{"id":2182,"date":"2009-10-29T22:18:42","date_gmt":"2009-10-30T02:18:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joyfullyjobless.com\/blog\/?p=2182"},"modified":"2009-10-29T22:18:42","modified_gmt":"2009-10-30T02:18:42","slug":"keeping-it-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joyfullyjobless.com\/blog\/2009\/10\/keeping-it-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Keeping It Light"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are hundreds of perfectly smart reasons to be joyfully jobless, not the least of which is that people who are doing work that they love tend to be, well, more loving and joyful. Want to bring more fun and joy to your business? Here are a few well-tested ideas.<\/p>\n

Keep having Firsts.<\/strong>\u00a0Challenge yourself to do things you\u2019ve never done before. It can be as simple as trying a new food or taking a yoga class. This is harder to do than you may think since we humans tend to build habits and then operate in familiar territory. Having Firsts requires conscious, creative effort.<\/p>\n

Exercise your entrepreneurial thinking to keep it in shape.<\/strong>\u00a0You build entrepreneurial muscle by studying other enterprises, by acquiring new skills, by taking risks. Just like physical fitness, it needs to be a daily activity if you want maximum results.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be afraid to be whimsical.<\/strong>\u00a0Small businesses shouldn\u2019t look like miniature corporations. Lighten up. Create a costume and wear it when you work. Have toys or a guitar in your office for play breaks. And if whimsy\u2019s not your style, purposely do something out of character once in a while.<\/p>\n

Celebrate all victories and milestones.<\/strong>\u00a0One of my favorite celebrations comes from\u00a0Karyn Ruth White<\/a>. When she had been in business for 6 months, she sent herself 6 roses with a congratulatory card. At the one-year anniversary, she increased that to a dozen. She\u2019s continued the tradition although she topped off the size of the bouquet at a dozen and a half. Find your own way to celebrate your progress.<\/p>\n

Turn ordinary chores into satisfying rituals.<\/strong>\u00a0Got bills to pay? Instead of gritting your teeth, light a candle, put on some lovely music, pour a cup of tea and make it an event. Slow down and express gratitude for your current abundance. Look for ways to make the most mundane chores fun\u2026or at least pleasant.<\/p>\n

Plan Joyfully Jobless gatherings.<\/strong>\u00a0Find five other self-bossers that like each other and let each one plan a monthly gathering just to have fun. You could find yourself salsa dancing one month and picnicking in a park the next. Hanging out with other entrepreneurs can be a lovely tonic, but don\u2019t wait for somebody else to get things rolling.<\/p>\n

Support that which supports you.<\/strong>\u00a0This has been my personal and business policy for a long time and it hasn\u2019t failed me yet. It\u2019s partly a way of putting values to work and partly a way to acknowledge people who are helpful or enthusiastic customers and clients. This also has application when it comes to personal behavior.<\/p>\n

Be kind<\/strong>. Stephen Covey writes that when we commit an act of kindness our endorphin level goes up. Likewise, when we receive a kindness it raises our levels. However, it\u2019s also been found that if we merely\u00a0witness<\/em>\u00a0an act of kindness, it raises endorphin levels, too.\u00a0So go ahead and spread kindness around.<\/p>\n

There is no question that a playfully light attitude is characteristic of creative individuals. ~ Mihalyi Czikszentmihalyi<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are hundreds of perfectly smart reasons to be joyfully jobless, not the least of which is that people who are doing work that they love tend to be, well, more loving and joyful. Want to bring more fun and joy to your business? Here are a few well-tested ideas. Keep having Firsts.\u00a0Challenge yourself to…<\/p>\n

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