The sense of losing one’s way is common for business owners. At the start of the entrepreneurial journey everything feels like fun. We dream of the fortune we will make and the future we will build. It feels possible, positive and inspirational. 

Then life gets in the way. This can happen for a number of reasons, for example the market can turn, staff challenges can feel too much and the never-ending red tape, taxes and cash flow can become a heavy burden. Before you know it, the challenges have become the work and the anxieties outweigh the dream. 

Fun, fortune and a positive future turn into more stress, less money and less time. Our business feels like hard work and our thoughts can turn to defeat and self-criticism. 

Returning to love is a reminder of the importance of self-love and self-care – setting aside time for the hobbies we enjoy, meditation, positive affirmations, exercise and a healthy diet. Leaders need a strong sense of self-love. A sense of self that provides constancy through all the ups and downs of life.  

The six ways I use to strengthen self-love include: 

1. A morning routine of meditation, positive affirmation or prayer
2. A daily exercise and a healthy lifestyle plan
3. Decluttering the home and work environment
4. Diarising time for friends, family and loved ones
5. Support from a psychologist, mentor or business coach
6. A daily commitment to complete three high value things on the to do list.

This week is a gentle call to return to self-love. Be kind to yourself first. If you are feeling lost, demotivated and frustrated perhaps reach out for help from a mentor, peer group or professional growth team.