053: The NEW Love, Light & Business Podcast!
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Episode 53: The NEW Love, Light & Business Podcast!
One of the number one questions I get asked is this - how do I tune into my intuition to receive business guidance?
I totally get the question because so often, we reach a point where we “know” what to do next in terms of strategy or logistics - we know to publish the blog post or website, to schedule out our content, to figure out our ideal client already! - but for some reason, we feel stuck either energetically, or we’re just not seeing results in our business.
For example, I had a client recently who was doing all of the right things - she was showing up regularly on social media, publishing her newsletter, getting a 60% converting opt-in page… but she was NOT getting any requests for discovery sessions (by the way, if this is all gibberish to you, stay tuned for the next episode where I’ll break down the online marketing funnel in every day language).
After we made sure to tweak and optimize her marketing funnel and Instagram ads, I knew something else was going on. So, I asked her to drop into her intuition and ask for guidance on what to do next.
Within a couple of days, she reached out to me and told me her intuition guided her to check her application page, and her spam folder, and she actually had 5 applications waiting for her and she didn’t even know!! On top of that, her application wasn’t functioning properly on her website, and she never thought to check!
Do you see how intuition comes in handy with business?
I’ll give an example from my own life… and I have a HUGE bit of exciting news to share, but before I get into that, let me explain how this whole “use your intuition in life” thing started for me… I’ve never shared this whole story, and I think it’s time!!
In 2010, I had just graduated from college and was working as a teller at the bank and freelance writing for the local paper and some online how-to sites (remember E-how? Yup, i used to get paid a whopping $50 per article!).
Not my dream jobs, but hey, it paid the bills! And I started to get into this huge existential crisis, asking myself… what am I meant to do with my life?
Then one night, I had a MAJOR fight with my husband - then boyfriend - and I was in so much pain, when all of a sudden it was like my brain stopped working and I woke up to the present moment. Things got all sparkly, and it was like I was seeing everything around me for the first time. I had NO idea what was happening but I know it felt amazing.
The feeling lasted for about a day, and then I started searching for this feeling again… which led me down the path of meditation and yoga. My whole life became about finding this amazing feeling - which later, a meditation workshop leader told me was a satori, or sudden enlightenment - again.
I bought my first matching meditation pillows from Cost Plus World Market, set up a cool little altar with a Buddha sculpture - also from World Market - and sat myself down. I didn’t know this at the time, but I had unknowingly stepped into a lifelong spiritual journey that would lead me to where I am today.
Then… flow started to happen and I started receiving intuitive hits, as you do when you begin tapping in.
I’ll shorten the month-long sequence of events that led me to move to New York City, but it went something like this:
Read The 4 Hour Workweek. Go to Borders. Buy a pretty magazine. Reach out to the editor-in-chief and leave a voicemail on her phone. Receive a call from said editor. Work my butt off and save to move to New York to become a writer, like Carrie Bradshaw.
Alright, let me jump in here and talk about New York for a second. Shortly after moving to New York, I started getting this really strange energy from the editor who told me she’d hire me and hook me up with a job. Turns out, she was shutting down her magazine due to personal problems, and it ended up getting ugly. But I was determined and in flow to make it in New York, blasting “Empire State of Mind” all day very day, allowing my intuition and desires to lead the way...
I pounded the pavement, and within a month, had networked with editors from the top national women’s magazines in the city, and within 2 months, was contributing, interning, and writing for 3 of them, in addition to contributing to online magazines on dating, travel, and health.
It was this unique way of trusting my intuition, listening to it, and moving toward my evolving desires that allowed me to:
…. Be introduced to Gabby Bernstein, a mentor who would change the course of my life from her workshop in a tiny yoga studio in the East Village.
… Know that it was the right move to go back to California after I realized the 9-5 editor lifestyle wasn’t for me.
… Join B-School, train to be a coach, and build a coaching business while I was in a 9-5.
… Know it was right to quit my 9-5 (even though I thought I’d be there for 3 more years)
… Move to San Diego, the city I’d dreamed about living in since back when I was a teller.
… Travel the world and meet my very best friends while doing it...
And today… ready for that exciting bit of news I mentioned earlier?!? -
… I know that it’s the right move for me to go back to the San Francisco Bay Area (at least for this next year… ).
I know. Crazy, right?
Let me back up… about 4 months ago, I stopped feeling completely aligned with San Diego, much like how I stopped feeling aligned with New York. What I thought I wanted - to grow old and have babies here - stopped being what I wanted (luckily, my husband was on board and in fact was the one who posed the question - do you still want that life here?).
My desire was telling me to move back to the Bay Area to establish a home base from traveling the world near my family, and my intuition was telling me… this is where your next chapter begins. Go.
And let me tell you, I tried to ignore this little intuitive hit even more than I ignored the hit to leave New York City after finding success - I mean HELLO, San Diego was my DREAM - … but the signs were everywhere! I even had different friends - who don’t know each other - ask me if I was going to move from San Diego out of the blue.
So, I’m going. It was NOT an easy decision - following your intuition isn’t always convenient - but doing otherwise can have a lot of other unwanted repercussions.
I know your version of listening to your intuition and going with your evolving desires might not be as extreme as moving all around the country as your desires evolve and change, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have story that’s looking to evolve and to be written.
Now, you might be asking… how do I tune into my intuition? How do I even receive these intuitive hits about what to do next in the context of my current desires?
Great questions.
So now I’d love to share with you some practices, tools, and a bonus superpower that will help you hear your intuition in your business and life, in the context of your desires and what feels good.
First step… get clear on your ultimate pressing desire right now is. What do you REALLY want that you think about often?
Next, it’s about tuning into your intuition to receive guidance on the matter... like is it time to leave your 9-5? Should you stay for another year? Should you move? Is it time to have a baby? What do you want to move forward?
After you have your question, let’s talk practices that will help you get in touch with your inner guide!
Regular meditation and journaling form the bread and butter of tuning into my intuition.
In the show notes, I’ll share with you my favorite meditations, guided visualizations, and journal prompts that help me on my journey.
What’s important here is that you let this process be fluid, not rigid, and not like anyone else’s. Take what works from what I share, but if you don’t like meditating for 20 minutes, then don’t - meditate for 10. If Bikram Yoga or running is your form of meditation, do that. If you don’t like to journal, speak your prayers out loud. The point is that you get into a state of flow and connection with your higher power. It might feel awkward - or like nothing is happening at first - and that’s OK too. Stick with it, stay committed to receiving guidance on your desire, and continue to tap in and listen.
Next, I’m happy to share with you the fun tools I use to tap into my intuition as a complement to meditation and journaling. I love using a pendant for yes/no answers, Tarot/Angel/Daily Inspiration Cards, books that bring me to center, and sage to clear any energy that may be making it hard to feel in flow. Check out the show notes for specific tools, books and decks I use every day!
And that’s IT!! Literally, it’s that simple… it’s just a matter of finding different ways to RE-connect to the same energy connection.
Oh yeah, and I want to share the bonus superpower I mentioned... FOCUS.
Don’t get distracted by other people’s opinions!! Trust the guidance you receive, and definitely don’t receive a piece of guidance, and then ask 10 friends about their opinion on the matter.
Keep it sacred, between you and your Source, and trust the guidance you receive. Otherwise - and def speaking from experience here - you’ll end up with 10 different opinions and feel even more confused on what to do next.
One more word on focus… social media and the internet is set UP to be distracting and to cause us to look at a million bright shiny objects. I’ve even checked social media a bunch of times as a distraction to writing this longer-than-usual Podcast outline!
BUT, success belongs to those of us who can focus and put boundaries on our time and energy.
The ones who can focus move forward and create masterpieces. Sometimes, I think about Beethoven, Mozart, the great artists and I think… man, it must have been MUCH easier to be creative when all you had to distract you was a house phone that MAY or may not ring that day, and your neighbors who may or may not come over!!
Be purposeful with how you spend your time and energy, and use your focus, in addition to your intuition, as your superpowers.
Alright that is ALL for today’s episode!
Make sure you download your show notes, and if you enjoyed the Podcast, please leave me some love and light and give me 5 stars in iTunes. Thank you so much, and I’ll see you next time on the next episode of The Love, Light and Business Podcast.
Download Episode 53's Show Notes