Okay, first up is a disclaimer: self care really is important in business! (Don’t roll your eyes at me, either. I know you’re doing it because I used to do it when I heard the term “self care,” too.)
“Your life is all over the place”
Actual statement that was said to today’s guest, Adam Dince. It turns out though that the statement was true. Adam does a lot of things.
But what he wasn’t really able to answer was…why.
That’s where the idea of self care really helped kickstart Adam’s journey into discovering who he was. It also helped him figure out a better business more aligned with who he truly is.
There are two important questions in life
Yup, just two:
1) Who am I?
2) What’s my purpose?
They might be short, to the point questions but let me tell you–they aren’t easy to answer! Can you answer them? Or do you need to find your own path to self care to help figure out your answers?
If you’re struggling to come up with something here, you’re not alone.
Self care is an onion
A damn frustrating onion at that! But if you stick with it and make space, it’ll be worth it. You see, you’re not discovering someone new when you try to answer the question of “Who am I.” Instead, you’re essentially uncovering who you were before society and culture and expectations and all that crap got piled on you.
What does self care mean?
Adam does a great job providing examples of self care. He even gives us some highlights from his own journey to help us gain a better understanding of this whole concept.
And I promise, it doesn’t mean you have to run 5 miles a day. Or even ever, if that’s not your thing.
Making space
Another thing Adam talks about a lot is the idea of making space. I asked him to explain what that means because I was confused about it.
In short, you can kind of compare it to a visit to your chiropractor. Most of us won’t go unless or until our back pain gets so bad we can no longer ignore it, right?
Making space is kinda like visiting the chiropractor: you really shouldn’t let it get that bad before you do something about the pain. (Also, just listen in because Adam does a much better job of explaining this than I do!)
Top 5 tips on self care
If you’re just starting to come around to the idea that self care is in fact kind of imporant (it took me almost 30 damn years, so don’t feel bad!), then you’ll want to catch Adam’s top 5 tips he shares in the podcast. They’re really helpful for fellow perfectionists, especially:
1) Start today
2) Don’t set unrealistic expectations
3) Try different things
4) Make space (that phrase again!)
5) Be creative
One more thing
Adam and I talked about a lot of great stuff pertaining to business and the importance of self care here. But if you’re feeling burnt out or experiencing those frustrations you heard us discuss on the episode, I encourage you to take advantage of this free resource. It’s not going to be the be-all-end-all answer to your frustrations, but if you’re feeling stuck it’s the perfect place to start.
Links mentioned in the episode:
Adam’s Reiki practice
Adam’s podcast