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Whose permission are you waiting for?

Whose permission are you waiting for? Kempton Shaw Shoot 01 DSC 0696 Filter

How has your week been? With all that is going on in the world, I hope you and your loved ones are well and safe, and that you are finding ways to see beauty in the every day beyond all the difficult news that surrounds us daily.

Over here, this past week I delivered a couple of in-person workshops, and noticed something emerging as a surprisingly common theme with many of the participants. It was the realisation that before you can be a Freedom Seeker, you have to give up the old story of being a Permission Seeker.

A disproportionate number of the participants were the youngest in their family, and realised they still look to their siblings for permission, validation and advice before they take action. For those who were the oldest in their family or an only child, there was a pattern of looking to parents for that same permission, validation and advice. It’s completely understandable, and we all do it in one way or another. However, the potential issues with this are manifold:

  • If you seek this permission, validation or advice from multiple sources, the conflicting advice you get back can be so overwhelming that you get stuck and don’t actually do anything
  • They may not give you the permission, validation or advice you are looking for, and that can drive a wedge between you
  • When something goes wrong, there is a natural tendency to blame those other people
  • When you make a decision based on the permission, validation or advice you sought out, and later reflect that it was probably the wrong decision, regret weighs even heavier

Fortunately there is a simple solution – simply to start giving yourself the permission you are looking for, to do whatever it is you are wanting to do, accepting your own validation as enough, and trusting that you know the answer already. Of course this is easier said than done, if it requires breaking year-old patterns, but you can begin today simply by making a list of what you really want to start doing or stop doing, and then granting yourself the permission to do that.

To help you, below you can find a printable permission slip (click to download a high res version) which you can download, fill in and keep somewhere you will see it regularly. I encourage you to do this today, and then get cracking with your dreams!

Have a great week

Beth

Whose permission are you waiting for? Permission Slip

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On making a living from the things you create {New podcast episode with Jess Van Den}

On making a living from the things you create {New podcast episode with Jess Van Den} FSC 07 Jess Van Den

Many creatives dream of turning the items they make into a profitable business that can support their lifestyles so they are free to do work they love from wherever they desire. For one lady, this dream is an ongoing reality and she strives to help other makers profit from their talents and live a life that’s true to them too.

Jess Van Den, my latest guest on The Freedom Seeker Chronicles Podcast, is a silversmith from Australia who makes beautiful jewellery from her solar powered studio north of Brisbane. She’s the founder and editor of Create & Thrive & the Thriver Circle, supporting creatives turning their handmade hobby into a full-time business and together with her husband Nick, she has built a life for themselves centred around freedom and flexibility.

On making a living from the things you create {New podcast episode with Jess Van Den} FS PODCAST LISTEN BUTTON

Key Moments:

[3m 15s] How Jess came to discover the heart and soul behind her business and understand her ‘why’ in business

[6m 0s] The moment Jess decided to make her hobby her business

[10m 30s] What Jess’s day to day life looks like, her creative routine and how she balances business + life commitments

[13m 40s] Why Jess lets go of business priorities at weekends to create headspace

[15m 20s] Jess + Beth’s thoughts on managing social media as a small business owner – and the importance of showing up as your whole self [not to fill gaps in your social schedule]

[17m 0s] How Jess balances time, finances and energy for 2 businesses

[21m 0s] Jess explains the different revenue streams that come from her businesses and how they support her

[23m 05s] The challenges Jess is currently facing and how she differentiates urgent vs. important tasks

[26m 15s] Jess highlights the common challenges creative business owners face and how to overcome them

[29m 30s] Overcoming confidence issues and fear when you’re starting a creative business

[31m 0s] The power of finding a community to support you

[32m 20s] What Jess has learned in interviewing lots of entrepreneurs and changemakers for her podcast

[35m 10s] Jess explains her very own definition of Freedom

Listen and subscribe here

Got an idea for a business? Got too many ideas? This conversation is for you

Got an idea for a business? Got too many ideas? This conversation is for you FSC 06 Ben Keene

There are three questions I get asked often by people wanting to create a business around doing what they love:

  • It’s all so overwhelming. Where should I begin?
  • How do I choose which thing to focus on?
  • Is it really possible with a family to support?

Rather than just share my own views on this, I thought I’d invite the thoughts of someone who is at the coal face, working with start ups day-in-day-out.

Ben Keene is Head of The Escape School and founder of Rebel Book Club, and with a family of five to support, he is perfectly placed to share entrepreneurial wisdom with those who are juggling business needs and family demands. In this episode of my new podcast The Freedom Seeker Chronicles (which is totally free), Ben shares how to deal with risk when you’re starting a business for the first time, how to balance family and work commitments and the desire for travel. You can listen to it here. I hope this will give you some food for thought, and inspire you to go for it!

On living intuitively [+ new podcast episode with tarot reader Theresa Reed]

On living intuitively [+ new podcast episode with tarot reader Theresa Reed] Kempton Shaw Shoot 03 DSC 0083

When you hear the words ‘living intuitively’, how do you feel? Is it something really familiar to you, or does it sound like something that mystics do? As someone brought up being encouraged to think critically and use data to make decisions, it’s only in recent years that I have come to fully appreciate the power and potency of my own intuition. (And that’s why I was so excited to interview tarot reader Theresa Reed in this week’s new podcast episode).

On living intuitively [+ new podcast episode with tarot reader Theresa Reed] FS PODCAST LISTEN BUTTON

As I dived deeper into the topic of intuition in researching my book Freedom Seeker, I discovered something fascinating about birds, which taught me something about how we humans can better navigate the world.

It turns out most birds use a combination of three tools to understand where they are and how to get where they want to go: landmarks, the sun and stars, and the Earth’s magnetic field.

Natural landmarks such as mountains and rivers, and man-made landmarks such as tall buildings, can be helpful pointers for birds, but only if they have flown a particular route before. So this first navigational tool is all about knowledge and experience.

The sun and the stars are reliable indicators of position and orientation, particularly when the weather is clear. This second tool is therefore all about information and guidance.

Then last but not least, birds are thought to use the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate. We aren’t exactly sure how they do this, although scientists believe birds have a sense called magnetoreception – a kind of inner compass, which allows them to detect the magnetic field and perceive location, altitude and direction. So this third tool is all about using their sixth sense.

And so it is with humans, as we try to understand where we are and how to navigate to where we want to go.

First we have to look to our knowledge and experience – what we have learned from the road we have taken so far, our background, our education, the books we have read, the conversations we have had, the things said by the people who inspire us, the jobs we have done, the places we have been, all of it.

Then we need to fill in the gaps with information and guidance. This is about research, asking questions, talking to people who have done it before, finding role models and mentors, taking classes, gathering information and being prepared to ask for help.

And then there’s the third and final tool of navigating life. It’s our sixth sense – our intuition. It’s that inner knowing, the answers we already have inside if we just ask and then listen.

If you ignore the first tool you risk repeating past mistakes. If you don’t employ the second, you dive blindly into the unknown. But ignoring the third tool is the most dangerous of all, because it is the voice of your free self calling.

I encourage you to notice which of these three tools you are using as you make decisions – big and small – this coming week. Which could serve you better? Play around with them and see!

Beth

On living intuitively [+ new podcast episode with tarot reader Theresa Reed] FS PODCAST S1 005 1

THE NEW PODCAST: THERESA REED ON LIVING INTUITIVELY

How often do you use your intuition to make a decision? Are you missing a trick by not trusting your gut enough? That’s the topic we got talking around in this episode – why leading with your intuition is the key to happy, balanced, free life for you and those around you.

I am thrilled to welcome Theresa Reed, aka “The Tarot Lady” to the show. She is the perfect fit for this episode having worked with entrepreneurs the world over to help them channel their inner guide and find their own sense of direction. Theresa has been a full-time Tarot card reader for close to 30 years. She reads tarot via email, over the phone and on Skype for clients and has become well known for her tarot business forecasting reading which she regularly offers for entrepreneurs seeking direction.

Grab a cuppa and join us for this one off, special chat where Theresa also shares some rich, parenting advice that she’s developed thanks to her career reading tarot. Be sure to stay tuned to the end, Theresa picks out a tarot card especially for you…

Key Moments:

[4m 0s] The importance of having a simple, peaceful life when you’re a tarot reader

[5m 10s] How Theresa retains detachment and separation from her tarot readings

[6m 30s] How Theresa discovered tarot reading and why tarot is a tool for conscious living

[11m 55s] Theresa tells us the goal of any good tarot reader

[13m 50s] The potential having a tarot reading can bring to you, the choices you make and predictions for your life

[16m 30s] How Theresa uses her experience and intuition to help her be a great parent

[23m 10s] Using Astrology and Tarot readings to map out your business trajectory

[29m 39s] The correlation between tarot and the law of attraction

[31m 45s] The readings Theresa gives for herself, how they work and why she does it

[32m 24s] Theresa tells us what it really feels like to read for someone else

[35m os] Why Theresa always starts he calls with a completely clean, present state only knowing the client’s first name

[39m 10s] Theresa pulls a card for all of us and asks “What can I do to feel more free?”

Subscribe on itunes or see here for other ways to listen!

On living intuitively [+ new podcast episode with tarot reader Theresa Reed] FS PODCAST SUBSCRIBEBUTTON ITUNES NAVYOn living intuitively [+ new podcast episode with tarot reader Theresa Reed] FS PODCAST SUBSCRIBEBUTTON STITCHER PINK

 

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On bucket lists, goal setting + listening to your heart

 On bucket lists, goal setting + listening to your heart FS PODCAST S1 001 1

What is the smallest thing you can do now to follow your heart? Think about it. Write it down if you like.

This is just one of the many questions of wisdom my very first podcast guest Steph Jagger plants on us in today’s episode. Steph is the author of Unbound, a story of snow and self-discovery and she’s helped women the world over define who it is they want to BE and what they need to DO to get there. Listen in for the next 40 mins of exploration where we talk about everything from battling fear, the pros and cons of setting goals, and how to find stillness and solitude to allow golden thoughts and plans emerge.

You can listen and subscribe to The Freedom Seeker Chronicles here.

Join our Founder for a transformational one day workshop

Join our Founder for a transformational one day workshop 21557526 10159375813820252 318096623747894203 n
As we edge closer to the last quarter of 2017, how are you feeling about how the year has turned out? A lot has happened in the world, both difficult and good. I wonder if 2017 has turned out how you hoped, or not?
 
I get the sense from many of you in our community that 2017 has been a challenging year, and so I have decided to offer some in-person workshops to help make 2018 different.
 
This workshop is for you if…
• You feel like you are at a crossroads and unsure of what to do next
• You are feeling trapped, overwhelmed with too much to do, all the while watching your dreams drift further away
• You have forgotten what your dreams actually look like, and want some inspiration and guidance
• You want to reconnect with what really matters, and do it in a safe space with like-minded people
 
This workshop has been specifically designed to help you:
• Realign to what really matters
• Understand what’s holding you back, and how to escape that and fly free
• Navigate what lies ahead (because the path to your dreams is rarely the easy road)
 
I rarely offer small group workshops, but felt called to do this and I would love for you to be part of this transformational experience.
 
We are offering two dates for 2017:
 
SUNDAY OCTOBER 1 IN TOTNES, DEVON, UK (hosted by Living Now Events)
CLICK HERE to book (and use the code LivingNow at checkout for a 20% discount)
 
SATURDAY OCTOBER 7 IN LONDON, UK (hosted by Alternatives)
CLICK HERE to book
 
I really hope you will join me, or pass this on to someone who needs it.
Much love
Beth

50 Ways You Can Practice Self Care

50 Ways You Can Practice Self Care DWYL BLOG TUNEINCHILLOUT 650X250PX LR

A round up of ways to practice self care, as curated by the team at Do What You Love. 

“Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort. ” – Deborah Day

Do you often find yourself working long days? Do you put your children’s, friend’s and/or family’s needs before your own? Do you rarely tune in and listen to your body when it’s craving rest? Self care is a real work-in-progress but when practiced, it can make our whole lives better. From easing anxiety to living each moment more mindfully, mastering self care rituals is as necessary to our daily lives as putting food on the table, and shouldn’t be ignored.

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30 reasons to do a digital detox

30 reasons to do a digital detox DWYL BLOG EXPERT COLUMNISTS LAPTOP 550X200PX LR1

This is a guest post by one of the UK’s leading experts in digital distraction and digital detox, Frances Booth, author of The Distraction Trap: How to Focus in a Digital World, A Writer For All Seasons, and more productivity tips. Find out more about her here.

Here are 30 reasons to do a digital detox; ideas to make you think, to challenge you, and to give you motivation if and when you do decide to switch off. If you’re curious about the benefits a digital detox can bring you at work and for work-life balance, these tips are for you.

If you are sick of pinging demands, an overflowing inbox, and feeling overloaded, a digital detox can be a great strategy to use to achieve balance in the digital world. It might just give you the productivity boost you need.

My related piece on How To Do A Digital Detox gives more advice on practicalities such as how long your digital detox should be and how to prepare for switching off.

Image credit Alejandro Pinto - www.alejandroescamilla.comImage credit Alejandro Pinto via Flickr

These are some reasons why a digital detox makes sense.

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Sometimes we need a shining light. Sometimes we are that light.

Sometimes we need a shining light. Sometimes we are that light. IMG 3519 e1499517524821Sometimes we need a shining light. Sometimes we are that light. IMG 3518 e1499517542772

How are you doing? I woke up at 5am this morning, feeling compelled to write to you even though my body clock is all over the place, having recently travelled 26 hours to Boise, Idaho, for an event, and sleeping at very strange times each day.

As soon as I awoke I wanted to go outside and sit with my laptop in the dark listening to the birds, watching the world wake up, and write to you, so that is what I am doing. The reason for this is that yesterday I spent a truly wonderful day here at Melody Ross’s beautiful Brave Girl Symposium, first telling a story of freedom to 500+ women, then having a Q&A with my soul sister Kelly Rae Roberts answering questions about life, love and business, and then signing copies of Freedom Seeker for over three hours. It was a love fest.

I felt bad for the people queueing up for so long, but treasured the opportunity to speak to each and every woman who so generously shared their story with me – where they are in their life right now, what they are looking for, and what resonated in my talk about finding freedom in our lives, whatever is going on.

Even though I’m still fairly new to the world of book signings, I’ve realised that it is one of my favourite things to do. There’s something about sharing your story in words, that seems to give other people permission to do the same back. I watch the women from the corner of my eye as they are waiting. Some chat among themselves, some are laughing, some are deep in thought. Some seem to be preparing what they want to say, others clearly have no idea what they want to say, but are trusting something will come when they get to the front of the queue.

I never know what someone is going to say when they get to me. I often ask them a question, and see what tumbles out. The truth is, often I go to events and people have no idea who I am until I tell my story and it resonates with them on a soul level, and they feel compelled to come and chat. Those are some of my very favourite conversations.

Anyway, what I woke up wanting to say to you is this. In every conversation I had yesterday, in every question I answered, in every pair of eyes I looked into while I was talking from that stage, I saw you. I saw you in the stories and hearts of those women, because in so many ways we are all the same. We are just doing our best. We are showing up for life in the best way we can, and sometimes we need support in doing that, and sometimes we can be the one to offer support. Sometimes we need a shining light, sometimes we are that light. And we are stronger and happier together.

If you were sat with me in a room right now, I’d ask if I could read you this paragraph from Chapter 17 of Freedom Seeker, as a gift to you today:

“Life is wild and glorious and hard and beautiful. We Freedom Seekers must keep choosing freedom with every decision, every detail, every dollar, every day. Because it’s the experience of it all that adds 
up to a beautiful life. Go now and live it with all you’ve got. Fly free, my friend, fly free.”

Much love

Beth

PS A quick round up of news from over here:

Freedom Seeker is out in Italian and German!

Freedom Seeker is out in Italian and German! FS LOSINGYUORSELF GERMAN 1 800X400PX LR

When I started writing Freedom Seeker, I was writing it for myself. I was writing myself free. In the process I understood that I was writing this book for you. But the truth is I never thought beyond the English language, until my wonderful agent Caroline Hardman of Hardman & Swainson told me that an Italian publisher (Corbaccio) and a German publisher (Allegria/Ullstein) wanted to buy the rights for their respective languages. This opened up whole new possibilities, and I love the idea of my words going out into the world to be read in other languages. As someone who has a Master’s degree in Interpreting & Translating, I’ve always been fascinated by the way words are communicated against the background of cultural and linguistic settings, knowing that the most important thing is to communicate the concept in a way that it has the same impact on the reader, rather than making sure the words are the same (not to mention how different the covers are!) And so I am thrilled to share that Freedom Seeker is now available in Italian and German, and I would love to hear your thoughts about it if you read it in either of those languages. (PS More languages coming soon!)

Freedom Seeker is out in Italian and German! Italian