The Slow Living Solopreneur

Writing that title "The Slow Living Solopreneur" sounds like an oxymoron. How can you be in your soft girl era while also growing a business on your own? 7 years ago I would tell you that's impossible and probably blurt out some hustle culture quote to prove my point.

Today? I AM the slow living solopreneur. My coaching business continues to expand its impact, influence, and income while I create more time for my hobbies, family, and self care.

In this blog, I am going to guide you to find more balance in your business by shifting your mindset, energy, & approach with a few journal prompts and tips from my own experience. So you fully believe that you CAN run a successful business not in spite of but because you live a slow life. If that sounds like something you crave right now, then just keep reading!

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First things first, what is slow living? You may see it on social media as woman in flowy dresses out in the garden or baking sourdough from scratch (guilty of both lol). But truthfully it isn't WHAT you are doing, but HOW you are doing it. It's a mindset shift not a list of old school activities you have to do.

According to slowlivingldn.com it is "Slow living is a mindset whereby you curate a more meaningful and conscious lifestyle that's in line with what you value most in life. It means doing everything at the right speed. Instead of striving to do things faster, the slow movement focuses on doing things better." 100% yes agree!

But why practice slow living? In my personal experience it has lead to more joy, peace, contentment, faith, presences, gratitude, patience, clarity, should I keep going? Simply taking the time to be present in whatever task you are doing whether that is hanging the laundry on the line or writing a blog brings more magic to your experience.

You notice and appreciate the little things like the feel of the sun on your skin, the birds chirping in the distance, the gentle breeze cooling your down...or in my case writing this blog currently the fun sound my nails make hitting each key, the soft lofi music in the background, the comfy couch beneath me. Even just writing that sentence brought a smile to my face. THAT is the power of slow living.

Okay, HOW do I practice it Tara? There are three ways I incorporate it into my life and business. Luckily since it is just a mindset shift it doesn't add more time to your day, but it sure does add a lot more joy! Pick and choose what works for you or try them all!

1. The first is simply asking yourself this question throughout the day while going through your to-do list: What in this moment can I slow down and savor a bit more? (you saw an example of this in the paragraph above)
   

2. Next, is my magical moments practice! If you follow me on Instagram @magically_tarasimone, you know I share a magical moment almost everyday on my stories and document them in my highlights. What's a magical moment? Anything that makes you smile or feel gratitude. For example, a new bud poking through the mud in February or my hair doing the perfect little curl out of my messy bun. The thing is though I usually only notice them when I slow down! To start your own magical moments practice, simply take pictures of these little glimmers and save to a photo album on your phone, share on IG stories (And tag me please!), or begin a journal page to write them down.

3. Lastly, schedule a slow living day once a week or month. This is a day dedicated to the tasks and activities that help you be more present and grounded. I do this every Sunday and call it "slow living Sunday", but any day works! Here's some ideas for you:

👒 tending or starting your garden

✍🏻 journaling in a vibey space

📚 reading a book while sipping a cozy beverage

🥖 baking sourdough or your favorite dessert

🧼 deep cleaning the house at a leisurely pace

🧶 knitting or crocheting if that's your thing

🎨 any kind of crafting really

🧘🏻‍♀️yoga, walking, or a slow paced workout

✨ a full bubble bath, exfoliating, shaving, moisturizing self care day

Again though, I want to reiterate that slow living isn't WHAT you are doing, but how you are doing it. You could do all these examples in a rush and not experience the joy of slowing down. So during your scheduled day, make sure to ask yourself that question in practice number one to truly benefit from this!

Alright, now that you know clearly what slow living is and how to begin your practice it's time to heal the thoughts telling us its not safe/possible/okay to take it easy...

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It's time to dismantle some of this hustle culture mindset. I know, capitalistic America just rolled over in the grave she's been digging since Reagan introduced trickle down economics. But clearly it's not serving us as a country or you are a business owner.

Now, don't get me wrong. WORK IS REQUIRED! The content isn't going to write itself, the clients aren't going to coach themselves, and sadly the taxes aren't going to file themselves. BUT I believe a lot of entrepreneurs make it harder than it has to be to prove our worth either to ourselves or others. We wear busy like a badge of honor. (insert that audio "I quit my 9-5 job so I could 24/7 in my business").

Growing up the daughter of a business owner, joining network marketing, and having Capricorn in my big three for astrology, I deeply believed that my success was based solely on how hard and much I worked. That if I wasn't achieving my goals, I just had to try harder. For years my work ethic served me well! But it also led to burn out, feelings of unworthiness, & walking away from that business all together.

Yeah, that's not the vibe. But maybe this reading this blog is already bringing up doubts or an uncomfy feeling. You desire more spaciousness, ease, and enjoyment from your business. But society has been feeding you a sh*t sandwich your whole life that says the exact opposite. In order to shift our reality, we have to get REAL about our beliefs particularly the ones telling us it's not safe, possible, or realistic to desire a slow life AND a successful business. So grab your journal and let's dive in:

1. Does hard work always equal success? What would you say are the hardest working professions? Are they the most successful financially, emotionally, mentally, relationally? If not, how does that change your perception of hard work?

2. When have you achieved something that felt easy? Or easier than you imagined it would? When in your life have you received money, praise, an award, etc for a skill that came naturally to you or just for existing?

3. Hustling may help you achieve your goals, but what else does it cause in your experience? Make a pros and cons list baby!

4. Most importantly, what does success look and feel like to you both in relation to your goals, but life as well. What are you willing to do to succeed? What are you definitely not willing to do?

5. What do you choose now to believe about hard work, hustling, success, and your business?

Other Limiting Beliefs Keeping You From Finding Balance:

Unfortunately, our society didn't just instill hustling into our psyches as the way to succeed, but also made rest seem like the enemy. Even going all the way back to Bible times, there's a verse in stating "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” that was then repeated by John Smith in Jamestown. And we hear others like "idle hands are the devil play things". But are these the ultimate truth and statements we want to believe? Grab your journal again and let's disprove that rest = laziness:

1. Is it a good rule that those who don't work shouldn't eat? (you could also insert income, health insurance, good quality of life, etc). In what instances can someone not work, but is still worthy of receiving those things? (hint: babies)

2. For you, what is the difference between rest and laziness? When do you allow yourself to take a break and relax? What rules or conditions have you created for yourself? Are they serving you well or need to change?

3. Do you feel guilty for taking the day off or relaxing? Why or what experiences create that feeling in you? Are they ultimately true?

4. What do you now choose to believe about rest and laziness?

Our next limiting belief that I see A LOT of in my entrepreneur clients "it's not okay to slow down becauseI'll never achieve my goals that way". That feels very true for me as well as a solopreneur and this anxiety can definitely turn into motivation to get sh*t done. But taken too far? Leads to frustration, distain, and burnout which I am sure you don't want for your business. So let's break this down as well:

1. What do you fear will happen if you relax or take your foot off the pedal?

2. Who do you fear will have an opinion on your rest and work ethic? Are you afraid of disappointing someone?

3. What other thoughts or fears come to mind when you think about taking a day off or moving something on your to-do list to tomorrow?

4. Are those thoughts truth? Are they helpful? What evidence do you have in contrary? When have you taken a step back and still achieved the goal in the end?

5. What do you choose to believe now about achieving your goals in relation to rest, self care, and balance?

psst...if finding evidence in favor of rest still equaling success was difficult, keep reading this blog for scientific proof and some examples from my own life!

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Now that we know what programming we no longer want to believe and operate from, let's replace it with thoughts of the life and business we deeply desire for ourselves. This is probably the part where most spiritual coaches would tell you to affirm or visualize the reality you want. By all means, go ahead! But there's a better, more helpful way to support you through this transition and rewire these beliefs - creating evidence in favor of your desire!

The more proof you have that it is possible to live a slow life and grow a successful business, the easier it is for your brain to believe it! And the BEST evidence comes from your own life. Now you began to do this in journal prompts above. But I want to share a bit of my entrepreneurial journey and a smidge of science with you to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that slowing down in life speeds up your business success!

My story of slowing down & finding more success:

As I said my first business was in network marketing and I joined at the peak of hustle culture in 2017. My uplines constantly preached to "hustle now for the life you want later" and "it's all just a numbers game! The more you do the more you succeed". And I believed them as a 21 year old with zero experience, but a whole lot of hope! That first year I recruited more coaches than any other person on our team. I had the biggest downline in our organization. I received the rank promotions, pay increases, recognition on stage, and even invited to speak on our national weekly call.

I succeeded. I did it! I achieved all the goals laid out for me...and I was miserable. My relationship was rocky cause my phone became my priority. My mental health as struggling because before and after photos were my marketing. And my friendships? All faded away with every "hey girl" message I sent. I never felt successful enough to take my foot off the brake and enjoy the life that I worked so hard for. By the end of year three, I was burnt out, hopeless, and realizing I needed a change.

But HOW could it be possible to maintain or even grow my income, my influence, my impact so I could relax more by doing less? When we are operating from that belief that hard work = success, it also means working less = less success. I was terrified to take a step back, but at the same time my relationship, mental health, and most aspects of my life depended on it. So I took the leap...or I guess better said I sat my ass down and relaxed for once. Guess what happened?

I found more clarity. I realized my true priorities. My creativity increased. My passion and motivation returned. Relationships improved. Joy, peace, and content became my dominate emotions. Life got...magical when I slowed down.

My mornings were spent working my business, creating content, and seeing clients while my afternoons were in the garden, reading on the porch, crocheting amigurumi toys, practicing my sourdough loafs, and playing video games with my wife.

But I know what you are thinking...what about your business? Your income? Your following? I am happy to say they all improved too even though I only worked 4 hours a day that first year after making the switch! Doing LESS actually created MORE success for me.

Actually living my life created more lessons share during with my community & clients. My content became more vivid and direct. My offers flowed out of me more quickly and easily. Every month my Instagram insights and website analytics improve. And more clients in alignment with my new business appeared out of what felt like thin air.

And I ONLY work 4 days a week. My laptop gets closed almost everyday by 3:30pm. I take weekly social media breaks. I have firm boundaries with my phone and business hours. Have a whole day dedicated to my self care and hobbies.

I live a slow life and STILL grow my business.

"But Tara, how do you find the balance of rest and work?"

This is going to look a bit different for everyone and change week to week as well! I encourage my 1:1 clients to look at balance in a macro scale versus trying to find it every single day. Meaning some days I may work 10 hours and some weeks the work spills into day 5 especially if I am in the middle of a launch. Other weeks I may only work a few hours a day or 3 days a week if I have other things scheduled. But looking at my month as a whole there is a good ratio of work to rest. And when I notice more frustration or lack of excitement in my business that usually means my rest needs to be a priority that week to restore the balance.

How do you find your golden ratio? Ask yourself these questions and adjust as you play with more relaxing in your schedule until you find the amount that allows to continue growing your business but also provides enough relaxation to keep you motivated, creative, and present:

1. How many hours do you currently work a week? Do you get everything done in that amount of time?

2. Is there any fluff or busy work you could remove from your to-do list? What task takes a good amount of time but doesn't yield much results? Is it still necessary for your business?

3. What in your schedule can you delegate or eliminate to create more time for rest?

4. How much time a day or week would you like for your self care and relaxing? What would you like to do with that rest time? Where can you schedule it in?

5. How can you make your business easier and more enjoyable?

That last question is my FAVORITE one to ask myself daily! I find there was a lot. of things in my business that I was making harder to do simply because that is how I always done it or someone said it should be done that way.

For example, creating text posts like for Instagram. Sure, I could spend 20 minutes in Canva making a pretty graphic...or I could do it in 5 minutes on my notes app. Same works, same impact, but more time saved for me. Look at your own business every day with that same question "how can I make this easier?" to save yourself time and keep reading for more hacks I use later in this blog!

Next, some of the reasons and benefits on relaxing so you actually do it in your life and business...

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A bit of scientific proof for the magic of relaxing:

When we slow down and rest, our brains go into alpha brain waves aka the creativity and receptive zone. This is why simple tasks like taking a shower, driving a car, or when you are about to fall asleep a night ALWAYS bring you the best ideas! You are now open to receive more creative solutions to whatever problems you are facing (and as an entrepreneur there are a dozen a day).

This is also the BEST way to connect with your intuition! If you grew up in church like me, you may have heard that god speaks in a still, small whisper. I believe your intuition, conscious, gut, or whatever else you want to call it is your connection to Source who already knows the answer you are seeking. But in order to hear it you need to slow down and relax.

But don't take my word for it! Find your own evidence:

1. When do you get your best business or content ideas?

2. When do you feel most creative and experience more clarity?

3. How or when do you hear your intuition most?

4. When do you usually receive paypal notifications, client inquiries, etc? What are you doing in that moment?

That last question is proof for what Abraham Hicks calls the receptive mode or you may have heard it referred to as the divine feminine. Personally? I like to say "relax to receive". When we are desperate for a sale or trying to force the words out of our brains into the post, we create resistance energetically. This slows or even repels that very thing we desire. But when you surrender it, let it go, hold on loosely? You release the resistance and the floodgates open!

This concept became real to me in TjMaxx. I was in the middle of launching my 1:1 coaching for the first time and decided after days of content creation, copy writing, answering DMs, etc that I deserved a little break. Of course, the moment I got to TjMaxx my email notification went off saying I got an application! I was overjoyed and answered it as soon as I got home. But after that another week went by of pouring my heart and soul into this launch and I was hearing crickets. Until I went into TjMaxx again to grab a gift for a friend...in came another application. Weird coincidence? I don't believe in those. For me this was proof that the moment I relax and enjoy life, the things I desire flow to me. I dive deep into this in module 4 of Manifested It! The Course, but again let's create your own evidence for it!

Relaxing to receive exercise:

Grab your journal, find a cozy spot (think bubble bath, laying in the grass, etc), and set a timer for 30 minutes to just be. 🥰 No work, no agenda, no to-do list. Just relax and notice what good things flow into your awareness. It could be as small as a butterfly 🦋 floating in the sky, a friend texting you a funny meme, or something big like your next fabulous offer idea or pay in full client. When the timer it up write down ✍🏻 all the good things that happened from this state of relaxing.

Need more help integrating this belief? Try this Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping:

More scientific proof?

Here a bit from the book Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Pang:

"A study shows that scientists who worked 35 hours a week were only half as productive as those working 20 hours a week. The ones who worked 60 hours were the least productive. And it’s not just the scientific evidence. Many of the most prolific creatives figured this out intuitively. Maya Angelou, Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway — these people and many more ended their workday after four hours.

Turns out, productivity is not a straight line but more like a bell curve. When we do intense, creative work, our productivity peaks after a few hours and then crashes into the sewers." (source)

And another study:

A four day work week was tested by multiple countries across multiple fields and the results speak for themselves!

"Put simply, working a four-day week meant people got more done in less time. Back in 2019, Microsoft Japan introduced a four-day working week and reported a 40% boost in productivity!"

It seems there is more and more research supporting that doing LESS is key to more success, but more importantly more fulfillment and quality of life too!

Want to hear my experience?

In my business, I believe that the energy in which you create something is MORE important than the thing you are creating. Why? Ever read a post or an email & get a 🤢 feeling? That’s because you can sense someone’s vibe even through the phone and your community can feel your energy in EVERYTHING you create!

By simply slowing down to shift your mood before starting your to-do list, you create more magnetic content, offers, art, etc that people resonate with and buy more of. In a grander scheme, living a slower life allows for more self care and inner work that keeps your vibration more in alignment with your desired outcome (more success, less work) so everything you do leads to better results. Ready for the evidence?

In the month of February, I did an experiment. Before I wrote posts, filmed videos, created offers, I paused for a moment to get myself in the energy (emotions) I wanted my community to feel when reading, watching, or buying it. This little intentional practice lead to BIG results:

📈 58% increase in content interactions

📈 33% increase in subscribers on YouTube

📈 31% increase page views on my website

I didn’t work more. I didn’t change my strategy. I didn’t pay for ads. The only difference? I calibrated my energy before doing the damn thing ✨

Everywhere analytic I look at in my business confirms to more I slow down and enjoy life, the more successful I am! Hopefully by now you are believing that can be true for you too! (if not, make that last sentence into an affirmation and say it daily as well as do the other exercises in this blog)

Now you believe it, here is how to practically do it and see MORE success in your business doing less!

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3 ways to work less & live more while still growing your income, impact, and influence:

1. Strategy & Systems: This could be automating emails for new client enrollments so you don't have to drop everything to onboard them. Or creating monthly blogs that you can then break down into weekly emails and instagram posts (like I am currently doing). This may also be using SEO rich key words or ads to bring people to your website without you having to share a link in your stories all the time. Or buying a bot that sends the link to anyone who comments a certain word under your posts. As you can see there are TONS of way to set up systems in the background so you can relax and not have to constantly be present in your business. These are just a few of the ways I do that, but there are hundreds of options! Tap into your intuition and ask for the right strategies and structures to be presented to you this week or check out handy dandy google for more ideas!
   

2. Productivity Hacks Again, there are hundreds of hacks to boost productivity but here are a few I personally utilize to get more done in less time: ⚡changing my work environment to keep creativity flowing and focus high! Some days its my office, others its the couch, when its nice I take it outside, or even to a local coffee shop :) ⚡ exercising to boost energy and concentration! A 20 minute workout before working has been show to increase reading comprehension & better memory in this study. Personally, I notice less stress and better ideas during & after a barre or cardio workout at home. ⚡organizing my to-do list by "must do's" and "want to do's" every day so I start with what is more important and whatever I don't get to I can push to the following day. ⚡declutter your space because physical mess can lead to mental mess and you need clarity to work efficiently ⚡the Pomodoro Method aka only work for 25 minute bursts and then take a break to pet your dog, go to the bathroom, step outside, have a dance party, etc. This is also good for your eyes if you stare at a screen all day! ⚡creating rhythms in my business that I follow each week. For example, Monday is content creation, Tuesday is editing my Youtube video and sending Magical Mail newsletter, Wednesday is therapy and errands, Thursday and Fridays are client calls and catching up or working on stuff for next week. This makes it easy to know what to do each day especially as an entrepreneur with unlimited options and idea sin front of you daily. ⚡track your habits such as self care, words written for your book, emails responded too, etc. That little check mark feels like a gold star and helps keep motivation high! ⚡ ask yourself before each task "how can I make this easier and more enjoyable?" to help eliminate the fluff, save you time, and keep motivation hgih! Again though, these are just a few I do in my business and there's tons more out there! Try a few I mentioned or find new ones to implement this week. As I always tell my clients "take what you love, leave what you don't, but try everything at least once!"
   

3. Manifestation We already briefly talked about this above with tapping into alpha brain waves aka receptive mode and relaxing to receive, but learning how to combine my action with my positive intentions + evaluated emotions have been a game changer in my business! It feels like everything from my day to day tasks to my big picture goals happen so much more quickly and easily just from taking the time every morning to THINK, FEEL, and then ACT in alignment with the version of me who already received my desires. For example, when I take the time to visualize my goals in the morning I get the best ideas for my content or a random nudge to do something differently that leads to better results. Just today I had this happen with an idea for a post and its doing better than 75% of my past posts in the last 30 days! That wouldn't have happened if I didn't take the time to align myself with my desired outcome. Manifested It! The Course is were I teach this customizable 4 step process and really dive deep into the why and how, but for now here is a quick video to get your started manifesting in less than 10 minutes a day.
   

REMINDER: these hacks aren't so you can get ahead or work more...they are so you can get more done in less time and go live your life!

Use these affirmations to help you remember to do that:

✨ "The work I put in is enough. What is meant for me will flow to me. Who is meant to work with me will find me. It’s safe to relax so I can receive it all”

✨ "the more I relax, the more I receive the ideas, income, and intentions I am manifesting"

✨ "slow doing allows me to speed up!"

✨ "I started my business for more freedom and choose tot give that to myself today"

✨ "the energy is which I do the thing is just as important as the actual thing"

✨"I am not a machine, I am a soul having a human experience and worthy of rest"

✨ "more I slow down and enjoy life, the more successful I am!"

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A special note for my creatives, life coaches, and spiritual entrepreneurs:

Everything in this blog applies to you even more! Your creativity needs rest and life experiences to spark it. Your clients hire you because they desire your life, you need to live it full out. And my spiritual friends? You are selling your energy in a sense. It is everything!

You living a slow, magical life isn't just creating more success in your business, it IS your business. In order to do it well and in integrity, you have to be taking care of yourself first!

Need support in releasing the guilt, finding the balance, and streamlining your business to allow more success AND rest? This new offer was made especially for you:

This monthly container is for YOU to brainstorm, vent, share, celebrate, and get the support you need practically and energetically in your business. I am here to be your sounding board, bestie to b*tch to, biggest cheerleader, and the one who supports you dreaming even BIGGER while relaxing even more!

My goal? Is to take you from the Ten of Wands, tired and struggling to do it all on your own, to the Queen of Pentacles who has found the balance between work and play. She is the breadwinner and the bread baker and the bread eater. What do I mean by that? You able to actively grow your income, impact, and influence while also having time to nurture and care for those around you including yourself. Not in spite of you taking time for self care and rest, but because you do! Sounds like what you need? ⭐ Click HERE for more details, introductory pricing, and to enroll! ⭐

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I hope you find this blog helpful and inspiring in creating more balance so you can live a slow live AND experience MORE success in your business! As the indigenous believe we are not put on this planet to work, but for the same reason nature is alive: "to be here, to be beautiful & strange. we don't need to achieve anything to be valid in our humanness." I believe some of your beauty and uniqueness can and should come through your business.

But you are so much more than your LLC, social media, income, or monthly analytics. You are a soul having a human experience and while this human experience requires work and money for survival, your soul requires rest, play, and freedom to just be. Your work and rest are not opposites, but partners in this life. My intention with this blog and newest offer is support you in finding and fostering symbiosis between them.

If you found it helpful, please like ❤️ and comment your a-ha moments and thoughts below! Or send a DM over on Instagram @magically_tarasimone, I'd love to chat more about slow living and how that fits into your business!

As for me right now, I am going to make a cup of tea and go look at litle animal paw prints in the snow with my wife while the sun is still shining! It is definitely time for my Pomodoro break. See you in the next blog or maybe on a Solopreneur Support call!

magically,