Do you ever feel that in order to make money, you are selling your soul?
I used to feel like that:
…When I was working for a company division where I didn’t agree with their approach and solutions.
…When scoring a deal was so important that I worked with clients whose business was against my beliefs.
…When I was running my own business and wasn’t clear on the value I could bring to people.
I could say it felt horrible, but that is not even true. Back then, it felt… normal. Although some voice inside was always saying that maybe it could (and should) be different, I just gently put it aside.
Until I didn’t.
It took a mental breakdown for me to turn things around.
I remember crying every morning in the car on my way to work. Until one day, I cracked. I panicked at work and went in fright mode. Heart racing, cold sweat, nausea, mind in overdrive, unstoppable tears. Exhausted.
I stayed at home, sick, for months. And I wasn’t taking good care of myself either, drinking too much and smoking cigarettes.
At the same time, I was finding ways towards healing: meditation, ayahuasca. Doing great amounts of self reflection, facing my shadows. Discovering my talents. Accepting the loving care and patience of my love Marco*, my friends and dear family.
And eventually, all of that is what led me to become an entrepreneur.
Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation.
Elisabeth Gilbert
When I was at home, unable to go back to the work place, I started doing the things that I loved: cooking, writing, sharing recipes. I read many blogs and started my own. I taught myself how to work with WordPress.
I didn’t know it at the time, but one year later I would be teaching people how to start THEIR own website. It felt great to be selling something which had helped me in my life. Even when I still considered myself a beginner, there were already so many people who could benefit from my experience! And as my skills and insight increased, my business mirrored that growth.
The process hasn’t ended there. Still now, I keep moving closer towards more authenticity, more personality, more truth, speaking from the heart. No more selling your soul, ever. Unless “selling your soul” means “to make a living sharing what you value most”.
I now exclusively work with people who aim to have their website and newsletter reflect what they REALLY stand for (and with individuals on their health through breathwork, but that’s another chapter). If you’re interested and wondering if this is for you, contact me.
My work serves people to bring out the best in themselves and share their gift with the world, because I know from my own experience how deeply satisfying it is to live your life like this.
What do you truly value in life? Is the way you earn money aligned with this?
* Update: life goes on, things change and Judith and Marco are no longer together as a couple. We are still close friends.
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