The Importance of Making Boundaries Part of Your Business Life – Part 1

The Importance of Making Boundaries Part of Your Business Life – Part 1

Entrepreneurs and business owners know that owning and running a business is usually a full-time job. Many times, it flows over into your off hours, weekends, holidays and everything in between. However, I am a hardcore believer in creating boundaries, especially with your business.

If your boundaries are not managed appropriately, your business will very soon take over your entire world. It will take over your private life. It will consume and affect your relationships if left unchecked. And although it may be good for your business, ultimately you can be left devastated by the effects personally.
 

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I had a client who attributed the lack of boundaries in her business to the separation of her marriage. She had allowed her business to consume her life. She shared with me that she no longer focused or spent time with her husband, because she was too consumed with everything at work. She was very honest in sharing that it was the single cause in the downfall of her relationship. But I’m happy to share that after a year of being separated, they came back together and are now so much happier, because she made the necessary changes in her work life to support a healthy personal life and marriage.

One way to counter such potential devastation is to create specific, useful boundaries that you stick to in your business. Separate work time from private time. Schedule your days – specify specific days and hours for working, meetings, dinners and events. But you must stick to it. Make sure you are designating free time for yourself, your family and your intimate relationship if you have one.
 

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Before the real estate market collapsed, a decade ago, I use to be one of those entrepreneurs who was overtaken with work. My businesses totally consumed me. Almost all of my work was quite enjoyable for me, so I didn’t initially see the harm. I also didn’t have any real boundaries designated around my work. It was just work, work, work all of the time.

I come from a family of entrepreneurs. Both of my parents are entrepreneurs and they come from the school of working all the time and talking about business anytime, anywhere for anything. For me, after the market collapse and having to deal with all of the fallout and cleanup from it, I knew that when I rebuilt my business life, I had to do it very differently. No more late nights regularly, working on the weekend and non-existing vacations. I had to start creating new business structures for my businesses and create some serious, significant boundaries.

Check out Part 2 of this article on Friday.


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The Real Spirit of the Season

The Real Spirit of the Season

As many of us are preparing to travel to family and friends for the holiday, hopefully we are all able to take a little bit of time to slow down our very busy lives to spend some time with those who are most important to us.

Whether you are traveling near, far, or remaining at home, it is a blessing to be able to share such a special time with those who mean the most to us. The holidays offer a wonderful opportunity to slow down, reflect on our lives, the year, our current time and what’s most important.
 

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Your family may consist of those who are your biological relatives or it can be made up of those who are not biologically related, but are emotionally connected to you as family. Whichever it is doesn’t matter, what’s most crucial is that we have those special people in our lives to share life with.

Traveling for the holidays can be quite consuming and often times overwhelming for many. Remember to stay focused on what’s important so that the hectic moments of traveling and the season doesn’t overcome you with unnecessary stress and burdens.

Although many get caught up in the retail therapy and materialism of this soon to be time of the year, it is most important to stay focused on the true purpose and reason for the season.
 

help others
 

I always try to spend some extra time during this season with those who are less fortunate to spread some joy and happiness to many who are in need. Although I do it throughout the year, I try to make an extra effort to bring joy to someone who may not otherwise be able to experience it during this time of the year.

Wherever it is you are going or whatever it is you are doing, be sure to take with you the spirit of the season – kindness, compassion, love and joy – to not only spread to those you consider your family and friends, but also remembering to spread a little to those who you don’t know at all.


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Learning How to Celebrate – Part 2

Learning How to Celebrate – Part 2

This is a continuation of Part 1.

My lack of celebrating and taking the time to stop and enjoy life over the years is what made me commit to taking a vacation every four weeks this year. After not taking a real vacation in nearly 13 years and giving so much of myself to others, I needed to stop and give myself the time to start pouring back into myself. I am so grateful that process has begun.

We all only have so much to give away to others before the deficit for ourselves begins to take its toll. Fortunately for me, I did it while I was still whole. For some, once they actually do it, they have already compromised their health, their mind and it is too late for them to recover. If this is you, start giving yourself the time to heal yourself. Your responsibilities, your family and yourself need you to give from a place of being whole not a place of depletion.
 

having tea
 

I am so grateful it is my season to do just that. I am taking the time to live and celebrate not just the big things, but also some of the smaller, daily moments of my life.

The celebration doesn’t have to be outrageous. It can be quite small. It just needs to acknowledge that something good happened and you want to take a moment to enjoy that space and, for me, feel grateful in it.

My celebration can be as simple as getting a bubble tea and enjoying it while thinking of the celebratory event. It could be a massage, a lovely dinner out or doing something that you’d enjoy doing, but may not necessarily get the chance to do regularly. However, if you prefer to celebrate, just make the time to do it and follow through with it. Life has enough non-celebratory events on its own. So, take full advantage of the moments you have when something special and exciting occurs in your life to celebrate!
 

celebrate
 

Do you feel as if you’re currently celebrating the good things that happen in your life? Or do you have some learning and growing to do around celebrating like I do?

Share with me your thoughts and experience below or on Facebook or Instagram.


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Learning How to Celebrate – Part 1

Learning How to Celebrate – Part 1

I have been in the process of learning a few things lately. Not in the area of business where I am always learning or the area of life lessons which is a never ending journey, but to be quite honest in an area which seems to be a bit remedial to me.

After years of going from one crisis to the next, celebrating just wasn’t something I’ve been concerned with doing. From dealing with the fallout from the recession to having a period of double digit family losses to dealing with the niece I raised having a traumatic brain injury, contemplating celebrations was just not on the list of the important things to do in my life.

However, a new season has bloomed. Tragedies and traumas don’t last forever and when your new season comes in, you can’t taint it with the spirit of your past seasons.
 

learning-how-to-celebrate-monique-manigault
 

What I now acknowledge is that I don’t really celebrate good things that occur in my life. The reality is that I didn’t really do much celebrating even before those incidents occurred. The last event I really remember celebrating was graduating from law school, which was nearly 20 years ago. In recent years for my birthday, I wouldn’t really do anything unless my dear friend Stephanie forced me to go somewhere with her.

I talk about celebrating with my clients and the importance of enjoying life, but the fact of the matter is, I have not organically felt so inclined to ever really do it for myself. That was until now. While recently speaking with someone who works with me, she discussed my lack of celebrating. So, we agreed that it is time for me to start.
 

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We also talked about how hard I am on myself and my very high standards. She told me that I have accomplished more in 1 year than most of the business owners she knows. And that I don’t really think it’s a big deal. She’s right. I don’t.

Those words were familiar to me, because just the other day, a lovely 18 year old named Savannah that I had recently met told me that I’ve achieved more in my life than most people do in a lifetime. That was such an interesting comment to me shared from an 18 year old.

For me, I just know the work that lies ahead. So, I am constantly looking forward instead of spending any time looking at what has or is being accomplished. I am actually perfectly fine with that. But sometimes, every now and then, I need to take a break from achieving and just do some living and celebrating.

To shop my outfit, go to: https://bit.ly/2yffPuy


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Finding Stillness at the Ocean

Finding Stillness at the Ocean

There is no place I feel more balanced, centered and connected to from which I’ve come than by spending time at the ocean. There is something about that magical, majestic body of water that reminds me everything I need, everything I want and everything I desire is already here.

I love to stop by the ocean whenever I can. I come to run, cry, restore myself, celebrate and to meditate. It is a wonderful place to just be with yourself, connect with yourself and check in with yourself.
 

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It is critically important that we find places and spaces which speak to our inner being. A space that allows us to get a break from all the noise that consumes us during the hectic, chaotic days of our normal lives. Although not intentional, our consumed living takes a toll on us mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. We need a safe space to be able to pour back into ourselves and to restore us anew.

Stillness is extremely important to me. It is when I’m able to quiet my mind and receive the necessary information I need to proceed.
 

finding-stillness-at-the-ocean-monique-manigault
 

We are all naturally intuitive. Some are just more tapped into it and confident about their abilities than others. I have always been highly connected to mine. My intuition has never failed me. It tells me when something is right or when something is wrong for me. It shows me who is safe and when someone is not.

It is in my stillness where my true rest is found.

If you are open and willing, the ocean has a miraculous way of allowing you to contemplate the most important aspects of your life and release the thoughts and ideas which no longer serve you. It supports the renewing of your body, mind and spirit to fly higher, grow and soar greater than you did before. If you allow it, the ocean will assist you with what you need to continue on the journey down this road called life.

To shop my outfit, go to: https://bit.ly/2OZoF9y


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The Power of Being Good To Your Inner Self

The Power of Being Good To Your Inner Self

We are often our harshest critics. We judge ourselves based on the things we do, the things we don’t do and all the things we still have yet to do.

And although it’s a great skill to self evaluate, if you don’t do it in the most loving way, instead of building yourself up, you’ll be part of tearing your spirit down.
 

power-of-being-good-to-your-inner-self-monique-manigault
 

Dr. Maya Angelou said, “when you know better, you do better.”

Instead of beating yourself over the head and absorbing a ton of negative energy in the process – how about taking some time to first thank yourself for what you have accomplished, evaluate where you are, look at where you want to go and identify the gaps in between.

We all have areas of our lives we want to improve. We all have goals and ambitions we want to achieve. But hold yourself to them in the most caring way. Do not become one of the naysayers for your own life. Your desires and wishes cannot survive in that space. They cannot thrive in that space. They cannot even live in that space.
 

power-of-being-good-to-your-inner-self-monique-manigault
 

Being good to your inner self doesn’t mean that you are not a realist about where you are or where you may be at any given time. But what it does is identify the issues and looks at the holes and gaps necessary to be filled to get you to your desired end.

It is not going to happen overnight. To get to any destination, you must first take the necessary steps to get you there. You have to create a plan and execute it daily to make sure you’re on your way to your goal mark.

Get the support you need from wherever you need to get it to fill in the gaps to move your life forward, but do it in a loving way.

Because being good to your inner self shows others what you expect from them in the level of goodness they give to you.


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