notes from a soft entrepreneur

musings & methods for a soft life

Jul 02, 2024

i heard someone say;

“in our world, pleasure is not a given. it’s something to consciously create & maintain.”

she meant that our cultural & societal context is NOT an environment that naturally evokes states of pleasure & goodness.

rather, it kills it.

the same goes for softness.

to stay soft in this world, doesn’t come naturally.

when we’re bombarded by cynicism & negativity, it’s not easy to smile & sigh & soften.

it’s truly a radical thing to be soft.

this is especially true in business & entrepreneurship.

growing a business is naturally intense. it’s vulnerable, it’s time-consuming, it’s uncertain.

and the more you grow, the more responsibility aka pressure you receive.

new levels of success, require new levels of softness.

during my growth lately, i’ve found myself in new methods.

with my new reality, some of the old ones just don’t do it for me anymore.

in this sacred thread i want to share some of these (new) methods for soft work.

i hope they support you too.

1. magic mornings

this is one i knew i “should” have done years ago, but somehow i managed without. no longer.

there’s only that many hours in a day and i didn’t have enough to care for me. so, i get up earlier now. i paint, i draw, i write. it’s been life changing.

2. artist date

a non-negotiable. if you’re also a woman who’s the creative source of a business, please realize that if your well is empty, the business runs dry.

so prioritizing days for inspiration, adventure & joy, are not optional, they’re vital. this is a day where you ask your inner child “what do you want to do today?” and you go do that.

3. self retreat

a new one i’m trying out: this weekend i’ve blocked in my calendar to go into nature, join ceremonies, and meditate as much as possible (after a big promotion phase i need to nourish my being).

this is simple to create; pick some ceremonies/classes in your city & book them. spend the rest of the weekend in nature nearest to you.

4. stay a student

to anyone here who’s also a teacher or guide: are you also allowing yourself to be a student?

this is a trap i fall in often. it’s another example of the importance of filling your cup, especially as a creative entrepreneur.

so i restarted a membership at a meditation school just to receive and practice as a student.

5. no-work-weekend

are you secretly checking work on weekends?

lately i’ve become religious about this one. just as my artist day is a sacred time for my inner child, my weekend is a sacred time for me & loved ones.

my phone is not there, my laptop stays closed.

6. time-framed journaling

part of the magic mornings: set a timer for 20 or 30 minutes and just freeflow journal.

this is such a simple way of clearing your head, getting things of your chest & organizing your life.

out of my braindump i usually gather to-do’s that i can put on my list for the day or week.

reply to this email to let me know which one you’re trying out first!

much love to you

jess

ps: my 4-month entrepreneurship program is starting this week.

1 day left to sign up!