Latest / The Confident Entrepreneur With Jennifer Ann Johnson / Being Present & Thankful With Jennifer Ann Johnson
Transcript
- 0:37Jennifer Johnson: Being present and being thankful.
- 0:40Jennifer Johnson: Today I want to dive into why being thankful and being present is so crucial for small business owners and how being present and being thankful can really impact your business and impact everything that you do actually in your life and in your business.
- 0:57Jennifer Johnson: Whether you're just starting out or you've been in business for years, this episode is going to show you how mindfulness and thankfulness can be your secret weapon for success and fulfillment.
- 1:06Jennifer Johnson: So let's start by addressing why being present and thankful is so important, especially for small business owners.
- 1:13Jennifer Johnson: As entrepreneurs, we often find ourselves caught in the whirlwind of tasks and planning for the future and worrying about what might go wrong.
- 1:21Jennifer Johnson: And some of this future thinking is necessary, but an overemphasis on it can lead to stress and burnout and missed opportunities and being in the present.
- 1:31Jennifer Johnson: So being in the present means being fully engaged in what's happening right now.
- 1:35Jennifer Johnson: It's about giving your full attention to the task at hand, maybe the person you're speaking with or the challenge you're facing.
- 1:42Jennifer Johnson: Gratitude, on the other hand, is about recognizing and appreciating the good things in your business and life, no matter how small they may seem.
- 1:51Jennifer Johnson: Together, they can create a powerful shift in your business.
- 1:54Jennifer Johnson: And here's how they can give you enhanced decision-making abilities.
- 1:59Jennifer Johnson: When you're present, you're more aware of the nuances of a situation.
- 2:03Jennifer Johnson: The clarity can lead to better and more informed decisions, improved relationships, being present in your interactions with other people in your life or in your business, build stronger relationships, increased resilience.
- 2:17Jennifer Johnson: Gratitude helps you maintain that positive perspective, even when things get tough.
- 2:23Jennifer Johnson: This is crucial for weathering the ups and downs of small business ownership.
- 2:28Jennifer Johnson: Greater innovation.
- 2:29Jennifer Johnson: Being present allows you to notice details and opportunities that you may otherwise miss.
- 5:01Jennifer Johnson: Reduce stress.
- 5:03Jennifer Johnson: That's a good one because both presence and gratitude have been shown to reduce stress levels, which is vital for maintaining your health and enthusiasm as a small business owner.
- 5:14Jennifer Johnson: So, what are some practical ways that you can incorporate being present and practicing gratitude in your small business?
- 5:22Jennifer Johnson: Start your day mindfully.
- 5:24Jennifer Johnson: Begin each workday with a couple of minutes where you could just have mindful practice.
- 5:29Jennifer Johnson: You can meditate or breathe deeply or just sit quietly and set your intentions for the day.
- 5:35Jennifer Johnson: Practice single tasking.
- 5:37Jennifer Johnson: Oh, this is so hard for me because I am the consummate multitasker.
- 5:42Jennifer Johnson: Focus on one thing at a time.
- 5:44Jennifer Johnson: Give it your full attention before you move on to the next thing.
- 5:47Jennifer Johnson: Then you should take mindful breaks throughout the day.
- 5:50Jennifer Johnson: Take short breaks to center yourself.
- 5:52Jennifer Johnson: Even a minute of deep breathing can help you reset and refocus.
- 5:56Jennifer Johnson: Even keeping a gratitude journal, and that at the end of the day, you write down three things that you're grateful for that happened that day.
- 6:03Jennifer Johnson: Express appreciation.
- 6:05Jennifer Johnson: Regularly thank employees and clients and partners, but be really specific in what you're thanking them for.
- 6:14Jennifer Johnson: Create a gratitude wall.
- 6:16Jennifer Johnson: It's space where you can put notes up there for your team.
- 6:21Jennifer Johnson: And practice mindful listening.
- 6:23Jennifer Johnson: When interacting with others, give them your full attention.
- 6:26Jennifer Johnson: Again, that is really important.
- 6:28Jennifer Johnson: Active listening.
- 6:30Jennifer Johnson: Let me share a real-world example with you how these practices can transform your small business.
- 6:35Jennifer Johnson: So Sarah was a small business owner.
- 6:37Jennifer Johnson: She owned a local bakery.
- 6:38Jennifer Johnson: And like a lot of other people, she was always stressed and always thinking about the next day's orders and competition.
- 6:44Jennifer Johnson: And she decided, after we worked together, to incorporate presence and gratitude into her daily routine.
- 6:52Jennifer Johnson: She started each morning with a 10-minute meditation, focused on her breath, setting positive intentions.
- 6:58Jennifer Johnson: Throughout the day, she practiced being fully present, whether she was kneading her dough or piping cupcakes or whatever she was doing.
- 7:06Jennifer Johnson: She also started a simple gratitude practice.
- 7:09Jennifer Johnson: Every evening she wrote down three things she was thankful for.
- 7:12Jennifer Johnson: Some days it was big, some days it was small.
- 7:16Jennifer Johnson: But she she was consistent with it.
- 7:19Jennifer Johnson: And she noticed over time significant changes.
- 7:22Jennifer Johnson: She felt more relaxed and energized.
- 7:26Jennifer Johnson: Her improved presence led to a better quality products that she was doing and more meaningful connections.
- 7:33Jennifer Johnson: And people commented.
- 7:34Jennifer Johnson: That helped Sarah maintain a positive outlook.
- 7:38Jennifer Johnson: And she began to see opportunities where she only saw problems before.
- 7:42Jennifer Johnson: A mistake in an order led to the creation of a new popular product that she had.
- 7:47Jennifer Johnson: And she discovered her rediscovered her passion for baking.
- 7:52Jennifer Johnson: By being present in her work, she found joy in those small moments.
- 7:57Jennifer Johnson: And her renewed enthusiasm was contagious.
- 8:00Jennifer Johnson: It inspired her team and attracted more customers.
- 8:03Jennifer Johnson: Her result was not only did she feel more fulfilled, but her business flourished too.
- 8:08Jennifer Johnson: Her sales increased, employee retention improved, and the bakery gained a reputation as the most welcoming spot in town.
- 8:17Jennifer Johnson: So as we wrap up, presence and gratitude can enhance decision making and improve relationships and increase resilience, foster innovation, and reduce stress.
- 8:28Jennifer Johnson: Practical strategies are things like mindfully going about your day, single tasking instead of multitasking, taking breaks, keeping a gratitude journal, expressing appreciation, and creating a gratitude wall and practice mindful listening.
- 8:45Jennifer Johnson: These practices can transform not only how you feel about your business, but its performance and its success.
- 8:52Jennifer Johnson: Remember, being present and grateful isn't about ignoring challenges or pretending everything's perfect.
- 8:58Jennifer Johnson: It's about engaging fully with your business while maintaining a positive and appreciative perspective.
- 9:04Jennifer Johnson: It's about finding joy and opportunity in the day to day.
- 9:07Jennifer Johnson: So I challenge you to incorporate one practice of presence and one practice of gratitude into your business routine this week.
- 9:14Jennifer Johnson: Start small, be consistent, and watch how these simple practices can create profound shifts in your business and in your life.