5 Ways For Entrepreneurs to Power Through Tough Times

To say that my heart has been heavy is an understatement. I haven’t posted anything on Instagram for nearly a month.

How can I when I honestly don’t know what to say about what’s been happening lately or even for the last several years?

In times like these, what do you say?

If you don’t say anything, you’re “tone deaf” because you “don’t care” and yet if you do say something and stand up for your beliefs, you’re told to sit down and shut up.

Let’s be real.

Blogger, influencer, celebrity…no matter what title you hold, the internet will never let you win. And these days, if you don’t think in the same way as some of your followers, audience or fans, you’re canceled. And it’s all very exhausting. #ISaidWhatISaid

For those of us who have an online presence, it doesn’t matter if our platform is small or large.

Sometimes, people just don’t know what to say so they don’t say it at all.

They either keep sharing/creating content they love or stop posting for awhile. As an entrepreneur, I’m the latter category.

For awhile now, I’ve had a lot of questions and thoughts:

• • Do I continue to share content that I’m familiar with?
  • If I do share, does posting make me insensitive even though it’s my way to escape?
  • It feels so wrong trying to build a business while others are suffering.
  • Then again, others would LOVE to be in the position I’m in so I shouldn’t take what I’ve been blessed with for granted. Onward and upward!
  • I don’t want to talk about a topic I’m uncomfortable with or not well-versed in.

I’ve been thinking about this subject lately. As an entrepreneur, it’s hard navigating business, isn’t it? Not only do you already have a hard time building your brand, you have to try and not let what’s going on outside of your business affect you as a human being too.

Staying motivated as an entrepreneur during tough times is hard, but it’s not impossible. Here are five tips to stay the course even when things seem bleak:

BE AWARE OF YOUR EMOTIONS

If you find yourself more emotional than usual, do a self audit. Sometimes your emotions do not stem from you/your business progress directly, but from external events you cannot control. If you’re experiencing tough times, take note what emotions you’re feeling.

TAKE SOME TIME TO PROCESS HOW YOU FEEL

It’s okay to take some time to process what you’re feeling about what’s going on around you. Take a walk. Cry it out. Schedule a break for however long you want. Have some quiet time to reflect. Talk/vent with friends. I’ve found that these action steps help me when external events affect me when I least expect it.

ENTREPRENEURS MUST FIGURE OUT WHAT/WHO DRAINS OUR ENERGY

Take note. Does watching the news make you feel sad or angry afterwards? If so, turn off the television. Is there someone you hang with who always talks about negative things in life? If so, spend less time with that person. All this sounds harsh, but the goal is to preserve your energy.

I stopped watching the news for about ten years now and have never felt better! Negative friends are still in my life, but I’m much happier and less stressed when I keep them at a distance.

PLUG “ENERGY DRAINERS” DURING TOUGH TIMES

My good friend and high performance coach, Joe Arthur, taught me to do this. Identify what or even who is zapping your energy and turn off the switch!

I replace energy drainers by listening to upbeat music, reading personal development books, sleep more, or take courses to throw myself back into building my business.

AS ENTREPRENEURS, WE MUST SHIFT OUR MIND AND RESET

Once you get to a place where you’re ready to start building again, think of yourself as a race car driver. You’re at the light and you know it’s going to turn green, right? Well, you get ready by making sure your car is in working condition. If it’s not, you get a tune up to reset your car before the race begins.

The same thing goes for business. If you find yourself off course, shift your mindset and start over. Remember, if you’re in the middle of a race and something goes wrong, you can still pull over and reset!

It’s not easy to create/build when you feel like the world is crumbling all around you, but I hope this article helps you if you’re stuck.

Someone out there needs you and what you have to offer. What you’re building with your gifts/talents and the financial gains you’re receiving from your hard work will turn around and become a blessing to someone else!

As entrepreneurs/small business owners, how do you stay focused during tough times?

This topic is so important so I’m hoping fellow entrepreneurs will chime in in the comments below so we can help out each other!

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