance. Good stuff! Join this FREE event here.

Best Of: How I Made $10,495 in 12 Days

Today I want to share with you the tale of how I made $10,495 in just 12 days...after having a minor (ok, somewhat major) freak-out.

I was in the process of enrolling my group coaching program and sales were slow. Very, very sloooow. And, if you’ve ever been in a situation like that, you know that it leaves you questioning everything! 

Is something wrong with the program, the sales page, the marketing?
Is something wrong with the timeline, the content, the colors, the fonts?
Is something wrong with the price point, the bonuses, the call-to-action?
Is something wrong with the images or the testimonials I used?
Is something wrong with my vision, my business, ME???
Do I just suck at this????.....

I was downward spiraling. Fast. But, one thing I’ve come to realize from all of this is that wallowing in self-doubt while in isolation is a recipe for tears and a hollow pit in your stomach.

So, I reached out to a dear friend (who is also a wonderfully successful entrepreneur), and she gave me some amazing advice. Then, I got in touch with a mastermind collective that I’m a part of and received even more invaluable suggestions, and everything turned around. 

I went from a major low to major high in just 2 weeks. Ahhh...the rollercoaster life of a (pregnant) entrepreneur...

Now, on this side of it, I can (almost) laugh about it. I now see that I let the external factors of my life and business totally affect how I was thinking and feeling about myself and my program. 

Deep down, I knew I created something really useful and impactful that would change women’s lives, but I let a few days of slow sales leave me questioning everything. This experience (though it totally sucked as the time) was a much-needed reminder that we need to choose happiness and optimism first and then the good stuff comes. We can’t let what’s going on the outside mess up what we KNOW to be true on the inside.

Also, I came to understand on a whole new level that enrolling a group coaching program (or selling anything for that matter!) is about a heck of a lot more than “scheduling the sales emails” and “forgetting them” and then waiting for money to arrive in your inbox. As nice as that would be sometimes :-)
 

Here’s a look at what it really took to bring in 5-figures in under 2 weeks (after a total freak-out):

HAVE A PLAN

:: No one ever accomplished anything great without a clear plan of action. Define your goals, outline your game plan and then take action!

LEARN ON THE JOB

:: Sometimes, the plan you thought was going to play out just perfectly, doesn’t. And you have to think on your feet and pivot your strategy. Pivoting and learning on the job isn’t failure -- it’s just part of entrepreneurship! Don’t be too hard on yourself :-)

ASK FOR HELP

:: Sales weren’t “popping” the way I had anticipated early in the sale period, so (after my freak-out) I asked for help from my biz best friends and mastermind buddies. They offered me some seriously great advice that turned the experience around.

ADD A PERSONAL TOUCH

:: As lovely as it would be to “set it and forget it”, I realized that my potential clients were needing more of ME in the sales process. So, I sent personal emails, got on the phone to answer questions, personally invited people into the program, and followed up again...and again. A personal touch can make ALL the difference. (In fact, over 65% of the women in my program joined because of a personal email I sent them -- NOT through the mass sales emails to my list.)

INCENTIVIZE

:: Give people a reason to sign-up NOW. Add in juicy bonuses (that expire), have enrollment deadlines, let people know when/if you’ll be offering it again (and if the price is going up next time), and let them know if space is limited.

MAINTAIN A MINDSET OF SUCCESS

:: During launch time this one is really challenging for me. (I bet you never would have guessed! LOL) It’s like all my self-doubt and limiting beliefs that I thought I had totally moved beyond come bubbling up to the surface. So, that means I have to spend even more time on self-care & mindset work. For me that looks like meditation, journaling, reading personal development books/blogs/stories, listening to inspiring teachings/interviews, going for walks, and booking a celebratory massage for when sale time is over!

If you have a sale coming up, I hope these tips are helpful, and if there is any other insight or advice that would be useful, please reach out, and let me know. 

I’m happy to share whatever I can to make your next sale a success for you. (So you don’t have to experience a freak-out like I did!)

If you've been a part of my community for a while (thank you!), and this post looks familiar, that's because it's part of the #BestofClarity series. Since I'm on maternity leave now with baby girl #2, my husband wisely suggested that I re-share some of the most popular posts that resonated with you the most. I hope this teaching, whether new to you or familiar, sparks Clarity within you.

A Prayer for Soulful Expansion

Sometimes the very best thing we can do is nothing at all.

Instead of pushing, striving, efforting -- instead of “making things happen” -- we need to step back and allow them to occur as they need to. 

When we are in control-mode, we are completely blocking the flow. We are getting in the way. We are messing things up that would otherwise unfold easily.

This is a lesson I’ve needed to learn again and again and again in my life. (Anyone else out there feel me on this one?...)

In the not-too-distant past, I’ll admit, my default mode was pushing to get more clients, striving to make more money, efforting to succeed feels, trying to be a “good” mom and wife, struggling to feel at peace with myself. And, it feels terrible. It sucks the joy out of not just my business, but my life in general.

But, in those lucid moments of Clarity when I am able to see the bigger picture of how things really work, I then show up with a full heart and the faith that the right opportunities, people and circumstances will unfold. And, every single time, they do.

Sure, they might not look exactly as I had pictured in my controlling ego-mind, but, most of the time, they’re even better for everyone involved. Ease galore. Hustle no more.

If you’re anything like me and too often find yourself stuck in “do” mode instead of “allow” mode, I offer you this: A Prayer for Soulful Expansion. (This prayer, if you want to call it that, has been sitting in the notes app on my phone since January. I figured it was time to share it with you :-)

Repeat these words to yourself -- silently or aloud -- and allow their TRUTH to wash over you, bring you relief and reinforce your faith that everything really is working out just as it’s supposed to for you. Always.

A Prayer for Soulful Expansion

I release my Soulful Expansion over to the all-knowing Universe.

I have Faith in my everlasting and ever-present Connection to guidance.

I Trust that if I honor the calm, steady voice within, a path of Divine Simplicity will reveal itself and lead me towards fulfillment, abundance and joy on all planes.

The dreams and visions I hold for myself were given to me -- and me alone -- for a reason. They are an integral part of my expansion, and the Universe holds them as dearly as I do.

So now, I step aside, and let Universal intelligence lead the way.

Amen. Om Shanti. Let it be so. 

::sigh of relief::

That’s it. Hand it off. Trust. Allow. Expand. (Repeat.)

There’s nothing you have to do. Nothing you have to “make happen”. Nothing you have to push into existence. Nothing you have to control, manipulate or manage. It’s ALL taken care of for you -- if you allow it.

My hope for you, my friend, is that you, too, begin to experiment with doing less and allowing (and enjoying!) more. 

There is unbelievable support backing you. Universal support. There is no need to figure it all out yourself. ::exhale::

The REAL Meaning of Clarity + How to Find It

I’m calling myself out here. I know that I talk about “finding Clarity” a lot.

Clarity about what you want your life + business to look like.
Clarity about what success on your terms feels like.
Clarity about what inspired action steps to take next to move you forward.

I also know that having the pressure of “finding Clarity” resting on your shoulders can be crushing. So, I want to clarify ::wink wink:: with you today is what I really mean when I say it’s important to “find Clarity” and how you can find the Clarity you need right now.

First off, it's all Clarity. The good. The bad. The wins. The losses. The super high-highs. And the super low-lows. Whether the step you took was a huge success or a difficult learning experience, it's all Clarifying. (If something totally wasn’t what you expected, at least you clearly know what you don’t want now!)

Everything (yes, everything!) you do/think/create/say/become/try is moving you in the right direction to a clearer place of deeper understanding of who you truly are and what you truly want to create, offer and deliver into the world.

Clarity isn't a fixed destination. It's a journey. 

And it can be found one decision at a time. One small baby step at time. Clarity is uncovered through action.

Clarity isn’t about quantum leaps (most of the time at least), it’s about small decisions made every day that move you in the right direction.

Show up. Do your work. Share it with the people who need it. Repeat.

You don't need to see the whole plan and know every single twist and turn along the way (if we knew that, we might never take the leap!). Just take the next step, and trust it's all unfolding just as it should....because it is. Always.