Showing Up for You
Happy Friday Feels, tribe! How are you doing? I hope your day is starting off on the right foot. I hope the weather is beautiful, and if it's not, I hope that you are making the best of it! I have a feeling that you are because if you are reading this, that means that you are dedicated to your own growth. You're committed to shifting your mindset to one that serves you and not to one that brings you down. So I know that if it's raining or if it's thunder storming hell, you're making the best of it!
Today on Episode 84 of The Jenn Kennedy Show, I want to chat with you about what it means to show up for yourself. You've probably shown up for other people, and that's great! But what does it mean to show up for yourself? Are you doing things during this quarantine that serve YOU and your vision? What are you proud of?
During quarantine, I have made it a priority to show up for myself. Let me share what that's looked like.
My Life During COVID-19 Quarantine
I was chatting the other day with a friend, and we were talking about quarantine life and how freaking long and crazy it's been. We asked each other what we were most proud of during this time. Quarantine has closed a lot of things down, but it's also opened up a lot of space for change.
Honestly, I've probably created the most change in my life in the past two months. Pat and I have worked out at least five days a week, we have a consistent bedtime, we're spending more time together, and having more fun together than we ever have before. I've also completely revamped my business. I launched two programs, one of which was brand new, and now I'm impacting so many more people than I was pre-COVID. This is what I'm proud of.
How have I been able to do all that? Every day, I woke up deciding I was going to show up for myself. And today, I want to motivate you to do the same thing.
During quarantine, there have been so many days when my alarm has gone off and I wanted to press snooze like a billion times. There have been days when I felt drained and exhausted and wanted nothing less than to chill instead of workout. There were so many days where I could have said "nope nope nope," but I kept pressing forward, regardless of how I felt. My motivation for positive change was greater than the temptation for laziness.
How Do I Stay Motivated?
Motivation propels us forward. It gives us the strength to work out, having a healthy relationship with our partners, rework our businesses, and keep up our outreach. Here's the thing, though — motivation is always going to run out.
It's going to run out when we're tired, when the weather is crummy, or when we really just don't feel like lifting a finger. This is especially true when running a business. I mean, there are days when I don't feel like doing it. When I was a teacher and worked 9 - 5, I remember wishing that I could just sleep instead of go to work on some days. That attitude doesn't magically change when you become a full-time entrepreneur.
When you're an entrepreneur, it's absolutely vital that you find some tools and strategies to help you stay provocative —support coaches, accountability partners, mediation, journaling — there are so many options!
Also, think about the community you're serving. If you step away from your ambitions, you're stepping away from your impact. As entrepreneurs, we have people relying on us. Like, if I decided to sleep in and not record this podcast, I'm lessening my impact which means fewer people are benefited from my message!
When you have outside sources motivating you as well as inside sources, then your motivation will last longer and stronger. That's not to say there won't be times when you feel like quitting. Your motivation will run out at some point. The important thing is that you find ways to fill it back up.
Reflecting on the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Setting Goals for the Future
When I look at the very beginning of quarantine, back when we thought it was going to be just like two weeks (lol), my husband and I made the intention that we were going to come out of quarantine as better, stronger, and wealthier people. I genuinely believe that we are fulfilling that goal, and I'm celebrating the hell out of that.
One thing I always tell myself is to be better and more optimal every single day. This including being optimal in my health, my business, and my relationships. I love to reflect at the end of the day and ask myself, "What is something you should celebrate about today? What is something you can do better tomorrow?"
So, what are your goals? Maybe you want to start a website so you can impact more people. Maybe you want to lose weight and start running more consistently. Perhaps you just want to have constructive conversations with your partner. Do you need support? Do you have the tools and the strategy in order to succeed at your goal?
If you don't, all you have to do is literally go out there and find it. Be bold. Reach out to potential mentors. Find a friend who will keep you accountable. Start listening to some podcasts and reading some quality material. Surround yourself with the good.
When my friend and I were having that conversation about quarantine, it could have easily turned into a rant sesh about how we miss our families or aren't able to do this or that. But instead, we shifted the conversation and focused on the good — we focused on what we were celebrating, what was going well, and what good has come out of this time locked into our homes.
This is My Challenge For You
On this beautiful Friday (or whenever you're reading this), I want you to do a couple of things for yourself. First, look back on your weak and ask yourself, "What went really well? What am I proud of?" Then I want you to pick something you really want to do better, just one thing, and make a plan on how you can make that positive change happen.
It doesn't have to be something HUGE. Positive change often starts in the simplest ways. Like going to bed a little earlier instead of binge-watching a TV show. Maybe it means that you stop judging yourself so hard for the mistakes you make, and giving yourself room to grow as an entrepreneur.
What does your impact in this world mean to you? What does your physical health mean to you? What does your income mean to you? Does it all mean enough to you? How badly do you long for positive change?
If it doesn't mean a lot to you, then you got some soul searching to do this week, which is always a lot of fun. I want you to ask yourself about your WHY. WHY are you doing this? That WHY is going to drive you when your motivation lags, and it's going to propel you forward every single time.
I hope that you enjoy this episode and that it lights a fire within you! If you have anything that you want to share with me, it would be such an honor if I could see that or hear that on Instagram! Take a screenshot of you listening to the episode, tag me @thejennkennedy, and write what it is that you are proud of right now and what you are working towards. It's so empowering to share your story with others, and there's nothing greater than having a community of people celebrating with you.
Sending all the good vibes!
