life Archives - Lauren Smith

Lack of Money Does Not Block Blessings

Mar 25, 2019 | Life

I’ll never forget this story or where I was when I heard it.

I was sitting at my kitchen table, in my normal spot (we all have them, right?). After scrolling through a few podcasts, I ended up on Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations. An episode with Brené Brown popped up and I felt it calling to me. I have a soft spot for Brené Brown – her research really makes me think, plus she’s a great storyteller.

Now, if you don’t know who Dr. Brené Brown is – she’s an New York Times best selling author and a researcher – she heavily focuses on vulnerability.

Brené was first on SuperSoul after her book, “Daring Greatly ” became a best seller. The second time she was on Oprah, Brené told the story of how her life looked the first time they had met.

On the day she was to meet Oprah for the first time, her rent check bounced, she was broke, and she had no nice clothes to wear on the show. With $5 cash on her, she hit the GoodWill in a nice part of town, and found a shirt that was suitable to wear.

Picture it – a woman who hit the NYT best sellers list, sitting next to Oprah in a shirt she bought from the GoodWill, seemingly appearing as if she’s got it all figured out.

Now, it’s worth mentioning that Brené hadn’t received any money from her book at this point. Many don’t know that authors sometimes have to wait over a year to see that money come through to them – and often times, books that require the research such as the titles Brené authors, sometimes require working “for free” for awhile.

Needless to say, this story hit me hard.

While listening to it I wrote down, “lack of money does not block blessings.”

If you’re reading this post and you’ve ever thought that good things can’t or won’t happen to you because of your financial situation – know that you’re wrong.

Blessings are in everyday things. Don’t overlook them and don’t ever feel like you’re not worthy of them simply because of your financial situation.

Money Mindset Blocks to Give Up

Debt defines me
Lack of money blocks me from getting what I want
I will only be financially free if I marry rich
I’m not good at managing money

Money Mantras to Embrace

My relationship with money gets better every day
I am worthy of getting everything I want
I am limitless with the amount of money I can make

Struggling with your Money Mindset? Check out my podcast episode with Wealth Therapist, Agnes Kowlaski. Agnes outlines how we can give ourselves Permission to Prosper.

Bless Up,
Lauren

Balancing Life as a Work-From-Home Parent

Oct 8, 2018 | Business, Life

Being an entrepreneur is hard work. Working from home requires self motivation.

Working from home with a baby on your lap? Now that takes business and life to a whole new level.

For the past 8 years, I have successfully run two businesses with not one, but two kids at home.

Many view working from home as a luxury. Sitting at home in your pajamas all day, never missing a moment with the kids, the flexibility of scheduling…sounds like the best job ever, right?!

It is, for most.

But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with mass amounts of struggles.

Have you ever been on a video conference call, and have a toddler walk in carrying their poopy diaper for all to see? I have.

What about times where you have literally gone WEEKS without seeing anyone other than your kids and/or partner? Yep, plenty of those.

And of course there’s days,when you’re massively uninspired, because your environment never seems to change

In all of the many years of juggling this work-from-home mompreneur life, I’ve learned a few important lessons along the way to keep things as smooth sailing as possible. If you’re a work-from-home parent who feels like the Captain of the Struggle Bus right now, these tips are for you:

Routine, Routine, Routine. I’m the first to admit, my whole day feels off when my morning routine is off (also sometimes a massive a-hole when it’s thrown off). There’s truly only 2 things I do for myself, each and every single morning. After I wake up, I make coffee, I sit down with my journal, and I write positive affirmations, blessings, and/or thoughts of gratitude. Then, I’m ready to go into “Mom Mode” and run in 20 different directions, before finally being able to sit down and work. Find something that brings you balance in the morning, it’ll set the tone for your day.
Make Use of Drive Time If I’m the passenger in the car, I use our travel time, albeit 10 minutes or 9 hours, to work. It’s a great and easy way to do light tasks such social media management, emails, updating to-do lists, or even finally getting around to that e-Guide I’ve been meaning to read all week. Utilize time in the car, even if that means the 5 minutes you’re sitting in line waiting to pick up your kiddo from school or practice!
Wake up Early Or go to bed late. I used to go to bed late, but as my kids get older (who am I kidding, as I get older), I’ve found late nights are harder and I’m completely drained by 9pm. The rare exception is when I’m in a creative flow, I could work all night! Wake up an hour or 2 before your kids to brainstorm, task prep for the day, or to even have a quiet moment to enjoy your coffee before chaos ensues.
Find Help When my kids were younger, their dad worked nights, so I really was able to utilize days with help. As things have changed, I found myself in a predicament of needing more help. If your budget allows it, hire an in-home part-time nanny or babysitter; part or full-time daycare is an option, too! Not in your budget or realm of comfortability?
Priority & Action Lists I’m a big list person; a lot goes on in my head and organization for me, comes with writing everything down. I prioritize my tasks into what absolutely has to get in kid free time (podcast recording, meetings that require silence, brainstorming, etc) – then I make it a priority to schedule that time. I use “Action Lists” instead of “To Do” lists, because they are actions I must take in order to succeed. Little changing in words, can change how your prioritize tasks.
Have a Prep Day I utilize Sunday’s to prep all my content for the week and write down my priority list. If I’m feeling particularly on top of my game, I’ll meal prep for the week too. Makes it easier to know whats for lunch and dinner, when the work is cut out of it.
Give Yourself the Day Off A day off on Wednesday? Sure. Why not! You have flexibility in your job, use it. And most importantly, when you take a day off, drop the guilt. Mental health is as important as physical health, a trip to the park or even 1 hour at the nail salon, can do a lot to revitalize you.

So there you have it, 7 ways to make the work-from-home parent / life balance a little easier.

Do you have a tip you’d like to share with others that I may have missed? I’d love for you to share it in the comments below!

To Your Growth,
Lauren

What to Do When the Odds Seem Stacked Against You

Apr 25, 2018 | Life

There are some affiliate links below, but they are all products I highly recommend. For more info, view my disclosure here.

Ever feel like the odds are stacked against you?

Life has a tendency to throw us curve balls at the worst possible time. Whether it’s financial despair, trouble in your relationship or job, or even a failure that you feel you’ll never rebound from – feeling as if the odds are stacked against you is often a common feeling.

Before I moved to Florida, I thought everything was aligned and it’d be smooth sailing. After realizing I priced my services too low and I’d need 100 clients to even pay my rent, it was a bit too late. I had already used all of my savings, had no real money coming in, and couldn’t afford groceries (let alone gas to go get groceries). I felt like the Universe was punishing me for stepping out of my comfort zone and moving 900 miles away from my family.

Was the Universe really punishing me? Well, no. It was teaching me lessons in business and in life. While they were tough as hell, I needed them to get me to this point.

If things aren’t going your way and you feel lost searching for answers, remind yourself:

– Nothing is permanent. That’s the good and the bad, all wrapped into one statement. Phases of life are temporary and we always have the power to change our course with one action. For me, that action was getting a 9-5 job to supplement income while I re-figured my business. That also allowed me to later quit that job and return to my business full time.

– Your Setbacks Do Not Define You. You can’t have a comeback without a setback, right? Setbacks and failures are the best foundation for growth. Your failure/setback is not a life sentence, but just a part of life.

– I Am Not a Victim. Internal questions like, “why did this happen to me?” will never really give you an answer. A better question may be, “how can I make this situation better?” Be mindful not to fall trap to the victim mentality.

The odds are stacked against us in numerous ways on a daily basis. The best way to overcome an odd, is to simply take action. Keep in mind that it’s usually not a one-time thing; this action may need to be part of your daily routine and/or you may need to be strategic about it.

Conquering the odds requires purpose, meaning, and intention. It’s okay to succumb to failures, but it’s even better to bounce back with resilience.

Need a book to help you through the tough times? Consider my book, “Mind Love: Bite-Sized Thought Nuggets to Fuel Your Life.”

With Love,
L.