The Simplifiers Podcast

I feel like one of the buzzwords of 2019 is 'CBD'. Everyone seems to be talking about it in the US, and it's slowly starting to trickle over into conversations with friends and colleagues in the UK.

But raise your hand if you have NO CLUE what "CBD" actually is.

Liz is the host of The Motherhood Unstressed Podcast and the founder of her own organic line of CBD supplements. We'll learn how CBD can help with 'adulting' - all the things in life that cause us stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.

I don't know about you, but Lord knows, I could always use a little help, every now and again.

• What CBD stands for and the science behind how it works
• What people take CBD for
• More information to help you decide if this supplement is right for you or not
• Where it's legal
• If CBD will show up on a drug test
• Different ways you can take CBD supplements
• What results Liz and her clients have seen while taking CBD

I love what Liz stands for with her brand. She believes that "the greatest gift we can give ourselves and our families is to be more fully present. When we can get out of our heads and into our hearts, life changes in innumerable ways." And for Liz, CBD is one tool in her toolkit that helps her get there.

Big disclaimer: please talk to your primary care physician or your mental health specialist before taking CBD, to make sure it's right for you.

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/liz-carlile-handle-adulting-with-cbd

How do you get your glow back?

What does that mean? Where did it go? And how do you get it back…

Let me explain.

• It's that spark inside you that lights you up. Your essence. Your passion. Your drive. Your energy source. The thing that makes you tick.
• What comes to mind when you think of your glow?
• What makes you YOU, and really excites and delights you? Maybe it's your interest in music, your love for animals, your passion for writing or designing or maybe your thing is spreadsheets. You do YOU, girl!
• How would you describe your inner glow?

Has your glow faded?

Listen to today's episode for details on each of the 3 above AND what you can do about them!

As cliché as it sounds (I know, I cringe as I say this right now, but it's true) - it's not what happens to you that's important… it's how you respond to what happened to you. That's what counts.

#Dothething.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/how-to-get-your-glow-back

If you're a parent, you'll know how tricky it is to raise children. You may also know how to juggle running your business at the same time. For me, there's always a sneaky little voice in my head that creeps in and says, "Hey Mary, you're doing it WRONG!"

What if there was a different way to parent? More importantly, what if you could squash that fear and be equipped with simple, practical tools that will help your kids navigate life, their intense emotions, and ultimately help them be happier and healthier in today's world?

Good news, you've come to the right spot.

Maureen is an award-winning author, and her work is so LEGIT, the Dalai Lama himself wrote the preface to her latest book, WOW!

Having kicked cancer to the curb at age 25 and having a baby shortly after, I can think of no one else better suited to show us the way.

• What does the term 'an emotionally healthy' child mean?
• What the 'accelerators of health' are, and what role mindfulness plays in how you parent
• What the '3 steps to success' are, and how this can help your kids when they get triggered (you can use them as adults too!)
• • Stop
  • Calm
  • Make a smart choice, for yourself and others
• What it means to have a 'highly sensitive', or 'Indigo child'
• • How you might need to shift your parenting approach and/or mindset to better connect with them
• How to best broach the topic of death when it comes to their aging grandparents

I really love how Maureen simplifies it all down for us. It takes a shift in your mindset (with new ideas, tools and insight), mixed with a reconsideration of your current habits, through new strategies and every day practice. This is how you can get to where you want to go, which could apply to any area of your work and life - not just parenting.

Love it!

Let's #DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/maureen-healy-raise-emotionally-healthy-child

It happens to the best of us. It's inevitable. And hey, you might be feeling it creeping on right now. Have you experienced burnout?

Earlier this week, I spoke with Courtney Elmer about how to stress less in life. It made me take a deeper look at when I've felt burnout in my own life.

Here's what's helped me to simplify and get back to center, when things have got out of balance:

4 tips to counter burnout

When I'm on the verge of a total and utter burnout moment, there are few warning signs that pop up...

Sometimes it starts as a nervous tick in my eye. A rapid heart beat. A feeling like "I've got 8 billion things to do and NO time to do it all! HOLY CANNOLI!"

I'm willing to bet you've got a few characteristic warning signs of your own, whether that's systematically forgetting to eat lunch, or finding yourself looking for ways to numb the stress. Maybe you get really snappy with others, or really quiet. Whatever it is for you, take notice.

Don't ignore the warning signs. What may start as a whisper will turn into a shout - if you ignore it.

Okay. Your proverbial 'check engine' light is flashing, and the Hot Mess Express train is running rampant in your life right now. I feel ya, girl.

All you've got to do now is this… jump off it. No really, it's that simple. Make a decision right here and now to honor your warning signals, by acknowledging the path you're on is about to crash and burn.

Jump off the Hot Mess Express train.

Simply say this to yourself, 'Ok Mary, I hear you. I feel you. So, what would nourish me right now?' Take a deep breath, pause and listen. Your 'Inner BFF' will have a few ideas on how to pull you out of this. Trust me, she'll be vocal, especially if you've been running ragged for a while.

That's your intuition talking there.

Please note, not all suggestions will be healthy nor should be taken. (Hello drive-thru lane lady who knows me better than my spouse!)

Learn to listen to your deepest needs, and discern what would be the best way to nurture yourself out of burnout, stress, and a potential panic attack. When you listen to your 'Inner BFF' and take action on the things that help you, you start to become more attuned in your mind-body-spirit.

Over time, that makes you very powerful indeed.

Listen, then vow to make a change in your life.

Immediately. Like today. Not next week. Not 'after busy season is all done.' Not someday, somehow. But like, now.

Here are some actionables you might take:

• Take a personal day off to get your life back in order
• Call a friend for some much needed social time
• Book a massage
• Reach out for help in your personal life
• Reach out for help with your business
• • Hire a virtual assistant and delegate stuff off your plate
• Vow to do less so you can (truly) accomplish more. When you make the vow to change, and then follow through, you're giving your 'Inner BFF' another data point that you are a trustworthy person who will take good care of her, in the long run.

Don't delay…

#Dothething.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/how-to-deal-with-burnout

Did you know that 75% of all physician office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints?

In addition, stress is linked to the six leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. (This information originated from American Psychological Association.)

I don't need to convince you that stress is an epidemic that wreaks havoc on your body, your mind, your productivity and your pocketbook. So what are we going to do about it?

Having kicked cancer to the curb at age 25 and had a baby shortly after, I can think of no one else better suited to show us the way.

• How to spot the warning signs of stress in your own life, and what to do when you're about to have a massive wake-up call either physically, mentally, or spiritually
• What to expect if you ignore the stress signals and do nothing
• 3 simple things you can do to reduce stress today:
• • focus
  • clarity
  • time
• What The StressLESS System© is and how you can implement it in your own work and life
• How to put systems & processes in place to manage all the little details
• What Courtney thinks to the question… "Can we (truly) have it all, all at once, in life?"

Courtney is a delight and a total Simplifier at heart. If you're vibing off past episodes where we've put self-care at the forefront, such as 037: The 5 Pillars of "Non-Negotiable" Self-Care, or Bonus 032: 1 Simple Way to Overcome the Overwhelm, make a cup of tea and snuggle on down. You're gonna love our conversation today.

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/courtney-elmer-stress-less-live-more

This is a really tricky subject for most of us, especially if you lead teams or own your own business. Let's talk about how to fire someone.

Okay, so… before you press pause, say NOPE and move on to another episode, hear me out! This isn't all doom and gloom and I dare say, these skills might help you in other aspects of leadership, communication and catching the warning signs when things, projects or people are about to go awry.

Earlier this week, we chatted with business coach Kelly Roach and she shared everything she knows about building an unstoppable dream team. And this got me thinking…

Before you make your first hire, you get really, really good at storing EVERYTHING up in your brilliant brain.

The buck stops with you. You handle sales and invoicing, pitching, social media marketing, designing, creating and delivering your products and services to your beloved clients.

It's all you - all of the time.

And then something happens… you become wildly successful and you've got to scale (and FAST) in order to keep up with the sheer amount of work on your plate now.

That's a good problem to have. But if you've got ZERO experience managing people, this can be a tricky transition to navigate.

And let's face it… your first one or two hires (or fires!) might be where you cut your teeth on things, make a few mistakes and gain some massive lessons learned.

So, here we are… the wheels have come off the bus. Your team member is consistently showing up to work late, missing deadlines, is distracted at meetings, or acting a bit off.

When the time calls for it, you'll need some guidelines to follow. Listen in for all the details:

You are brave.

You can do this, I believe in you.

It's time to SIMPLIFY.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/how-to-fire-someone

Imagine this: things are taking off in your business. Your client list is growing. Your workload is growing. You're hitting your stride but now you're wondering, "how the heck am I going to get everything done!?!"

She also teaches us why it's so (darn) important to do it early on, BEFORE you find yourself in a pinch.

• Why you should adopt a "bigger than you" mentality with your business and how that will help you grow
• How to design an "unstoppable dream team" and what changes you need to make (as the business owner) in order to get there
• What role 'simplifying' plays in all of this
• What the 6 Pillars of Effective Leadership are and how they will help you build and retain your unstoppable team:
• • training,
  • teaching,
  • coaching,
  • mentorship,
  • structure,
  • accountability
• How to set up a thriving company culture as a small business, especially if you work with remote teams or virtual assistants

Kelly was recommended by Anna Lundberg in this episode, and is an absolute powerhouse. Her global work with small businesses helps them grow in massive ways.

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/kelly-roach-build-an-unstoppable-team

Over the course of January, we've taken a look at the core values of The Simplifiers one by one, breaking them down for you in our Friday bonus episodes, so you can understand what we believe in and why... and how you can incorporate the practice of core values in to your small business this year.

The final core value I want to shine a spotlight on is…

Learn faster. And that simple principle means this. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. It's a natural part of the process and fear of mucking it all up shouldn't cloud your judgment.

As a business owner or freelancer, I can almost guarantee you'll make quite a few mistakes along the way. Sometimes it's because you don't know what you don't know. And that means you've got to have the courage and tenacity to boldly take a step forward, try something new, make mistakes and learn from them always, in order to become the best.

Let's face it… not everyone is built to be an entrepreneur. To strike out on their own, build a business, be their own boss, make something out of nothing.

It requires a skill-set of persistence, spark and grit to keep going. It also requires a bit of playfulness; like a kid with a chemistry set, mixing new concoctions, trying different experiments, analyzing the results and ultimately, learning from your blunders.

So when I say "fail fast, learn faster" it's all about having the right mindset as a leader.

1. Make an educated hypothesis (say, with a sales campaign, or making a market prediction on future trends in your industry)
2. Take calculated risks
3. Measure results
4. Pivot, refine and try, try, try again!

Whatever you do, don't be afraid to fail.

Don't be afraid to put yourself out there.

To go after the big, big jobs.

To raise your prices alongside raising your game.

Don't worry about being perfect or holding back on releasing your new products or services out into the world until you've got all the pieces in place.

Just #Dothething and learn from your mistakes fast.

And then, pick yourself up off the floor and do it again. But this time - better.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/fail-fast-learn-faster/

Do you ever feel like you're running in a hamster wheel? Yeah girl, me too, sometimes. Here we are, nearly the end of January 2019 and I'm already starting to feel the pull of 'hustle and grind' and the 'shoulds' on my psyche. 'do more, more, MORE and only then will I reach my goals! Run faster Mary, run faster!'

Stop, pause. Is that little voice serving you, still?

My guest says NO.

Marina reminds us, "thriving is having fun, enjoying the journey regardless of the outcome."

And she shows us how.

• What the difference is between striving and thriving… and why it might be wrong to strive for goals this year
• How to enjoy and embrace the journey of business ownership
• What the "joy of being" means and how to create this in your own life
• The 3 secrets to eliminate guilt and get back your very own quality of life
• What to do if you feel like you have no life and all that you do is work, work, WORK - she's got just the thing for you: the Joy Catalyst Scorecard

This year, I'm doing things differently.

Heeding Marina's advice, I'm starting to reexamine and redefine what 'success' looks like to me as an entrepreneur.

Let me tell ya, when you slow down, give yourself permission to rethink what the 'rules of running a business' are, you create breathing room in your work schedule and a fresh perspective in life.

I encourage you to give yourself this gift, as well. You might be surprised at what comes up!

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/049-marina-pearson

Over the course of January, we are taking one core value of The Simplifiers, and breaking it down in our Friday bonus episodes. This will shine a light on what we believe in and why... and give you ideas on how you can incorporate the practice of core values in to your own work this year.

The next core value I want to place in the spotlight on is…

to WOW them in the little details!

Earlier this week, I chatted with Arlene Pellicane, about how to have a better relationship with your phone and devices. It's something that consumes quite a few of us in this day and age. Let's face it… we are constantly distracted by NOISE and notifications.

And if you're feeling it right now, I can almost guarantee your clients are too.

So, when I talk about thoughtful details as it relates to your work, I want you to keep in mind how 'go, go, GO' everyone is these days and how easily people are caught up in the whirlwind and dizzying pace of life.

What a perfect opportunity for you to slow down, be thoughtful and help people remember what's most important in life…

It all boils down to three things:

1. You care
2. You share
3. You remember

Listen in to find out exactly how to do it.

People appreciate how thoughtful you are. You care, you share and you remember.

Start small, start simple, and build from there.

You can do this, I believe in you.

It's time to SIMPLIFY.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/bonus-045/