Yesterday was a WHIRLWIND. I launched my new website and the response has been phenomenal. It’s amazing what the power of a new look can do for your online presence, and I’m super excited about it! 

As part of today’s motivating daily letter, I want to talk to you about RISK. 

Last night I was hanging out with two friends of mine who are also entrepreneurs. I always love spending time with them, because they totally get it. They have the drive, spark and hustle that you need when you’re trying to get your business to the next level, and its super inspiring. 

Somehow, we found ourselves lost in conversation about the past, and everything we’ve done to bring ourselves to where we are today: full time business owners. 

The one common denominator was: RISK. 

Entrepreneurs are, more often than not, highly skilled people. Whether they are super smart within their businesses, have super social skills, or benefit from some other awesome talent – they are skilled. There’s no doubt about it. 

And skilled people? Well, we have options. 

When I graduated from college and decided to skip out on the corporate ladder, there were many people in my life who thought I was crazy. I graduated with a top bachelor’s degree in management with marketing, had a stellar background, and as far as many of my friends were concerned: the world was my oyster in the corporate world. 

I saw things differently. I decided to pursue my own business and many people in my life saw this as a HUGE RISK to the future of my life as a whole. It was looked upon as “corporate suicide”. 



Similarly, my friend walked out of college, even though he was one year away from finishing his bachelor’s degree, because he KNEW he wanted to be his own boss, and quite simply: he was hungry for it.

Again, people thought he was crazy. But he did it anyway. 

He ended up getting a really good job after he left college, and he used it as a stepping stone to be able to build his business on the side. When his business had finally grown enough to support him quitting his job, people thought he was CRAZY. 

He had endless opportunities with this company: he was well-liked in the company, had great relationships and opportunities, and he knew he could be making multiple six figures if he only stuck around for a few more years. 

But he wanted something different for himself.

And so, in the life of any successful entrepreneur you will see risk.

As my friends and I looked back on our lives, and everything we risked and gave up to be where we are today, it was so easy to see now just how worth it those risks had been. At the time, though, when you’re in the middle of making that decision, when RISK is staring you straight in the face? Well, it’s not so easy. 

Here’s the thing: 
If you have a strong desire for yourself and for your life that involves running your own business, be prepared to risk it all. GET COMFORTABLE with risk. Be prepared to put everything on the line, but back it up with unwavering faith and belief in the fact that you will make it happen no matter what. 

Because that unwavering belief in yourself and in your idea is what, ultimately, will keep you strong during the rough times, and get you from point A to point B. 

Here’s to more of us getting comfortable with risk! It’s actually a very beautiful thing.

Big hugs,
Alex
xoxo

P.S. This is today’s Daily Motivation Letter. Want these in your inbox? Sign up here.

diary of an artistic entrepreneur 
April 4th 2014 – 11:54am
Coffee Shop, sipping on a vanilla latte.

My previous diary entry left me acknowledging that I was afraid of success. Little did I know that the very next day, one single phone call would help me discover why I was afraid of success. The call came in at 7pm on the dot. A call that would have me in tears, a call that would leave me changed. 

See, I used to get nervous about Skype calls. Whether it was a chat with an old friend, or an interview for a podcast – the nerves would get to me, and it was holding me back. And I hate when things hold me back.

So I made the decision to book myself silly with as many Skype calls as I possibly could. Because … there’s only one way to get over your fear of something, right? To jump into it. To live in it. To be one with it.

With Skype calls almost each and every single day since making that decision, so many good things have come my way. I’ve made new friendships, I’m part of new mastermind groups, and I’m even doing weekly soul-care sessions with Sasha. I’m proud of myself because now I slide into interviews and Skype conversations with ease. The fear and nerves are no longer a part of it.

And so, at 7pm on the dot, I picked up the Skype call with ease and confidence, and as Michelle* walked me through the process of her intuitive business consultations, I felt good.

This recent feeling of something “missing” within my business has been driving me crazy. It feels overwhelming, paralyzing, and confusing all at the same time. It’s like God is holding me up in the air, my feet are dangling, and I’m trying to run full speed ahead, but I can’t get anywhere because I’m suspended two feet off the ground.

“Something is holding me back, and I just can’t put my finger on it.” I exclaimed to Michelle*.

Question after question we dug deeper into the problem, and before I knew it – the answer was staring me straight in the face.

What does the next level of success for me look like? And why am I resisting it?

Since I’m the face and name of my business and brand, more success means more publicity. It means more eyes on me. It means the ability to inspire and motivate more people to start their own businesses and follow their dreams, which I LOVE – but it also means more sharing, more blog posts, more pictures, more insights, more personal thoughts.

And all of this inevitably means less privacy.

And something within me always cringed at the thought of less privacy.

As in – I wasn’t sure if I could really deal with less privacy.

And that’s where the block existed.

To me, the idea of achieving any more success would inevitably mean less privacy.

Michelle* probed deeper, “Why does privacy matter so much to you? Why does less privacy make you so uncomfortable?”

At first, I just couldn’t figure it out. But suddenly it came to me, without much effort at all, as though it appeared out of nowhere:

My entire childhood was spent growing up in places that simply weren’t safe. Caracas, Venezuela, a city where I spent five years of my childhood, has been named multiple times as the most dangerous city in the world.

And so it’s easy to understand that, as I was growing up, privacy equaled safety.

And so now, as an adult, it’s unknowingly been holding me back because my mind was making the following connections:

more success = less privacy
less privacy = less safety

therefore …
more success = less safety

And since the safety and wellbeing of my family always comes first, even above success, it was safer for me to settle for less success, because it meant more safety.

And there it was.

A belief that served to protect me in my childhood was no longer serving me as an adult.

WOW.

It blows my mind to have identified this block that I didn’t even know was affecting me, and to be able to remove it and overcome it. Like a boss 😉

Major a-ha moment? Totally.

I’m excited to share more, and to put more of ME online. But most of all, it’s incredible to truly understand, for the first time in my life, that there are MANY false beliefs that we pick up along our journey in life that hold us back every day.

New mission: Identify blocks + conquer. Oh yeah.

*Michelle Simmonds is an intuitive success coach.
**Sasha  Stone a wellness & goddess coach.

Maybe I AM afraid
diary of an artistic entrepreneur 
April 2nd 2014 – 5:32pm
On my balcony in Tampa, Fl

First and foremost, I’ve always been an artist. It comes naturally to me to approach every situation in business, relationships, and life in general, from a creative standpoint. The question that constantly swims in my head is … “How can I do this differently? How can I do this creatively?”  Approaching every situation as an artist makes life more interesting. And so I hold onto it. Artist within, I will never let you go.

As an entrepreneur, it leaves me in a pretty predicament.

I’m at a stage in my career where it’s up to me to define and create my lifestyle. Sasha* has done an excellent job of reminding me that one of the huge benefits we have as entrepreneurs is that we have the luxury of creating our own lifestyle to be exactly what we want it to be. And what a beautiful luxury, one I will never take for granted.

And so lately, the question at the top of my mind has been: what do I want my lifestyle to be? The words that immediately come to mind are freedom, balance, and adventure. I want to experience new things regularly. I want to laugh until I cry. I want to have a routine that’s strong enough to enrich my life, but flexible enough to allow space for my random whims of desire.

I have dreams that are so big and grand, but sometimes I find myself asking – is this what I REALLY want? Sitting at lunch today with Kristina**, I mentioned that lately I’ve been second guessing everything I’m doing. I mean … Do I really want to be the face of my business? Do I really want to keep putting myself out there in such a public, vulnerable way? What she said next literally stopped me in my tracks. “Are you afraid of success?”  .. . .  .. . . . . .. My initial reaction, without even thinking about it was … “uhhhhh NO!”. Because – helloooo … all I do is chase success. But then I thought about it more, allowing the question to really sink in. Maybe I AM afraid. 

It’s funny how sometimes there’s fear living within you, holding you back, stopping you from moving forward in some way or another – all without you ever really noticing that it’s even there.

And so tonight, I will be sifting through deep fears and blocks that exist within me that are unknowingly holding me back, and doing everything I can to get rid of them. Which is perfect, because tonight I have a session with Michelle***, and she’s probably just the person I need to speak to.

*Every week I do a soul-care session with Sasha Stone, to empower myself to create an action plan for my daily life that encourages joy, freedom and balance. 
**Kristina Houser is the incredibly talented photographer I’m working with on my upcoming new photos for the site + relaunch of TSOKI.  
***Michelle Simmonds is an intuitive success coach who helps identify and remove inner blocks that are holding you back. 

Sometimes it’s the little things that keep me the most inspired. A few weeks ago I bought these three gorgeous gemstone crystal necklaces, and I’ve fallen in love with them.

For some reason, when I put one of them on each morning, it reminds me to be peaceful, clear, and focused, and they allow me to enter my workday with purpose and a feeling of intent. Why they have this effect on me – I have no idea, but I love it. 🙂

The three gemstones are Citrine, Amethyst and Quartz. Here’s the explanation of each gemstone that came with my Atelier Yumi necklaces:

“Carrying the power of the sun, Citrine energizes every level of life. Citrine energizes every level of life. Citrine promotes joy in life, raises self-esteem & confidence. Citrine attracts wealth, prosperity + success.”

“Amethyst is a powerful healer and protector. It helps bring calmness, clarity, balance, patience and peace. Wear Amethyst to get in touch with your intuition, your feelings or your values.”

“Clear Quartz is known as the “master healer”. It is said to bring the energy of the stars into the soul, helping to align human thoughts & emotions with universal energies.”

So today I’m grateful for the little things, like these necklaces, that keep me inspired.

What are the little things in your life that keep you inspired? Leave a comment and let me know!