How To Become Unstoppable – Even If You’re Not Ready

My biggest struggle in running my business is this; I suck at grammar and spelling! You see, English is not my first language, and after living in three countries, mixing different languages, I’m a pretty grammar-confused woman in general.

I’ve grown to embrace and attack this challenge with playfulness and optimism. Luckily, I love to learn. I see myself as a longtime student of the beautiful English language.

When it comes to my blogging, I sometimes get emails from readers telling me how they love what I write, but that they find it full of spelling and grammar mistakes.

I don’t get offended by this, and I don’t consider these individuals language bullies – the opposite actually. They kindly offer to help me proof edit my writing for free and honestly, I love them for that! These people have big hearts. They mean well.

I always give them the same reply though, because the thing is; my errors and flaws are important! Why? Because my life purpose is helping creative women believe in themselves and follow their dreams – even if they are not ready and even if the circumstances are NOT perfect.

Here’s an example of how my usual reply sounds:

Dear x

Thanks so much for you kind words and concern about my writings.

With time I´ve come to love my grammar and spelling mistakes. In the past, it was a huge confidence struggle for me, and I´ve also had proofreaders employed earlier in my career.

But I learned along the way to embrace my imperfections – I can´t be perfect in all areas – nor do I want to. And if I waited for perfection I would never write a single word,

I want to show my audience that it’s possible to grow a successful business – even though their grammar/spelling is not perfect.

Many of my students and clients are not native English speakers. They come from all over the world and many struggle with English grammar, and it keeps them from moving forward with an International career.

If I can inspire just one person not to hold back from writing. If I can inspire just one woman to start a blog/creative career/magazine/business/online course in English – even though English is not her first language – I´m happy. It can be the key to changing her life!

Thanks again for your kindness,

Christina

You see, I used to believe I needed to be perfect before I could do anything! And it limited me big time!

Luckily, I soon realized how wrong I was! Like-minded creatives started to follow me even though I was a complete novice in photography. (This was back in 2009).

People liked my photographs even though my results were far from perfect and they started reading my blog despite ALL my spelling mistakes…

By being myself with all my flaws and imperfections, I was able to build a solid client base + a great network of creative people. I grew my business from scratch with a simple Blogspot blog and a lousy camera.

Many things have changed since then. I finally have a better website and an excellent camera – and though my writing is still full of errors, it has improved tremendously.

The key is, I don’t worry about it anymore. I know now that I don’t have to be perfect to be successful. I just need to be me – and ask myself how I can serve the world?

One of the biggest causes of creative dry spell is the need to “get it right.” We strive for perfection, and when we fall short, we feel less than and worthless.

What we don’t seem to realize is that CREATING something and being WILLING to put ourselves out there is an accomplishment in itself, regardless of how many times we “don´t get it right.”

NEVER let spelling/grammar struggles stop you from doing what you love.

Never let the lack of applause keep you from creating. You don’t need to be the best to succeed.

You don’t need to get it perfect all the time. And you certainly don’t need other people to approve of your skills.

The moment you realize that being kind, loving and supportive towards yourself and those you serve – everything changes. Your creativity will blossom, and you become unstoppable.

Don’t wait for everything to be perfect to create your dream business. Start without the perfect circumstances, begin without that beautiful logo, offer your service even though your product or skills are not fully developed yet.

Don’t wait for doors to open! CREATE your own door and invite abundance in.

BE the best YOU you can be and step out of the shadow to shine in your own wonderful accomplishments.

Success isn’t about your circumstances it’s about your thinking and your habits. The fastest way to let go of your limiting beliefs is by taking action. Just start. Take one tiny step every day.

You can do this!

With Love & Passion

Slow Down & Make Things Right

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We humans tend to make the worst decisions when stressed or overwhelmed. Our lives are so busy with constant deadlines and crammed schedules. The pace itself can create stress and burnout over time, but even worse it can clutter your focus and dis-connect your senses.

Some old sayings state that “life happens when you are busy making other plans” and that we should “stop and smell the roses”.

I’m sure you´ve heard it before – but the thing is, we tend to forget it when life gets busy.

Don’t get me wrong, slowing down is not about moving through life at a snail’s pace. Slow living calls for you to bring intention + attention to the tempo of your life and your mental state.

It’s about slowing down to make things right – for you and your loved ones!

It’s about finding a “sweet spot” for living; a personally optimal rhythm for life that serves YOU the best. So you can be challenged without being overwhelmed and you can feel recharged without being passive.

When life get’s hectic, you begin to miss out on the nuanced textures of life – the delicious taste of a good cup of coffee, the subtle changes in a flower, the quiet beauty of a Sunday morning, or the feeling of a warm bath. Time and mental space is critical for this absorption and for stimulating your senses + it improves your creativity!

The truth is that to re-connect with yourself and find more peace and calm in life, you don´t have to make BIG changes. Think baby steps. Just breathing deeply and becoming present in the moment is enough to activate calmness and positive change.

Pay attention to the small stuff. When you take little moments during your day to notice these “small” everyday things, you will automatically reduce your fast pace and live more mindfully.

When you slow down and become present you make better decisions, because you´re able to focus on what matters most.

With mindful gratitude,

10 Daily Success Habits For Creatives With BIG Ambitions

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Growing up, I was a creative, sensitive, free spirit trapped in a super organized, controlled environment full of rules. Now, don´t get me wrong, my childhood was good, and my parents loved me.

But being put in such a strict, disciplined zone made me feel like I was the black sheep of the family. I was always the problem, the trouble maker, the rebellion, the rule-breaker.

It turned me into a person who hated discipline, and at the same time, I had to show extreme self-discipline to get attention and love from my parents. It was hard work, to be honest, and my mind was always on overwork.

I firmly believe I was born to do creative work. From a very young age, I constantly had a ton of ideas and creative projects lined up in my head. And when I wasn’t in school I would spend all my time creating, drawing, painting, designing, writing, photographing, dancing and the list goes on.

My parents did not believe it was possible to make a living as an artist or creative entrepreneur, so I had no support when it came to my artistic abilities. They believed in hard work and high education – and they also believed that you should be happy for whatever job you could get.

I knew in my heart that I wanted more for myself. I wanted a fabulous life and a career I would be madly in love with – nothing less. For me, it was all or nothing.

As a young adult, my life turned into a battle field between my creative self and my inner perfectionist. Instead of setting myself free of my childhood, I started to think, live and do as my parents taught me. It totally killed my creativity, and I ended up being super depressed.

Later in my twenties, while I was studying psychology, human behavior and coaching I began to see the world differently. And I discovered two things that changed my life:

1. To be happy I had to let go of the desire to please everybody and stop following other people’s vision of the perfect life. I was born to honor my heart’s desire and follow my dreams.

2. Discipline, planning, and rules are not enemies to fight, they are resources. By using these resources to my advantage, I became more creative, happy and satisfied. I was able to blend my creative soul with the resources of discipline and create my dream life super fast.

Since then I´ve used self-discipline, healthy routines, and planning to design my dream life, build a 6-figure business and live a happy life with my family.

You see, here´s the thing: success comes with a price called self-discipline – especially for creative solo-entrepreneurs and reality is that many creatives hate the idea of self-discipline, routines, and planning.

Nevertheless, embracing positive, healthy lifestyle habits can help you achieve incredible success with your business.

So if you have BIG ambitions (as many creatives do because they dare to dream big), then here’s some SUPER POWERFUL habits to include in your daily routine:

#1: Wake Up Early

I know it’s tempting to stay in bed for as long as possible, but getting up just one hour earlier gives you 7 hours more a week and 28 hours more a month to work on your creative business. Imagine what you can do with those extra hours.

Let your competition sleep while you build your empire at high speed. Most people work more efficiently and focused in the morning, so you will be able to double your productivity.

#2: Eat For Optimal Mind Performance

What you put into your body first thing in the morning will impact your whole day. Feed your brain and your body only the best. I recommend drinking lemon water, or green juice and take some supplements. Personally, I´m a super fan of Omega 3, for optimum brain function and a positive mood. And just to be clear – there´s no need to live a strict diet or be fanatic.

Go for the 80/20 rule. 80% healthy, well prepared food and 20% well..not so healthy. I love wine, gourmet food, and lazy days in bed with Netflix eating chocolate, and for me allowing myself to do this from time to time, are important aspects of living a quality life.

But, I also know that the brain and body needs POWER FOOD to help you be the happiest and the most successful I can be. It´s about finding the balance and eating for optimal mind performance.

#3. Do Your Most Important Task First

Before you go to bed at night plan what 1-3 things you will prioritize the next day. Then when you start working in the morning go straight to that list.

Follow through because this is truly the key to building a successful business. Make sure your most important tasks are related to your goals. For optimal focus shut down social media + phone while you work.

#4. Take a Break Every 90 Minutes

Psychologists have discovered that people can only focus on tasks for about 90 minutes at a time. This explains why we’re prone to falling into the social media vortex after working for awhile.

Instead of attempting to push through, go for a walk, stretch your body, jump on a trampoline, eat a healthy snack, drink water, meditate or dance to some funky music. You will come back with a fresh mind and a happy body.

#5. Study Something Every Day

Close the gap between where you are and where you want to be by learning something new every day. Choose topics related to your creative field and type of niche.

Take courses, read blogs, and books. Look for ways to incorporate learning into your daily routines. For example, I like to listen to podcasts when I walk my dogs, it´s the perfect way for me to grow my knowledge while getting some fresh air.

#6. Move Your Body

Many tests have shown that the most innovative, creative ideas come to you while exercising – especially with endurance training. When you move your body, your creative mind will automatically follow. All the endorphins that release during exercise will help you stay focused, happy and get great ideas.

#7. Look at Your Goals Daily

This is super important. People who look at their goals daily are 70% more likely to reach them. Looking at your goals daily will ensure a sharp focus and keep you on the right track. Where attention goes, energy flows.

#8. Organize and Systemize

Find ways to organize and simplify your life. Make it easy for yourself to get the right things done. Find systems that can run by themselves so you can focus on more important things.

Prepare in advance, delegate what you can delegate and say no to all things that´s not inspiring to you or increase your income.

#9. Make Celebration Your Fuel

If you don´t take the time to celebrate and live a fabulous life, you will lose motivation and momentum. Celebration is the fuel you need to keep going.

Find ways to turn your life into a party. Laugh, go out, eat gourmet, drink champagne, travel, go to a spa, a hotel, give yourself a present, buy flowers and so on. SPOIL yourself! You deserve it.

#10. Be Your Own Best Friend

Be mindful about how you talk to yourself. This is crucial. If you´re always criticizing yourself, you´ll never ever be able to create the successful life you desire.

So no matter how you feel about yourself, make sure to TALK nicely and kindly with your inner voice. Think of yourself as your own coach.

How would a coach talk to you? Find that supportive voice within yourself. It changes everything!