Episode 006: Your Mindset Matters: The Impact of Positivity on Your Business

 

I spend a good amount of time on social media (thank you iPhone for reminding me exactly how much with my weekly report every Sunday). As I’m scrolling stories and posts, I often see people share things about their business that might not reflect so well on them. Have you ever found yourself sharing that you’re too busy? Or so busy? Or have you apologized for taking too long to do something? Stop that!

 

That reminds me about Rachel Hollis’s book Girl, stop apologizing (links to both of her awesome books are here: Stop Apologizing & Wash Your Face) I used to find myself talking about those things, and while I didn’t see it as a bad thing myself, I never thought about how other people were viewing me on social media. You have to treat every single post like it’s someone’s very first time seeing your account (because it might very well be!)

 

Now, I’m not saying you have to be perfect 100% of the time. I mean, part of my brand is embracing the fact that I’m a hot mess express but I own it, and I make sure I’m always growing from it. 

 

Do you know how many potential clients you may have inadvertently driven away by saying you’re too busy? Or admitting you’re behind in something? If you share that publicly, potential clients are going to think you can’t handle the workload. And if the truth of it is that you actually can’t handle the workload, maybe you should reevaluate your business structure.

 

I remember this specific day back in my college days, one of my professors who became a mentor & friend brought to my attention how negative I sounded on social media. I was always complaining. Didn’t matter what it was about, personal, school, work, business, my negative & whiney posts outnumbered the positive & encouraging ones. I’m not sure if I would have ever realized it if she hadn’t taken the time to speak up and share that with me. 

 

This brings me to the topic of this episode, having a positive & growth mindset. A growth mindset is a big thing in the teaching world, but it can be applied to everyday life, too! On the podcast today, I’m going to be joined by Gina, who is another creative heart from the mastermind I’m in and she is one of those super contagious people you just can’t help but be happy around. 

 

Question 1: What led you to be so upbeat and positive?

You know Elle, it’s crazy because I wasn’t always a super positive person.  If you’re familiar with Parks and Rec, I was more of an April mentality and kinda sarcastic.  I’ve done a ton of research into energy work and realized that this mentality wasn’t serving me or anyone I was around and I actually went on a deep transformation of my mind and body to be the highest version of myself.  I’m definitely still on that journey, but I had to ask myself, how do I be my best self?  And my best self was someone that was there for others and who brought a sense of peace, calmness, and happiness to be around.  So I started trying to be that person.  And it’s not easy when you’re programmed a certain way, that change doesn’t just happen overnight.  But the biggest way that I was able to make that switch, was that I dove headfirst into a gratitude mindset.  

 

And I know everyone talks about gratitude and we should all be grateful, blah blah blah…but Elle I’m telling you, when you do it right, gratitude can have such a profound impact on your life and it certainly has on mine.

 

So I started every day reprogramming my mind to think about what I’m grateful for all day long.  If something unfortunate happened, I’d combat that with what good has happened that day instead.  It didn’t happen overnight, but over time I just trained my mind to see the good instead of the bad.

 

One of the best quotes that I live by every day is that everything is happening for you, not to you.  And so even when things don’t go to plan, if you have that outlook of positivity, nothing can bring you down because you know it’s supposed to be that way.

 

A few episodes ago I mentioned the feedback questionnaire I send out to all my clients after I deliver their gallery so I can get more insight into their experience with me.  Every so often I’ll get a review that just blows me away and really reassures me that what I’m doing is making a difference to someone. Whenever I get one of those, or if I deliver a gallery and a client just loses it with excitement, I take a screenshot and drop it into a “sunshine folder” on my desktop. 

 

We’re only human, so we’re going to have those days where we feel like we aren’t good enough, or we totally suck at our job, or like we’re not making a difference. When I’m having one of those days, I just open up my sunshine folder and go through a few of the screenshots to give myself a little pep talk that what I’m doing is making a difference, and people do value me and my work. 

 

If you want to start your own sunshine folder, grab my feedback questionnaire freebie at the link at the bottom of the shownotes!

 

Question 2 How do you combine your positivity with your business?

So for my business, I truly love what I do and so that leads me to want to be my best self when I’m out shooting with a client.  Even if I’m feeling meh that day, I know that when I show up I need to give them my all and be that light to them. Positivity is contagious and so also I know that by being positive I’m putting that energy out there and will receive happy and positive clients back. 

 

Vision board and affirmations.

 

Question 3 What do you suggest people say if they’re feeling the stress of being a business owner/solopreneur and want to share it with their community but in a positive way? You know I’m all about honesty and showing behind the scenes of your business.

Owning a business can be super stressful and we all know that, but I think it has to do with your personal brand.  If you want people to think of you like the super upbeat and bubbly photographer for example, then that’s the person you should show up as to land your ideal clients.  Now, I know we’re all human, but I do think there is a time and place to show your vulnerability and making it so it’s more curated and in line with your business goals and values.  

 

 

Question 4 How do you combine self-worth/positivity with your business?

I think self worth is one of the most important things that that you can work on when starting a business. I like to say don’t let anyone else define your worth.  You get to define that.  And once you do, you might find that you have had blockages which is causing you not to succeed in your business.  If you don’t feel worthy of making money or feeling like youre good enough to be doing what you’re doing, then that is going to directly effect the clients that you attract and the amount of money that you bring in.   If you are struggling in your business, a good deep dive into your self worth can really help turn things around,  because going back to the energy thing, you get what you put out.  So if you think you are not worthy of making money doing what you’re doing in your business, then you won’t attract clients.  But if you’re confident in what you’re charging, then you’ll attract people who also see that in you. 

 

Anything else you want to share?

Faith over fear- positivity is a choice and it’s a daily choice.  And the choice is yours. 

 

 

– Links mentioned in this episode –

 Book: Girl, Stop Apologizing

Book: Girl, Wash Your Face

Questionnaire for requesting feedback

Honeybook referral link (20% off your first year)

Photowalk Nashville

Photowalk Scottsdale

Nash Bash Experiences

Engaged and Anxious

Gina Co Photography

Photowalk Your Travel

– Other Links – 

Honeybook referral link (20% off your first year)

Flodesk referral link (50% off your first year)

Corrin’s Weekly Reels Education Newsletter

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission. Keep in mind that I will only ever share about companies that I truly believe in.