Normalizing your anxiety.

This morning, I woke up a bit too early- partly because I’m excited about some new ideas I just thought of- and, partly, too, because I’m feeling a bit anxious about my business. Not because anything is wrong….in fact, everything seems to be running smoothly. But, as you know, things can quickly change, so you want to be ready with multiple back up plans. So it got me thinking about the anxiety of being an entrepreneur- the constant management of cash in/cash out, balancing marketing with service delivery, and trying to be strategic for the future while dealing with whatever is right in front of you. It’s a lot to balance. No wonder most of us feel anxious about our businesses. I was thinking, also, how anxiety doesn’t always mean that something is wrong. If you, like me, have actively looked into your business lately, have a good grasp on cash flow, a solid marketing plan, and you show up every day and serve your clients- everything is probably running well and is stable- even when it doesn’t FEEL like that. Our feelings are not always facts. Growing into a more self confident entrepreneur demands that we each learn to distinguish- for ourselves-when our anxiety is about something true, or something feared. Anxiety is probably part of the entrepreneurial lifestyle- after all, anxiety only shows up when we keep stretching ourselves further than we’ve gone before. If you’re feeling anxious about your business- know that it’s normal. The best way to move through it? Fix whatever needs fixing… and then take yourself out for some fun.