I am SOOOOO lucky and blessed to have some amazing people in my life here in San Diego. Accidentally I have networked with hugely talented CEO's, CFO's, branding and marketing experts, and community managers. (Some of the best in the country!) Which leads to......

Ideas.

Lots of them.

Brain. Won't. Shut. Off.

Thanks to the copious amounts of coffee I drink, I get more awake time (maybe at the cost of my health...eeek sorry body.) which has lead me to understand my need to say, "No" once in a while. Here are five things I do when I catch myself saying "I'm busy." . BS. I’m not “busy” I am doing WHAT I WANT. I don't say "I'm busy" any longer. It's annoying and a way of showing how “valuable” I am or how much sympathy I deserve. Everyone is "busy." Here’s my goal for doing what’s best without apologies for “being busy.”

How I simplify my life:

1. Prioritize

Ask yourself, "is this getting me closer to my goal?" If not, then refer to #2.

2. Just say NO.

Practice shaking your head back and forth. NOOOOOOOO. Doesn't that feel good?

3. Honor Myself!!!!

Does whatever you are doing or being asked to do go along with what you ACTUALLY believe in? Is this just a time-filler? Great things don't come from time fillers, yo. Ask me about the time I was headed to Vegas for a mediocre event and crash on a dude's couch. One of my mentors said, "Why? Isn’t your life and time so much more valuable than that? This seems like the opposite of the good direction you’ve been going." (Plus it didn't align with a goal of avoiding random encounters with men. Ahem.....) I now ask, “Am I benefitting myself now with this decision and am I honoring my “future self” (the person I will be five years from now) by making this decision?

4. "I will think about it"

I enjoy making people happy. Folks like me are prone to become people-pleasers if we’re not careful. Sometimes I feel pressured to give answers and responses right away to people. WAIIIIT a minute people. Slow the heck down. You want me to do WHAT??? People who want your time should give you time, right? So the time you take in making a decision should correspond to the time required from you once you make that decision.. So just ask. If they need a response immediately, refer to #2. Just say, NO.

5. Don't Compare.

What works for Susie and Jim-Bob, does not work for me.. As much as I learn from others, I don’t “compare” myself to anybody who is doing things I am not and not doing things I am. (Ladies and gentlemen, I gently nudge you away from comparing marriages.) I don’t want to socialize with girlfriends when I want to network for business and I don’t want to sit on the sofa when I want to work out and I don’t want to stand at the sink when I want to sit on the sofa. Especially if my kids are on the sofa.

Thanks to my friends for putting up with my endless stream of ideas and business concepts.

When I hit it big we'll all go to Tahiti, ok?

(Suzanne. Molly. Liz. Mariah. You know who you are.)

Below is my next business venture's VISION board!!!!!! You will LOVE it.

by stephaniesheveland