I'm a recovering perfectionist.

Hi. I'm Cailen, and I’m a recovering perfectionist.

Recovering in the sense that it’s my still my default mode, but I’m shining consciousness on it, creating space around it, and loosening my perfectionist death-grip. (Ugh. If I could only be better at letting go! That's a perfectionist joke.)

Perfectionism is rigid. Hard. Cold. It feels like an ever-tightening grip. A breath held.

The opposite?

An exhale. Warmth. Softening. Flexibility. Support.

Ahhh...support.

Why does asking for the support we need feel so unnatural?

Maybe because we were told (by society, school, friends, family, whoever) to be well-rounded. To push through. To do it ourselves. To pay our dues. To figure it out. To check all the boxes...

You need to know how to boil an egg, do long division, change a tire.

You need to know how to conduct a sales call, run a launch, build a 6-figure empire in 6 months.

If not, you're behind. If not, you're failing.

We’ve been told that success is the result of hard work, dedication and a linear path. That asking for help is a sign of weakness. And that focusing purely on what we love -- our strengths -- and letting someone else handle the rest/help us/guide us/be with us is lazy.

I’m done with doing it all myself.

I’m done with pretending I can handle it all.

I’m done with trying to be/do everything.

Doing that was exhausting. Doing that was stripping away my innate power.

Here's my Truth: I’d rather be masterful than a jack-of-all-trades. (click to tweet if it's your truth, too.)

So what does that mean? What does my life need to become in order to pursue mastery instead of mediocrity?

It means focusing on what I’m really, really good at and what I really, really love. Those are the guideposts. Not metrics. Not data. Not someone else's advice.

It means being real. With you, with my family, with myself. And, handing-off the rest to people who can do it better. (If someone else can do it better, let them.)

It means allowing myself to be supported. Giving myself permission to outsource. Building a team.

Danielle LaPorte puts it this way, “What would your life be like if you only did what was easy?”

Not lazy easy where you cut corners and do things half-assed. Quality easy where you focus on your gifts, talents and strengths and seek the necessary support to make the rest of it happen.

Inviting support into your life is Quality easy with a capital Q.

If the idea of letting go. Of asking for help. Of getting the support you need feels like a foreign concept, I’m guessing it’s because YOU are the support for so many others.

How would it feel to allow the tides to turn? How would it feel to invite more comforting, luxurious, divine support into your life? And, what would it look like anyhow?

Support can come in all shapes and sizes. Start small if this feels new and unknown. Or go BIG because why not.

Listen to what your heart/intuition/inner guide is asking for. Acknowledge what you’re ready to let go of. I mean, like, look it right in the eyes.

Take the leap, and land in the soft, warm, welcoming arms of the support that you need.

You’re home.

To get things rolling. Here are a few ways support can come into your life...

Ask for it Voice what you no longer need Accept an offer Share the responsibility Team up Say yes Say no Find a mentor Unburden on a friend Join a mastermind Hire help Turn to your inner guide Outsource tasks Ask for divine guidance Exhale...again...and again

Or, get some here.

With love, always,

Asking for Help is a Sign of STRENGTH

Fill in the blank with the first word that pops to mind.

Complete this sentence: Asking for help is a sign of ________________.

Ok, so what was the first word that came up for you?

Was it positive, or negative?

Was the word neutral or charged with emotion?

And, how does that statement make you feel?

For a long, looong time, I felt that asking for help was a sign of weakness. (Just for me, personally, not necessarily for other people.)

In truth, I admired successful business women who would delegate out tasks to their team, and yet I wouldn't even bring in someone to help me with the tasks that I haaated doing (like Facebook Ads).

For others, asking for help was dynamic, powerful, a strength -- for me it was laziness, ineptitude, weakness.

It always came back to the feeling that I should be able to handle/do/create/manage everything myself. And, it was exhausting.

I was a control freak. A perfectionist. And it was stifling my potential. (Ok, so I'm still sometimes those things, but I'm getting much better at handing off the tasks in my life and business that are better suited for someone else.)

You know how they say you keep learning the same lessons again and again until they sink in? Well, that is precisely what happened for me in the area of asking for help -- and it all started with the birth of my beautiful daughter, Leona, back in October 2014.

In this week's lesson, I share my own journey with asking for help and how you, too, can find more space and strength in your own life by asking for the help you desire.

I hope it's helpful! ::wink wink::

With love + admiration,

Is there something I can help you with? Please know you can ALWAYS reach out to me. I'm here to help you find the clarity and support you need. Email me at hello {at} cailenascher {dot} com or book a complimentary Clarity Consultation here.

4 Ways Having a Vision is Super Helpful

Having a vision for your life and business is essential. It's the lens through which you make all your decisions, set your priorities and ensure you're on track with the version of success that's right for YOU!

Last week, we discussed the importance of having a vision. Now, to take it a step further, I want to dive into how you can use your vision to its greatest advantage. (I'm a girl who likes strategy, remember!)

Your vision is your destination. It's where you and your amazing business are heading.

But before we dive into the strategy piece, I want you to first celebrate the fact that you're drawn to create a clear vision for yourself and your business in the first place! That's a HUGE step, and one that many entrepreneurs overlook. Too many would-be successful entrepreneurs just dive into the work and start chugging along without a clear destination in mind, and before they know it, they're going in circles. (Now, you know why! They needed a clear vision first, just like you're creating for your business.)

Once your vision crystalizes, there are 4 ways that you can strategically use your vision as you build your business:

(1) It's your destination. You have to know where you're going in order to get there! Now that you have your destination in mind, you can align your actions, set your priorities and start moving in the right direction.

(2) It's your motivation. You can see all the amazing things that are waiting for you if you continue to do your work. When you need a little pick-me-up reflect on your vision, and remember all the things you seek are now seeking you!

(3) It's a course corrector. Feeling foggy and need focus? Reflect on your vision, read through your journal or gaze at your vision board, and let it put you back on course.

(4) It's 1 of the vital success essentials. You need 3 things for success. Yes, just 3. You need a vision (your destination), the right mindset (your vehicle) and a clear + thoughtful plan (your roadmap). Your vision is the lynchpin for the three.

Now, I would love to hear more about your vision!

Visit our lovely Facebook group, and share what your "destination" looks like. Putting your vision "out there" makes it all the more real! Accountability is key :-)

Or, if you'd prefer to chat in-person (I'd LOVE that!), I invite you to book a complimentary Clarity Consultation. Then, we can talk more about your vision and how we can create a clear and thoughtful roadmap to get you there.

**My 5-month coaching program opens only 2x per year, and I'm currently accepting applications for a very limited number of spots. If you're ready to sharpen your vision, strategize a clear and thoughtful plan for your business and make the necessary mindset shifts to make it a success, NOW is the time. Read more about it here.**

With love,

A Gift for You - My Favorite Meditation Practice

I promised you last week that I would share more details of my favorite meditation with you.

This is the meditation I do nearly every morning, and it has had a profound impact on me personally and professionally. Some benefits being...feeling all-around happier, more grounded, and more successful, as well as feeling aligned with my creativity, innate potential and purpose.

In short, it’s a winner.

As a pre-holiday gift for you, I want to share this practice which has been so meaningful and transformative for me.

I’ve recorded a version of this meditation for you to enjoy. It’s only 8 minutes in length and will leave you feeling calm, clear and confident in your abilities to become the very best version of yourself both professionally and personally.

Unwrap the Purpose-full Self Meditation HERE.

Meditations work best (as do all personal development tools) when they are practiced.

My suggestion?

Give yourself the gift of 8 minutes of daily calm, quiet time. We ALL can give 8 minutes of time to ourselves. We all have that choice.

From now until the new year, I invite you to sit with me each day. Give yourself that gift! You deserve it.

Share your commitment! Click to tweet: I’m meditating my way to the best new year ever! Join me. #MindsetMatters #Gift #ForMe

Let’s ring in 2016 feeling powerful, purpose-full and full of potential!

With love,