Having Fun on the Path to Launch!

Wow! Time is growing short. So much fun to be had, also known as, so many "to dos" on my list. I am visualizing my spirit in the midst of a whole ball of excitement and fun! After all, why not? Going to visit the city hall to sign up for a license? FUN! Working on the "how to submit an article" page for the site? FUN!

Sometimes, when our list of things to do begin to pile up, we start to feel it getting heavy on our minds. We tell ourselves, "I HAVE to get this done!" "This NEEDS to be done as soon as possible!" We become our own parent, boss or teacher who is putting pressure on the result, instead of remembering that we were the ones who actually wanted what we are doing! We forget we put ourselves on this path. How does this happen? How do we keep our focus on the fun of the journey, and not the results?

Every week, I pull out my giant white board that is divided into categories and write down the items that I want to accomplish in each category for the week. The key word here is "want." If I am tired or stressed, when I look at those same items I was excited about Monday morning, I start to tell myself they are "have tos" and "must dos" and my excitement wanes. My fix for this is to focus on self care and remember how much fun I am having. The excitement of starting a business can be overwhelming. Yes, there is a small amount of fear in there, but the excitement supersedes that in the beginning and you just keep moving forward with jumps and success dances and high fives. Everything is new and fun and you are so thrilled to be in the middle of it. This sometimes takes a toll on your energy as you stay up late to finish projects, or wake up early to start new ones. Forgetting to sleep, eat and take breaks is becoming commonplace. Here is a list to keep the fun in creating our business.

Step one: Focus on Self Care:
Pick a rising time and a bed time range. Stick to it and get some sleep.
Buy your favorite healthy foods. Then schedule in prep time on your calendar to actually prepare them.
Meditate, breathe, and take time for silence and being present. Let your gratitude shine.
Exercise daily. This is crucial for mental health and good ideas!
Plan fun time outside of your business. Schedule in a break every few days to focus on other things you enjoy in life and remember your business is not you, just a part of you.

Step two: Remember, It's fun!
Keep a journal with you (or start a blog) and write down all your best moments, to reread from time to time.
Make sure you talk to your support system when you have forgotten the fun!
Make a finish line for goals each week and plan celebrations with friends or family when you pass the finish line.
Put up all your accomplishments (such as your business cards, banners, incorporation seal) on the walls of the house, like when you were a child, to acknowledge your success.
Laugh a lot!

So off I go, into the world of fun, marking tasks off the list, crossing finish lines, and having a blast doing it!