Your Overall Prosperity

I cover the following topics to illustrate that business prosperity is only part of overall prosperity. There are many other parts to your overall prosperity.

⦿ Business
⦿ Networking to share experiences, seek help and provide help to others
⦿ Overcoming stress and anxiety
⦿ Improving physical health
⦿ Overcoming mental stress
⦿ The importance of regular exercise
⦿ Improving family relationships in the stressful times ahead
⦿ The importance of socialization
⦿ Essential participation in sports/hobbies/music/TV/reading and meditative pursuits
⦿ Conclusion- a much more overall prosperous life

Business

The prosperity you need from your business has been well documented on this website. The Proactive Business Strategy and the Strategic Consultancy Advice will aid your business prosperity.

Networking to share experiences, seek help and provide help to others

You are far from alone in managing a small business. Many small business people in your field and other fields can get together digitally or in-person to share their experiences and seek help from one another.

Likely, one or more have already gone through what you consider a brick wall. This network of people also has its networks, and you can tap into a reservoir of expertise and experience.

You will need to be proactive in setting up such a network and doing it via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or other ways. This method enables you to go further than your location. You can tap into a local, national and even global network.

Health- physical

As a small business owner, you are at work 24/7. Your mind never stops working. In the forthcoming extremely tough economic conditions, your mind will likely be fear-based as you encounter thin ice wherever you step.

This fear-based mindset becomes self-perpetuating. Your thoughts can be responsible for those fears becoming your reality.

I have written many free books on personalempowerment.co about how to live in the now, how to manage: fear, anxiety, worry, and stress; how to achieve your goals and dreams, how to be a great negotiator and how to survive and thrive as an entrepreneur.

The books are:

How to Live in the Now

Reducing your worry and anxiety

Managing your stress effectively

Ego = Failure

Achieving your goals and dreams

How to be a Great Negotiator

How to survive and thrive as an entrepreneur

Stress

Now let’s discuss what ongoing or chronic stress does to your body.

Chronic stress can cause or worsen many serious health problems, including:

 Source: https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-on-the-body

Health – mental stress

Everyone reacts to stress differently, and it affects us in different ways. Here are some of the mental and emotional effects caused by stress:

  • feeling overwhelmed
  • being irritable or easily angered
  • lacking self-esteem
  • feeling constantly worried or scared
  • finding it difficult to concentrate
  • feeling more sensitive and emotional
  • lacking an appetite
  • experiencing mood swings
  • avoiding certain people or situations
  • chronic stress leads to anxiety and depression
  • chronic stress may aggravate long-dormant mental health issues

Please make an appointment with your G.P. and let them refer you to a psychologist. They are trained mental health professionals, and let them guide you towards improving your mental health. They may be able to prescribe medication for your improved mental health or refer you to a psychiatrist for an examination and, if required, medication.

The stigma of mental health has reduced during the COVID period. The Canadian Mental Health Association estimates that 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a mental health crisis or be diagnosed with a mental illness. By age 40, that ratio increases to every 1 in 2 Canadians. And Canadians are more relaxed people compared to many other countries.

Exercise

Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress

Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries.

You know that exercise does your body good, but you’re too busy and stressed to fit it into your routine. Hold on a second — there’s good news regarding exercise and stress.

Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can relieve stress. If you’re not an athlete or even out of shape, you can still make a little exercise go a long way toward stress management. Discover the connection between exercise and stress relief — and why exercise should be part of your stress management plan.

Exercise and stress relief

Exercise increases your overall health and sense of wellbeing, putting more pep in your step every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits.

  • It pumps up your endorphins. Physical activity may help bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner’s high, any aerobic activity, such as a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike, can contribute to this feeling.
  • It reduces the negative effects of stress. Exercise can provide stress relief for your body while imitating the effects of stress, such as the flight or fight response, and helping your body and its systems work together through those effects. This can also positively affect your body—including your cardiovascular, digestive and immune systems—by helping protect your body from the harmful effects of stress.
  • It’s meditation in motion. After a fast-paced game of racquetball, a long walk or run, or several laps in the pool, you may often find that you’ve forgotten the day’s irritations and concentrated only on your body’s movements.

As you shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity regularly, you may find that focusing on a single task and the resulting energy and optimism can help you stay calm, clear and focused in everything you do.

  • It improves your mood. Regular exercise can increase self-confidence, improve your mood, help you relax, and lower symptoms of mild depression and anxiety. Exercise can also improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety. These exercise benefits can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

 

Put exercise and stress relief to work for you

A successful exercise program begins with a few simple steps.

  • Consult with your doctor. If you haven’t exercised for some time or have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
  • Walk before you run. Build up your fitness level gradually. Excitement about a new program can lead to overdoing it and possibly even injury.

For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Examples of moderate aerobic activity include brisk walking or swimming, and vigorous aerobic activity can include running or biking. Greater amounts of exercise will provide even greater health benefits.

Also, aim to do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least twice a week.

  • Do what you love. Almost any form of exercise or movement can increase your fitness level while decreasing stress. The most important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy. Examples include walking, stair climbing, jogging, dancing, bicycling, yoga, tai chi, gardening, weightlifting and swimming.

And remember, you don’t need to join a gym to get moving. Take a walk with the dog, try body-weight exercises or do a yoga video at home.

  • Pencil it in. In your schedule, you may need to do a morning workout one day and an evening activity the next. But carving out time to move daily helps you make your exercise program an ongoing priority. Aim to include exercise in your schedule throughout your week.

 

Stick with it

Starting an exercise program is just the first step. Here are some tips for sticking with a new routine or refreshing a tired workout:

  • Set SMART goals. Write down SMART goals — specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-limited goals.

If your primary goal is to reduce stress in your life, your specific goals might include committing to walking during your lunch hour three times a week. Or try online fitness videos at home. Or, if needed, find a babysitter to watch your children so you can slip away to attend a cycling class.

  • Find a friend. Knowing that someone is waiting for you to show up at the gym or the park can be a powerful incentive. Try making plans to meet friends for walks or workouts. Working out with a friend, co-worker or family member often brings a new level of motivation and commitment to your workouts. And friends can make exercising more fun!
  • Change up your routine. If you’ve always been a competitive runner, look at other, less competitive options that may help with stress reduction, such as Pilates or yoga classes. As a bonus, these kinder, gentler workouts may enhance your running while also decreasing stress.
  • Exercise in short bursts. Even brief bouts of physical activity offer benefits. For instance, if you can’t fit in one 30-minute walk, try a few 10-minute walks instead. Being active throughout the day can add up to provide health benefits. Take a mid-morning or afternoon break to move and stretch, go for a walk, or do some squats or pushups.

Interval training, which entails brief (60 to 90 seconds) bursts of intense activity at almost full effort, can be a safe, effective and efficient way of gaining many benefits of longer duration exercise. What’s most important is making regular physical activity part of your lifestyle.

Whatever you do, don’t think of exercise as just one more thing on your to-do list. Find an activity you enjoy —an active tennis match or a meditative meander down to a local park and back — and make it part of your routine. Any form of physical activity can help you unwind and become an important part of your approach to easing stress.

 Source: Mayo Clinic

Family

Would you take $ 1 million in exchange for your family not waking up tomorrow morning? How about $10 million? So now we have established that any sane person will not exchange any amount of money for their family’s wellbeing.

Why are you working long hours, missing valuable time with your family, being preoccupied 24/7, and missing in action (MIA) even when you are physically with your family but mentally in your business with worries, anxieties and fear.

I have advised many Liquidators of businesses (fortunately not for my business clients!), and I invariably get to know the previous owners of the soon-to-be-liquidated businesses. 

Seldom, if ever, do I see ex-employees, business associates, debtors, creditors, investors, funders, and other ex-stakeholders come to the aid of these now impoverished previous business owners. They do the opposite. They avoid them as if they had the plague.

I have consistently seen spouses, children of all ages, other family members, and close friends come to support and love the now impoverished ex-business owner. I have also seen ex-spouses lend support, albeit their maintenance or monthly support may have disappeared.

Family first is the motto you should adopt no matter what happens to your business in good or bad times.

Socialization

When trying to keep your business afloat and devoting 24/7, you turn your back on your friends and, often, your family and extended family.

Socialization seems to be a luxury you can’t afford. It’s vital. It’s a necessity you must afford. When you socialize, you come out of your anxiety-ridden mind and find that life goes on no matter what is happening to you and your business.

Many people worry about what others will think if you struggle to keep your financial head above water. Will they see you as a failure and distance themselves from you. Let me let you into a secret. People aren’t thinking about you at all. They are too wrapped up in their thoughts about themselves!

Socialize to your heart’s delight but avoid any abuse of alcohol and keep away from narcotics. If you want to self-sabotage, then abusive use of alcohol or narcotics is the way to go!

Sports/hobbies/music/T.V./reading and meditative pursuits

Playing sports and participating in hobbies serve obvious benefits of exercise, companionship and socialization. However, the most important part is the distraction away from your 24/7 mind concerned about your business failing.

It’s impossible to think of more than one thing at a time. There is no such thing as multi-tasking. It’s single-tasking shared among several issues. Multi-tasking becomes confusing, and lack of concentration could be costly.

When you are preoccupied with active sports, I do not include sports such as golf, lawn bowls, or other sports where there is a time delay between your required actions; then, you have to concentrate single-mindedly on your next shot or similar action. Your mind is earning a well-deserved rest from your usual 24/7 worries and anxieties.

The same applies to hobbies, whether scrabble, chess, jigsaw puzzles, book clubs, etc.

T.V. watching is often an opportunity to “fire gaze” and allow your overactive mind to get lost in a drama, kitchen chef competition, sport, etc.

Reading a good novel can also transport your mind to another place as you become enthralled in the story.

Listening to music, especially relaxing music, is essential to lift your flagging spirits.

Prayer and or meditation may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it has worked for me for over four decades, and many of my free books have a meditative quality. There are numerous meditative programs on YouTube and other digital platforms. Find one that works for you, and daily meditation will change your life. T.M.- Transcendental Meditation didn’t appeal to me, but millions have benefitted.

Conclusion- a much more overall prosperous life

I believe your life will be immeasurably improved if you follow these overall prosperity measures. Prosperity is not only a business success; it’s about all the facets of your life being prosperous. Gratitude will follow for what you have, and you won’t be focused on what you fear losing. 

 

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