Aug 25, 2022 | Career & Business
Are you too old to start a business? Did you wait too late to get the ball rolling? Is it time to throw in the towel?
I’ve talked to many women that feel as though their window has closed and they should be happy where they are in life. They should be grateful for the things they have been able to accomplish.
I think that if you’re questioning it, maybe you are too old, maybe you don’t have what it takes…
You know what, let’s scrap that previous statement. Age only reflects your experiences, wisdom, and the length of time you’ve graced the world with your presence. I’ve been a full-time entrepreneur since 2007 and I’ve seen women in all stages of life start businesses. It’s only too late if you’ve given up on yourself. And quite frankly if you’re reading this, I’m not going to let you give up.
So how do you defeat self-doubt? I’m not a therapist or life coach, but here are 5 tips I know can get the needle moving.
Tip #1: Affirmations
Stop bullying yourself! You are amazing and you will be the next big thing in your industry! This is how you need to feel about yourself. Nothing anyone can say will silence those whispers in your head. You have to armor yourself and fight this battle on your own. Hear me loudly when I say that entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. You have to protect your mental health because the world of business will not pacify things for you.
Affirmations are a great way to put a muzzle on any bad thoughts you have about yourself and your abilities. I’ve included some of my personal favorites below. Feel free to write your own and say them out loud until it becomes part of who you are and how you feel about yourself.
- My ideas are amazing and I have the tools and resources needed to be successful.
- I am smart and capable enough to create the life that I want.
- My future is full of blessings, prosperity, and wholeness.
- I am ready to live the life I want and deserve.
You are not too old.
Tip #2: Therapy
Sometimes we’re so stuck that it may require professional help to build confidence and get out of a funk. There’s nothing wrong with needing someone to talk to. If you’re not completely sold on therapy, try some self-help books.
What I’m about to say next is most likely not a popular opinion, but I’m going to speak my truth. Do not go to your FRIENDS for help figuring this out. Your friends are just that… your friends. Sometimes it’s hard for them to give you good advice because they love you and don’t want to hurt you and other times they are just not experienced enough to point you in the right direction. Talk about the blind leading the blind.
Try confiding in someone that has nothing to lose or gain and has no biases towards you. Being too close to the problem seldom leads to resolution.
You are not too old.
Tip 3: Take Action
Start working towards this new venture. Even if it’s baby steps like brainstorming for names or researching different services and products to offer. Listen to business podcasts or podcasts hosted by some of your potential competitors. This will motivate you and get you excited about taking additional steps. If you never take action, nothing will ever come of that dream of starting your business.
You are not too old.
Tip 4: Exercise
Exercise is such a release. Staying fit will help you build endurance and trust me, you’ll need physical and mental endurance.
You are not too old.
Tip 5: Read More
Reading is a great way to build brain power. As a business owner, you will need to stay sharp and in the know about marketing and industry trends.
You are not too old.
Wrap It Up
My wish is that you have found this helpful, inspiring, or motivational. I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think about age being associated with starting a business? Do you think there is such a thing as being too old. Leave your comments below.
Dec 8, 2018 | Being a Boss, Career & Business
Branching off from your regular 9 to 5 and becoming your own boss is one of the most exhilarating feelings in the world. No more dealing with day in and day out office drama, no more rushing through morning routines and best of all, no more long commutes. You’ve finally reached the point in your career where you can say you’ve done something big. Even if you don’t want to say it yourself, I’ll say it for you. Starting your own business and being your own boss is BIG.
It makes you feel even better when friends, former co-workers, and family members try to pick your brain and figure out how you did it. You may not want to give them a rundown of your game plan, but you know it feels good (wink).
Who doesn’t want to make their own hours, not have to attend meetings all day and deal with annoying co-workers and bosses? But if we’re going to be completely honest, there are things we don’t always tell people about our BIG transition. Often, we allow them to rave on about the fact that we can work from home with no interruptions because to them it seems like the most glamorous thing in the world. However, for many entrepreneurs, the freedom of working in isolation can be tough.
The Downside of Working in Isolation
Because of the internet, more people are working from home than ever before. Companies are allowing many of their employees to work from home because it just makes sense for their bottom line and more people are ditching 9 to 5 jobs to start businesses that only require a laptop and internet access.
Now that this new way of working has been a thing for a while, we are privy to data that tells us how it has been affecting people over the years. Countless studies have been done alerting people of the potential downsides of working in isolation.
Some include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Inflammation
- Weakened immune system
- Heart/Circulatory problems
Of course, these findings are scary, but they don’t have to become your reality. Numerous people have been able to find a happy work/life balance while working in isolation.
How to Deal with Working in Isolation
The downsides mentioned above mostly stem from loneliness. When you first start working for yourself it is comfortable and there is a sense of peace and serenity. But if proper measures aren’t taken, you’ll start missing those little chit chats you use to have at the water cooler, those fun company functions and before you know it your social circle is nonexistent. This happens quite often because as entrepreneurs, we get so engulfed in our work that we tend to block the outside world in efforts to grow and sustain our business.
Change of Scenery
To combat the feeling of loneliness, studies have shown that one of the first things we can do is make sure that we have an anti-depression work area. Certain wall colors like white, beige and gray can cause us to feel down. By simply painting your walls a more vibrant color or adding pictures that have a pop of color, you can boost your mood throughout the day.
Coffee Shops
Some entrepreneurs/freelancers find that working outside of their homes from time to time is very beneficial. Frequenting coffee shops is a great way to not only get out of the house, but it allows you to be around other people, people that may be there for the same reason you are.
Shared Workspaces
Recently shared workspaces have become extremely popular. Similar to the coffee shops, they are filled with people like you, people that want to be independent but enjoy the company of others. Many of the shared workspaces have events so that participants can network with each other and create an environment that they’re familiar with.
Dogs
One of the things that leads to health problems when working in isolation is inactivity. Entrepreneurs work longer hours than most people and it’s easy for them to lose track of time. They end up sitting and staring at a computer monitor for hours. Things like going outside or simply moving around become secondary. By becoming a dog owner, it’ll force you to have to stick to a schedule and become active. You’ll have to take your little four-legged friend outside throughout the day (which is good for you) so that he or she can get a little exercise and take care of business.
An added bonus of having a dog is companionship. I don’t know if you’ve heard but dogs are the best listeners. Whenever you’re feeling down or just want to get something off your chest, they’ll be there for you and the best thing about dogs is that you don’t have to worry about them telling anyone what was said.
