This is the second of a 4-part series
In the previous blog, we explored the physical dimension of supporting your holistic business. If you haven’t read it yet, CLICK HERE. The lens of viewing your business as a living entity brings fascinating insight. Our focus today is on exploring the Mental Dimension of a holistic business.
The mental dimension includes activities like:
- business planning
- content creation or intellectual property
- systems and structure of your business operations
- marketing, how you tell others about your business
- and a biggie that influences everything – MINDSET
1. Planning: Don’t Forget How Far You Have Come
Business planning has largely been focused on moving forward. Formulating goals and next steps in your business growth is extremely important. However, in keeping our vision constantly forward, it is easy to forget or even acknowledge how far you have come.
In acknowledging what you already have and have accomplished in your business, you create a mindset of gratitude. There is copious literature and numerous studies on the positive benefits of a gratitude mindset, not only for your business, but for you too!
In one study reported in “Happier Human” in 2018, participants who had a five minute-a-day practice of writing in their gratitude journal had the following results:
- 16% fewer physical symptoms
- 19% more time exercising
- 10% less physical pain
- 8% more sleep, and
- 25% increased sleep quality.
In the previous blog on the physical dimension you were asked to create a list of everything you already have within your business. If you have not done this yet, I encourage you to create your list. Then keep it in a place where you see it often. Your list is a fabulous tool for helping to shift those moments of frustration or failure that seem larger than they actually are.
2. Content / Intellectual Property
Intellectual property or the sharing of information has enormous value for those whose business model involves the sharing of content, as in courses and training, or in creating unique products, etc.
The mental dimension also consists of those contributions that begin in the mind and as they are expressed, they take on physical form. For example, in content creation, you may start with ideas for an online course. As the course is developed and structured, it takes on a kind of form within a learning platform, like Kajabi, where your customers can interact with the content.
3. Systems: Make Your Job Easier
The systems and formal structures you create in how your business operates are wonderful for making your job easier. For example, if you have a business where people make appointments with you, then setting up an online booking system, like Calendly, saves you hours of time on the phone, or on emails, arranging appointment times with clients.
4. Marketing
Marketing is how people find you. This is the communication arm of the mental dimension of your business. There are innumerable ways to share with others what you do. This is an essential component of making your business successful.
5. Mindset Influences Everything
For those who have are solopreneurs or who have small businesses, mindset can make or break your business. Actually this is true for larger businesses too.
Every small business owner has a number of tasks that they find hard or just don’t like doing. And sometimes, hiring another person to handle these tasks does not fit the budget. Here is a mindset exercise to help you shift this to a more positive mindset by understanding the meaning of that task.
MINDSET EXERCISE
You will need a page of blank lined paper for this exercise.
- Fold your paper in half lengthwise.
- Write a title at the top of the left side of the paper that says: TASK
- Write a title at the top of the right side the paper that says: MEANING
- Write down one task you find difficult on the left side of the fold.
- On the right side, write several sentences that describe the meaning your task gives to others.
Here is an example from my sheet of paper.
TASK: Writing is challenging
MEANING – What gives my writing meaning?
- Writing spreads the message we share and expands our reach. A few years ago, I was at a breakfast meeting with colleagues at a local restaurant. A woman from another table, stopped by our table to say, “You’re Sharon Carne, aren’t you?” When I said yes, she shared how much she loves my blogs that we share in our weekly newsletter.
- My writing helps people support their wellbeing by giving them a new way of understanding sound and music
- My writing gives credibility to the field of sound healing and sound therapy; we have received approval of our practitioner training programs from a national professional association.
- When someone sends a note back to me telling me that something I wrote changed the way the look at the world, or they will never listen to music the same again, or how much a certain chapter or article helped make their life easier, I know it was worth it.
- In the last 3 years, I have written 4 manuals (100 pgs +), a new book (200 pgs +) and a blog every week for our website.
In viewing your business as living entity, we are focusing our lens on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions. This will bring us information and insight that can contribute to our understanding of our business as a whole entity, including these dimensions as part of its wholeness.
And even more importantly, noticing when one of these dimensions needs more support.
We must not forget that, like a person, the body-mind are fully integrated and interconnected. The engine of this body-mind is fueled by emotional energy. What integrates this potentially volatile and powerful combination into a purposeful business is the passion, purpose, meaning and contribution brought by the spiritual dimension.
Join me in the next blog where we explore the emotional dimension of a business.
In Health and Harmony,
