Energy Coaching

That’s the classic question to an entrepreneur and one that has many answers.  Let’s look at some of them:

1.  Because you want to have control over your life.

2.  Because you want to have a flexible schedule.

3.  Because you want to spend more time with your family.

4.  Because you want to earn more.

5.  Because you want to make a difference in the world through your services or products.

Starting your own company is a great opportunity to write your own script for your life.  You get to decide everything.  You get to build your vision for what the company will be like.  You will feel the excitement of closing a deal and reaping the benefits.  That’s the good news.  On some days, you will also find that all of it is also the bad news.  You will run the risk of feeling so consumed by your company that before you know it it’s midnight and you haven’t had dinner yet.  Heck, maybe you forgot all about lunch as well!

On the other hand, there are very few entrepreneurs who say that they would love to go back and work for someone else.  Once you have gone through the ‘secret passage’ that leads you to owning your own business, there is seldom a desire to go back to the ‘punching-the-clock-for-someone-else’ routine.

If you are going to let a business consume so much of your life, make sure the idea is coming straight from your passions.  If you think of your business and an overwhelming feeling of urgency takes hold of you, if you cannot stop daydreaming about it, if you see the results unfolding in your head and affecting the lives of many, if you don’t care what others think of it, then you are on to something.  But if your business idea doesn’t make your heart sing, don’t bother.

One of the best ways to figure out how to do anything is to talk with someone who’s already doing it.  Ask questions, voice your concerns and consider the information coming from the successful entrepreneur you are talking to.   You will find that most successful entrepreneurs will be more than happy to share their experiences with you.  Maybe you will follow their advice, maybe you will blaze your own trail.  In either case, you will be writing your own story and that’s a powerful way to live.

To your success!

Ana

I am back from my one month vacation in Brazil and Turkey.  It was great to see my family and friends and spend time with them. The reasons why we went to Brazil were all wonderful:  My brother-in-law’s wedding, my mother’s 70th birthday and our regular visit to our company which is always busy and fun.  All of these great moments brought a smile to our face and warmth to our hearts.

However, while we were there, I also learned that my cousin is getting a divorce, my aunt’s brother passed away on a car accident and a good friend of ours with whom we had had lunch the day we left Brazil, just had a heart attack one day after we met him and his wife.

Life is a collection of many pleasant moments and some others that challenge us.  The key to be able to enjoy the good times and to cope with the challenges is resilience.  Webster’s dictionary defines Resilience as; 1 : the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress 2 : an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortunate or change.

The quicker we are able to bounce back from a challenging situation, the clearer we will be able to see solutions and act to change it.  The confidence that we gain from knowing that we can tackle whatever comes gives us the ability to live in the present and not worry about what the future will bring.  We are able to be fully immersed in the magic of the good times without spoiling them with thoughts like “what if this or that happens” or “it’s great but it won’t last”.

Rabbi David Aaron, a person I deeply respect, coined the term ‘human becomings’.  He explains that because we are constantly moving forward, always changing and hopefully, always growing, we are not really human beings; we are actually human becomings.  It is a learning process to become a human.  The process is much more important than the destination. 

As I meditated on it, I realized that there is a part in all of us who loves to grow, loves a challenge, an adventure and loves the journey.  There is also a part of us that is afraid of risks, that avoid challenges and resists growth.  The magic happens when we acknowledge that life is a challenge – and that the challenge itself is what makes it fun!  Only then life becomes a dynamic process of growth; an exciting adventure!

During the dynamic process of our lives, everything is always changing.  That’s the whole bit about being ‘human becomings’ and not ‘human beings’.  That’s our role in the world and the reason we were created.  If we accept that, we will understand ourselves better. 

The moment when we actually reach our goal flies swiftly; it is fleeting in its essence.  The goal of life is to be one with it; to live inside its rhythm and to bask in the human experience with gusto.  To experience and to enjoy the unique challenges and opportunities that each situation has to offer.  So life is also a becoming. 

Choose to become and to enjoy the process!

With energy,

Ana

Time and time again we find the need to reinvent ourselves.  Some of us take the plunge and do it.  Some of us delay it.  Whatever the case maybe, reinventing ourselves works wonders.  The fear can consume us at first but the elation of a new path ahead is way bigger than the fear.  At least that’s how I see it.

My business is being reshaped completely.  Blog site, name, logo, target market…  All will be new soon.  Maybe a partner will come on board, a new approach will take place and new products will emerge.  How cool is that?  Scary?  Well, not really.  Coming to Hong Kong was a decision that brought a lot of happiness to my husband and me, so why not reinvent the business to include more ideas and different goals?  It’s a normal process and one I am very excited about.

Looking at a new road is exciting.  Changing gears and forging ahead full force is a great example for our family, friends, children and clients.  Walking our talk with grace and firm steps only makes us stronger and more credible.  Acknowledging the curves in the path ahead and being willing to change gears while following our dreams is the best strategy to take on a process of reinvention.  Learning to reap the benefits of the new path is a process I am looking forward to experience!

Hope you all feel inspired to do the same when the time comes to reinvent yourselves!

Good luck to all of us!

With energy,

Ana

This weekend I was reminded of the power of a dream.  I went to a winery which is an oasis of peace located on the mountains of Santa Catarina, the state where I am currently living.  This place is called Villa Francioni.  Visit it at www.villafrancioni.com.br.

Mr. Dilor, a Brazilian of Italian descent who had the idea of building it, liked wine and had a dream – to make a great blend of wines which had a very distinct identity originated in the Brazilian terroir.

What struck me about him is that he never doubted that the project was going to be a success.  He didn’t expect to get his investment back for another 30 years and yet he didn’t blink about investing on this dream.  There was never a hesitation from his part.  He traveled all over the world to get the best ideas, the best materials, and the best enologists so that his winery would be up to par with his vision. 

I was very inspired by this man’s dream.  It brought tears to my eyes to watch the short movie that shows his story.  And I was reminded of the power of a dream, the power of our vision.  A dream inspires us to do whatever it takes to make it a reality.  A dream makes us courageous, strong, and brave.  It reminds me of one of my favorite sayings:  “Go on with a spirit that fears nothing” – from Homer.

As I am going through a big change at this moment – with my move to the other side of the world – I found very inspiring to be reassured that a dream will drive us to our truth and to our success.  All we have to do is believe in it and, of course, act on it. 

With energy,

Ana