Your Next Chapter

Some of you might be very clear on the business or project you want to start. But for many of us, it takes some deeper soul searching as we struggle through figuring out what business or project we want to start. We brainstorm, create mind maps, draw out options. We ask questions like what will be the product or service of my business? How will I bring that product or service to potential clients? Will anyone even be interested?

Maybe you’ve started with ideas that you think will be easiest to market OR maybe you’re thinking about what you love and wonder if you can create a business around it.

But before you go there, I want you to start with your strengths.

Now when you hear that question …. what first comes to mind? Maybe it sounds like that typical job interview question or a coffee conversation when someone asks you what your strengths and weaknesses are.

But…. there is always a, but right? Well, I don’t know about you, but what often happens to me is that I start out with a bang and then junk starts to get in the way. By junk, I mean that same old stuff that I keep trying to manage but always seems to get in the way of me making my dreams happen.

And…. because I want this year to be the year YOU get started on turning your passions and interests into a business or growing that business you’ve been working on in your spare time…. starting on February 1st, I’m offering a mini-workshop called 3 Weeks to Dream Readiness.

But why is acknowledging our accomplishments so important before creating our plans for the coming year?

Acknowledging what we accomplished actually adds to our self-confidence. Most of us spend lots of time thinking about what we didn’t get done today, yesterday or at this time of year, the past year. At the end of almost every day, we are almost conditioned to think about what we didn’t get done and what needs to go on the list for tomorrow. Rarely do you take even five minutes to acknowledge yourself for everything you accomplished in that one day.

No matter how hard it is. We MUST behave as the leading ladies of our own lives.

I want you to ask yourself that question over and over this week. If you were writing the screenplay of your life going forward AND you’re the leading lady, what would you be doing? Would the dreams you have remain in your journal, in your head? As the leading lady would you be trying on some new experience or exploring a new habit and giving it a go?

Frankly, ladies, none of us has any idea of how long we’re going to be alive, so we might as well get going on whatever it is that we want to create or dream of creating in this lifetime. Right??

I had to share this because something fabulous happens when I use the five-second rule to count down. I launch from a negative, self-doubting mindset to the why not? mindset.

Try it yourself. 5-4-3-2-1, switch baby!! Start with something small, like driving your grocery cart past the candy aisle …. then try it on your mindset …. and ask yourself, why not?? Prepare to feel different!!

Some of you have artistic gifts, maybe organizational, writing, cooking, design or people gifts. These are all presents or gifts that you received when you were born. No one has the same combination of gifts!

Well, I took out many of my gifts when I was a child, but somewhere along the way, I re-wrapped them and put them back into my closet. I’m sure some of you can relate.

MICHELE LEMAITRE is an award-winning artistic entrepreneur, Michele INVENTED a new process and style of 2D & 3D Sculptural Mixed Media, representing the surface of bodies of water, with bold COLORS THAT CHANGE with the movement of your body. The artwork is a metaphor for resilience, self-reflection of changing one's own perspective to open up to new possibilities.                                                                         www.thewaterartist.com

I finally took in all the input I could hold and sat back and realized, I’m doing this my way …. it may not be perfect, but it must have my stamp on it, otherwise what’s the point right?

We always, always have to return to who we are at our core and do what makes sense for you- and that may not make sense to anyone else but you. You. The fabulously unique you.

Krystal Kenney is an American living in Paris for the past ten years. She is a photographer and author, as well as the host of a popular podcast where she interviews creatives connected with Paris. Krystal loves starting new projects and recently started helping others grow their businesses and bring their projects to life. Learn more at www.missparisphoto.com

Our little stretches, our little pushes to do what we really want to do, are so important because they get us ready. Those little stretches are what prepare us for the transformation, the bringing the dream into reality.

Yes, learning, exploring, imagining, mind mapping, and planning…. you name it, is all super fun and can even be quite energizing.

But the real stretch only happens in the doing.  And it is the doing that is so hard and often more than a little intimidating.