When we think about our business strategy it’s easy to get caught up in a vision of success where there is no room for personal fulfillment. But it is our life outside of work that balances us as we strive for excellence. When we forget that our professional world and personal lives are an intricate whole, there is a high chance we could become overwhelmed and burnout. 

I want to touch on the elements we need to develop so we can take a “whole-istic” approach to our businesses. As emerging entrepreneurs, it is so important for us to include our career goals AND the practices that replenish us in our business strategies. 

As human beings, we do not exist in isolation but are part of families, peer networks, and complex societies. We need to integrate our wellness, social connections, and self-care with our business ambitions because no entrepreneur wants to create a flourishing business and later find they have no energy and no one to share their triumph with.

As you juggle the many responsibilities of entrepreneurship it's essential to remember you are building both a life and a business. It’s never necessary to sacrifice one for the other.  

Business Success is More Than Strategy

When we visualize our idea of what business prosperity looks like, we often imagine the stereotypical image of an entrepreneur devoting their entire life to a business at the cost of all other interests and relationships. But your success, especially over the long term, relies on more than just strategy, revenue, and the hours you put in. 

As this recent Netherlands study demonstrates, it is the entrepreneur’s overall well being which is one of the critical factors in their long-term financial, personal, AND entrepreneurial success. Victory in the professional world is inseparable from personal well being.

Our success is a direct reflection of how well we feel on the inside and what we achieve on the outside. So let’s drop the reductionist thinking and embrace a holistic view of our personal and entrepreneurial lives as a whole! 

It’s easy for entrepreneurs to let obsessive drives take over and push them beyond their capacities as they chase their aspirations. But when we work beyond our limits and don’t take the time to refill our inner resources, we end up running on empty. 

The “Whole-istic” Approach to Business

Boundaries are one of the most important tools we can access in our professional lives. They are vital to long-term wellness and career prosperity, but they can be difficult to establish, especially for female entrepreneurs who may have a tendency to overextend. If we don’t set boundaries around scheduling, time off, and other personal rules, we can deplete our energy supplies and mental health to dangerous levels. 

If boundaries are hard for you to establish and you tend towards people-pleasing, keep these thoughts in mind: 

• Boundaries establish respect for you and your time
• Boundaries allow you the freedom to balance personal interests and professional duties
• Boundaries protect against burnout and allow you to better support yourself

When we look at it this way, creating boundaries helps us get out of our comfort zones and assert ourselves! 

Mind, Body, and Soul in the business world is a concept many entrepreneurs might not consider. But acknowledging the mind, body, soul connection is pivotal to being a joyful and healthy individual. Self-care is not some excessive concept that belongs to the rich and successful, but a fundamental part of the quality of life. If we want to master our careers, we need to nurture ourselves. The better we feel, the deeper the well we draw from, therefore the higher functioning we will be.

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“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”---Eleanor Brown

So what kind of self-care should we practice?

Everyone is different in what replenishes their being, so ask yourself what delights you and evaporates your stressors? For some ladies, it is luxuriating in a bath with candles and essential oils, for others, it’s hiking into nature and soaking up the fresh air and Vitamin D. Some people might spend the day in a vibrant city visiting art museums and cinemas to revive while others prefer to spend time connecting with their families and children. Whatever self-care activity you choose should elevate your mood and vanquish anxieties. 

Building a life outside of business is often neglected by entrepreneurial warriors and yet it is critical in a holistic approach to life. In our youths, we may have diverse interests and vibrant networks of friends, peers, and pursuits. But as career ambitions take over and we begin families, these can dwindle as we focus on providing for our loved ones and chasing professional dreams. 

According to this recent article by the Harvard Business Review, maintaining your social networks as you build a career is a huge factor in the happiness of high-performing professionals. To ensure we don’t neglect this part of our lives, we need to embrace our connections to social groups outside of our careers. You can accomplish this by volunteering, participating in sports, or engaging with social or spiritual networks. Anything that gives you a sense of purpose other than work.  

Be a Heart-Centered Entrepreneur and you will feel more fulfilled!

In my career, my primary purpose is to make a meaningful difference and impact in the lives of the women I coach and the groups I speak to. What I’ve discovered is that when you switch away from a focus on self-gain, it’s possible to power your success through service to others. And that brings a feeling of purpose that’s irreplaceable.

We can be successful, lead incredible lives, and make a difference without sacrificing any of our goals. And I can’t imagine anything more empowering to keep in mind as we plan for our careers. 

To get into the heart-centered mindset, you need to switch from a self-centered, profit-seeking approach to business, to bringing value to your client’s lives and resolving their problems. 

Water the Garden of Your Life and Your Business Will Thrive

What we’ve established today needs to be at the heart of your entrepreneurial planning: establish boundaries, nurture your mind, body, and soul, not just your business, cultivate a life outside your career, and plan your business from your heart center by serving your clients authentically and humbly. When we operate with these tactics in mind, we are bound for “whole-istic” success!

So let’s drop the outdated model of obsessive business(wo)men working long hours and neglecting their relationship and dive into a present where we live balanced existences as embodied, powerful women.  

And if you are searching for some female-centered entrepreneurial support with a group of like-minded ladies, check out my business membership here! This collaborative network will strengthen your strategy and motivation as you move through your entrepreneurial journey with group meetings, monthly training, and mindset coaching meetings to develop your entrepreneurial outlook. 

You can also join my email list here to keep the inspirational career vibes flowing into the fall!

Take care, Queens!