“Running your own business is like a personal development quest…”

This is something that I was talking about recently, with someone who I mentor. I was actually joking at the time, but many a true word is said in jest, and this is really true. For me anyway, I wonder if you feel that way too?

I don’t see this talked about a lot within the kids yoga teacher world.  I wanted to talk about it today, because I think it is really important that we acknowledge it as it can really be quite unsettling!

When I set up my business eight years ago, I thought that I would simply move from being a school teacher to being a yoga teacher. I worried about the business side of things as this wasn’t my background. But generally, I just thought I’d be less stressed, less busy and that my health would be positively impacted.

I had NO IDEA what a deep journey it would take me on and how it would lead me to such a transformation of who I am in the world.

When I look back to the person that I was eight years ago, I am so different. You could say that everyone changes over a period of eight years. But if I compare how I changed in the eight years as a self employed business owner to the previous sixteen years of being a teacher there is no comparison.  So many internal shifts!

So why is running a business so inextricably linked with personal development?

Deep rooted beliefs about ourselves, habits and patterns are brought to the surface. We are forced to face them and deal with them whether we like it or not.

Here are some personal examples of issues that arose for me. I wonder if they resonate with you:

😟A fear of not being good enough/ knowing enough
Leading to:

• Taking way too many courses in the hope that they would make me feel ‘ready’ or more competent.
• Holding back on putting things ‘out there’.
• Seeking validation of others rather than trusting myself.

🫤Comparison with others
Leading to:

• Going on training courses and running classes because I thought that’s what I SHOULD do.
• Thinking that others have it all figured out and I’m behind where I should be.
• Feelings of not being enough.

🫣 Feelings of vulnerability, fear of judgement and fear of rejection
Leading to:

• Resistance to show up in my business on social media, or even just talking about it with other people- especially those who don’t GET what I do. 
• Barriers to putting a new offer out or reaching out to schools or potential clients.

🤯Workaholic and perfectionist tendencies
Leading to:

• Spending longer on tasks than I truly needed to.
• Holding off sharing things because they aren’t yet ready!
• I should be able to do everything for myself. 
  
  

🤑Money blocks

• Thinking that it isn’t ‘yogic’ to want to earn money (and I’m not talking about 6 figures here- just enough for a comfortable life)
• Believing that I need to work harder to deserve to earn money
• Believing that helping others shouldn’t have a financial gain.
  
  

There are many many more!

All of these issues still arise for me! I am not perfect and I don’t have it all figured out. I’m still very much on the journey. But I am far more aware of my own sh!t than I was at the start of this path!

To be honest, I don’t really believe anyone who makes out like they have it all sorted, because we all have our issues that we are working through. We are all human!

When we create something and bring it into the world, we are sharing something of ourselves- which can feel incredibly vulnerable and uncover issues, patterns of behaviour and thought processes that we didn’t even know were there.

I’m sharing this today, because I just wanted to normalise the process and the thoughts and feelings that might be happening for you too.

If you resonate with any of what I’m saying and you’d like some support to accompany you on your journey you may benefit from mentoring. 

Would you like to schedule a free chat to see if working with me could help you?

Maybe you are ready to say YES! to some support? Get 7 months of mentoring for the price of a 6 month package here. As soon as you buy, you will get lifetime access to all of my resources and training.

Thanks for reading, I'd love to know your thoughts on this, has your business been a personal development journey for you too? Email me at [email protected]