Life’s a struggle, that’s for sure.  There will always be ups and downs no matter what you’re doing, no matter what career path you choose, or what stage in your life you’re at.  As an entrepreneur, there are many ups and downs, and it’s up to you to keep pushing through when you hit those downs.

With all we’ve been through, those downs can be tough sometimes, but other times it’s a breeze.  Coming off an amazing event where I was super excited to hit the ground running, but exhaustion kicked in.  We walked over 20,000 steps per day at least, if not well over.  Plus we had workouts in there, I got certified to teach a new class the first day and not nearly enough food!  I’m used to feeding and fueling my body really good, and there honestly just wasn’t enough time with everything packed in there.

Add on top of that one of my roommates for the week had a cold of some sorts.  With me being exhausted, my immune system was week and sure enough a few days after I got home I got hit with it.  Ugh!  So all that momentum and big things I wanted to accomplish for my clients and team were not exactly accomplished…yet.

I’ve got those 2 voices going on in my head, and one is full of doubt and limiting beliefs, saying you’ll never be quite good enough, you’ll never quite measure up, this is your success level, that’s theirs, you don’t quite have what it takes to reach that level, you should just give up, quit now and save  yourself the misery.  You know that voice, the one that tries to drag you down.  Just writing about it makes me sad, makes me want to cry.  I know not to trust that voice but dang it can get a hold of you!  It comes on with such guilt that no matter what you do, it’s just NOT good enough and never will be.

Then you’ve got another voice that tells you it’s ok, just BREATHE. I’ve got you!  Take time to rest in my presence, in my peace.  Give your physical body time to rest, it’s ok.

I’m reading a book right now that talks about this very thing, they call it the ‘chatterbox’ that’s going on in your head.  “…the fight against the chatter is guaranteed to be a grueling one, with no end in sight, you have to fight back. Your spiritual life depends on it.  Because the voice you believe will determine the future you experience.’ (Steven Furtick, Crash the Chatterbox)

How powerful is that?!  ‘The voice you believe will determine  the future you experience.’

I’ve spent the last 8+ years leaning into the still small voice that is uplifting and encouraging, that says yes you can.  You can’t do it overnight, but trust and have faith, and keep following my lead and it will all work out.

You have to learn to ride the waves, the big and the small, and not let the condemning, self-doubting voice take you under.  Because believe me it will if you let it.

Even the strongest of us all can be led astray.  That’s why it’s so important to feed  your mind and your soul with the right things on a consistent basis.  When you don’t, in comes doubt, in comes self-limiting beliefs, in comes the negative voices of others around you.

I read my bible and a daily devotion every morning and spend time in prayer.  For the most part it’s the first thing I do.  In the evening’s when I’m winding down in bed I read 20 minutes minimum of some kind of personal development book.  I’ve got quite the collection these days. Then I also surround myself with other like-minded leaders on the same path, and I add in some other webinars, podcasts, and youtube videos as well.

The crazy thing is that the more success we have, the further along in our journey…the more obstacles will be thrown our way, trying to take us off track and those periods of self doubt.

The lesson my friends is to lean into the right voice.  If it’s full of guilt, doubt, condemnation, self-pity, regret, and all those other nasty feelings…run! That’s not the right voice.

You were made for more and we are MORE than conquerors!  Believe it!

Big hugs and love to you!  xx, Alicia