by Erica | Oct 21, 2013 | Business Design, Inspiration, Mind
Source: PinterestI’m not much an advocate of one-size-fits-all stuff. Blame it on the fact that I’m 4’10” and anything made to “fit all” seriously DOESN’T fit me, but it’s just so not my style.
However, there are exceptions to every rule.
There’s only ONE thing that I believe is truly non-negotiable in an entrepreneur’s life. One “one-size-fits-all” piece of advice that I truly believe works every single time.
Ready for it?
MEDITATION.
Oh yeah, baby.
BUT. I know, I know. So predictable, right? Well, yes and no.
I know meditation is no secret in the circles you run in. It’s widely talked about + accepted as “the thing” to do. It’s cool. It’s hip. It’s almost – dare I say – trendy. (The horror!)
But it’s my reasons for choosing meditation as the non-negotiable part of my business that make what I’m about to say less “woo-woo” and more, um, “wow, this crazy biotch might be onto something!”
4 reasons I think entrepreneurs should make meditation their #1 biz priority…
1. because you already know the flippin’ answers (even though most of us still desperately grasp for solutions on the “outside”) – Imagine how much cash you could save on courses and e-books if you just flipped the switch on your Macbook Pro, and tuned into your own intuition every once in awhile? Innate trust is essential in this profession.
2. because you’ll be able to access your true voice SO much easier – I know “finding our own voice” (which, BTW, gag me – that phrase is so overplayed!) can seem futile when you’re immersed in a sea of content everyday. Make it easier on yourself by taking a time out everyday to shut the other voices out, and focus inward on your own. Ommm’kay?
3. because it’s easy to get frazzled living the lifestyle we live – When I meditate on the reg (which for me usually means two 10 minute blocks a day), everything else seems to magically come together. I don’t get so pissed off that the line at the pharmacy winds around the block. I have more life in me to do things like prep a fantastic, homecooked meal of organic chicken and asparagus sprinkled with a dash of salt and pepper, or tackle rush hour traffic to hit the elliptical and jam out to my latest Spotify playlist. Ideas come to fruition near-effortlessly. And I always have MUCH better hair. (I don’t quite know why, but it’s true!)
4. and NOT because I said so – ’cause the main message here is to FOLLOW YOUR GUT and NOT blindly take advice from others – even super smart ones *ahem*
I talk with so many women who I can tell aren’t looking within for the answers before they start seeking outside advice. And when that happens, and you forget to check in with the person who has to actually deal with the decisions you make (aka you!), disaster ensues.
You’ll take course after course and just become more confused as a result.
You’ll start soaking up everybody else’s ideas – and forget that the best thing you have to offer is your unique perspective.
You’ll do things because so-and-so said so and not because it makes sense for you.
Yep. You already know all the answers.
And the best part? Meditation will help you discover them.
Your only responsibility from there is to take action + get ta makin’ your dreams come true!
Your Turn // Do you have a non-negotiable in your life? What do you have to do in order to function at your absolutely most fab?
BONUS!
If you’re a total newb, here’s a great little tutorial about mindfulness meditation, which is by far my favorite kind.
xo Erica Lee
P.S. If all that stuff up there about being confused made you nod your head in (downtrodden) agreement, I’ve got a fun little offer for three more people. It’s called a “Mini Message Makeover” and it’s all about working 1:1 with me to hash out the “biggies” – your biz message, your sexy cocktail pitch – and we’ll even uncover exactly what makes you so damn awesomesauce. Other surprises included. All for $100. Check it out here!
I’m Erica Lee Strauss, pixie-sized copywriter, word weaver & marketing maven. I help women entrepreneurs craft conversational copy that sells. I want to live in a world where women rule, people aren’t afraid to say “I love you” and sequins can be worn year-round, without question.
When I’m not working out, downward dogging on my yoga mat and tinkering away on my MacBook, you can find me laughing with friends in the sunshine, sipping chai tea or ferociously writing in my journal. Or shopping.
Keep up with her on twitter @ericaleexo or come hang out over on the Facebook page.
by Erica | Sep 28, 2013 | Inspiration, Mind
I think one of the biggest obstacles I face as an entrepreneur – especially as a writer-entrepreneur – is the fear that everything I could possibly say, all the value I could possibly give, has already been said or done (or, specifically, written) before.
This idea paralyzes me. It stops me from creating for this blog. It stops me from reaching out to new, potential clients. It stops me from doing my best work for the clients I already have, when dirty thoughts like, “Well, this other copywriter would surely know how to say this better than I can and so I must be a really fucking shitty writer!” sneak all up in my brain uninvited.
Frankly? Feeling like it’s all been done before really fucking sucks.
It sucks because I’ve been an online entrepreneur and writer since I was 10 years old. It sucks because I ran my first e-zine at that same age, and knew right then and there I wanted to leverage the Internet somehow to make money (this was in like 1997 or so, mind you). It sucks because when I sat behind my big old grey box wearing my jellies shoes and slap bracelets and created those cutesy little online magazines in 5th grade, my favorite part was writing the ads I posted across different AOL message boards (the Style Channel, anyone?) (BTW, AOL message board ads of 1997 are the online sales pages of today. Truth.)
It sucks because I can’t really imagine myself doing anything other than writing. (And trust me guys, I’ve tried. And it’s all been in vain.) It sucks because – as much as I absolutely adore the Internet & the freedom & wondrous ideas & experiences & friendships & information it’s given me – if I didn’t spend so much time on the Internet, I would probably still feel at least somewhat original. (I actually wrote a blog post on my blog about whether you can really be unique on the net….back in 2010.)
But when you have an entire world wide web of information (and, mostly, writing) at your manicured fingertips? It’s easy to feel like you are really nothing but an imposter. A fake. A total rip-off of someone else.
How many of you have come up with what you thought was the absolute perfect idea for a blog post, or a super-sweet new service…only to do a quick Google search& stumble upon 3-10 others exactly like it?
I know it’s happened to more than one of us.
And it doesn’t feel good. It feels fucking terrible.
We creative types like to think we’re original.
And smaht. (Yes, smaht. Just like my Nana on Martha’s Vineyard would say.)
And different. And wise. And just plain…awesome.
So finding out that in fact, most of what we want to say or produce has indeed already been said or produced before?
It stings. It hurts our little creative hearts.
But there is indeed a silver lining to this sob story. And that’s this:
Nobody’s ever said it (or done it) like you before.
This simple little mindset shift can do miraculous things for your business. And your self esteem.
For real though. How many of us have only ever loved one human? Or one movie? Or one song?
The same applies to people in business. We like different people, things, experiences for different reasons.
And, if it makes you feel better (’cause all that up there sounds way too woo-woo), science agrees. Studies say people have to hear new information multiple times before it truly sticks.
Like, you could be speaking to someone who has heard the same idea a thousand times before. Likely, you will. But if you’re talking about a subject in a fresh way (which you will be, because you’re talking about it your way), you could say something that finally makes them go, “OMG, I finally fucking get it, dear Watson!”
Now, you don’t want to rob that person of what could be a life-changing moment of clarity, do you?
Exactly.
I know it’s not going to be easy.
I know you’re still going to encounter people and experiences and ideas and go, “Damn it, I thought I invented that!” but you have to remember that THAT’S OKAY.
Because you’re you. And you can only do things your way.
And the world – or, at least, that one person who just doesn’t quite get your thing (yet) – NEEDS your way.
And because Edith Wharton would be very proud.
by Erica | Aug 22, 2013 | Mind, Spirit
Despite my best efforts (and believe me, I have MANY efforts), I still have bad days.
I’m an introspective, introverted & otherwise “sensitive” human being. I’m prone to the blues, every now & again.
I recently discovered this super-cool technique for meeting my emotions – and then eradicating them, in one fell swoop. In Tara Brach’s Meditations for Emotional Healing, she presents something called the “YES” meditation.
The “YES” Meditation is 15 minutes of allowing yourself to COMPLETELY feel whatever it is you’re feeling.
Often we don’t realize that we’re pushing negative emotions away. It’s a natural instinct: Nobody wants to feel pain! Instead, it shows up as a nagging feeling that something isn’t right, looming right underneath the surface. And all day we run from it – by incessantly texting on our iPhones, checking Facebook over & over, escaping our homes to meet our gal pals at the bar for a cute umbrella-drink. We do a lot of this, if not ALL of it, subconsciously.
Brach’s meditation encourages us to spend less than half an hour just LISTENING & TUNING INTO our own emotions. And NOT trying to change them, or wish them away.
Brach asks us to SAY YES to whatever we’re experiencing. Anxious? Say, “Yes, this too.” Tired? “Yes, this too.” Going ballistic over an impending deadline? “Yes, this too.” Tender heart stinging over a recent breakup or squabble? “Yes, this too.”
I’ve been trying this every day for about a week now. And the results have been miraculous. (And let me tell ya, being SILENT & STILL for 15 minutes sometimes feels like torture for such a fidgety, always-switched-on person like me.)
When we stop trying to CHANGE what we feel, what we feel CHANGES.
You don’t have to go out & buy Tara’s CD (but I totally recommend it, there’s TONS of other sweet ass meditations & eye-opening stories on it!) in order to experience this little moment of peace yourself. You can either do it intentionally, by setting aside 10-15 minutes everyday to get in touch with your true feelings, or you can try it in the moment – whenever a bad feeling creeps up on you, try to ACCEPT IT & ALLOW it to flow through your body.
That’s the thing about feelings. Just like everything in life, they’re transitory. They’re just energy, and although they hurt like hell in the moment, they too will pass. And if you ALLOW them to do their job – like bring to light the fact that you can’t stay in your semi-abusive relationship a minute longer or force you to face that deeply-embedded old wound that screams “NOBODY cares about you!” – they’ll leave you alone.
But, be warned: When you’re saying “Yes,” it’s not gonna feel good. It’s going to feel really freaking uncomfortable. You’re going to be able to feel it physically in your body. It might tickle, lightly caressing. Or it might STING, like you’ve been jacked right in the tummy.
But then, a funny thing will happen. As you bring down your walls & simply allow the totally raw feelings to settle into your body, everything will soften. And the feeling won’t feel so CRUSHING anymore. It might even dissolve completely.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, is that if I can’t find an answer to whatever is plaguing me, ACCEPTANCE is the true solution to whatever ails me.
I encourage you to stop & take notice next time you feel a gross wave of emotion threatening to pull you under.
I encourage you to LET IT.
…And then LET IT GO.
from my diary: on being human.
i don’t really think it’s about denying the human parts of myself anymore. i think it’s more about finding a balance – expressing the good human parts like sex, happiness, pleasure, while also learning not to dwell or believe too much in the bad human parts like jealousy and fear.
it’s not that we shouldn’t feel those things. we absolutely should feel everything. but i think we should learn to feel those things (however scary, unwelcome and sometimes unfounded they are)…and then to let them go.
xo
by Erica | Aug 18, 2013 | Inspiration, Mind, Spirit
We’ve all heard it a trillion times: Having a consistent morning routine/ritual that nourishes your body, mind and soul is imperative to living a life you love. Our morning – and, in fact, even those first few moments after we wake up – shapes our entire day.
But given that so many of us have such precious little time in the mornings, how do you know what to do that will make you look + feel your best, in the shortest amount of time possible?
Well, I think it’s a matter of trial-and-error, really. Every one of us is different, and some people will find certain things next to impossible to do when they first wake up. Like for me, I can’t imagine doing a strength training session first thing out of bed (and that’s not totally because I am a caffeine addict…although that may be part of it).
Below, I’ve rounded up six morning rituals that get (+ keep) me goin’ in the a.m.!
1. Lemon water.
When life gives you lemons, squeeze that shit into your water bottle & drink it! I am SO not a huge water drinker (although my cool little filtering water bottle has sort of changed that), so this hasn’t always been easy for me. However, hydration in the a.m. has made a huge difference in the way I feel all morning. Here’s a rapid fire list of reasons lemon water is the shizz; boosts your immune system, balances your pH levels, aids weight loss AND digestion, gives you beautiful, glowing skin, replenishes your vitamin C (which you lose if you’re stressed out all the time), makes your breath smell nice AND can help coffee drinkers break the habit. Still working on that last one.
2. Fasted cardio.
OK, so the medical field can’t agree whether this one is beneficial for fat loss or not. But that aside, I do know this: Getting my cardio out of the way in the morning – aka before I even really know what’s going on – is the ONLY way I can do it. I usually jog for 25-30 minutes on the treadmill at a steady pace, and about halfway through I find myself jazzed up, feeling (semi) alive and rocking out to whatever tunes I’ve picked for the day. It’s more about mental clarity and energy for me than fat loss anyway, but if you ARE looking to shed extra weight, take note: At least some health peeps agree doing cardio in a fasted state (4 or more hours after eating) is optimal for fat loss. This isn’t because the amount of calories burned changes whether you’ve eaten or not, but because when you’re fasted, your body gets it’s energy from stored fats RATHER than the sexy pre-workout meal you smashed two hours prior.
3. Mindfulness Meditation.
Meditation has TRULY saved me in so many ways. It’s helped IMMENSELY with the following: Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Codependency and overall low self esteem. Everybody has their own preference when it comes to meditation styles, but my fave type is mindfulness. I am ALWAYS worried about something, and it’s truly amazing what 5-20 minutes of FOCUSING ON THE MOMENT can do for a girl’s sanity. For me, it’s easiest to focus on sounds. Just take a second to listen. Can you BELIEVE that many dang birds are chirping ALL THE TIME?
If you’re new to meditation, I recommend trying a GUIDED version. I’ll be releasing some of my own soon (yippee!), but a quick search on YouTube will bring up some fun results. I just DON’T recommend doing a relaxation meditation in the morning…for obvious reasons. 🙂
Also this quick 5-minute energy balancing exercise works wonders.
4. Affirmations.
I gotta be real with you. I am NOT a natural optimist. Even worse, I have TERRIBLE morning anxiety. When I first jump out of bed, my brain is on serious overload. One of the best ways to soothe my wired nerves is to force-feed ’em positive affirmations. Just like using the crowding out principle when it comes to losing weight (read: introduce more healthy foods rather than taking away the things you love – more on that later!), I have found the easiest way to stay positive is to ADD positive thoughts rather than try to battle my (automatic) negative ones.
My faves affirms?
+ “Erica, you’re doing a great job. I’m proud of you. You’re safe.”
+ “I am calm, peaceful and confident.”
+ and the uber-simple, “Today is going to be a great day.”
I have lots of these printed out, written on notecards AND programmed into my phone to go off at random times throughout the day.
Find what works for you. Affirmations are personal – they should always speak right to your soul. (That’s also the only way your brain will believe them, anyway!)
5. Morning Pages
You guys, seriously, if you don’t journal – you need to start. Like, yesterday. ‘Morning pages’ is a concept introduced in Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. Cameron asks you to write 3, unfiltered, uncensored pages a day, preferably right when you wake up, as a way to unblock your creativity. It turns out that when we have a bunch of stuff on our minds, it keeps our creative energy stuck. I call my morning pages my “brain dump” and that’s really what I do – write down WHATEVER I’m thinking, without editing. I use the online application 750words.com. Three pages is approximately 750 words, and for me, it’s easier to type than write with paper + pen, but you should experiment and find what works for you. Even if you don’t consider yourself a writer, or aren’t “creatively blocked,” you’ll be amazed at the clarity and awareness you’ll find from a little morning journalling.
6. Green smoothies.
I love eating healthy, but getting in the amount of greens we should isn’t always easy. Green smoothies, however, are the EPITOME of EASY. I’ve finally perfected my morning smoothie recipe, and I also whip it up if I find myself experiencing hanger (yes, hunger + anger) pangs throughout the day.
My recipe includes:
+ A big ass handful of spinach
+ One banana
+ One half small cucumber, sliced
+ One cup blueberries
+ One cup raspberries
+ Coconut milk (the amount depends on how thick or “creamy” I want it to be that day)
+ Water and stevia to taste
Blend and let sit in freezer, or add ice cubes. Voila! Try it for a week and just try to tell me you don’t notice a difference. In fact, I think I’m going to go make myself one right now!
Your Turn!
I love hearing about how other people live their lives, and morning routines FASCINATE me. Do you have a routine you’d like to share? What do you HAVE to do everyday in order to function at your best? Share your morning routine with us in the comments – you might just have a genius idea that could benefit all of us!
copywriter for lady rebelles, trendy tastemakers + spiritual sellers.
