Carly Ries
In case you aren’t seeing enough Thanksgiving posts this week here in the United States, I thought I’d put another one in front of you, but I highly recommend you take a step back and actually read through it (yes, I’m biased because I wrote it, but keep scrolling because I think you’ll actually benefit from this).
I actually hesitated to write this blog post at first. “Gratitude” and “mindfulness” seem like such buzzworthy words these days and I feel like people are starting to skip over those topics because they’re discussed in abundance…
…but, for good reason. For decades people bragged about their busy and stressful lives, but now we’re seeing that isn’t always the best approach, both personally or professionally.
I want you to use this article as a chance to take a breather from your business and reflect.
Solopreneurship is hard. It takes a true leap of faith and act of bravery that I don’t feel people often get credit for.
So today, I want to give you credit where credit is due and remind you to take a moment to show gratitude for everything you’ve done in your business this year, as well as for those around you.
In addition, I encourage you to incorporate gratitude for your business into your routine throughout the year, not just around the holidays. It feels good but it can actually benefit your business (seriously) as you’ll see below.
I didn’t know how important this practice could be, but my business results can speak for themselves. See how it can impact you as well.
The Benefits Solopreneurs Experience By Practicing Gratitude
There are a plethora of benefits to practicing gratitude, but let’s focus on the ones that can impact your business specifically.
Practicing gratitude:
- Makes us happier and more optimistic - Keeps the train moving.
- Increases our self-esteem - Imposter syndrome anyone?
- Reduces impatience - Bring it on, curveballs!
- Improves decision-making - See ya later, analysis paralysis!
- Helps us return to our “why” - Never forget the reason you started your business.
- Reduces stress - Umm, yes, please!
- Improves productivity - A must for solopreneurs.
- Improves physical health - Don’t forget about this one!
- Enhances empathy - A great attribute for connecting with your clients and customers.
Solopreneurship is an emotional roller coaster, and on the down days, practicing gratitude can help you defeat discouragement and keep going. Building that resilience is essential for the longevity of a business.
How to Practice Gratitude As a Solopreneur
Those benefits sound great, but how do you actually get started? Here are some helpful tips.
Stop and Smell the Roses
Living in the moment. Easier said than done, am I right? When you do this, however, you begin to find appreciation in the little things. For your business, perhaps you can find gratitude in publishing a blog post, or the first comment on a social media post. These little things add up to big wins, so take the time to acknowledge them.
Think of One Think You’re Grateful for Every Day - Big Or Small
This can range from your cup of coffee that gets you going in the morning, to a client win that increased your income overnight. Don’t let your head hit the pillow for finding that one thing.
Write It Down
Or type it on your phone, whatever is best for you! Journaling, or even making a list, can not only help you reflect on what you’re grateful for but also help you track your progress and how far you’ve come. If you take a look at what you’ve written over a period of time, you’ll be amazed at all the things you’ll be thankful for.
Create A Gratitude Board
Over the past few years, I’ve seen the concept of vision boards to manifest your dreams, but this is different. With this board, you post what you’re grateful for and hang it in your office, or wherever you’ll see it every day. It’ll be a constant reminder for you to show gratitude, even on your off days.
Meditate
I’ll admit it, I’m a newbie in this space. I’d always heard about the benefits but always found my mind wandering and felt impatient after a few minutes of every attempt. I committed to giving it a real shot in 2022, trying different apps and eventually doing it on my own.
Game-changer. Turns out, the rumors are true. When it comes to my career, I’m more focused and productive than I’ve ever been. A gratitude meditation, one where you focus on the things you’re grateful for, can really help to center you on stressful days and when things aren’t necessarily going your way.
I highly recommend it.
Volunteer
I’m a Friends fan through and through. Borderline obsessed. There’s an episode where Phoebe tries to prove that there’s such a thing as a selfless good deed, and has a hard time doing so.
Not only is it a wonderful thing to do and makes you feel good as a bonus, but it also allows you to take a look at your own circumstance and give you a feeling of compassion for those around you.
Give Thanks to Your Clients and Customers
Reflecting on your business and appreciating all that it is is one thing, but at the end of the day, you wouldn’t have a successful business if it wasn’t for your clients and customers. You need to make sure they feel your appreciation year-round.
As technology becomes more and more prevalent in our lives, people appreciate personalization and thoughtfulness. Doing some of the actions below will really help you stand out. It shows your clients and customers that you care, which in turn can increase retention and referrals.
Be sure to actually mean it when you give thanks. Don’t just do it to cross it off your list. For me personally, my dentist sends a generic thank you card around the holidays. It’s a nice gesture, but I can tell he printed hundreds of these off and just had my name on a list to send it to. It didn’t have any meaning. To really stand out these days, give it some honest time and effort.
Write Thank You Notes
As I started off my professional career, my dad always told me to write thank you notes when warranted, and that it would set me apart from the crowd. At the time, I rolled my eyes thinking it was what everybody did, but that was not the case, and he was right. To this day I get comments about how special it is when people receive this little piece of snail mail. It’s proof that a little bit goes a long way.
Do Them A Favor and Expect/Ask for Nothing in Return
People always assume there’s a gotcha tied to everything these days. What happened to good old-fashioned “being nice?” Offer clients and customers discounts, send them a personalized birthday gift, or give them a month free of your services, just because. You’ll likely find “what goes around comes around” applies here.
Write An Unsolicited Positive Review for Them or Their Business
Doesn’t it feel so good when somebody writes you a positive review? Give that feeling to your clients and customers! It’ll show how much you truly appreciate them.
Give Them A Shoutout on Social Media
Reviews are great, but so are social mentions! Shout on the social media rooftops how much you appreciate your client/customer. It will help them earn some recognition and gain awareness. Also, be sure to let them know they can use your mention in marketing efforts moving forward.
Implement Their Feedback and Let Them Know How Much You Appreciated It
I once had a client recommend a change to my website. I was so immersed in my business, I didn’t see something that is now so obvious. Not only did I implement the change, but I also let them know I valued their opinion and took it to heart. Expressing your gratitude and letting them know they provided value can go a long way for your working relationship.
What Solopreneurs Are Grateful for in 2022
I have the privilege of being a member of The Solopreneur Community where I get to chat with fellow solopreneurs every day. I've talked to some of them about what they are grateful for as a solopreneur this year, and here are some of their responses:
“My family for supporting my crazy idea and putting up with my constant desire to make my business awesome.”
“The exciting potential to have a flexible retirement gig after I leave my full-time job”
“WiFi that allows me to work from anywhere! Hello, travel!”
“I finally know what the phrase ‘if you love what you’re doing, you never have to work a day in your life’ means.”
“My dog loves my life as a solopreneur because now he can hang out with me all day!”
“That incredible feeling of starting something from scratch and watching it take off. There’s nothing like it!”
I love hearing these things, so I’m curious, as a solopreneur, what are you most grateful for this year? We’d love to hear!
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