3 Ways to Increase Happiness in Business

There is a trap many fall into within business….

The chase of higher & higher months.  The illusion, especially in the spiritual space, is that:

1) Success is linear.  It is only up & up OR else you are doing something wrong, not holding the vibe, etc.  That unexpected bills mean you don’t feel worthy or someone attracted that car repair bill or vet bill.

I will never forget, when I was newer to business & hit my first $20,000 month.  I was driving down a dirt road & a school bus hit a rock the size of a meteor into my windshield.  I immediately felt like crap, and nearly burst into tears, thinking “But I was holding the vibe… I am meditating, thinking positive thoughts…. Why do I still not feel worthy of $20,000 months”.

Yikes.  And yet, this is the narrative, and illusion, that is not only being fed in many spiritual spaces.

It is especially ironic to see women marketing feminine flow or “wild woman” attached to the linear ideals of wealth accumulation.  Everything has seasons including you & your business.  It sets up a false narrative around business that sets many up for failure or at the very least feeling really shitty about themselves when the “ebbs” happen.

2) Another illusion in business is that the money will make you happy; you just need to hit __ month then you will be able to ___.

The problem is, the human condition is to become habituated to new levels of success.  Therefore the $20,000 months no longer make you feel good and no longer “do it” so that “I will do __ when I hit ___” quickly moves…. And the goal posts continue to move.

From here most are actually becoming LESS happy, and fulfilled, overall in their business despite the ever increasing months of income pouring in.  Women are closing up shop DESPITE making 6 figures + per year as it is no longer worth their mental health, physical health, & relationships.

And it doesn’t take long to look at Hollywood, women & men who we would label as “having it all”, who end up with tragic stories.

Money doesn’t make you happy.

Now, am I saying don’t be prosperous?  Absolutely not.  It is truly my belief that the world requires more powerful determined women (and men) changing the narrative & funding a new way.  Being broke won’t do you nor the world much good.  To start your animal sanctuary, which may be your higher purpose, you require money.  It is as simple as that.  I know I require great prosperity to fully live out my purpose, and you likely do as well.

The point is we have created an issue, especially in the online spiritual space, that more money = happier.  We see it all the time with money being the main marketing tool.  When the goals & “happiness” is dependent on money alone, you set yourself up for failure or at the very least a hamster wheel of constantly chasing more easily adapting to the new “high” therefore chasing a bigger one.

So, how do we begin increasing happiness in business?  How do we feel more fulfilled on the journey?

1. Leverage your strengths.  In Human Design your strengths are found in your definition.  In Gene Keys your strengths are the gifts.  Strengths theory in Positive Psychology encourages us to focus on what we are good at rather than focusing on our weaknesses.  The trouble here is we are often blind to our innate strengths & conditioned into a way of being that isn’t really us.  This is where a mentor can help you decondition & begin to see the forest through the trees.
2. Work out your why.  A happy life is a fulfilled life.  A powerful “why” in my life is being able to purchase a large farm & rescue farmed animals being sent to slaughter so they can live their life out in peace.  THAT is my North Star.  Another “why” is changing the mental health landscape & opening up conversations around living a meaningful life.  Despite people making more than ever before, diagnoses such as depression & anxiety are on the rise.  Being a positive change within this is a piece of my why.  

Note: Get CLEAR on your why.  “Helping people” is not enough & definitely will not sustain you in the tough times.

1. Replace the focus on short term gains (A $10,000 month)  for a long term vision with long term strategy to match.  Many people are going month to month in their business with no sustainable recurring income, no vision on what they are working towards, & no plan other than “Hit a $10,000 month” or “Hit a 6 figure month”.  Yet, what happens after that? And often from this place they are afraid to slow down to speed up, therefore continue to make bigger & bigger hamster wheels which eventually degrade happiness, health, & relationships despite the number in PayPal continuing to rise (or not).

By shifting to making a meaningful, fulfilled life with flow, freedom, & purpose a central focus you actually begin to work with the environment, radiate from the inside out, and naturally draw in the prosperity you had been chasing.

And there is no time like now to make this shift.

ashley