How & Why I Prioritise Being In Alignment As A Creative Business Owner
Recently one of my clients asked me how I’m able to always be so positive when it comes to navigating the highs and lows that creative business can bring.
I shared with her that prioritising being in alignment and raising my emotional frequency is something I make space for each week in my creative work and life, and how it’s played a huge part in supporting me to embrace a positive and productive mindset along the way in my creative journey.
I told her that I don’t always feel positive and aligned - I navigate fear, stress, overwhelm, and anxiety just like the rest of us do - but on the whole I’ve found a way to manage these emotions and be bigger than them instead of them controlling me.
She asked, so how exactly do you get into alignment?
I shared with her that there tends to be two different reasons why I want to get into alignment.
Either I’m feeling disconnected from myself, my core values, and my bigger picture and purpose.
Or I’m feeing low in mood and energy and feeling overwhelmed by negative thoughts, fears, and feelings.
For the first reason, I focus on journalling, asking myself questions that help to centre me, and consuming information and noise that supports me to reconnect to myself too, like podcasts, books, and TED Talks.
I like to ask myself:
- What are your core values in your work and your life?
- What are you aching for in this season of your creative work and life?
- What does an impactful, fulfilling, and sustainable creative life look and feel like for you?
- What are your priorities and intentions in this season of your creative work and life?
And then for the second reason, I focus on doing things that lift my emotional frequency, give me energy, and spark joy along the way too. This tends to look like:
- Reading fiction
- Spending time with loved ones
- Listening to podcasts or audio books
- Listening to a favourite album or song
- Going for a walk or a day adventure
- Re-watching a favourite TV show
Alongside getting back into alignment when I’m feeling disconnected, I also prioritise being in alignment in small and big ways each day throughout the year so I can support myself to truly show up wholeheartedly to my work and my life along the way. Some of the main ways I do this is through:
- Prioritising a good nights sleep each night
- Taking time to rest and recharge each day
- Spending quality time with loved ones
- Prioritising time to travel and take adventures throughout the year
- Spending time with positive people who inspire me
- Carving out time for personal creative projects
- Building in white space and downtime into my life each week
- Reading and listening to podcasts
Clients and friends have shared with me that other ways they like to get into alignment are:
- Through exercise
- Through meditation
- Through using tarot cards
- Through working with a coach or therapist or connecting with a mastermind group
- Through baking
It can and does look different for all of us - I've found the most important thing is that we explore and discover how best we get into alignment and to not worry if it doesn't look exactly the same as everyone else.
And then she asked, do you ever feel guilty for spending time getting into alignment when you could be working instead?
And I shared that, of course, I can feel self-conscious at times for how much I prioritise rest and white space when we live in a culture that promotes hustle, hustle, hustle and pushing ourselves until we have nothing left to give, but that at my core I trust and believe that by prioritising being aligned as much as possible I’m able to show up more wholeheartedly and have more impact with my work along the way. Here’s why:
I show up better to my business, my clients, to myself, and my loved ones from a place of alignment
I’m more intentional, more present, more open, and more able to hold space for others and myself when I am aligned and showing up from an energetic and joyful emotional state. Instead of pushing and trying to force something when my energy is low or I’m feeling disconnected and out of alignment, taking the time to get back to a positive and aligned state of mind helps me to be more intentional, productive, and impactful along the way.
My life and work feels more meaningful, joyful, and focused from a place of alignment
I feel less stressed, less anxious, less disconnected and more focused on the things that truly matter most along the way. I find more joy, meaning, and peace when I prioritise being in alignment and I’m able to navigate struggles and challenges in a more wholehearted way too.
My creativity, my health, my relationships, and my business thrives when I show up from a place of alignment
I feel more balanced, more rested, and more energised in my life and I take more focused, purposeful, and meaningful steps forward in my business when I show up from a place of alignment along the way. Since embracing this approach to work and life back at the beginning of 2016, my income has more than doubled and my business has thrived, but I’ve also worked less and lived more too and I truly believe that choosing less stress, more joy each day and focusing on being aligned has been a huge part of that.
Ultimately, for me, alignment is about choosing less stress, more joy in my creative work and life and choosing to rest, play, and live as much as I hustle along the way.
I without a doubt have to thank Jess Lively for the awesome work she’s doing in the world right now and for giving language and a framework to help me understand and dive deeper into my desire to feel aligned in this journey along the way. If you’re new to the concept of alignment and emotional frequency, definitely check out her podcast and this episode in particular.
To finish...
My challenge for you today is to explore what getting into alignment could look like for you in your creative work and life:
- How can you support yourself to feel more aligned when you’re feeling disconnected from yourself, your core values, and your bigger vision and purpose along the way?
- How can you support yourself to raise your emotional frequency when you’re feeling low in mood and energy and navigating a negative mindset in your work and life?
See if it can support you to live and work wholeheartedly and truly thrive in your creative business and life along the way.
As always, I’m rooting for you!
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