CX Fanatics Podcast

The Power of Love Beyond Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day can run the gamut from rough and turbulent to joyful and celebratory.
But did you know it can ultimately impact your success, growth, and profitability as a business owner? This week in Episode 75 of the Feed U Podcast, I give you the low down on "real" love. And the difference it has made in my life to focus on love's counterpart, gratitude. I share with you the real scoop on why gratitude can propel your success faster than any tactic, measurement or social post. 
We get all twitterpated about V-Day, but why not enjoy the Valentine's Day love fest all year long?
In this week's episode, I introduce you to some of my gratitude practices so that you can have your very own love fest any time you want.  You don't even have to send flowers (unless you want to). If you're ready to deep dive into some love and gratitude practices that won't cost you a cent, listen to the entire episode here.
As any proud mom does, I speak a bit about the love of my boys and family. I realize not everyone has a typical "family". But all of those people that pick you up when you're feeling down, answer the phone when you call at 3 am or even drive to get you Baskin Robbins because they know you are in a bad way - those people ARE your family. When was the last time you sent up a little prayer of gratitude for them? Or better yet, sent them a note, text or picked up the phone and told them how blessed you are to have them in your life?
The other perspective I talk about is the people who are cheering for you to succeed that you aren't even aware of.  Did you know there are lurkers watching your every move, waiting for you to WIN big, just so they can follow your example? Mind-blowing, right? 🤯 🤯 🤯
You never know who you are impacting for the better - you literally have the ability to change people's lives every minute of every day.  How cool is that?
The next gratitude I cover for myself is having a home. 
I delve into my experience working with the homeless community in San Francisco and the little things we take for granted every day.  Simple things like we don't have to think about where we are going to go to the bathroom.  If you want a whole slew of reasons to be grateful that are surrounding you as you read this, tune in here. You don't have to worry about being safe when you go to sleep. You likely don't have to worry about your next meal, or whether or not you will survive the night because it's 9 degrees in Colorado. SO MUCH to be grateful for.
Next, I cover how lucky I feel to be living the entrepreneurial dream.
If you've ever worked in a job with a boss from H-E-Double Hockey sticks, this one will hit home with you. If you ever think of giving up on your dream, think back to the boss that never listened to your ideas, promoted someone else who was quieter and was a behind kisser (let's face it most entrepreneurs are not) or just plain made you miserable because their energy was toilet water. When you think about giving up on this dream of having your own business - just realize all of that is still waiting out there for you and you can go back anytime. (Why would you want to do that is beyond me.) Want to hear more about this, listen to the episode here.
 Sometimes being your own boss, means trusting the plan
I delve into my search for a new puppy story here and how the process is forcing me to learn the lesson of trust. Sometimes we have a plan, a goal and a desire that we THINK should look a certain way. But, what we don't see is that if we got what we wished for in the way we HAVE to have it, it wouldn't be for our best good or highest learning potential.  I use the example of trying to adopt a new pupkin to drive my point home.  You can hear the whole story here.
Last but not least, I end the episode with a Tweet that Bishop Karen Oliveto shared that was originally posted by Pope Francis.  You can read the original quote and her response here.  In an effort to create unity, it was shocking to me how many people had to comment about how "bad" someone else's opinion was. How their thoughts and beliefs are "right" and that they didn't believe that Pope Francis had even tweeted the information.  I was stunned.  Since when did stating an opinion become that of one-upmanship? Are we really that far gone that we can't sit, listen and be open to letting someone of differing opinions share their point of view? I'm not saying you have to agree. I am saying, that it is a human right to express and share your opinion and have others support you simply because you are a fellow human being. The divisiveness and hatred in this country are astounding.  I may not agree with you, but I will hear you out. 
I beckon you to listen to others with an open heart. Even if the only outcome is to just let them be heard. You don't have to change your opinion, you don't have to agree, but because you love the human race - just listen. There is so much disconnection in our world and so many people who just want to be seen - how hard is it to let them be seen and heard?
I leave you with something stolen from Stand By Me that I refer to as the "spit handshake". You're allowed to argue, back then we were even allowed to wrestle it out. But in the end, we spit and shake hands as an act of solidarity that no matter what we can still get along.  This week of Valentine's Day - I encourage you to swap more spit handshakes. (You can even leave the spit part out if you want!)
I mention this article by Leila Janah. She spoke about how building your own business is like Growing Your Own Garden.  It is a beautiful and true interpretation of the emotional experience of starting, building and growing a dream. As I went to find the article, I found she passed away this month from cancer. I am honored to share her beautiful article and hope it inspires you to do the same.  Rest in peace Leila. Thank you for leaving the world a little more beautiful. 
I'll be back next week with more marketing tips.  In the meantime, if this episode resonates with you, come and share your thoughts over in the Facebook Group.
What did you think about this episode?  
How will you practice love, gratitude, and connection during Valentine's Day and beyond? Come on over to the Facebook Page and share your journey. 

Evolving Your Why

Knowing, living and believing in your business why is essential to staying motivated during the tough times.
You know the times when you want to crawl into bed with your favorite cookie dough and just watch vampire movies all day. Hiding out hoping the world won't find you and avoiding the "What's for dinner" pleas coming from outside the bedroom door. Maybe that's just me.  I was SO confident in my why when I started my business.  But, what none of the experts told me and I had to find out the hard way (over the last year or so especially) is your why evolves. It has too. Everything evolves, seasons, the day into night, babies into children into adults. Nothing is constant but change. So why would your business why evolve as well?
I know it seems like a no brainer, but for some reason, I had convinced myself that mine should stay the same.  BOY was I wrong.
If you're like most business owners, you had a specific reason for beginning this journey of entrepreneurship.
Most likely, it was to help someone in some capacity and to gain some freedom of time, energy or the boss that stalked you to the bathroom wanting to know every move you mad.e  This week I talk about my journey of entrepreneurship, my original why and how it has been evolving over time. You can listen to the entire episode here.
I also talk about the importance of evolving your why and business to adapt to market changes, your audience, and your passion. If you stay stuck in a rut, you may just stay there and find that you aren't growing, attracting new people and are flat out bored and uninspired.
This episode is more from the heart and less about specific teaching. But, nonetheless, being clear about why you are doing what you doing is no simple matter. I hope my story, the shifts I have made throughout my business and where I am going will inspire you to take a look at your own why. Perhaps encouraging you to ask yourself the hard question, of "Am I still moving in the direction that speaks to my soul?" If not, I implore you to sit with that question a little longer. Before the burnout begins. Before you find yourself longing for change from a situation you can escape from. And most of all, before you give up completely.
I'll be back next week with more marketing tips.  In the meantime, if this episode resonates with you, come and share your thoughts over in the Facebook Group.
What did you think about this episode?  
Can you relate to the major shift of your why? Do you have a similar story? Come on over to the Facebook Page and share your business journey. Let's make it safe to support each other during the highs and lows.
Listen to the entire episode here:

Avoiding The Overwhelm of Marketing

Marketing your business today requires you to juggle dozens of balls in the air . . .
Including areas like social media, your website, opt-ins, landing pages, ads on different platforms, email, local promotion, networking, speaking and the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, with so many balls in the air, inevitably some of them will get dropped.  Not to mention that your full-time job isn't as a marketer.
But you're stuck between a rock and a hard place . . .
You have to market your business to attract new clients, but marketing is likely taking over your business, your free time and your life.  Ugh!  There has to be an easier way.  This is why in this week's episode I share 3 tips to avoid the overwhelm in your marketing endeavors.  You can listen to the entire episode here.
Here's the short version of what I shared:
1. Start with the end in mind.
You can't get where you're going if you don't know where that is. If you are making a sandwich and you try to pile all the ingredients in your arms to avoid making multiple trips to the fridge, some salami is gonna hit the floor. You have to have a sandwich and a fridge execution plan. Know what you want, plan it out, and then create the sandwich.  The same goes for marketing. So many business owners jump into the next new fad to gain followers, likes, posting and the list goes on - with no plan of what to do to get there or more importantly what to do when they reach that goal. Without a plan to get them to your shopping cart to start, that captive audience will never get there. Which means you are putting out a WHOLE lot of effort and not getting paid. For more details on how to back it up, give this week's episode a listen here.
2. Take an inventory of what you are already doing.
Again, if you don't take control of your marketing, it will control you. If you're like me you've signed up for services, courses, consulting masterminds, you name it and think I'll get to that . . . then the next thing you know the bills keep rolling in and you have yet to see any return on that monthly payment. Step two is to take a look at what you are currently investing in and ask these four questions:
Is the marketing investment leading to a sale?
Is the marketing tactic paying for itself?
Is the investment offering you the opportunity to make more money in the long or short term?
Can you measure the results from each marketing investment tactic?
For more examples and details, listen to this week's episode here.
3. Are you showing up where your audience is or wants to be?
Knowing your audience is the most critical brand and marketing tactic you can implore. If you are showing up on Facebook and wanting to connect with Fortune 500 CEO's you'll be in for a long wait. Whereas, connecting with that audience on LinkedIn is much more plausible. But everyone is on Facebook you may say, the answer is "yes" and "no". If you are a typical social user you are likely on Facebook to connect with family and friends and being sold to (especially in a business capacity) during your downtime, is annoying. Same if you are running a webinar or Facebook live in the middle of the day and your audience is working their 9-5. Yes, there is a replay, but that diminishes your ability for live interaction.  Isn't that the point of the LIVE video after all? In the episode, I give you some other examples and you can check them out here.
Implementing these 3 plus 1 tips will help you take back control of your business and your marketing.
When you take your inventory, come tell me what you found out over in the Facebook Group.
What did you think about this episode?  
Come on over to the Facebook Page and let me know what you thought about this episode.

3 Steps To More Joy, Clients and Profit In Your Business

If you're like most entrepreneurs, you started your business to gain one thing . . .
More freedom.  Freedom of time. Freedom from others controlling your workflow. Freedom from the man.  Freedom to chase your dreams and impact the world? Am I right? In this week's episode, I share with you the 3 tips I have found that help you reconnect to the reasons behind why you are working so hard. 
You may not believe me when I tell you this . . .
But, sometimes in order to enjoy more traction in your business, you need to do what is counterintuitive.  Refocus on some of the mindset and get back in tune and alignment with your true reasons for starting this roller coaster ride called entrepreneurship. In this week's episode, which you can listen to here you will find tips, tricks and not so inside secrets to finding more joy, clients, and profit in your business.  In the meantime, here's the short and sweet version:
1. Relax and Recharge.
Let's face it, when you need new customers, it is stressful.  Notice the word "need" there.  This denotes a feeling of desperation, and I'm here to tell you, people can feel it. What you focus on, whether intentional or not, is what you get more of. And I have been on both ends of the spectrum, more than once. Can you relate? So you may think to yourself, I just need to hustle more, run around and "do " more. But in reality, what you likely need to do is walk away and recharge.  Find that one thing that you enjoy, that recharges your batteries, and add it into your days a few times a week.  I get it, we are a busy group of folks, but if we don't take the time to refill our cups in one way or another, we have nothing left to give and that leads to burnout, self-doubt and frankly a business we end up not liking very much.
2. Release the "I'll be happy when . . ." mentality.
This is a tough one, I wholeheartedly admit. But the reality is, that if we are constantly striving for happiness in the future, we are missing the best part of our lives.  The now. Which is really the only time we are guaranteed. Am I saying, don't have goals? Of course not. But, it is critical for us to find things to be happy about NOW. To celebrate those small wins (or even the big ones). Now. So that when we get to the big goals, the big kahunas, we aren't left feeling like - oh, well that's a bummer, it's not nearly as great as I thought it was going to be.  It's easy to pour yourself into your dream and work, but as Mr. Miyagi would say - "Better learn balance. Balance is key. Balance good, karate good. Everything good. Balance bad, better pack up, go home. Understand?" Without balance, even success will feel empty. For more on finding the happy, listen to this week's episode here.
3. Look for opportunities to be of value and serve your clientele.
When you take a look at the big reasons you started and keep going with your business, my guess is (it's more than a guess) that you got into this gig it was because underneath it all you wanted to help other people. This is critical, especially now because of the inundation of information that is out there. When you are able to connect, create a conversation, become a resource, answer questions and solve that major hangnail that other people have in their lives - the will not only pay you money, they will become your biggest fans. So many times I'll open up my Facebook page, or watch TV commercials and I just groan. No one wants to be sold to, everyone, however, wants someone looking out for their best interest.  How can you do this in your business for the people you want to help? In the episode, I give you some specific examples and you can listen to them here.
I also added in a free Bonus tip.  But you'll have to go over and give this week's episode to get that tip.
Implementing these 3 plus 1 tips, will reignite your passion and profit in your business.
Which of these is your biggest struggle area? Come tell me this week on the Facebook page, if nothing else, we can talk it out and give you some moral support. See you over there.
What did you think about this episode?  
Come on over to the Facebook Page and let me know what you thought about this episode.
 

Simple Ways To Create A Cohesive and Memorable Brand

To be memorable as a brand, you need 5 key components
This week I break down those components on the Podcast as well as explaining the difference between branding and marketing and which you need more depending on which phase your business is in.  You can hear all about those differences here in the episode.
A brand is made up of visuals and also foundational components.
Let's jump into the importance of visuals and the four that specifically make up your brand. Using these four visual elements consistently creates memorability with your audience as well as helps to eliminate confusion and create cohesiveness.  If you confuse your audience and those you are trying to attract, they will just find someone easier for their brain to understand, which is why having a clean and clear brand is essential for any business.
1. Colors.
Many business owners choose their brand colors based on what they like.  In the episode, I discuss why this could be prohibitive to growing your business.  In reality, brand colors should appeal to buyer behavior and also be attractive to your ideal client. If the people you most want to serve are turned off by your brand aesthetics, then "Houston we have a problem." When choosing your colors, try to choose 2-3 foundational colors, a neutral or a neutral palette and a max of 3 accent colors.  This gives you a big variety and also enables you to create differentiation in your marketing materials.
2. Logo.
The biggest issue I have seen in the creation of logos is they are too complicated.  When creating a logo, the more complicated, the more difficult it is to incorporate the logo into different marketing materials. When creating, keep in mind, you may need to add that logo to signage, to glass, to your website and in various other places.  The more complicated, the more likely it will come across as blurred, confusing or worst of all unmemorable.  Simple is better (are you seeing a trend here?). It should explain what you do, and if it isn't clear, add a tagline. Until you are as recognizable as say, Nike, you need a tagline and a clear identifier for your business.
3. Photos and Images.
There are two different types of images that could be used in your branding and marketing. The first is any type of icon or drawing, and creating consistency in shapes, line width, etc. in relation to your logo is a must to appeal to your audience's brain. Our brains are brains often pick up on things we don't realize. But thinking through how all the elements of your brand work together in advance will keep the subconscious and conscious brain happy.  I give specific examples in the episode, give it a listen here. The other visual component that should be thought through is images added to your website. You want to balance personality, relationship building and results when choosing your photos or working with a brand photographer.  Each intentional image should lead your audience to the next step in your relationship and create trust.
4. Fonts.
Designers get a little twitchy when it comes to fonts, but here's the easy breakdown. Choose 2-3 max. Think about how you want to differentiate between titles and ideas you want to bring to the forefront. Be sure to choose fonts that will be readable on all platforms.  That beautiful handwritten font you have on your business card may look like a giant mess on a website. I discuss the 5 different font types in the episode but below is the easy visual break down as promised so you can get a gist of which fonts are in which families.
5. Messaging.
I've saved the most important for last. As you probably have heard me say before, if you don't have compelling messaging, all the aesthetics in the world aren't going to do you a lick of good.  People are looking for you to solve their problems.  If you have a gorgeous logo but no ability to relate to their problem and offer them a solution you are dead in the water. I cover the 5 key questions in depth that need to be answered with your messaging in Episode 71. But here is a quick recap of those questions:
Who do you help (specifically)?
How do you help them?
Why do they care about your solution?
Why are you different from everyone else that has their attention?
How do they get started with you?
Add those 5 components to your brand and you will be miles ahead of your competition.
Which item are you going to tackle first? (Please tell me it's your messaging! 😁)  Come join me this week on the Facebook page to get your brand and messaging questions answered.  See you over there.
What did you think about this episode?  
Come on over to the Facebook Page and let me know what you thought about this episode.
Download the entire episode transcript here.

Calendars, Schedulers and Your Website

In our busy world, it feels like we never have enough time!
With the start of the new year, comes the tendency to want to become more organized.  To do things in a new and different way. It comes from the clean slate of a brand new year. One of the biggest time savers I have implemented into my website was adding a calendar scheduling link to my website. It saves me from going back and forth to find a time that works for everyone. It also enables me to calendar block my time so that I am not jumping around with tasks and can instead be present for client calls when they occur.  I dig into how to set this up on your website in this week's episode, get the whole scoop here.
I cover both calendars and scheduling links specifically for WordPress.
If you don't have a WordPress site, I highly encourage you to look at building one for your next website. I go into all the reasons why in Episode 60, but the big two are scalability and SEO power.  If you have a different website, the scheduling piece of this episode will still be relevant, but you may want to fast forward to that piece (20:45).
Let's jump into website calendars first.
First, why would you want a calendar on your website? Specifically, this works for businesses that offer classes or regular events.  I talk specifically about uses for restaurants and my friends over at the Craft Box who offer a multitude of classes for their audience. Get the whole scoop on how it could work for you here.  These are my 3 recommendations for an integrated (lives on your website) calendar:
1. Modern Events Calendar.  They offer a free version that you can try out first, but if you have advanced needs like adding ticketing and payment options to your events, you will need to purchase a license.  For one website (which is most likely what you will need) it's currently $75.  I like that this calendar:
Integrates with lots of other software (including payment options)
That you can categorize events
That you can enable reservations (super helpful!)
That you can customize the calendar to match the rest of your site
You can create recurring and custom events
They offer options for weather, maps, and location
2. Sugar Events Calendar. This option is less expensive, but as always, you get what you pay for.  The paid version of this plugin is $29 a year and comes with quite a bit of functionality. But, if you need something with advanced features, I would go with Modern Events Calendar. The best features for this calendar are:
Simple to use
Quite a few features
Integrates with most calendar options
They claim it won't slow down your site
3. Events Schedule.  This option is $29 a one time fee.  It offers 12 style choices, but no customizing.  Because this is a third party plugin offered through a vendor, support can be spotty.  That is the main reason it is the third option on this list. The benefits of this option are:
It integrates with most other calendars
It includes a schedule builder
Is optimized for speed
Is easy to set up 
To wrap up - here are some important questions to consider before making a calendar choice:
Will it integrate with your current calendaring option (Google, iCal, Office, etc.)?
Is it responsive so it serves your mobile audience well?
How will the integration affect your overall site experience (slow it down, etc.)?
Does it have the functionality you need in your business?
Let's hop into Schedulers next!
In the episode, I cover why you need a scheduler and the different ways an online schedule link can help you optimize your time. Here are my recommendations:
1. Acuity Scheduling. This is the scheduler I use and I have tried a few.  I prefer this option because:
I can control my time by appointment type (some appointments require more time)
Integrates with my Google calendar
I can add teammates as I bring them on
I am able to customize the look and feel
I can create surveys for different client types
There are multiple time-saving integrations like Zoom and payment connections
This plugin is easy to connect to any website, I am going to do a live video this week over on the Facebook page to show you how to set it up in WordPress.  Come check it out here.
2. Schedule Once. I started with this plugin and it has a lot of great features, but I moved to Acuity because:
The mobile access is terrible
No client data is stored
They don't offer recurring appointments
Personally, I didn't really like the backend, I felt it was harder to maneuver.
But, it's still worth checking out depending on your needs and they do offer online training.
3. Timetrade. I've not used Timetrade, but this a good starting option. As a starter, there are not a lot of the above options available.  However, the price is right to get you started.  Onboard pricing is $6.50 per month per user.  Here are some of the reasons it doesn't work for my business:
Limited to creating one calendar.
There are no analytics available for measurement.
There is no way to break up appointment types (one link for all different appointments).
Lower pricing options don't offer integrations or advanced features.
No free trial.
That's a wrap for this week.
Overall, adding a scheduling link to your website can be a HUGE timesaver, but you will have to choose which option works best for your business model.  If you are interested in that quick training on how to integrate with WordPress, join me this week on the Facebook page.
 
What did you think about this episode?  
Come on over to the Facebook Page and let me know if you learned something new.
Download the entire episode transcript here.

Why 90 Day Goals Help You Reach Your Long Term Goals Faster

The biggest mistake you can make in reaching your goals is . . .
Changing the goal instead of the action plan to reach it.  So many times I have been guilty of this. If at first, you don't succeed, change the goal.  NO!  DON'T!  I promise it's not the promised land! Instead, rethink how you are going to go about reaching that goal.
In this week's episode, I give you the solution to meet all of your goals in 2020 and maybe even a few you left behind in 2019.  I give you the entire scoop over here.
But in case you're trying to skinny up for the New Year - here's the drive-by:
1. 90 Day goals are just the right amount of time.  Not too short, not too long - a lot like our favorite childhood character Goldilocks.  90-day goals are long enough for you to see some traction and measure success, but not so long that you lose focus and give up. They are easier to get started and chunk out your bigger goals into bite-sized pieces so you can reach the bigger goals faster.
2. 90 Day goals make it easier to pivot and change direction. You're cruising along the goal highway when all of a sudden out of nowhere, you're thrown a curveball. A change in direction. You should definitely just stop what you're doing and give up!  NOT!  But, you may have to pivot. Does that always make you think of this:
 
yeah, me too.  When you know you can pivot at any time and you are taking action so you know it's time to make a change, you can eliminate overwhelm, kick fear in the Pantalones, map out a specific direction and see if you need to do one thing before another. Pivoting is actually pretty darn coolio.
3. 90 Day goals also give you your life back.  You can more easily plan your life into your business instead of the other way around. Say what? I can have my own business and a life.  YES! YOU! CAN! and you should.  You should plan vacations and holidays and time off. For the love of Pete, you got into this entrepreneurship gig to have some freedom. Am I right? (I already know I am, so just nod and wave and keep moving through the list!)
4. 90 Day goals help you plan your product promotions and launches with ease. When you have a plan, it's easier to add in new actions, products and promote your current stuff when times are slow or there is a major holiday coming up.  And, it keeps you on top of the ball when everyone else is standing on it trying to balance like a circus clown.  You will be cool as a cucumber because you have 90-day goals.
5. 90 Day goals help you determine how important a goal is. We evolve as our business evolves. We see new directions we want to pursue and sometimes the goals we set in January are no longer pertinent in August. (yep it can happen that fast.) I had this experience this year when I looked back on my goals in January and said - say what, you wanted that? Why? You see I went in a different direction and was focused on the now, the little steps for each day, month, week and quarter.  I met more goals and was happier with the results. Who can relate?
6. 90 Day goals help you stay aligned with your passion and your purpose. Ok, can we be real here for a minute? In the past (somewhat recent) I have been known to set goals because other people were setting those goals and well, I'm more than a little competitive.  Don't believe me, let's play Monopoly sometime.  Well, how likely do you think it is that I stuck with those goals? Yeah, not at all.  Because they didn't feed anything but my competitive nature, so they petered out.  It's ok to have your own goals and want different things. (Not that you need my permission, but sometimes you just need to hear these things.) Learn all about how 90-day goals keep you focused and connected here.
7. 90 Day goals make it easier for you to define your strengths and what you may need to let go of.  As entrepreneurs, we all think we are superheroes.  We try to do almost everything ourselves, but in reality, NO ONE can be good at everything. In fact, the people I see making the biggest strides are doing less and less. 90-day goals help you become aware of what is eating up your time and keeping you from your larger goals. When you realize where your time is spent, if it's not being spent where you soar, it's time to make some changes.
The biggest 90-day goal lesson:
Smaller steps will lead you to achieve bigger results simply because you are consistently taking action.
Which goals are you aiming for in 2020? How about Q1 of 2020? Come and tell me about it over on the facebook page here.  Until next week, be well.
What did you think about this episode?  
Come share your results on the Facebook Page and let me know if you learned something new.
Download the entire episode transcript here.

Following the Breadcrumbs of Your Intuition

Your intuition is UBER powerful, are you tuning in?
In Episode 68 I share my experience of truly tuning into that little guiding voice inside and the monumental changes I have seen not only in my business but my level of joy with my business. We headway into the woo this week, but stick with me it's TOTALLY worth it.
I talked about meeting my Mastermind Group in a previous episode, but the reality of the situation is, that if I would ignored my inner voice, I would have missed out on the opportunity to connect with those ladies and it would have completely changed my experience at that event and the support network I have now.  I tell the whole story over here.
I came up with a list of ways to connect to your intuition, here's my system:
1. Get clear about your intention.  If you don't know what the heck you want or want to happen, how can your intuition know how to answer? Short answer, it can't.  So get SUPER clear and ask.
2. Be quiet. As in shut yo' mouth and your mind down.  If you keep trying to run the show, you will continue to run the show (that's called free will). But, that will override your intuition, the divine, God (however you want to label this.) So take a hint from the game makers and Watch Your Mouth (and Your Mind).
3. Pay attention and believe in serendipity.  Do you know how many times a day we miss the signs of our deeper wisdom?  All the dang time.  Because, let's face it, we are distracted.  When we are distracted, we lose focus and the signs popping up in front of us all but disappear on our radar.  So, be present. Pay attention and believe in the serendipity the universe presents to is a conspiracy for your higher good and success.
4. Control your distractions. Yep, we are distracted, social media, email, phone calls, office visits and on and on, it's hard to focus when we have a million things pulling us in different directions. But, there are distractions you can control, monitor and set aside.  Determine what those are and do something about it so that you have the ability to focus on your intuition.
5. Gutcheck it. I think this is probably the BIGGEST key to intuitive success.  Your gut (sacral chakra for you woo woos, you know who you are) never lies.  If you are contemplating following your intuition and it doesn't check out with your gut, it's probably time to check back in at #2 in this list.
6. Take action. Ok, so all signs are equating to a green light, why the heck are you still sitting there? This is the place where we as entrepreneurs get stuck ALL THE DANG TIME.  We tend to analyze, over-analyze and continue analyzing at nausium. Get off the dang fence and take some action. We can't improve standing on the shore, we have to get in the water.  Your intuition is the same.  Follow it, see what happens and give in to the idea that you aren't always going to get it right.  It's ok! As Nike would say, Just Do It!
7. Reflect and give thanks. When you listen to your inner guidance, check-in afterward and evaluate if it truly was your intuition (or your big head) that led to the results.  Regardless of the outcome, always say thank you.  Because lessons can often be disguised as mistakes, and when we reframe them as a lesson, we take away the benefits.  Giving our intuition encourages more of the same.  Meaning your intuitive skills will grow when you are grateful.
What if you feel like your intuition is wrong?
I get it, this is a new gig for many of us.  And sometimes, what we follow (and think is our intuition) is really our hard-headed ego running the show.  But, if you really aren't sure, I've put together a list of things to check when your intuition feels "off".
1. Meditate. Find some time to be quiet.  Ideally 15 minutes a day.
2. Check-in with yourself. Did you misinterpret or miss something along the way?  In other words, did you examine all the clues?
4. Ask questions and journal them out. This will help you get out of your head and often find the answers you are seeking faster.
5. Did you take action? If so, document it and see if maybe you took a wrong turn or the wrong action.
6. Did you act quickly enough? I give a great example of this in the episode. But sometimes, we sit on the fence too long and then blame our intuition for getting it wrong.
7. Trust yourself.  This is the most important step. Tuning into your intuition means trusting yourself.  This can also be the hardest step, so be patient with yourself.
Did you tune into your intuition this past year or before? Come and tell me about it over on the facebook page here.  Until next week, be well.
What did you think about this episode?  
Come share your results on the Facebook Page and let me know if you learned something new.
Download the entire episode transcript here.