As an entrepreneur stress can become a natural state of being.  There’s so much to do and not enough hours in the day to get it all done, and if you’re a solopreneur, the responsibility is totally in your hands!  This can be enough to drive the most efficient of us crazy, and in those moments of overwhelm, it can leave you wondering if having a desk job was really as bad as you once thought it was.

I’m no stranger to feeling stressed.  Even with meditation, yoga and a morning jog, there are times when I’ve had moments where I’m still left wondering where I will find the courage and strength to go on in difficult times, when the obstacles seem insurmountable!  Stress can take you right off track and take away your focus from the goal of growing your business and pursuing your passion.  It drains your energy, it takes a toll on your relationships and it takes up valuable time that you could be using to take your business to the next level!

Often, our main source of stress comes from fear.  Fear of the unknown, failure, or even success!  When we encounter obstacles, especially when we are starting out, it can be easy to consider these challenges a sign that your business isn’t meant to be.  If you’ve studied the stories of anyone that has achieved great success in their business, or life in general, there is rarely a time when barriers were not encountered.  What made those people successful was their ability to persevere and maintain their focus in spite of those challenges.  They have a strong belief in their vision and that is what gives them the ability to push through the obstacles and make their dreams a reality.

When you feel stressed, take a quick moment to ask yourself what exactly is stressing you out.  Is it the worry that the product or service you’re offering won’t attract any customers?  Are you taking on too much and need to hire someone, but you’re afraid you can’t afford it?  Instead of allowing stress to take over, take control of it and dig deep to find the root cause of your stress.  Only then can you find ways to minimize or eliminate it.

As entrepreneurs, we can’t allow stress to take away our power to make our dreams come true.  We all have a gift to share with the world, a purpose, a calling that is waiting to be fulfilled.  We have to believe in ourselves and have faith that everything is working out as it should (regardless of if it’s the way we want it to).  When we believe in ourselves and what we are doing, it makes it easier for others, including our future clients/customers to do the same, allowing us to grow our businesses from a place of authenticity and true service.

Sandra Dawes is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who feel unfulfilled with their 9-5 follow their dreams and pursue their passions. She holds an Honours BA, an MBA as well as a certificate in Dispute Resolution.She is working on her first book, Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!

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