Peeling Our Onion
I’m watching Ted Lasso (for the second time) and midway through the 2nd season. Keeley is gathering her strength for her upcoming Vanity Fair photoshoot.
Roy questions how she could possibly be nervous. He reminds her of all of the amazing and daring things she’s done in the past like jumping out of an airplane topless, eating a …
The Benefits of Releasing Our Vulnerability
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
I’m watching Ted Lasso (for the second time) and midway through the 2nd season. Keeley is gathering her strength for her upcoming Vanity Fair photo shoot.
Roy questions how she could possibly be nervous. He reminds her of all of the amazing and daring things she’s done in the past like jumping out of an airplane topless, eating a hamburger for a client’s advertisement.
“You can’t be more nervous than that?” Roy queries.
“This isn’t that. That was about how I looked. This is about me. They’ll ask me about my thoughts and my feelings, and my goals for the future. When people read this article they’re going to see me. See the real me,” Keeley nervously responds.
Vulnerability is a strong thread in that episode appearing in each character’s journey.
Do I. Don’t I? What will happen if I do? What happens if I don’t?
It’s natural and absolutely right to highlight our expertise and authority in our field, and frankly, I feel women tend to not shine theirs brightly enough.
But what happens when we peel back our own onion to reveal and release our vulnerability along side our strengths, to compliment them, and give them context?
I’ll tell you what happens… every single time… People Lean In.
Sure, you may shed a few tears in the process but that’s onion peeling, Honey. Comes with the territory.
People want to know you, they want to know your journey. There will be some who choose to use that vulnerability against you (Nate???) but more often than not, others will relate to it, appreciate the honesty, the vulnerability, and use it as a springboard of inspiration for themselves.
Release Your Vulnerability.
By releasing your vulnerability, and the ego you have carefully cocooned around it, you will expand your relatability and become more approachable. And damn it feels good too!
Know… Like… Trust, Baby!!
Question(s) of the Week:
Does your ‘About Story’ on your website and marketing include any of your struggles, your low points?
What feelings come up for you when you think about sharing the lows of your journey with your customers and clients?
Where do you feel those feelings in your body? Pay attention to that - it’s a clue as to what to focus on (voice, heart, etc).
What’s a vulnerability you could include in your ‘About Story’ today?
How can you blend it into your website, marketing, elevator speech?
Roy’s response to Keeley:
“The real you is fxxking amazing. Now the whole world is going to get to see that. You are Keeley Fxxking Jones, The Independent Woman. You’re gonna kill it.”
Get out there and kill it, Girl, by being ALL OF YOU!!
Best, Janet
PS: Live Your Light!!
“Greatest Growth In Our Darkest Days”
- Janet Hutchens
JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
Join our Brilliance Builders Alliance!
It’s FREE!
We meet every Thursday from 6-7:30pm EST on Zoom to discuss these questions and other women entrepreneurial topics!
JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
The Three Brains
In our Brilliance Builders Alliance call last week, a common thread presently itself - Getting out of our own way.
We all do it. It’s instinctual in fact, but there are ways to move beyond it.
Do this? Don’t do that? Should I? Shouldn’t I? What if? Ahhh… the endless …
Which one is holding you back?
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
In our Brilliance Builders Alliance call last week, a common thread presently itself - Getting out of our own way.
We all do it. It’s instinctual in fact, but there are ways to move beyond it.
Do this? Don’t do that? Should I? Shouldn’t I? What if? Ahhh… the endless mind games we play with ourselves as we creep into further and deeper self doubt. Man, it is exhausting!!
I have a little trick I use when Sally Self-Doubt appears to question me. And Yes, I actually gave her a name – we’re on a first name basis.
“Not right now, Sally! I appreciate your concern for my safety but not right now. I need to get out of my own way and out of my comfort zone. I’ll be fine. Everything will be fine.”
Years ago, I did a seminar on the Reptilian Brain and how to apply it to your Marketing. (Hmmm… may be time to do that seminar again!).
We have three brains in fact - the Thinking Brain, the Emotional Brain, and the Survival or Reptilian Brain.
The Reptilian Brain is the oldest and most basic part of our brain, concerned only with our survival and keeping us alive. It is responsible for our fight or flight reactions and biological drives like hunger and sex.
The Emotional Brain (limbic cortex) is responsible for emotional processing such as happiness, anger, love, hate, etc. Other animals possess the Emotional Brain, such as dogs and cats, that’s why they purr and snuggle up to us. In many ways, it is our Comfort Zone Brain.
Lastly, the Thinking Brain (neocortex) is the part of our brain that is responsible for logic and creativity and frankly makes us the dominant species on the earth. It takes up about 76% of our brain.
Why do we stay in our own way? What it is that is holding us back from living the life we dream of? When we know what we want, we actually know exactly what to do to accomplish it or at least who to ask to get started. Yet, time and time again, we hold ourselves back due to primal fears and old emotions.
This week, I am posing only one question (a statement really) for you to consider.
The catch… I’d like you to consider it in all of the areas of your life - Business, Family & Friends, Love & Relationships, Financial, Health & Well-Being, Time & Freedom.
As you release to expand, release your reptilian and emotional fears around survival and acceptance.
You are far stronger and capable than you believe, Girlfriend! And your brilliance is worth shining for all the world to see and benefit from!
Question of the Week:
Fill in the black - “I no longer want to feel _____________________.”
Have fun with it!!
And tell Sally I say Hi!
Best, Janet
PS: Live Your Light!!
“What if I fall?”
”Oh, but Darling, what if you fly!”
- Erin Hanson
JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
If you’d like to join our Brilliance Builders Alliance (BBA) just email me - janet@hutchensmedia.com
We meet on Zoom - Thursday Evenings from 6-7:30pm EST to discuss the Questions of the Week (and lots of other things too!)
Join Us!
Expanding
I went to North Carolina over the weekend for a wedding. It was beautiful and prefect in every aspect! The best part-just about everyone was up and dancing the whole time! Even the few wallflowers kept time with a tapping toe, knee, shoulder or head bob.
Earlier that day, a group of us ventured …
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
I went to North Carolina over the weekend for a wedding. It was beautiful and prefect in every aspect! The best part-just about everyone was up and dancing the whole time! Even the few wallflowers kept time with a tapping toe, knee, shoulder or head bob.
Earlier that day, a group of us ventured downtown to check out the local vibe. While some tested out the local bartender’s Bloody Mary’s, I bought his book instead, Hints 4 Happiness.
I asked him what his three words were.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Well, I have three words of how I want to live my best self, my best life. I even have them set as an alarm in my phone which goes off a few times a day to remind me, keep me on track. What do you think your three words are?” I asked him again.
It didn’t take him long.
“Would you like me to sign your book?” he asked.
“Absolutely!” I responded.
The girls finished up their Bloody’s and off we went. On the car ride back, I opened the book and read his message to me.
One of my favorite sayings is “Everything you’ve ever wanted is right outside your comfort zone.” Usually all that’s required to cross into the “Golden Zone of Possibility” is a tiny step, a baby step, however that gap between 'Here and There’ sometimes seems impossibly cavernous! Hmmm… how to cross over? Do I focus on the goal, the horizon or something else?
While reading the bartender’s book on the plane home, he talked about that gap and what has helped him to cross it. It wasn’t looking at the horizon and dreaming of what he wanted that pushed him over the edge, it was turning around and facing what he didn’t want. That proved to be a far stronger catalyst for him - what he no longer wanted in his life.
We both agree that the only way to move forward is to let go. It’s not about letting go of what makes you feel safe but what you no longer need or want. And our needs and wants do change as we age and grow.
To expand we must contract. To expand we must release. To expand greater we need to release deeper.
The theme for November is Expanding.
This week, let’s focus on what you no longer want in your life and business.
Question(s) of the Week:
When you started your business how did you envision it to be in three years? Be specific - income, employees, clients, location, etc.
What do you no longer need or want in that vision of your business?
What do you no longer want that is currently in your business? A demanding client, worry over the financials, a long commute, disorganized files?
What do you no longer need in your personal day-to-day life? A big car, an office space, coffee, a passive-aggressive friend?
What’s one thing you can let go of today? A physical thing, a task, a judgement about yourself (I’m not smart enough), a judgement about someone else (They won’t like me if I…)
Release to Expand. Just like breathing, the deeper you exhale, the more space you have to inhale and expand.
We are all works in progress in both life and business. The most successful and longest lasting companies in the world practice releasing and expanding regularly to stay relevant, clear, and growing.
What can you release to become clearer about what you want?
“Janet, I appreciate your question or statement involving 3 words. I’m working on my succinctness. My 3 words: Dance With (the) Universe!” - Mojaf (the bartender).
Best,
Janet
“To hold on is to suffer. To let go is to be free.”
- Laminita Saviuc
JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
If you’d like to join our Brilliance Builders Alliance (BBA) just email me - janet@hutchensmedia.com
We meet on Zoom - Thursday Evenings from 6-7:30pm EST to discuss the Questions of the Week (and lots of other things too!)
Join Us!
What do you want? Really want?
OMG! Where has the month gone? I can’t believe it’s almost July!
I know you’ve been doing a lot of cleaning and clearing of both physical and mental clutter. Now I have one more task to springboard you into next month’s theme-Clarity.
Lately everything I see and hear is asking me “What do you want?”
About 10 years ago, I went to an …
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
OMG! Where has the month gone? I can’t believe it’s almost July!
I know you’ve been doing a lot of cleaning and clearing of both physical and mental clutter. Now I have one more task to springboard you into next month’s theme-Clarity.
Lately everything I see and hear is asking me “What do you want?”
About 10 years ago, I went to an art gallery reception in Boston. I was drawn to these particular photographic works. There was a man standing nearby.
“Is this yours?” I asked. He nodded affirmatively.
“Where was this?”
“India,” he said. “I finally took the trip.”
“Why finally? What stopped you before?”
“Well, I was hit by a truck, but that wasn’t why I didn’t go. That’s why I finally went.”
Heck, who can turn away from a conversation like that!
“Tell me more,” I begged.
“I love photography. Always have, even as young kid. The whole idea of seeing something from a different eye, a different perspective, fascinated me. But I grew up in a very traditional New England family, a family of lawyers. The only path I was told was viable and sustainable was Law. So I gave up photography in college and went to Law School.
Then one day, out of the blue, as I was walking across State Street, I was literally hit by a truck.
As I lay there, going over my life, I told myself, ‘If I survive this, I will give up law and go back to photography.’
And that’s what I’ve done. I’m traveling the world now taking photographs and I couldn’t be happier and more fulfilled. You know, sometimes you just have to get hit by a truck to course-correct and regain your vision.”
The Question of the Week involves decluttering the voices from the past and zeroing in on what you want for your future.
It’s a three step process. Detaching what others want and need from you. Defining what you really want and then asking for it. And don’t wait-thinking things have to change for you to live the life you want. The only change necessary is in your thinking and belief in yourself. There is no time like the present. Everything can shift on a dime.
What messages have I been told about who and what to be?
Do I want that for myself or something else?
What do I really want my life to look and feel like 3 months from now?
Here’s something I use to help me forecast my future and tap into what I really want - I have a conversation with my future self and ask her what she really wants.
By asking her instead of myself, it removes a lot of the stigma of what I think I can have, and more so, what I think I can’t have.
I usually use mediation but honestly you can have the conversation anywhere - on a walk down the road taking to the trees, writing in your journal, driving your car. Being with yourself is what really matters so you’re not hindered by another’s presence.
I hope you have fun with this. Life is truly meant to be fun, not hard, not sad, not full of worry. There are no right or wrong questions or answers to anything. Just ask away - your future self knows what she wants and needs to be happy.
Oh, and that beautiful photograph that man took - it’s the one above in this post.
Each time I look at it, it simultaneously grounds me into my purpose and catapults me into possibility.
Best,
Janet
“I honor my self-worth by asking for what I want.”
- Anonymous
If you’d like to join the BBA conversation just email me - janet@hutchensmedia.com
We meet on Zoom - Thursdays at 6-7:30pm EST.
Tuesdays at 9am and Noon are also options - let me know if that’s better for you.
Pivoting Pet Peeves
This past weekend I was having a conversation with a friend about pet peeves
“You know what drives me crazy?” I expressed
“Men who …
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
This past weekend I was having a conversation with a friend about pet peeves
“You know what drives me crazy?” I expressed
“Men who wear socks with sandals?” she asked
“Yes, yes of course, that’s huge and so completely wrong. But what really bothers me is people who don’t get back to me. And I’m not talking immediately, but in days. People who don’t respond to emails, texts or calls. I know I too fall short but there’s something about it that really, really bothers me.”
So I decided to do some unpacking of my biggest pet peeve. I looked at the feelings that come up around it and it led me directly back to my childhood.
As the youngest of six, I often felt invisible. For years, I joked about how there were no baby pictures of me unless it was a group shot but the truth is that I often felt unheard, unvalued, and unloved. It was no one’s intention and there was plenty of love in my family. It just can happen in big, active families. So much to do and so little time.
Clearing out the cobwebs of those feelings has allowed me to shed light on new perspectives, how I may have allowed those pet peeves to jade my view of the actual situation and hold myself back in business by deflecting responsibility. It’s also allowed me to explore new ways to communicate effectively so I do feel heard and valued.
In this Question(s) of The Week, you’ll be taking an honest look at your pet peeves in order to declutter and detach some of those old cobwebs.
What is your top pet peeve?
Does it show up in your business life as well as your personal life?
How does it hold you back and/or jade your perspective and actions?
What will you do to unpack and declutter your feelings around your pet peeves?
Full disclosure: I held back on writing this eblast/blog for fear of it being too personal and not seeming relevant to business. However, as I thought more about it, I reminded myself how completely intertwined our personal and business lives. There is no separation.
Decluttering of things, emotions, feelings, judgements, and more always sheds light and opens space for new and better, for progress.
Pivot your pet peeves… from feeling peaved to positive and productive!
Happy cobweb clearing!
Best,
Janet
_____________________________________________________
If you’d like to join the BBA conversation just email me - janet@hutchensmedia.com
We meet on Zoom - Thursdays at 6-7:30pm EST.
Tuesdays at 9am and Noon are also options - let me know if that’s better for you.
“Anything I cannot transform into something marvelous, I let go.”
- Anais Nin
No Mess - No Stress
In India, it is believed that the Goddess Lakshmi only steps inside if your home is clean. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity.
In China, it is believed that good luck enters through the …
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
In India, it is believed that the Goddess Lakshmi only steps inside if your home is clean. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity.
In China, it is believed that good luck enters through the front door of your home so each morning the women sweep away any negative energy from the threshold to open space for abundance and good fortune to enter unhindered.
The simple act of sweeping each morning not only prepares for the new day but also amplifies the importance of letting go of the past to welcome the present.
As we sweep and clear the energy of our space, we are also clearing our own energy systems - emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually, creating space that feels clean, clear, and open.
Making sweeping part of your daily ritual tunes one into the continuing cycle of releasing the old and welcoming the new that is the hallmark of a healthy energy system. One only needs to look at nature to see how true that is.
Be sure to think welcoming thoughts as you sweep, intentionally manifesting what you want to come to you. You’ll be astounded by what will flow into your clean open space that will enrich you and your life.
The theme for June is Clearing Clutter - out with the old and in with the new!
Girl, if you really want that new car you absolutely have to get that old junker out of the garage first to open up the space for the new one!
Ok, let’s get to it.
Grab your broom, fellow Sorceress, and let’s start cleaning and clearing!
And when you’re done you can take that broom for ride ;)
The question(s) of the week involve a few action steps as well.
Let’s start with a Treasure Hunt!
Loose Change - Go through your purse, wallet, coat pockets, the junk drawer, under the couch cushions, under the couch, under the seats of your car, EVERYWHERE! and gather up every bit of loose change you can find. Put it all in a ziplock bag and take it to bank. Deposit it into your savings account not your checking account.
Gift Cards and Gift Certificates - Gather up any and all you can find. In the next week, use them, cash them in, or gift them to someone else.
A few questions:
How much did the change total to?
Are you surprised by the amount?
Now that you have this additional cash what will you do with it?
If you spend it will it be on you or someone else?
How does it feel to not only find that money but also to clean out those spaces?
Now that you feel lighter and richer, think about what else you can declutter.
Here a few ideas to get you started:
Declutter your calendar (an obligation or appointment you want to decline)
Stop old subscriptions or software you’re not using (or downgrade the service)
Plug up boundary leaks where you’re working for free or too long for too little
Your inbox - delete old emails; unsubscribe to emails you don’t read
Delete apps on your phone you’re not using
Your workspace - distractions are stressful and slow you down
Your file cabinet - old client files especially if they were PITA’s (pain-in-the-ass)
Your underwear drawer
I’d love to hear what you decluttered and how it made you feel! Just respond to this email.
You’ve heard me talk about opening channels of abundance.
Clearing the clutter is one of the best and fastest ways to remove the money blocks you’ve likely unconsciously placed in your way. And it’s something to do on a regular basis.
Let your River of Abundance flow, Girlfriend.
Happy Clearing and Cleaning!
Best,
Janet
_____________________________________________________
If you’d like to join the BBA conversation just email me - janet@hutchensmedia.com
We meet on Zoom - Thursdays at 6-7:30pm EST.
Tuesdays at 9am and Noon are also options - let me know if that’s better for you.
““Outer order contributes to inner calm”.”
- Gretchen Ruben
The Cracks in Your Ceiling
Kintsugi, meaning ‘golden seams’, is the Japanese art of repairing ceramics with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, leaving a gold seam where the cracks were.
The practice of Kintsugi highlights and emphasizes …
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Kintsugi, meaning ‘golden seams’, is the Japanese art of repairing ceramics with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, leaving a gold seam where the cracks were.
The practice of Kintsugi highlights and emphasizes imperfections, visualizing mends and seams as an additive and an area to celebrate and focus on.
Modern artists and designers experiment with the ancient technique as a means of analyzing the idea of loss, synthesis, and improvement through destruction and repair or rebirth.
Ok, we’ve all been through our fair share of shite and I’m willing to guess that the majority of us, myself very much included, have done our best to hide it, suppress it, gloss it over rather than highlight it.
Now is the time to leverage your cracks, your experience, your failures, your growth, your wisdom.
“Greatest growth in your darkest days.”
Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones.
But no. Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal.
A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts, Mead said. We are at our best when we serve others. [Credit: Ira Byock]
I am staunchly tied to the belief that the only reason we are here is to help one another. No more, no less - simply here to help one another.
To help is the purest purpose of all humans. The purest form of help is to share our wisdom along with the cracks that led to it. Our wisdom is the gold that joins our pieces stronger.
The Question(s) of the Week are about Leveraging your Wisdom.
What are two ways you consider yourself to be wise, exclusive of your academic training?
Ask three people close to you what they consider your greatest wisdom(s) to be.
What was the lesson(s) you learned from your most painful setback in your life?
What’s one way you can share those insights to benefit your clients and prospects in the next week?
Share your brilliance and light!
It matters more than you realize.
Best,
Janet
_____________________________________________________
If you’d like to join the BBA conversation just email me - janet@hutchensmedia.com
We meet on Zoom - Thursdays at 6-7:30pm EST.
Tuesdays at 9am and Noon are also options - let me know if that’s better for you.
“There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.”
- Leonard Cohen
Crayons, Quitters, and Doors
One of my clients went to a conference this weekend and as she put, “Took some brave steps.”
She gathered her gumption, stretched into possibility, took action, and as a result opened opportunities.
There was a door, a literal door, with …
Oh My!
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
One of my clients went to a conference this weekend and as she put, “Took some brave steps.”
She gathered her gumption, stretched into possibility, took action, and as a result opened opportunities.
There was a door, a literal door, with ‘Writing Workshop’ taped to it. As nervous as she was, she choose to open it, walk in, and accept the opportunity.
I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I held back from walking through a door of opportunity and instead stared at it hoping, wishing, wanting it to open.
You know the one - it’s that door that you think “should” and “could” be the path to a brighter, better, and more profitable future. Yet there it is - still closed and you’re still staring at it. Hmmm…
What are you waiting for? What are you waiting to happen?
For the door to open itself?
To be invited inside?
To be told,“We’re so glad you’re here. We’ve been waiting for you.” ?
Here’s a hard cold fact I ran across this weekend while reading an article about women and confidence.
Women tend to be quitters. Seems harsh but sadly it’s true.
Girls are 80% more likely to quit a sports or team during middle and high school than boys are. And the percentages don’t change much as we age either. Oh, we do get savvier but only to simply take even less chances.
Why do we quit?
It’s a combination of both nature and nurture that lead women down this path of least resistance and holds us back from unabashedly opening doors.
NATURE: While men and women’s brains are primarily the same, certain areas are different. In particular, the hippocampus which regulates learning, memory encoding, and memory consolidation. It’s larger in women and as such our memories are pretty darn good.
However, that also means it’s harder for us to forget both good feelings and bad feelings so we instinctually minimize risk by staying on the safe path to approval.
Boys on the other hand do forget (well, that explains a lot!). When boys say nasty things to each other, they can more easily let it roll off of them.
NURTURE: Girls social skills develop earlier than boys. We learn at an early age that being good receives approval which we associate with love. As a result, we limit risky behavior to be loved. Boys rough and tumble risk-taking behavior however is not only tolerated it’s rewarded and celebrated.
Boys learn that failing is a natural path to winning whereas girls learn that pleasing is a natural path to being loved.
We quit because we want to be liked and loved. We quit before we can fail.
And so we continue politely and quietly staring at those closed doors, waiting and hoping for them to open rather than getting up and opening them ourselves.
A woman at one of my MasterMeals revealed that her secret to confidence and resilience comes from being a lifelong athlete as it taught her more about failing then it did about winning.
The question of the week is about Leveraging Opportunities.
What doors are you going to open today?
I know you have a person or persons you want to connect to. Will you just request a connect on LinkedIn or are you going to take that extra step and write a personal note? Or better yet, will you set up a Zoom meeting, a coffee, a lunch?
What doors are you going to finally walk away from?
There are doors you have been staring at for way too long - the ones you “hope” will be it. Hope doesn’t make things happen only action does. Either open the door or walk away. Chances are there’s a better door right behind you.
What doors are you going to build yourself so you can open them?
Remember Harold and the Purple Crayon? Well, just like Harold you can draw yourself a door and open it! I’m betting there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, to try. Want to be a writer, pick up a pen. Want to be a speaker, start talking. Want to be a painter, grap some paint. Just do it, if for no one else but yourself!
The conclusion of that article I referenced earlier, The Confidence Gap, is that while both nature and nurture adversely affect a woman’s level of confidence, we can still get in the game and make solid strides.
Confidence is a game, an internal head game, which (you will remember because you’re a women) is one of our strong suits - the head game thing.
By recognizing our thoughts, understanding them from a different perspective, and having mini-touchdowns, as I call them, we can rewire our brain and leverage those thoughts to our advantage.
“Confidence is the factor that turns thoughts into judgments about what we are capable of, and that then transforms those judgments into action.
Confidence is a belief in one’s ability to succeed, a belief that stimulates action. In turn, taking action bolsters one’s belief in one’s ability to succeed. So confidence accumulates—through hard work, through success, and even through failure.”*
* The Confidence Gap by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman. The Atlantic.
Confidence is built and improved by taking action.
Opening your opportunity abundance channels happen when YOU take action - not by waiting for someone or something to find you and open the doors for you.
Get in the game Girl!
Take some brave steps towards those doors and let’s swing ‘em open!
Best,
Janet
_____________________________________________________
If you’d like to join the BBA conversation just email me - janet@hutchensmedia.com
We meet on Zoom - Thursdays at 6-7:30pm EST.
Tuesdays at 9am and Noon are also options - let me know if that’s better for you.
“You don’t have to be great to start,
but you do have to start to be great.”
- Zig Ziglar
I can see you! Or can I?
At last week’s Lady-Preneur MasterMeal, one woman shared some exciting news! She’s moving her business down from her second story location to a street level space.
“Oh, wow! That’ll be great visibility!” I excitedly remarked. She agreed but I detected …
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
At last week’s Lady-Preneur MasterMeal, one woman shared some exciting news! She’s moving her business down from her second story location to a street level space.
“Oh, wow! That’ll be great visibility!” I excitedly remarked. She agreed but I detected a slight apprehension.
I asked her if she would have been ready for this move three years ago.
“Oh no, not at all. I’ve had to remind myself often that it’s OK to be visible.”
Visibility … funny thing isn’t it.
We want it; we don’t want it; we want it only in certain areas of our life while other areas stay hidden and private. We place so many conditions on it.
But are those conditions actually our limiting thoughts and blocks of abundance?
The reality is… if you stay in the dark you’ll never be seen.
For some that’s just fine. But if you’re truly committed to sharing and shining your light and brilliance in the world then… I’m just going to say it… you just have to stop being so damn selfish!
Yup, that’s exactly what it is! Being selfish! Selfish and greedy with all those gems you possess - your phenomenal knowledge, experience, insight, wisdom, and heck… your all-around girl chutzpah!
People, other women, need your brilliance!!
“OH NO! Do I have to do videos now?!?!” you cringe.
Not necessarily, although video is very powerful.
In fact…. and don’t freak out… you’re already more visible than you may realize.
Let’s just leverage what you have for starters. That may be all you need to level up and attract more of your ideal clients.
Last week, we leveraged why your ideal clients buy and what turns them off based on their (and your) money personalities.
Continuing with those insights you discovered from last week…
Here are this Week’s Questions:
Identify 3 ways you can you leverage your visibility…
On your website
Can people easily contact you? (Should be in the top fold of your website)
Is your message clear?
Are you talking your ideal client’s language?
Do your images reflect your ideal client (they need to see themselves)
Does your branding (colors, fonts, layout) reflect your ideal client
In your Social Media Channels
How consistent are you in your posts?
How frequent are you in your posts?
Is the message and branding consistent?
Is there a CTA in each post? And where does it go?
In your Community / Locally
Are you going to Local Chamber/Biz Groups events
Do you volunteer?
Do you bring your business cards? (Do you even have business cards?)
To your Near & Dear’s (FYI - that’s your email list)
How often do you send Eblasts?
Are they consistent?
Are there 2+ CTA’s in each (it’s OK if they link to the same destination)
One more Question and it’s the important one!
What’s holding you back from being more visible? (I have a quiz for this one ;
What’s Holding You Back Quiz - defines the 5 Primary Fears
Do you see a pattern as you identify the three things in Questions 1-4?
It’s likely connected to your answer to the last question.
It also likely related to the challenges you identified in your money personalities? Hmmm… Food for Thought!
I love food for thought!
AH HA! Maybe that’s why I started those MasterMeal dinners?!?
Keep Leveraging Sweet Brilliant Ladies!
Live Your Light and… please, please, please Share & Shine it!!
Best,
Janet
_____________________________________________________
FREE Money Personality Quiz - 8 minutes tops ;)
_____________________________________________________
If you’d like to join the BBA conversation just email me - janet@hutchensmedia.com
We meet on Zoom - Thursdays at 6-7:30pm EST.
Tuesdays at 9am and Noon are also options - let me know if that’s better for you.
“You never lose by loving.
You always lose by holding back.”
- Barbara De Angelis
SMarketing… Like a Lady
Continuing with this month’s theme of Leveraging, I’m going to dive into a subject many get squirmy about and frankly do their damndest to avoid.
Oh, they’ll pretend they have it all figured out but honestly, most rarely go …
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Happy Monday!
Continuing with this month’s theme of Leveraging, I’m going to dive into a subject many get squirmy about and frankly do their damndest to avoid.
Oh, they’ll pretend they have it all figured out but honestly, most rarely go as deep and specific as they could and should.
Are you ready? OK… Here is it!
The Question of the Week is about Leveraging your Ideal Client Profiles.
[YOU SPEAKING] “Hmmm…. Ideal Client profiles? Sure, I know exactly what mine are. They’re people who are motivated, have the money to spend, and see value in my work.”
Girl, if I had a dime for everyone who told me that, I’d own a bank and closets full of shoes!
The reality is that everyone wants clients who are committed, have money to purchase your goods and services, and value what you do. Everyone wants that but those are the results of having specific and targeted ideal client profiles.
Often, ideal client profiles focus only on the outer elements, demographics like location, age, income level, interests, pain points, etc.
But what they’re really about is YOU!
Who YOU REALLY want to work with… and not the other way around.
You want to work with people you have a connection with and can communicate with naturally and easily. That’s when doing your work is effortless, rewarding, and FUN!
We’ve all had clients that were a struggle and 99.999% of the time it has to do with poor communication. They didn’t understand you and you didn’t understand them. It’s no one’s fault. You both speak the King’s English fluently but you just didn’t speak the same language.
Here’s my big secret to not only nailing your ideal client profiles but also leveraging your marketing to them.
Know why they buy.
I’m not talking about outer level pain points, which are important to identify. I’m talking about the finer inner details of why someone buys and what stops them. It honestly can be as simple as the font you’re using and it’s all tied to their inner money motivations.
You may have clearly defined and niched down the specifics of your ideal clients however until you’ve identified why and how they buy and use the right language, images, and style in your marketing to them, you won’t reach them. You’ll just be marketing generically and when you try to talk to everyone you talk to no one.
Since the people you want to work with are kinda like you and communicate like you, by knowing your money motivations, i.e. why you buy, you can determine the finer details of why and how they buy.
If you haven’t taken the Money Personality Quiz now’s the perfect time!
It’ll give you all the clues you need to start niching down and leveraging your ideal client marketing to be on target and attract the clients YOU want to work with! Your new BFF’s!
[TIP: Your top 3 personalities are the most important to pay attention to.]
So here are the Question(s) of the Week:
What draws you to buy something? (style, language, images, etc)
What turns you off from buying?
What are three elements you can improve in your marketing this week?
Happy Leveraging Lady!
Niche Down to Profit Up!
Best,
Janet
If you’d like to join the BBA conversation just email me - janet@hutchensmedia.com
We meet on Zoom - Thursdays at 6-7:30pm EST.
Tuesdays at 9am and Noon are also options - let me know if that’s better for you.
“As you become more clear about who you really are,
you'll be better able to decide what is best for you,
the first time around.”
- Oprah Winfrey
Strengths, Superwoman, and Springsteen
Spring is on its way!!
My theme for May is all about Leveraging! And with that come some other cool things, like Spring Cleaning! Yes, the house but also of the mind, your marketing, your brand, your website, and more!
This week’s Question of the Week is about …
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Happy May!
Spring is on its way!!
My theme for May is all about Leveraging! And with that come some other cool things, like Spring Cleaning! Yes, the house but also of the mind, your marketing, your brand, your website, and more!
Why are these the big sticky points for so many of us?
I believe it has to do with us forgetting what our innate strengths are and that we can tap into them anytime to level our confidence and sense of worth. Equally important, arguably more important, are our weaknesses which we may have resisted identifying or even admitting. Heck, us Perfectionists are going to admit we have any weaknesses!
Admitting and releasing my perfectionism was HUGE for me! Sure, I can do a lot but do I really want to do all that stuff? Heck No! It felt so good to finally admit, release and delegate things! Besides, I realized I was also allowing someone else’s strengths to shine although to me they were weaknesses.
So here’s the Question(s) of the Week:
Do you know what your innate strengths are?
Do you know what your weaknesses are?
How can you leverage your strengths this week?
How can you delegate your weaknesses this week?
If you’re not sure about your strengths or weaknesses, ask a close friend or colleague. You’ll be surprised by their insights. You can also take my quick money personality quiz. Don’t worry, it’s not painful and there are no bad personalities. All of them are great and wonderful just like you!
You see, while the quiz may focus on money, it’s really about how you do everything. That’s because how you do money is also how you do relationships, business, health, play, exercise, everything! You’ll learn some cool things about yourself, I promise.
Sunday I watched an interview with Bruce Springsteen. He said something I just can’t get out of my head. “You can not succeed yourself out of pain.”
Lots of people become successful financially but still feel stuck and unhappy in their lives. It reminded me of the importance of self-awareness, growth, learning, sharing, openness, community, connection… Hell, the simple act of a word, a touch, a thank you, a nod, a smile.
Ladies, even Superwoman and Wonderwoman had their weaknesses. Yet what made them truly powerful and impactful was their ability to recognize and leverage both - their strengths and weaknesses!
Take the FREE Money Personality Quiz - 8 minutes tops ;)
Live Your Light!!
Best,
Janet
If you’d like to join the BBA conversation just email me - janet@hutchensmedia.com
We meet on Zoom - Thursdays at 6-7:30pm EST.
Tuesdays at 9am and Noon are also options - let me know if that’s better for you.
“You can't think caterpillar thoughts and live a butterfly life.
Spread your wings and soar."
- Kimberly Harrell
Masters, Amateurs, and 40 Years
The Question of the Week is a regular thing in my Brilliance Builders Alliance groups. I pose a question at the beginning of each week which we discuss during our Zoom calls. The conversations are truly amazing and impactful!
Questions range from …
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
The Question of the Week is a regular thing in my Brilliance Builders Alliance groups.
I pose a question at the beginning of each week which we discuss during our Zoom calls. The conversations are truly amazing and impactful!
Questions range from marketing, money, mindset, women in business, pricing, community, all sorts of things. What’s really amazing is what those conversations morph into.
Lucky you! Welcome to the conversation! Now I’ll be sharing the Question of the Week with you each week too!
This week’s question starts with a statement that I recently ran across - ’Don’t wait to do something.’
I have a bunch of passions. One of them is golf. Two weekends ago was The Masters tournament in which both amateurs and pros can participate. Rarely does an amateur qualify to play in the last four days. This year however, Sam Bennett, a 23 college kid, was the exception and gave all those veteran pros a real run for their money. He placed 3rd going into Saturday!!
Sam has a tattoo on his left forearm. It’s the very last words his Dad was ever able to write having been stricken with early onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 45. His Dad passed in 2020.
“Don’t wait to do something.”
Painting is one of my others passions.
Last week, I heard that two paintings I had submitted to a show at AVA Gallery, a local gallery here in Cow Hampshire, sold! The same person bought them - I love that - they belonged together.
This was my first art show in 40 years! 40 years! My last one was in 1983, just 2 years out of college, at Boston City Hall.
Then life got in the way - I got married, had 4 kids, got divorced, raised 4 kids as a single mom, created a business to survive and rarely took a moment to focus on me.
Now I make and take time for myself, painting and golfing, semi-free of guilt (still working on that).
The question of the week is for anyone who has ever doubted and/or set aside their passions, as I had for over 40 years.
Do not wait to do something any longer! PLEASE!!
So let me ask you….
What have you been waiting to do?
Why haven’t you done it i.e. what have been your excuses?
When are you going to do it?
If you’d like to join the BBA conversation just email me - janet@hutchensmedia.com
We meet on Zoom - Thursdays at 6-7:30pm EST.
Tuesdays at 9am and Noon are also options - let me know if that’s better for you.
Live Your Light!!
Best,
Janet
“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that?
We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves.
We must believe that we are gifted for something
and that this thing must be attained.”
- Marie Curie
Mastering Feedback
I had a conversation with a friend a few weeks back. It started out around Einstein’s quote, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.”
She had heard it lots of times in the past but this time it really hit her. Her new job was …
The Art of Asking & Receiving
I had a conversation with a friend a few weeks back.
It started out around Einstein’s quote, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.”
She had heard it lots of times in the past but this time it really hit her. Her new job was exactly the same as the previous one. The only difference she realized was that she was actually making less pay in the end.
“What makes it the same?” I asked.
“It’s the same thing. I work hard and do a really conscientious job but I never know how I’m doing in their eyes. No one ever tells me.” She lamented.
Her complaint was not new. It was the same complaint everywhere she worked as far back as I could remember.
“Looking back, how often did you ask for feedback instead of waiting for them to tell you?” I asked.
“Oh, I don’t think I should need to ask. It’s just common courtesy, isn’t it, to offer words of appreciation and encouragement to the people who work for you?” she replied.
I immediately thought of Gary Chapman’s book, The Five Love Languages. Gary condensed our needs for connection and love into five actions. Some are more important to us than others. He believes, and so do I, that once we know what matters to someone we can improve our relationships with them. It’s also vital for us voice what matters to us.
Here are the five love languages:
Words of Affirmation
Physical Touch
Receiving and Giving Gifts
Quality Time
Acts of Service
“It may be a common courtesy for you,” I offered, “but obviously not to them. It’s just not one of their love languages.”
I continued, “So if the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results, what’s one thing YOU can change?”
She knew about the Five Love Languages. I had told her about it a year ago and she took the quiz. Her number one love language was Words of Affirmation by a large margin.
As she pondered what she could change, I offered up a suggestion.
“How about you just ask them how you’re doing instead of waiting for them to say something? Be proactive. It obviously bothers you so take control of the conversation. Just say, ‘Hey, I’m just checking in to see how I’m doing. Is there anything I could improve upon?’ Make is casual.”
I saw her freeze. “Oh, I don’t know.”
“What are you afraid of? The asking or the receiving?” I questioned her.
Feedback is vital to us humans, we are a social species. We need to know how we are doing to feel safe and valued in our tribes, both personally and in business.
When I ask clients to get testimonials from their customers to use in their marketing I often hear excuses like “I don’t want to bother them” or “They’re not the type of people who do that.” Even, “But what if they don’t want to or give me a bad review?”
You can’t improve what you don’t know. We are all a work in progress. Learning how to ask, but more importantly how to receive, keeps us moving forward, growing and progressing. It’s a simple action that can shift Einstein’s theory of insanity into insight. And with insight doors open and opportunities appear. Instead of wondering why, find out why.
What’s one bit of feedback can you ask for today?
Who will you ask?
How will it feel when you hear their answer?
What will you do with their answer?
Don’t forget to say ‘Thank You’ ;)
3 simply ways to start gathering feedback:
Ask your clients for testimonials (People love being asked for their opinion)
Send out a Survey (Mailchimp has a function for that - easy-peasey)
Allow comments and reviews on your website and social media channels (Yes, you will need to monitor them but you should be actively involved with your media anyway)
If you never taken the Five Love Languages quiz or it was a while ago, I highly recommend it. The insights you will gain can be applied to all of your relationships - personal and business . Here’s the link: https://5lovelanguages.com/learn
The most successful, fulfilling, and longest lasting businesses are laser focused on relationships and building community. Relationships require open and on-going communication. Gather feedback - it’s like money in the bank.
So how is your relationship with money?
I ask because how you do money is how you do everything. Do you know what your Money Language is?
You have one and it’s likely your Money Language is connected to your Love Language.
Are you a Maverick, a Nurturer, a Connector, a Celebrity, an Accumulator, Alchemist, a Romantic?
Find out. Take the Free Money Personality Quiz: https://www.buildingtobrilliance.com/masteryourmoney-quiz
Shine on Lovely Lady!! Keep growing, keep learning! Your brilliance is showing :)
Best,
Janet
“A lot of people are afraid to say what they want.
That’s why they don’t get what they want.”
- Madonna
A Woman’s #1 Self-Sabotage
When I first started out in business I made a classic mistake. One that would cost me dearly for over a decade in both money, time, and energy. And worst of all, I kept doing it!
It’s extremely common when you’re …
When I first started out in business I made a classic mistake. One that would cost me dearly for over a decade in both money, time, and energy. And worst of all, I kept doing it!
It’s extremely common when you’re starting out and it can creep back in even when you think you have it licked.
What was it?
Well, it was actually a combination of three common mistakes - each one leading and feeding into the other. Looking back, it was a bad loop I continued to allow to play out and all because I questioned my worth. The more I allowed it to continue the more I questioned my value and worth. It was a vicious cycle yet completely preventable.
I was speaking with a client this week who recently relocated and there it was - that nasty self-sabotage again. She was wondering if she should lower her pricing.
The #1 business self-sabotage for women is Pricing.
She had looked around and it seemed that people charged less than her. Not people doing the same thing as her, but people in general offering services.
We explored why she felt this way.
Was it because she was new to the area and wanted to fit in and please others?
Was she taking on others money blocks?
Was she questioning her worth and value?
Turns out it was a combination of all three.
I encouraged her to stick with her current pricing, get to know the people and area better before making assumptions about what they value.
“Stand proudly in your worth and value. You know how much you bring to your work and the benefit it brings others.”
Truth be told, you don’t want to work with anyone who doesn't see value in what you do. It’s not only a waste of your time, it’s waste of theirs too.
If people really want to work with you they will find a way, they always do.
Once I let go of that vicious cycle of self-sabotage and stepped confidently into my worth everything changed for the better. The right people showed up with the right mindset, focus, and dedication. Even more importantly, we’ve established long-lasting relationships.
So... what were the 3 common mistakes I was making?
#2, #3, and #5.
Check them out.
They’re in my ebook - The 5 Biggest Pricing Mistakes Women Make.
Enjoy!
Best,
Janet
“"Elevate Your Worth by Believing in Your Wisdom and
Watch your Wealth Rise
Magically!””
- Janet Hutchens
Your Ikigai & Your 3 Legged Stool
I know, I know… it sounds kinda ‘icky’ but really it isn’t. It’s frigging amazing!
Ikigia is a Japanese concept I use in my Discover Your Brilliance Course and when working with clients on everything from …
Iki… What??
I know, I know… it sounds kinda ‘icky’ but really it isn’t. It’s frigging amazing!
Ikigia is a Japanese concept I use in my Discover Your Brilliance Course and when working with clients on everything from branding to marketing. Even with money blocks and sabotages.
It’s about bringing together the 4 essential elements for success - your talents, your passion, your mission, and your worth.
And when I say success, I’m talking in business, in life, in love, in health, in community, in… everything!!
'Iki' in Japanese mean 'life' and ‘gai’ describes value or worth. Your Ikigai is your reason for being, your life purpose, your bliss, what lights you up. It's what brings you joy and inspires you to get out of bed everyday.
My mission is to inspire one million women leap out of bed each morning, excited and charged up to share their brilliance with the world.
Ikigai is what I’m talking about!
Your Ikigai is the convergence of four elements:
What you love - your passion
What you’re good at - your talents (BTW - your talents can be vastly different from your passion)
What the world needs - your mission
What you can be paid for - your value & worth
Those who have all four figured out and in balance will live and lead a joyful, meaningful, abundant and fulfilled life.
But wait! There’s more!
To gain and maintain a healthy Ikigai there are 10 daily actions to follow:
Stay active
Don't retire
Take it slow
Get in shape
Live in the moment
Reconnect with nature
Smile
Surround yourself with good friends
Give thanks
Follow your Ikigai
What’s a 3 Legged Stool got to do with it?
If you’re unsure about what your passion, talents, and mission are, that’s where my 3 Legged Stool tool comes in handy. By answering 3 essential questions you can keep your Ikigai in balance. Those answers are the legs of your 3 Legged Stool.
When your business feels out of balance, like a wobbly 3 Legged Stool, look to your answers and remind yourself why you do what you do. Then make the necessary adjustments to get back in balance. Business is not so much staying on track as it is staying in balance.
Here are the 3 questions:
What’s your All About You Why?
What’s your Emotional Why?
What’s your All About Them Why?
Ponder these. Canoodle on them. Even meditate on them. They are essential to staying in balance and in abundance - both in business and in life.
As women entrepreneurs we spend so much time on our business - doing, thinking, dreaming. It should be completely enjoyable, fulfilling, fun, exciting, inspiring and profitable. It should light us up!
Best, Janet
“Get your Ikigai in shape!
Change Your World to Change The World!”
- Janet Hutchens
What’s a Mastermind?
I get this question enough that it's really worth discussing... and you should care... you should always care :)
A mastermind group is a small group of like-minded achievers who understand the value of sharing and …
No time to read right now? Click below to listen to this blog.
And Why Should I Care?
I get this question enough that it's really worth discussing... and you should care... you should always care :)
A mastermind group is a small group of like-minded achievers who understand the value of sharing and crowdsourcing ideas, wins and challenges.
It’s different from having a mentor or a coach because there is no one person looked to for solutions. The facilitator does not coach the individuals but rather moderates the discussion. Members challenge each other to set strong goals, and more importantly, to accomplish them. The members act as catalysts for growth, devil’s advocates and supportive colleagues.
Mastermind Groups are Nothing New
Andrew Carnegie, the billionaire steel tycoon, credited his entire fortune to his mastermind group. Napoleon Hill introduced the concept of the “master mind alliance” in his 1920’s book The Law of Success, and expanded on it in his 1930s book, Think And Grow Rich. - both worth a read! Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone had their own small mastermind group and one of the most famous mastermind groups of all time was The Inklings, an authors’ group with members like C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Owen Barfield.
What are the Benefits of a Mastermind Group?
While Masterminds offer a combination of brainstorming, education, peer accountability, validation, empowerment, and support the true value of being in a Mastermind ultimately depends on you.
Are you willing to:
Be completely honest, humble and realistic about where you are and what you could be doing better?
Set solid goals and actively reach for them?
Be accountable?
Accept constructive ideas and feedback?
Should competitors be in my Mastermind?
Should I join an industry-focused Mastermind?
I am a big believer and doer in thinking abundantly not from a sense of lack, therefore it doesn’t concern me to have what some may view as competitors. Everyone is different, and everyone has their own talents and brilliance. Some choose an industry-focused Mastermind, like finance, real estate, travel, etc. however that too can have it’s advantages and disadvantages. It can be very valuable to have an outsider/customer viewpoint when looking for solutions.
I started the Lady-Preneur Mastermeals because I was missing thoughtful, deep, caring and insightful conversations with like-minded women achievers. I wanted to get the hard conversations going and flowing to benefit all of us.
Then after the MasterMeal dinners women were asking “What’s next?” So I started Brilliance Builders Alliance - an online platform where we can continue the conversations weekly and in real-time chats as well as lots of other cool features!
If you’re interested in either or both let me know OR check out the info on my website about them. Ladies, let keep the conversations flowing!
Best, Janet
“My husband is great and listens well but I needed a different kind of support.
Women just communicate differently and have different problems than men.”
- a Lady-Preneur MasterMeal attendee
Introverts & Marketing
This may surprise some of you but generally I’m very shy. Oh, I put on a good front but it has taken me (and still does) a fair amount of courage to enter a room with a group of people. I suppose to some I may come off as aloof but it’s not you, it's just …
No time to read right now? Click below to listen to this blog.
This may surprise some of you but generally I’m very shy. Oh, I put on a good front but it has taken me (and still does) a fair amount of courage to enter a room with a group of people. I suppose to some I may come off as aloof but it’s not you, it's just me feeling uncomfortable.
Although I was born into a crowd (the youngest of six) I prefer to be by myself. That doesn’t always work well when you’re building and maintaining your business. All those Business-After-Hours events, presentations, and hob-nobbing with fellow entrepreneurs - Ahhh!
I remember the first time I had to stand up in front of a crowd and give a speech. It was for my first BNI 10-minute presentation. I had practiced it so much it was on autopilot - Thank God!
I got up, spoke the 10 minutes of material, sat down, and turned to the person beside me.
“How was it?” I asked.
“Great!”, she said enthusiastically.
"Oh good”, I replied, “I don’t remember a thing. Once I stood up everything went black.“
After that I really pushed myself to get out of my comfort zone and get more comfortable. It worked to a degree but I still prefer to hang out in the office creating stuff.
One technique I use is called my 'Doorway Trigger'. As I enter a new space, I actually pause for a moment or two and consciously decide how I want to show up going into that room. What’s my energy going to be? How do I want to show up?
Doing so sets the stage (pun intended) for not only my level of comfort but also how people will approach and react to me.
Visibility is a major and critical element of marketing, especially as an entrepreneur. Being visible doesn’t have to be painful though. There are ways to be seen, have your Me-Time, and Prosper!
In my ebook - Marketing for Introverts I define 7 marketing techniques.
Check it out!
Best, Janet
“I am thankful for my struggle because without it
I wouldn’t have stumbled on my strength.”
- Alex Elle
Emotional Intelligence, Five Fears, & Love
What an amazing night last night! I hosted one of my Lady-Preneur MasterMeals. I’m never sure what to expect, how the conversation will go, and what will come up but a common thread always presents itself and last night was …
No time to read right now? Click below to listen to this blog.
What an amazing night last night! I hosted one of my Lady-Preneur MasterMeals. I’m never sure what to expect, how the conversation will go, and what will come up but a common thread always presents itself and last night was no exception.
Right off the bat, the tone of the conversation was set. Although everyone was new to each other except for two, as they introduced themselves each brought up the concept of Emotional Intelligence and how embracing it had not only changed their personal and business worlds but how extending it to others in their lives - husbands, partners, employees, co-workers, and clients - had made all the difference in their overall happiness, joy and love quotient.
• Kelly’s entire business is centered around Emotional Intelligence and teaching others how to use it.
• Mundy, as CEO, established an EOS system (Entrepreneurial Operating System) in her company which helps people clarify their vision, gain traction, and increase team health with simple, proven and practical tools.
• Katharine teaches her patients to break through their literal birth pain by tapping into their innate ‘Ability to Go Further’ mindset.
• Kelli introduced it to her husband and his co-workers by hiring a therapist to do group sessions with them once a month to help them learn and deal with stress on and off the job.
What is Emotional Intelligence? It is defined as the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of those around you.
The four skills of emotional intelligence are: Self-awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, and Relationship Management.
The process can be applied to overcoming money blocks, self-sabotage habits, and any other self-imposed limiting beliefs that are holding you back from achieving everything you’ve every wanted and living a joyful, loving, and satisfying life.
Here are the steps:
Practice observing how you feel
Pay attention to how you behave
Question your own opinions
Take responsibility for your feelings
Take time to celebrate the positive
Don't ignore the negative
Don't forget to breathe
Review and repeat the process
We all have Emotional Intelligence. It’s simply how much we want to 'Use it & Improve it’ by choosing to embrace it as a vital tool for our lives.
Here’s another step - I have a free quiz called “What’s Holding You Back” on my website that addresses the Five Fears - Fear of Abandonment, Fear of Success (or Failure), Fear of Out-shining, Fear of Being Fundamentally Flawed, and Fear of Losing Control.
See what fear may be holding you back and practice the Emotional Intelligence steps to begin breaking through that fear to find greater joy, love and peace in your life. CHECK IT OUT!
As we wrapped up our over 3 hours together, I asked the women what was one word that would want to focus on in the next week based on our conversations. The top two were Love and Connection! :)
And what does this have to do with business, marketing, branding? - EVERYTHING!
Best, Janet
“Stop shrinking to fit places you’ve outgrown.”
- Furana Joyce
Want to join in the conversation?
Let me know if you’re interested in the Brilliance Builders Alliance.
It’s a Mastermind Group of abundant thinking achievers! - just like you!
Are You Prone to Pre-Failing?
Did the tide go out? Is something in retrograde? I don't know about you but it seems everyone has pressed the pause button and/or gone doggone silent. Perhaps everyone is just …
No time to read right now? Click below to listen to this blog.
Did the tide go out? Is something in retrograde? I don't know about you but it seems everyone has pressed the pause button and/or gone doggone silent. Perhaps everyone is just on vacation (that's me trying to stay positive :)
My first instincts after announcing something new and not seeing instant results is to slip into worry, then nobody-loves-me, then toss up my hands and prepare for defeat. But then I snap to and remember that gets me nowhere. Time to shift Pre-Failing into Pre-Winning.
"Dammit Janet, You either Win or Learn. So if at first you don’t win, learn and then win!"
The Question of the Week is about Pre-Failing. Pre-failing is self-sabotage and an abundance blocker. It can be pretty sneaky, slipping in along side the excuses and blaming we default to while convincing ourselves it's out of our control (like the economy or the weather or people on vacation).
Pre-failing is not about pivoting or putting something on hold - it’s about fear. When we go into Pre-fail mode we are putting all of our focus on defeat which only succeeds in keeping us small and safe. Remember... what you focus on expands.
The Question(s):
When did you last have thoughts of Pre-failing?
What were the emotions that came up around it?
What did you tell yourself to change your thoughts and shift from Pre-failing to Pre-Winning?
Does this resonate with you? Shoot me an email and let me know.
Best, Janet
“Stop shrinking to fit places you’ve outgrown.”
- Furana Joyce
Did you know… How You Do Money is How You Do Everything?
Discover your Money DNA and let the transformations begin!
The Three C’s and One E
WARNING: Pay no attention to the man behind that confusing and overwhelming schematic above!
Girlfriend, stop being afraid of marketing. It’s just Communicating. That’s all!
And if you love what you do, you love talking about it!
Hmmm.. seems simple enough - just talk about what you do.
But why is it that so…
For Expert Marketing
No time to read right now? Click below to listen to this blog.
WARNING: Pay no attention to the man behind that confusing
and overwhelming schematic above!
Girlfriend, stop being afraid of marketing. It’s just Communicating. That’s all!
And if you love what you do, you love talking about it!
“Hmmm.. seems simple enough - just talk about what you do.”
But why is it that so many us don’t talk about what we do or are afraid to?
Women, in particular, hold back from shining their light brightly for fear of the “Shame Gremlins”, as Brene Brown describes them.
"Who does she think she is?"
"She's awfully full of herself?"
"Why does she think she's so special?"
What do your Shame Gremlins tell you?
Do you silence them or let them silence you?
For me it’s, “Who does she think she is? She’s not that smart.”
That shame speak used to cripple me and send me back to the corner, staying small and silent.
I’ve had to work on it but now I proudly respond, “Hey, I am smarter than the average bear and your bullets can not harm me for my wings are like a shield of steel!”
Yes, I have found my strength in cartoon characters but heck, whatever helps get the job done :)
All kidding aside, I am smarter than the average bear and my wings do lift me up when I need them because I now believe in my wisdom, gifts, and talents.
Back to marketing.
If marketing is just communicating what is Excellent Marketing?
And can it be the trick to silence your Shame Gremlins and release your voice?
YES! It can!
Here are my three C's and one E for Excellent Marketing.
(I tried to find another word that began with C for the last one but nothing did the job.)
The 3 C's and one 1 E of Excellent Marketing:
Clarity
Consistency
Confidence
Enthusiasm
1) Clarity - get clear on your message. Purpose, Path, Product.
What’s the purpose of your message?
What’s the path to the result?
What’s the result/solution or end product?
2) Consistency - repeat after me “Consistency is the Key to Success!”
I can not stress this enough. We all fall short on occasion of consistent action in our marketing but you must not falter, you must persist! Consistency is key and so many people do not do it! Consistency gets noticed. Consistency gets results. Get your message out there on a regular and timely basis.
3) Confidence - lead with your best self and best foot forward and opportunities appear like magic!
Even if you suffer (and we all do) from imposter syndrome, kick it to the side and march forward with confidence. You got this Girl! Everyone wants to work with confident people.
4) Enthusiasm - There is absolutely no substitute for pure, unadulterated enthusiasm.
I get giddy just thinking about it! It lights me up! But more importantly it lights others up! I have hired many a person for this one attribute alone, because I knew they would learn and do whatever needed to be accomplished with joy, interest, and curiosity.
Don’t make the assumption you can only do one or two. That would be like trying to bake a cake without flour and cornstarch. It won’t turn out well. All four are required for excellent marketing.
Make it a practice to ask yourself every time you communicate about your business - in a Instagram post, a networking event, or an email to a client…
Am I clear on my message?
Am I saying my message consistently and often?
Am I saying it with confidence?
Am I saying it with enthusiasm?
The world needs your brilliance and wisdom!
Ladies, Live Your Light and start talking proudly about it!
Best, Janet
“Women who invest in themselves go further”
- Janet Hutchens
Don’t call it a dream. Call it a PLAN!