Are You Hiding Out Or Shining Your Light?

In these times when business may be slow and people don't seem to be spending as much, it's easy to hide out and lay low thinking you'll just wait till it all ends. You may think that's a good strategy. I know I considered it. But, if you have a purpose in life and a passion for helping people, then what is called for in these times is just the opposite of what you might be doing. Are you hearing the call to step into your brilliance, or are you standing on the sidelines hoping this will all go away? The businesses that will survive this economic shift are the ones who make over their business model, keep in touch with their market, and come up with new product and service offerings. I notice many women are hiding out from their life purpose and bigger vision of what's possible them and for the world. They're shrinking back instead of being the voice of encouragement and change. If you find you've been hiding out, feeling disconnected from your prospects and clients, and going to overwhelm and confusion about what to do next, here are five things you can do right now. These five things will call on you to step out of your comfort zone and be at your best.

• Have an opinio This is not the time to be sitting on the fence. Be opinionated. Be contrarian. Be controversial. Let your personality shine through as a people get to know the real you.
• Be visible This is not the time to be hiding out. You need to step out of your comfort zone and be seen and heard. Your 'small mind' may be telling you to play it safe, but your big mind knows it's your time to shine. The world desperately needs more teachers, healers and leaders with a strong message of hope and change.
• Share your thoughts in various media There are so many ways to get your message out now that there's no excuse not to. Speaking to a group of people is one of the more powerful ways to share your message. Publishing a blog or articles is another great way. Bring your message forward to heal the planet.
• Redefine your market You may have noticed that the marketplace is shifting. What you may not know is that this means it's the perfect time to redefine who it is you're meant to serve and what your product and service offerings are. We can no more treat our business like a hobby and expect a continual stream of ideal clients unless we have a tightly defined target audience, specialty and niche.
• Start or join a mastermind group and work with the coach No one can make it through challenging times on their own and come out ahead. The ones who reach out for support will be the ones who not only make it through, but come through stronger, more purposeful and more profitable than ever. You need someone to challenge and inspire you. You need someone who will hold the possibility of your big dream even when you lose sight of it. To grow and change, you need to be around people who have ambition and are playing a bigger game. People who will motivate you to do your best and be your best and will call you on your stuff so you don't get away with hiding out.

Service providers who are complacent or have mediocre services that no longer meet a pressing need are the ones who may not survive the shift unless they are ready to make changes. This is the perfect time to make a lot of money doing what you love. There's really no lack of money out there. It's time to dream bigger and stop hiding out. Be around people who have ambition and will inspire and support you, and you'll come out ahead.