If I’m being honest, I have mixed feelings about New Years resolutions and goal setting.

On one hand my A-type personality LOVES the idea of a fresh start, whereas the other side of me struggles with the idea that we put so much pressure on something as intangible as a day of the year.

That being said, I’m all about building healthy habits that can grow and evolve alongside us at any time throughout the year - and that’s exactly what this post is about.

As you read through these tips you’ll notice that they’re not your typical business how-to’s, but instead the more nuanced between-the-lines things that don’t get as much attention but are actually the glue that holds our business together.

Keep reading if you’re ready to make this your best year in business!

1. Take inventory of what you’re proud of and thankful for.

Taking a moment to reflect on everything you’re proud of and thankful for is a life-changing practice.

One of the first personal growth books I ever read was “What Happy People Know” and one of my biggest takeaways was that when we practice appreciation and gratitude it’s almost impossible for our brain to feel anxious and/or focus on negativity at the same time.

Another positive outcome is that when we make a list of things we’re proud of, it allows our mind to find proof of times when we’ve overcome obstacles and how our perseverance has led to success, which then opens us up to even more opportunities, possibilities and new ways of thinking.

This is thanks to an area of our brain known as the Reticular Activating System (RAS), which filters out unnecessary information and keeps the important stuff at the forefront. We’ve probably all heard of the saying “What you think about, you bring about”, so when you take time to list everything you’re proud of and thankful for, you’re more likely to attract more of the same into your life thanks to your RAS.

2. Get clear on what’s most important.

What is the ultimate definition of success?

This is sort of a trick question because the definition of success looks different for everyone. This is why it’s important to take a step back every so often and determine what matters most to YOU. Not what’s most important to your parents, your best friend or that sparkly Instagram coach - YOU.

If you ask me, the ultimate definition of success is doing business on YOUR terms.

Take the time to outline your core values and then determine how can you align your daily actions and business with them.

3. Find the sweet spot in what you do.

My secret to creating feel-good, easy-to-sell offerings in your business is to find the sweet spot between what lights you up and makes you excited to jump out of bed in the morning AND the need or desire of your dream clients.

The reason is that when you only focus on one or the other you’re often left with offerings that feel exciting to you but no one wants or needs (and therefore won’t buy), or offerings you created for other people but feel blah to you (so you’ll subconsciously resist and/or regret selling them).

However, when you combine the two you’ll have offerings that ignite a spark inside of you, therefore you’ll be excited to share and promote, and will also provide massive value and/or transformation for your clients - which people will want to buy.

That’s what I call a win-win for everyone!

4. Create a solid foundation in your business.

One mistake I often see people make in their business is that they spend a lot of time on their marketing, creating content and showing up on social media without having clearly defined offerings and/or a path to guide their prospective customers towards those offerings.

Before you spend any more time creating content, ask yourself:

What exactly am I selling and are there clearly defined options?
Who am I selling it to and why do they want or need it?
How do people take the step to book with me or buy from me and is it simple and obvious?

The easier you can make the decision making and conversion process, the more likely people are to take the step to work with you or buy from you.

5. Tighten up those boundaries.

I love to think of healthy boundaries as a protective bubble that gently separates our space, energy, feelings, needs and responsibilities from those around us (both literally and figuratively). They help set the expectation for how we want to be treated, what's acceptable and what's not. They also help us identify, make space for and prioritize the things that are most important to us.

Healthy boundaries help to promote inner peace in both our business and life by creating space, outlining clear expectations and minimizing on-the-spot decision making.

This allows us to build our business on a foundation of authenticity, respect, open communication and energetic alignment where everyone is on the same page.

When we think of boundaries we often think of creating them between ourselves and others, but it’s just as important to create them between ourselves and our business in order to create a healthy work-life balance and avoid burnout.

This can look like creating a schedule that prioritizes joy, having “off-hours”, implementing limits around social media and checking email, just to name a few.

6. Flow with the current instead of against it.

If you’re looking for more EASE & FLOW in your business then I suggest working with your strengths and interests instead of against them.

Although this may seem obvious, think of how many times we try to fit ourselves and our businesses into boxes that just don’t suit us. When it comes to our offerings, work schedule, daily tasks, marketing methods, and so many other aspects, we often get caught up in what others are doing and feeling as though we need to do it the same way.

Instead, take inventory of YOUR unique strengths and interests and find ways to leverage those in every aspect of your business and watch the ease start flowing in.

7. Get organized.

There are so many great and affordable online tools out there nowadays to help you get organized and make things easier in your business.

Whether it’s using accounting software, project management software or a scheduling platform - investing a little time and money upfront will save your countless hours and headaches on the back-end.

8. Build great connections.

We’ve all heard the saying “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” and this is undoubtedly true in business, but not necessarily for the reasons you may think.

While great connections may help you get your foot in the door or introduce you to new opportunities, there are other important benefits to building your business inner circle.

Surrounding yourself with likeminded business owners who can relate to the unique challenges of working for yourself, champion your success and share common experiences helps meet our core human need of safety and belonging in this sometimes wild entrepreneurial world.

Knowing that you’re not alone and have others in your corner who truly understand and support you can be an invaluable incubator for growth and success.

9. Practice and prioritize self-care.

Another saying that we’re all probably tired of hearing but is worth repeating: “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

Prioritizing your self-care isn’t about bubble baths and spa days (although those certainly don’t hurt), it’s about taking care of your mental and physical needs so you can feel your best, show up with intention and share that part of yourself with others.

Hustle culture used to be synonymous with entrepreneurship but thankfully things are shifting in the other direction. Too many entrepreneurs have been burned by the promise of success by means of pouring their blood, sweat and tears into their business - only to be met with burnout.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if you don’t make time to rest, your body will do it for you.

Self-care doesn’t have to be costly or elaborate, it simply means tuning in to what you need - like REALLY need - and giving yourself the same kind of love and care that a parent would give a child. Hence, self-care.

10. Expand your capacity to receive more.

Sometimes in business we say that we want to grow or receive more, but then subconsciously find ourselves self-sabotaging and doing a one-step-forward, two-steps-back cha-cha back into our comfort zone.

This phenomenon can be known as the “upper limit problem” and was coined by Gay Hendricks in his book The Big Leap.

The good news is that your brain and body are actually primed to do this in order to keep you within the safety and familiarity of your comfort zone. The other good news is that you can actually work with your biology to expand your capacity to receive more.

This is the true secret to business growth: letting your brain and body know that it’s safe to grow, it’s safe to experience new opportunities and it’s safe to receive and handle more.

Ready to make this your best year yet?

If you’re looking for more step-by-step guidance and tangible how-to’s, check out my signature workshops:

Plan for Purpose, Peace & Profit: an intentional approach to getting organized and mapping out your business goals around your core values and the things that light you up.

Map Out Your Feel-Good Marketing Flow: a feel-good way to promote your business so you can stop worrying about what to post and start attracting dream customers with confidence and clarity.

Or head on over and learn how we can work together 1-1 to help align your business with your best life! xx

10 Steps to Unlock Your Best Year in Business