Your Next Chapter - step into the next version of you

Is the ability to handle change well to grab opportunities when they present themselves to you an inherited personality trait or is it more like a muscle, something that you can build with experience and time? My guest today, Joe Hanlon has her fair share of handling change. She's moved through careers and industries and has now landed in a place that feels really aligned with her sense of purpose in this next chapter of her life. 

"Change, cultures and conversations" they've always been a part of my life, they've been woven together in many adventures!"

Jo's story is one with many chapters, with forays from nursing to sales and self-employment across countries and continents. The environments may have changed, but the focus never did - "My purpose is to help people develop their own strengths, and I love to work with people who want to change and I made the leap into self-employment at 48 to embrace more impact, significance and contribution"

Our conversation is anchored in the concepts of self-trust, values and our ability to empower ourselves for the changes that a full and expansive life delivers.

Some of the Key Ideas discussed include:

• Always be intentional with what you consume - the media can affect our mood enormously
• Have a great network of people around you - reach out and find your tribe, you can't walk this path alone
• Mistakes? Who cares! We learn from every one of them, they're ok to make!
• There are only two states to live in - faith or fear
• Trust that your life is unfolding exactly as it is meant to
• Align with your purpose - it will help you to take control of your life, make decisions that serve you and be truly empowered
• Design values-driven business - that's the secret to abundance
• Trust your gut, your intuition, it won't lead you astray
• Be aware of SNIOP - that's when you're Subjected to the Negative Influence of Other People
  
  

Why you need a Fabulous File

Understanding and taking control of your internal dialogue is one of the most powerful skills you can develop as a business owner. Your thinking creates your feelings and your feelings create your actions or inactions, which then lead to your results. But sometimes simply grabbing hold of your thoughts is just not enough to turn them around.

I believe we often need something more tangible when self-doubt comes to visit. You need a Fabulous File. I believe this is essential for every single woman who wants to create an impact, who wants to make a difference, who has a contribution inside of her that's being channeled through the lens of business. 

In this episode, I'm going to explain what a Fabulous file is, why it's so important, and how you can actually get started on creating one today. 

1. Set aside some time – I guarantee you will find yourself disappearing down a rabbit hole of memory gazing... in a good way.
   
   
2. Purchase a box that delights you – even consider decorating it if you are creatively minded
   
   
3. Don’t restrict yourself to just testimonials – good feelings are transferable – where else have you been fabulous in life? Where have you been brave? Where have you stepped out of your comfort zone>? Where have you stepped up and reached a goal or done something you dreamed about?

Here are some suggestions:

• Cards from my kids telling me I’m a great Mum
• Photos of holidays with friends
• Boarding passes from overseas trips – first conferences for MY business
  awards night program from the network I used to run
• Photos from retreats
• Thank you cards from clients
• Photos of flowers I’ve been sent
• Screenshots of social media comments
• Printed out emails of thanks and appreciation
• The messages from Linked In connection requests
• Photos from Next Chapter Dinners I’ve hosted
• Podcast reviews
• Screenshots of newsletter subscribers – hitting a # you’ve been aiming for
• A photo of the home page of your new website just launched!
• A screenshot of your bank account when the funds arrived from a big project

The fuel for this fire is never-ending and the lift begins to happen from the moment you begin your search for the evidence…

Late last year, I started feeling a little bit disconnected from my work. I was lacking a deep sense of purpose.

I think we can have a love affair with our business. And just like with any relationship, our feelings can fluctuate. Sometimes we can disagree, and not feel quite so close.

When I actually paused and had a look at why that was happening, I realised a likely reason was that I hadn’t actually articulated my purpose, my vision, my mission for my business in a really clear and tangible way. It was in my head, and it was definitely in my heart, but I hadn’t actually put it out on paper and put it in front of me where I could reconnect to it every day.

We all have wobbly days in business, some really challenging times when things are not flowing the way you anticipated. You can be feeling disappointed, invisible, and wondering, is this all worth it, asking yourself why you’re actually doing this at all.

It’s when you have these days that you want to be able to turn back to your purpose, your vision and your mission, to remember why it is that you're doing what you do. In this episode, I'm sharing a simple framework that will allow you to easily create your own along with three great examples from my clients.

Why do you need these statements?

We all have wobbly days in business, some really challenging times when things are not flowing the way you anticipated. You can be feeling disappointed, invisible, and wondering, is this all worth it, asking yourself why you’re actually doing this at all.

It’s when you have these days that you want to be able to turn back to your purpose, your vision and your mission, to remember why it is that you’re doing what you do. That’s when you can re-energise, reconnect, refocus because there it is right in front of you. You can take a great big deep breath, remind yourself of the bigger picture, pull yourself up out of your funk up and keep on moving forward.

In this context, it means that when an opportunity presents itself, you can ascertain if it actually is an opportunity, or if it’s actually a distraction, one of those bright, shiny options that’s masquerading as an opportunity.

When you have your purpose, vision and mission statements right in front of you, you can look at the opportunity, you can hold it up against these and ask yourself, “does this take me closer to that vision? Is it aligned with my purpose? Does it fit with my mission, or does it not”?

Having this filter so that you can make these decisions and choices more easily is invaluable. It keeps you on the path to make sure that you actually gaining traction, not just taking action. When you have clarity on your destination, it’s much easier to identify the path that takes you there.

Standing for something bigger than just what you sell is such a core part of our next chapter businesses. At this stage of life in particular, I, and 99.9% of the women that I support, have this real desire for our businesses to have true meaning. It’s this desire to leave a legacy, a feeling that you’ve contributed something of significance to the world.

My core service is Business and Life Mentoring for women in their 40’sand beyond and I deliver this through one to one programs, Masterminds, VIP Days and Retreats. That’s pretty standard in the market, I’m really not alone here.

But why do I do it? What’s underneath the service itself? That’s where my purpose and vision kick in. What I really stand for and believe in sets me apart:

To connect women with their self-worth so they can take consistent, confident a

We’re in the first months of a whole new decade, not just a new year, and you may have created some big goals that you want to achieve in business and life in this new chapter.

When reflecting on where I’m at, I realised that the end of this decade I'll actually be in my 60s, and so I decided that now is the time to become the best version of me.

That means in a business sense, I have some very clear plans for how I want to create more impact and be more supportive of my audience and my clients, and that’s going to demand sustained energy. And so this means ensuring I have the fitness and flexibility to do the things that I want to do.

I was away with my family in the second week of January on holiday, and this is where I really started to recognise that changes needed to be made.

I set some clear goals and then reflected on what I’d need to set myself up to achieve them and that’s what this episode is about - the core steps I believe we need to take to give any strong intention a greater chance of coming to fruition, whether it be a business or life goal.

Show Notes

• Take time to outline and define what your intention or goal looks like in action
  One of my intentions was to make positive nutrition choices each day. But what does that actually look like? For me, it means no skipping meals, and to have fresh non-processed choices wherever possible.
  
  
• Invest in the tools or actions that will support you to reach your goals
  These can be specific tools or proactive actions and for me, they included gym membership, a nutrition app and, for the bigger picture, investing in a Mastermind.
  
  
• Utilise the power of Pre-commitment
  Pre-commitment is simply deciding in advance what actions or behaviours you're willing to do or not to do before you're actually confronted with the situation
  
  
• Behaviour and results are transferable
  The great news is that these behaviours, these supporting keys and tools can be used right across the board, in every area of your business and life. I certainly utilise them in my business, setting measurable goals that are both Smart and Heart.
  
  
• These simple tips are powerfully effective on their own, but by far the most powerful tool that you have at your disposal for anything you wanting to achieve in 2020 is to ensure that your internal dialogue is supportive and encouraging and liberally laced with self-compassion.

You can read the extended blog post that compliments this Podcast and Show Notes here: https://www.angelaraspass.com/how-can-you-achieve-your-goals/

Jodie Preiss is also a woman of resilience, compassion and vision and she has a great, big heart. I say that Next Chapters are often built on skinned knees, and Jodie is a definite example of this truth because those challenges she’s navigated, they’re actually more akin to lacerated knees.

But, yes, she has come through to the other side, and as you no doubt know when we have space between the then and the now, there are valuable lessons to process and share, new insights and perspectives gained that can often form the foundations of a new vision. That’s exactly what has happened with Jodie, and her new business, Collective Ripples, is set to become a movement we can all be a part of.

Some of the key ideas we discuss include

Don’t compare your challenges with anyone else’s. We all have our own journey.

The desire to create legacy can often grow after significant, life-changing experiences and the examples left by people we love and admire.

Be a great custodian of your energy – go gently, gently and gradually build your vision so it, and you, are sustained and sustainable

“Individually we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean”, is a quote to live by! We need not work alone, dream alone, take action alone.

"Whenever someone has asked me about the difference I wanted to make, for years I have joked “I want to change the world”. And that dream still exists. However, I recognise, that I can also change the world, by changing myself, and by helping individuals to change themselves along the way as well.

Self-doubt flares for me when I’m tired, or particularly busy with life, and don’t get to spend time with my vision for Collective Ripples. I am much more adept at recognising it these days, and so take a break. Do a meditation. Or spend time in nature. Then, I make sure that I set myself some really easily achievable small goals, so that I am able to recognise and celebrate my achievements and progress.

Women in our 40’s and beyond make fabulous entrepreneurs because we have lived. And we have lost. And through all of that, we are able to discern what is truly important.

What do you stand for?

It’s an important question to ponder.

Write your manifesto with an open heart and mind. Be curious. Explore what’s important to you, what you stand for, believe and want for your clients, and for the world.

Keep it private to inspire and motivate yourself or share it far and wide to inspire and motivate others, to create connection to begin conversations.

I’ve had a manifesto from another website up on my wall for quite some time. It feels rather fabulous to now have my own.

Show notes

What I believe

• Next Chapters are built on skinned knees, where breakdowns become breakthroughs…
• Allow yourself to be fully seen and put good things into the world. It’s through your story that others will find their path, and what a joy and a privilege that is.
• Everything you need is inside of you now. Search for it. Give yourself permission to shine.
• Self-belief is your superpower. Your worth is unquestionable. Stay connected to your truth and always speak to yourself with compassion and encouragement.
• Cultivate a circle of support. Surround yourself with people who are real and connect with them deeply through experience. Share with genuine vulnerability.
• Fear is only excitement without breathing. Take that breath and act confidently and with courage, even when it’s hard.
• Be generous. Be grateful. These are the currencies of connection and abundance.
• There is no ‘perfect’. There is no magic formula. There’s only the right way for you, which you’ll find through experience, failures and kindsight.
• Respond. Don’t react. Find the power of the pause and allow yourself time to grow. This is an evolution, not a revolution.
• Always stand for something bigger than your services. They are a reflection of your greater purpose and vision.
• Remember that growth doesn’t always mean bigger. It can mean deeper
• Create your own definition of success. Make meaning your mission, contribution your focus and fulfilment your reward. Know that profit is the result of the right action.
• Your business needs to serve you just as much as you serve your clients. Sustaining your energy and enthusiasm is the goal. 
• Step up and launch the ideas swirling in your head and your heart. Serve the people who need this now. They’re waiting…
• You’ve got this

Trained as a classical pianist in Music College in the UK in the 1980’s, Sarah was familiar with the demands of being on stage. Although she did experience performance anxiety, her determination initially allowed her to push through the stress. But the development of a significant skin disorder took the challenge of being seen to a whole new level and Sarah lost her nerve.

“Even after treatment had dramatically improved my skin, I still felt the audience was scrutinising me. I instinctively knew the only way out of this was to work on my public speaking, to address this fear. And so that’s where I placed my focus”.

Over time, Sarah’s amazing expansion was noticed by other professionals who began to ask “how did you do that?” and it became a natural move to begin to open to the entrepreneurial world. Today, Sarah continues to run a very successful Speaking Consultancy and helps an enormous number of people overcome their own fears and develop their skills and, in our conversation,, she shares many of the valuable insights that helped her with her gradual transition into a very different Next Chapter.

Show Notes

• You need to pursue that dream you have, even if it terrifies you! You’re likely to have so much regret if you don’t
• You may have to consciously rearrange your values to follow those dreams – Sarah originally valued safety and security, but she recognised those values were not going to help her step into her Next Chapter. Learning and Growth were also values, so she moved these ones to the top of her list!
• Fear is always a companion on this journey, so remind yourself, this is what you want and just take small, consistent steps. The confidence and self-belief will come and the compound effect of small actions is significant over time
• Keep your vision roomy, let go of expectations of exactly how it needs to look
• Open and turn to the Universe – it delivers…
• Too often us women don’t leap until we really believe we can do it – we need to trust ourselves more to take chances
• Public Speaking is all about connection with the audience – choose to turn towards the audience with your heart
• Breathe and ground yourself, tune into what the audience is feeling and saying
• Have a sense of clarity about your message but then let go – you are not just conveying information
• Curiosity is one of your great tools as a presenter

Each year I host “Review and Renew”, an online event all about looking back at the year that was, evaluating your tangible and emotional achievements and then getting clear and planning for the year. It’s a fabulous experience that provides you with confidence and clarity no matter what stage of business you are at.

 It’s coming up again next week and I’d want to make sure you have your invitation to join us! You can register at http://bit.ly/Review2019Plan2020 to join me for the live training and discussion calls, the thought-provoking workbooks and the Q&A’s and prompts in the Next Chapter Facebook Community.

Show Notes

• I'm a big believer in double planning - I really recommend that you take some time this side of Christmas to have a look back through your year and evaluate your results and then put some thought into what you want to create. Then put that aside, give yourself some breathing space and then come back for a review in early to mid-January. You’ll likely be surprised by the changes you then feel you want to make. Single session planning doesn’t allow this essential breathing space
• Please realise that when you review your year, the probability is that it will not look like you intended it to look at the beginning of the year. And that’s both ok and totally normal!
• I like to think of planning as providing light parameters, guidance for the year. Combine these intentions with wearing “glass blinkers” – these mean you’re focused, but you're also open to other possibilities. If you keep your vision front of mind and yet hold expectations of how you will get there lightly, you’ll have the expansive thinking that allows you to discern the differences between distractions and opportunities
• Consider your energy levels this year. How have they been? Is burnout lingering around the edges? Do you need to make changes in the way you work? Do you need to soften your goals? Do you need to get a little bit more realistic? There is a natural ebb and flow in our businesses - we can have a really hectic month or quarter, and then we need to breathe and have a more receptive, less hustle period as well. Do you allow this for yourself?
• We begin with reviewing your year, looking at the tangible and emotional achievements that you've had. What went well financially, and what lit you up emotionally? We need that combination in our businesses. How did you feel about delivering each service and product? Wildly enthused or somewhat like warm?
• We then move to looking at your Revenue “Pie”. Ask yourself, what financial contribution did each product and service make to your overall revenue? What changes need to be considered as a result?
• This leads to checking your “Success Gaps”. If a service line is not delivering as you anticipated, there may be a break in the chain at several points and it’s important to address the correct one. Is it a visibility issue? A marketing issue? Copy? Pricing? Is it that you need to work on your own confidence in sales conversations? Don’t throw out a product or service that you love and you can see a need for without understanding if it has been given every opportunity to succeed first.
• Your Offer Staircase is next – this is your product suite, the group of services and products and experiences and events that you offer to the market. As the staircase analogy suggests, people are moving up with you over time. They may begin with consuming some of your free items, or your low investment experiences as they get to know you and find resonance between their needs and your style. Over time they move into higher levels of intimacy and commitment with you, because what we're looking for is really to build long term relationships with clients, rather than have short term transactions with customers.
• Once these reflective foundations have been checked we

Post-Traumatic Stress is unfortunately, a term that many of us have heard about, but have you heard of it’s cousin, Post Traumatic Growth?

 In this episode, Diane Lang observes how most of us have a story that has led us to the field of helping, just as I believe that next Chapters are often built on skinned knees. Diane has first-hand experience of overcoming emotionally challenging circumstances and thriving as a result and bringing her lessons into her work in the field of positive psychology. She has dedicated her career to helping people turn their lives around and is on a mission to help us develop a sustainable positive attitude that will have sweeping benefits to both your business and your life.

Show Notes

• You can positively change from a traumatic event in your life – the growth comes after the healing
• You may experience circumstances out of your control, but you can also become a role model for others
• Our business and life experiences deliver so many ups and downs – and that’s how you develop empathy and emotional intelligence
• You can’t be happy every day! It’s far better to be self-aware and feel ALL your emotions – that’s where your growth and resilience comes from
• To grow, you need a support system with one key ingredient – unconditional love
• How do you build a Positivity Practice? With simple steps…
• If you feel blocked and struggling, don’t do the same old, same old. Explore something that provides flow for you – when you participate in something that combines challenge and passion you can forget your problems and new ideas arrive
• Get involved in sport and creativity pursuits – they will de-stress you
• Cultivate gratitude – over time it retrains your brain to go from negative to positive, and if you do it at night, it will also positively impact on the quality of your sleep because…. What you focus on grows
• Within a month you will feel the benefits in your business and your life!

We live and work in such a hyper-visible and connected online world today. The windows and front door to our competitor’s businesses are wide open to us through their websites and social media platforms. And so we can find ourselves visiting all too often, obsessing over what services and programs they’re offering, how many comments they’re getting on their blogs and FB Lives, how many people are in their groups, what marketing activities they’re implementing and so on and so on…

Occasionally these surreptitious forays can be positively affirming as you benchmark yourself.

But in my personal experience, and in hearing the stories of dozens of clients, it’s far more common that these forays see you tumbling headfirst into The Comparison Trap. It’s a place I’ve often fallen into and that’s why I’ve created a 4 step approach to escaping it, quickly!

Show Notes

• There is an endless number of people you could compare yourself, your business and your achievements too, and it’s all too easy to do so, even when you innocently believe you are just in “research mode”. That can be a slippery slope, with an inevitable sense of being on the losing side because there will always be someone who has done something that you wish you could have achieved or feel you should have accomplished by now.
• You’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg without the bulk of facts that underpin it. How do you know if that “incredible program” is actually selling? How do you know for sure that the owner of the website is happy and fulfilled with their work? How do you know if the “amazingly engaged” Facebook Group you’re lurking in is actually delivering new clients to the founder? How do you know that the pretty average looking course is not a huge profit producer?
• Even if the projected successes you’re seeing are true, are you actually comparing your business beginning with their mature middle? And is that the actual business that you want?
• Rather than comparing yourself with others, compare yourself with whom you were last week, last month, last year. Stay connected to your vision. Measure your progress. Create more than you consume.
• The Escape System brings in two modalities that I’ve found really useful – Acceptance Commitment Theory and the Emotional Freedom Technique.

1. Notice: Recognise the tension
2. Name: Identify the thoughts you are choosing to have and the emotions they are causing
3. Neutralise: Detach from the misbeliefs and release the emotions
4. Nourish: Take care of yourself with a self-compassion plan

•  In essence, the system is about awareness (notice and name) and action (neutralise and nourish).
•  A strong mindset is an essential part of being in business for yourself and
• The Escape System is just one way that I can help you as you discover, deepen and expand in Your Next Chapter. Book a Breakthrough Session with me to discover more!