Tag: Entrepreneur

The “H” Bomb: Inner Work

FROM MY SPIRIT, Uncategorized, Woman Power Up
Photo by Andres Ayrton on Pexels.com

I don’t want to talk about it because I have some habits that keep me on the hamster wheel. However, I must talk about one of them in this post. But first let’s define the word HABIT.

habit, in psychology, any regularly repeated behaviour that requires little or no thought and is learned rather than innate (natural) (britannica.com)

But you need know this, too;

Habit formation is the process by which behaviors become automatic. Habits can form without a person intending to acquire them, but they can also be deliberately cultivated—or eliminated—to better suit one’s personal goals. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/habit-formation)

I have a habit of procrastinating when it comes to making my dreams and goals come true. Last year I did really, really good and stayed on task. I was laser focused. I was not easily distracted or deterred by the work of it. It paid off. and I like that feeling. I seem to be able to execute projects or things for others to the “T” and even plan out things for vacations. I can organize and execute. However, when it comes to my dreams and goals I seem to procrastinate. Let me tell you how therapy helped me.

Therapy helped me to see that I was afraid of success. It helped me to understand that the very goals I want to achieve are in the category of the very things I was told as a child would not make me money. Instead, I was instructed to take a safe, secure route. Now that I have the opportunity to be creative, I hesitate. I procrastinate. One book that is on my list is titled, Atomic Habits by James Clear.

Changing or getting rid of habits that keep you from reaching your goals or improving yourself is inner work. It is literally brain and mind work that extends outward in the form of actions. I have not struggled with procrastination but, I have also struggled lately more than ever with the awful habit of mindless snacking. I could literally eat the apple in the photo and turn around and eat the donut, too! I know it’s connected to something emotional but, I have yet to figure it out. Anyways, I believe that you don’t have to always or only seek professional help to help yourself. I think books are an amazing way to do inner work and to grow!

Definitely check out the link from Psychology Today about habit formation. It was very interesting! And helpful!

Have you ever read a book, other than a religious book, that helped you?

~Nikki

Excerpts from My Coffee Time w/God: Do You Feel at Peace About It?

FROM MY SPIRIT
Photo by Nicole Jackson The Might Mississippi from Rooftop

I had an opportunity but the hours would be a challenge to me physically. You would think well that’s a no brainer. It’s not when you are trying to save money and take care of things around the house. I struggled for about two weeks in agony about what to do. How to sacrifice and what exactly would be at stake. I worried myself sick and stirred the hornets’ nest of anxiety. I asked God for an answer over and over on what to do. I thought I didn’t get answer until Day 2 of Coffee Time with God.

As I sat there in quietness, sipping coffee, I asked God, “Why didn’t you answer me about that opportunity?”

God: I did. Those times when you were silent internally, I asked you, do you feel at peace about it? I asked you several times. Sometimes you said no and at other times you kept worrying about it and what other people would think of you if you passed up such a golden opportunity. Once you said no you didn’t feel at peace about it, that was your answer.

Me: Oh.

I thought about all of those years I worked jobs and I didn’t like any of them. In fact, the last one I hated so much it made me ill. Why don’t people do what they love or “just find another job” you may ask. Well because it’s not always that simple. Would you believe some people don’t know or believe it’s possible for them to do what they love in life? Some are working jobs and careers other people chose for them or for the money it brings. Some of us are working jobs to take care of family, loved ones, children and to pay off debts. I looked for jobs to do what I love but I didn’t have the education and I didn’t have the ability to go back to school in another state with a child in tow. Who would watch my daughter? Online school was not a thing then. When it did become a thing, I did go back to school and received my Associates Degree only to become ill and unable to continue with my bachelors.

At that last job, I kept it because the hours allowed me to be a mom 4 days out of the week and I could work overtime. It was not for the pay. I also only had to worry about childcare and how to get her home from school 3 days of the week. My last two years on the job while I was ill, I searched for a job that could accommodate my illness. I did not find one job and the job I had told me they couldn’t either.

You don’t know people’s struggles or logic and I advise against flippant retorts such as, “Just find another job.” That job may provide them with the necessary benefits to cover for their family. YES, there are times people have to work jobs they don’t want to or enjoy until the opportunity presents itself or until they create an opportunity to do what they enjoy or to become what they always wanted to be. Maybe asking them if they have a plan to find or do something else is better.

This was the one time and first time in my life I could say no to a job that would hurt me physically and I didn’t know what to do. It was the one time; I could wait on something better or continue to create my own opportunity into better financial gains and abundance. Shortly after that, I sold 5 pieces of art.

~Nikki

How To Get Ideas to Flow to You

FROM MY SPIRIT

And because they made decisions, ideas flowed to them. Solutions came to them. Creativity flowed from them. All of this came to them, from Source and sources (like angels, dreams, people, ancestors, etc.) to help them achieve their goals. They are assisted in the manifestation of their dreams and visions and desires BECAUSE THEY MADE A CHOICE.

They are willing to be temporarily uncomfortable to achieve their goals. (Are you willing to be uncomfortable to achieve your goals?). Then make decisions about your life! And refrain from indecision. You belong in the ranks of those that make decisions and those that have learned to make right decisions.

~Nikki

Reference: The Power of Right Decision Making by Charles Raymond Barker

They Decided NOT to Settle

FROM MY SPIRIT

Do you know why other people succeed? And we are not talking about celebrity or wealth unless you want that included and there is nothing wrong with that. Just understand the responsibilities that come with whatever you desire. But some are thriving and successful because they made decisions. They decided not to settle. They decided they wanted better health, more wealth, a different career, a good relationship. They decided not to limit themselves.

You are infinite, you have no limits. You need to emerge from complacency and dare to sail uncharted waters! You need to arise, and GO FOR IT. You need to decide to be YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF and YOUR INFINITE SELF.  Someone decided to study, to seek the answers, to read books outside of their religious books. I am just saying wisdom is not limited to your degrees or lack thereof or your religion or denouncing of a religion at all.

~Nikki

Reference: The Power of Decision Making by Charles Raymond Barker

Hey, What’s a “Right” Decision Anyway?

FROM MY SPIRIT

Right Decisions Are:

  1. The decision to be healthy or as healthy as possible
  2. The decision to be wealthy or financially stable
  3. The decision to be happy
  4. The decision to be creative

Does your decision involve any of these things? Then it’s possible you are making a RIGHT decision.

~Nikki

Reference: The Power of Decision Making by Charles Raymond Barker

Indecisiveness and The Turmoil It Brings

FROM MY SPIRIT, Uncategorized, Woman Power Up

We are discussing the power of decision making. It may seem like a small thing to you but, the highest function of your mind is to make decisions. Hence, “make up your mind” is a phrase we use often. Every day you are making decisions about your life. Even when you decide to be indifferent and not decide, it is called indecision.

Let’s talk about that first. Indecision is the individual’s choice to fail. If you decide not to make a decision, then the Universe or Life will make the decision for you. Life waits for no one. It goes on. And usually, you will receive what you do not what or what you fear the most. Your energy of indecisiveness brings forth what you are feeling which is hesitation, frustration, fear, and uncertainty.

~Nikki

Book Reference: The Power of Decision Making by Raymond Charles Barker

Afraid to Succeed

FROM MY SPIRIT, Relationship Energy, Woman Power Up
Me in Paris, France

Monday, I woke up and made a choice to have a productive and successful day. However, there was this nagging feeling I needed to address. It was the feeling of fear of success. I can feel that with the actions I am taking in my life now, there will be huge successes. And for some reason, that makes me afraid. Why?

It’s not because I am afraid of the responsibility of success which is what I saw in my research of “fear of success”. It is because if I do become successful, I am afraid I will not have the ability to maintain it. What if it does good and then it starts not to do well? I am afraid that the money I make will somehow disappear because of “life”. You know expenses. I don’t know what I am doing. I am not confident in my steps. This makes me freeze up and not want to do anything at all.

I searched some affirmations for fear of success. I also added my own. I decided to meditate using affirmations.

  • I step into the into the success of accomplishing my dreams.
  • I am not afraid to succeed.
  • Succeeding is my birthright.
  • To succeed is to be the best version of myself.
  • Fear is an indicator that I am headed in the right direction
  • I am filled with endless solutions for my business, goal, and dreams
  • I am filled with endless ideas
  • There are no limits on my ideas
  • I am capable of solving any issues that may arise
  • There are no limits to my creativity. I am always expanding.
  • I am always evolving my business when necessary to keep up with the current times.
  • I am excited to see the success from my actions
  • I am very capable of securing my future from my success
  • Time is precious and a gift. I am using my time wisely to create the life I want to live
  • I inhale courage…I exhale fear

I pray this helps someone today.

Love, Nikki

A Little Monday Motivation: CAPE-able

FROM MY SPIRIT, Woman Power Up

Baby, you’ve got it. You’ve got what it takes to become the best version of yourself and to achieve your goals and dreams. Stop looking at other people’s journey and bank accounts. Focus on the gifts inside of you and stop trying to emulate someone else! Become bold and do the work to find your authentic self and gather the courage to live out your dreams. You are capable! Now cape up!

~Nikki

Whatever Wednesday: TIME KEEPS ON SLIPPING…

FROM MY SPIRIT, Woman Power Up

Time management. I know you have heard it as a student, employee, or employer. It’s your time and you decide what you want to do with it.

Do you want to achieve your dreams and goals? Use your time wisely.

Do you want to get more out of your day? Organize and Prioritize your day and the week on Sundays.

Say no to distractions and get back on track. Make it a habit of putting yourself on track each time you get off and remember if you derail the day, tomorrow is a NEW DAY! DO OVER!

If they ask you to do it today and you don’t have time, TELL THEM THE TRUTH. People expect you to drop what you are doing and put them at the top or add them to you’re already loaded day. It can wait along with their attitude if they get one! Also, explaining to them it will be best to ask and make arrangements with you ahead of time. Constant last minute requests wreck havoc on your day and mind. Tell them so.

Don’t overload yourself. You can’t do it all in one day. You can’t do a week or a month’s worth of activities in a day. BREAK IT DOWN and it will get done. It will get done properly and in order.

~Nikki

Sunday Morning Coffee Musing: Drive.

Creative Confetti, Fashion Confetti, FROM MY SPIRIT, RAFibroOAEtc., Uncategorized, Woman Power Up

What happens to the “drive”, the internal force that propels some of us forward when something happens to us we never expected? Some have this “drive” naturally that seems unstoppable. Some have to develop the drive and others have to force the drive. I’ve seen stories of terrible things happening to highly driven people and they power through, make the changes and keep going. I have heard stories of the opposite as well.

I don’t think I was born with a drive. I think it developed over the years. I never “needed” to win, to be the top of the class. I wanted to. If I didn’t, I remember feeling bad about it. I could only imagine how bad others felt that were not even in the “smart and gifted children” section. I wasn’t gifted in the sense of “smarts” but I was gifted. We all are. I had to learn how to lose gracefully. I had to learn how to be okay with giving my best. I had to learn that some have a gift that exceeds my gift of logic and smarts and that’s okay because I have things they don’t, do things they can’t, understand things they don’t, it makes us all DIFFERENT, UNIQUE, WONDERFULLY made. Uh, individuals.

Sometimes it’s hard for me to turn my drive off once it’s on. It doesn’t matter if I am writing, studying or researching an interesting subject, painting, crocheting, cleaning, fixing something, etc. I find it sometimes difficult NOT to do, to let it be, to give up. I first realized this when I use to repair laptops. We had to meet a quota and pass quality inspections. I would get stuck trying to fix a laptop, determine the problem, and get behind on my other work. I did not want to give it up and pass it on to engineering. And even after it went there, I would follow up. So much so, they rolled out a policy where engineering had to let us know what fixed the machine. It was a wise coworker, that said to me, “Nik’, you can’t fixed them all as good as you are. We are engineers and we can’t even fix them all. You have to know when to let go and pass it on. You’ve done all you can do.” It sure was hard to learn this lesson. I am a problem solver, a quality over quantity (but also how can I have both) type of person, a highest form of service type of person. If I don’t get a hold of myself, I will crash and burn. I will become overwhelmed. Burnt out.

I use to be this way until Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease hit. I went through depression. I wasn’t immediately the “Oh, well, let’s beat this, keep going, person.” My type of drive died the day I got the diagnosis that it was back, out of remission, and kicking my ass. The struggle was real. My drive had to be revived, put on life support, and weaned off. My adjustment was rocky. It was and is a spiritual journey that took a sharp left turn. It really seems more like reached a cliff and drove off.

I notice the drive a few years ago when I started to paint again. The need to FINISH it, perfect it, for hours, or in the late night or wee hours of the morning. I noticed it when I started writing again. The “I must finish this chapter, this number of words, this goal.” I noticed it in my need to create quality crocheted items, meet my deadlines, have excellent customer service. I also, noticed the obsession to do these things when I am on the verge of crashing. I would ignore my body and common sense. I would crash, burn, and be in pain. I would cause a flare up of pain and swelling, unnecessarily.

I said yes to some events this year, way more than I did last year and I was overwhelmed because I didn’t expect to be received so well. (I am spontaneously SPONTANEOUS.) I didn’t realize I needed as much inventory as I did and that I simply couldn’t create it fast enough because it takes time and I do have physical limitations. It was one night before the first event and I had driven myself into a frenzy that I simply GAVE UP. I said, “I HAVE WHAT I HAVE AND THAT IS ENOUGH.” This has been my mantra this season in creating. It has been my saving grace. It has not prevented pain or swell ups, but it has lessened my actions being the cause of them. I have hurt more from the activities, late nights, stress, no help, etc. I am hurting now! It’s that taking it to the edge, when necessary, but not going over knowledge that kicked in like the technology that tells you you’re about to back into the garage lol. Beep, beep, beep beep beep beeeeeee…. Overall, this has been the best learning experience in a long time. I needed it. I had to quickly adjust, improvise, make peace with having what I have and letting that be enough. I had to say no to other things, people. I accepted it. I am better for it. I feel like I am being prepared for something AMAZING and something that requires me to be able to manage my illness, peace of mind, and health on a very controlled level. Also, these business skills I have learned, have been priceless.

~Nikki