Monetize your skills. Mom, you are limited on time, you are stretched on resources, and flexibility feels like a thing of the past! The very last thing you need is to pour all your energy into a new exciting business idea only to find that it is not customer approved. I don’t want that for you because I know how deflating that is. In the next four days, we will go through a series: Monetize Your Skill. In this series, we will look at the steps you need to take to make sure your business idea is a winner with the clients you want to serve. To kick off the series, we will look at our mindset and the shifts we need to make before embarking on this journey.

Monetize Your Mind

Before you monetize your mind, you first need to shift your mindset in a way that allows you to see all the possibilities. I don’t know about you, but some of the mindset barriers I have had to deal with, and at times still do, are self-doubt, for sure. Thoughts like, “Why would anyone want to buy something from me? Do I even have what it takes to bring this to life?” And the list goes on.

You overcome the self-doubt, and then you’re hit with financial barriers. “Is there enough money to get this off the ground? But so and so needs x, y, z for school.” No wonder we take so long to bet on ourselves; we are too busy worried about how everyone else will be impacted.

What if I told you that the impact on your family would be phenomenal? Would you be more inclined to shift your mindset and go for what you want then? The truth is, you know this already, but you are still stuck on these limiting beliefs. And so, we need to deal with the real barrier first: your mind.

Breaking Limiting Beliefs

Get clear about what your limiting beliefs are. What is keeping you tied to your current reality? Is it imposter syndrome? Is it fear of failure? Have you made money the reason you cannot move forward? Are your kids the reason? The list could go on forever; you need to dig deep and discover what your limiting beliefs are and challenge them.

The above exercise is to help you think through the things that are keeping you stuck. You can do the above exercise with every item on your list. It is also an opportunity to find out how others have moved past some of the barriers that are keeping you stuck.

I used to have the limiting belief that my kids need me all the time. I needed to be in a position to drop everything so I can be by their side at a moment’s notice.

This insane need to be there means that I could not commit to anything else wholeheartedly. The truth is, I was afraid of being seen, and I had a crippling fear of failure. My brain opted to smoother my kids as a way to lull me into a sense of security. At least I was getting my parenting “right”, right? ALL LIES, I tell you.

Cultivate A Growth Mindset

The above exercise is not for you to bash yourself. Once you recognize what has been holding you back, it is time to put a plan in place. Cultivate a growth mindset. Understand that awareness alone isn’t going to move you to your desired state but, awareness is very important. You need to create a different response.

Afraid to step out

For example, when I realized I was using my kids to hide, I started to tell myself a different story. “My kids need a mother who goes after her dreams; that is the only way they will learn to do the same.”

I could still hide behind being a good mother but, this time it will yield positive results. My story around the fear of failure changed to, “Well, not trying is failing too so I best try and fail fast, so I can get to the other side!” This mindset is how I can now monetize my skills.

I kid you not, these phrases lived and still live in my mind rent-free. Some days are better than others, but that is when it is vital to practice mindfulness and self-compassion.

Mindfulness and Self-compassion

The best hacks when it comes to mindfulness and self-compassion, for me, have been meditation and speaking to myself as if I am speaking to my kids.

Before you roll your eyes on meditation, I want to say there are many ways to meditate. Meditation essentially means being in focus and flow. The act of meditating is to train yourself to focus and bring calmness to your mind and body.

You can run as a meditation practice, you can knit, you can stop and just observe your breath, truly any repetitive action that takes you out of your incessant thought patterns.

With self-compassion, pretending I am one of my kids has done wonders for how I speak to myself during a meltdown. It is important to understand that your outdated belief will fight to stay, and this means, even when you now know better, there are times you won’t do better. And that’s okay, you’re learning. To learn more about how to practice self-compassion, read this article from Harvard Business Review by Alice Boyce, Be Kinder to Yourself.

To delve deeper into how to successfully monetize your skills through shifting your mindset, consider joining us in the Monetize Your Skill membership classes. Click the image below to find out more.

Conclusion

The mind is a beautiful and powerful tool we have at our disposal; we just need the manual to help it work for us and not against us. You have it in you to turn it all around. I am rooting for you!

And until next time, I wish you the courage to live the life of your dreams.

Bye, Mama xx

Over 12 years in the mom space. Avutia believes with every piece of her soul that moms deserve time freedom and money in abundance, so they are free to connect authentically with their children.

A happy secure mom, raises happy secure children.