Have you ever had to make a *major*, transformative change in your business or life?
According to my fabulous Facebook audience, the answer to that question would be a resounding YES!
In 2013 I made 6 figures doing what I loved – photography:
- I was at the peak of my photography career
- My website was reaching ~75,000 unique hits per month
- I was making more money than I had ever made in my life (6 figures, baby!)
The only problem was: by the end of 2013, I had fallen out of love with photography.
Spoiler Alert: When you create a career for yourself out of nothing … and suddenly realize it’s just not for you? Well … it’s not a fun realization. Because it means everything has to change, and change can be hard.
This unavoidable change meant that I had to do two very difficult things:
1) Reinvent myself online.
Amongst other equally painful things, this meant I’d have to get a brand new website, and wave goodbye to my current site which was getting around 75,000 unique hits a month. Ouch. It meant I’d have to reinvent myself online. No longer would I be “Alex Beadon the photographer” …
2) Create brand new income streams in my business.
Why? Because my current income streams at the time had everything to do with photography, the one thing I wanted to avoid.
Effectively, it felt like I was starting from scratch. Because hey … I pretty much was.
I had to step up, bite the bullet, and follow my heart. And 2014 was game time.
Wanna know what carried me through this transition?
If you’re struggling with making any kind of change in your life or business, here are the three major shifts in perspective that I learned and embraced in 2014 that ended up supporting me through this massive transformation and transition.
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It all comes down to identifying Negative Initial Thoughts, and replacing them with Enhanced Thoughts.
Negative Initial Thought #1: Change is scary.
Enhanced Thought: Change is exciting.
Because when you’re trying to reinvent yourself online and create income for your business from scratch? Fear shows up. It’s all, “who do you think you are?” “no one cares about you without your photography!” “you have NOTHING to sell … prepare to FAIL!”
When these initial thoughts appear, my only job was to REPLACE them with my enhanced thought: Change isn’t scary. Change is exciting. Edge of your seat EXCITING. From the time you wake up, to the time you go to sleep EXCITING.
It’s like … when you watch a new movie that your best friend says is *really* good – do you go into it afraid? Of course not. You go into it trusting that this movie is gonna blow your socks off. 2014 taught me how to eliminate the habit of assuming the worst. It taught me how to expect the best from life, to know the blessings are on their way, even if I can’t see them yet.
Initial Thought #2: The desire to change is there for no reason.
Enhanced Thought: The desire to change is there for a reason.
Do you know how you get pulled towards discovering your life’s purpose and doing your best work? Through desire. What you want most in life is life’s secret way of telling you that that’s what you’re meant to be doing. I used to believe that my desires were as random as the direction the wind blows. Now I know that whenever desire tugs at my sleeve, it’s time to pay attention and feel blessed by its very presence. It’s life’s guidance in disguise.
Initial Thought #3: I’M SO STRESSED *PULL YOUR HAIR AND CRY*
Enhanced Thought: – Adventures without stress are not worth it!
Sometimes stress will creep in. Instead of FIGHTING it, take it as a sign that you’re doing something worthwhile. My cousin, Tracy, texted this to me in the middle of a stressful week in my business, and she couldn’t be closer to the truth. Why do we look at stress as a negative thing? Can we SHIFT our thoughts around stress? In 2014 I learned to look at stress as a sign for infinite AWESOMENESS on its way. Stress shows up? Cool man! AWESOMENESS IS ON ITS WAY! I realised that the less I associated with the negative connotations of stress, the less stress affected me.
Looking back, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that it was all worth it: the uncertainty, the fear, the unknown.
It taught me to be strong in the belief that I would find a way, that I would somehow make it happen.
Yes, there will be tough times when your initial thought is telling you to GIVE UP!
But when desire tugs at your sleeve and points you to your hearts true calling, trust that the change is good, and that the blessings are on their way.
And in the meantime – rely on your enhanced thoughts. They will carry you through. You’ve got this.
With love,
Alex
xoxo
P.S. In case you missed it the first time … you’ve got this
Before you go, leave a comment:
- Be honest: when a negative initial thought enters your mind, how do you react?
- Do you easily get frustrated by the apparent “lack” of what you want?
- How do you deal with stress and fear?
Wonderfully said Alex, Such great business advice. I know I’m going to want to tread it again at some point so I’m pinning it to my business ideas and things to learn board here: http://www.pinterest.com/kancell724/business-ideas-%2Bthings-to-learn/
Oh girl, you KNOW I love this. You are one strong, courageous, and brave being of light. I’m so with you. Gorgeous, raw post babe.
When it comes to fear, I don’t really focus on getting rid of it, but like you essentially said, I ride with it. I lean into it. I let it guide me like a friend, instead of allowing it to swallow me. There are times when it feels like it’s swallowing me and I need to feel that initial shock for a bit. But after that, I see fear as my compass guiding me to the next soul assignment…calling me to a higher level.
I’m just entering the second year of starting my biz and it can be scary sometimes, but at the end of the day, I know that I am truly 100% supported by the Divine and my angels and guides. Financially speaking, I wouldn’t say I get frustrated as much as I get scared. A big thing for me for 2014 was working on my money mindset and I have created a practice out of guiding myself from a “lack” mentality to an “abundance” mentality. Blessing my bills and my bank account, writing down my grocery purchases and other purchases and being grateful for the money I DO have to be able to make them, etc.
All my love,
Heather
Hey Alex & Heather,
I love that you are both confident creative surfer’s of life!
As a newbie “Life Surfer” (retired day-dreamer) I’m still learning how to place my feet… I must confess that 2014 was a year where I avoided large scary waves & even pulled out half way through some. I was scared & I still struggle with being paralysed by FEAR.
I’m an artist, but an artist who is to afraid to make art makes me… (a dreamer?) I want to WAKE UP & LIVE, LOVE & CREATE!
So this 2015 I will SWAP SCARY FOR EXCITING! I’ve become a blogger but my time management has been off… HOW do I ride so many waves at once?
This year I wish to be a blogger, a friend, a worker, a family member, a runner, a vegan & a social media director + an artist.
I am working on my schedule today. Slow and steady rides the wave, right?
Cheers too believing SCARY IS EXCITING! Lets ride!
xAx
Hey Alex.. sometimes I react the way that you just described- but I find myself being dragged into a present moment where there isn’t any spark, inspiration or positivity around me an then I fall down. I really hope that I can implement this in a better way this year! Thank you.
I love your advice, as always Alex. Thank you for being you. I am similar when it comes to expressing my emotions, and care for others, but sometimes people, will look at you like you’re being to happy or bubbly. So that kind of makes me want to shy away from being so uplifting, and encouraging. I try not to let it stop me, so I’ve just learned how to “get away fast” from those negative people.
As far as this article of yours, I really understand about when you have a dream, and chase it only to realize that you were meant to being doing something else. I guess that’s why I always say have a “plan B” or “C”. You never know where life is going to take you, and sometimes you just roll with it.
I feed negative thoughts terribly. Let myself sit and stew over them and I am currently worrying a great deal over my ‘lack of wants’. Your post today was beautifully timed, I read it through a few times. Thank you Alex and congratulations on your successful year last year.
I totally understand! I’m so glad you faced your fears and changed direction to really take into account your desires.
My biggest way to manage stress is daily practices of meditation, yoga, journaling, and just more play into my life 🙂
When stress and fear creep into my arts practice i remember that it’s time to relax. We need to be over-pouring with creativity, not over-pouring with stress, so that i can show up to life as the fullest realisation of myself. If i show up to life half assed, stressed out and ungrateful, what sort of work will I be making!?!?
Hi Alex 🙂
Some months ago I had a similar change but on a minor scale. I decided to change my target market; at first (I admit) I was stressed because maybe I would have to change everything I had done; but~ I took some time to relax myself and started writing all the ideas for this new change; at the end I didn’t had to change much about my ‘brand’ but now I’m more focused on this new direction; finally I’m on my way! 😀
Hugs for you~ ♥!
Hey Alex!
I write down affirmations and requests to the universe such as “Take my fears away”, bring more joy, awaiting happiness and pt them in a box The minute I do that all my worries and stress goes away and I feel a lot lighter.
Hi Alex,
Thank you for the wonderful post and AMAZING timing! I launched my blog/website in December and have been feeling like a fish out of water recently. When I launched I was super excited and fired up but as weeks have past by and I haven’t been able to achieve the small goals I set for myself I’ve been feeling discouraged. But your right – it’s all about state of minding and ESPECIALLY not assuming the worst which I have tendency to do. I also tend to decided that things should be done a certain way or take a certain amount time and when it doesn’t I feel like I failed. After watching your video (Part 1) I realized that there are more than one way to achieve the same goal and that just because I set out to do something and I change my mind it doesn’t mean I failed.
All this to say lol – THANKS 🙂
Alex,
I love your thought turnarounds, so awesome! Choosing whether or not you want to believe a thought is one of the most empowering forms of mind-management.
How do I deal with stress and fear? I just learned this great mantra from Marianne Williamson:
“I am willing to see this differently.”
That phrase alone, has done so much for me!
Keep up the good work!
XO,
Sylvia Hall
Wow. That took a lot of guts to make such a huge change. I admire your strength. I need to get over my fear of failure and move ahead to be a better me. Thanks for the encouragement.