the dope cactus

The past few months for me seem to have been a blur. It’s like I had finally found my groove but life happened then I was lost. I took a break from my side hustle because I took on more responsibilities at my 9-5 & quite frankly I just needed focus on myself. But I’m ready to kick it back into gear & I thought I’d share 5 quick tips to help you get back into the swing of things or to just start.

1. Start with small attainable goals. Setting your goals too high right away may discourage you if they aren’t accomplished right away. I keep track of my goals with ‘get to-do lists’ which are the new to-do lists, word to one of my favorite podcasters Jessica Lauren. We have so much to do in our daily life & sometimes those things come easy but oftentimes we forget. I put everything from scheduling posts to cleaning out emails to remembering to wash my hair on my get to-do lists. It helps me attain a sense of accomplishment. And it motivates me to get through as much as that list as possible. But whatever I do get to I roll over to the next day.

2. Find an accountability partner. What better way to take on your new journey than with someone who’s in the same boat. Uplift & encourage one another to get shit done! Your self-conscience can only do so much. Use your accountability partner to stay on top of you when you feel like slacking off or putting stuff off until the next day or week. Let them know your deadlines so they can check in with you to be sure you’re staying on top of things and vice versa. When you’re making sure someone else is putting forth efforts to accomplish their dreams it in turns motivates you to accomplish yours.

3. Network. The wheel wasn’t invented yesterday but every day a new version comes out. There are people who have been in your shoes & can be a good resource for problem-solving & future opportunities. A mentor can help you shape your business, find your niche & set your pricing. They can also help you when you’ve hit a bump in the road in your business. By networking you can find a group of creatives or like-minded individuals to bounce ideas off of for feedback. Run your logo ideas by them or have them take a poll or survey to gauge interest in your latest product.

4. Beware of imposter syndrome. We all have that one person on social media that we follow & hope to achieve their success one day & that’s fine. Don’t let that deter you from your dream thinking you haven’t accomplished anything when you’re comparing yourself to others. You have no idea how long they struggled before they were able to live the life they’re currently living You also can’t be sure that they’re living the life they perceive to be on social media. Celebrate your wins not matter how big or small. Nobody said this would be easy but don’t make it harder on yourself.

5. Don’t be afraid to quit & start over. I remember when I was in middle school & would go to Teen Night at the Boys & Girls Club & one of the counselors would tell you to not be a ‘giver-upper’. And yea I don’t want you to give up on your dreams but if it means sacrificing your happiness then you may just need to revamp or re-evaluate what it is that you hope to achieve. And if this seems like a difficult task to take on yourself then you may want to seek out a coach. I haven’t taken this route yet but I feel like they’re basically paid mentors. And they can give some pretty valuable insight into your business endeavors. Before investing follow them on social media since most of them give out some valuable information for free.