 the SPARK 154 ~ It was me…
Hi, Reader,
It started last Thursday.
I had arrived in Costa Rica two days prior to host my first IGNITE Women’s Business Retreat (we rented a friend’s beach house).
I was going about my day, starting a live training I was hosting, and just as the call started, the power went out, and the house alarm started going off.
I assumed it was because of the rain, so I went to turn it off, but it wouldn’t go off.
The alarm stopped on its own after about ten minutes but then proceeded to intermittently go off every 45 minutes or so for the next 3.5 hours while the power was out. 😣
I had another issue the next day and was told the alarm guy would be out on Monday.
So far so good, right?
Fast forward to the day the attendees arrived (Tuesday of this week), and after they got some rest, we went out to dinner.
They were all exhausted from traveling, so when we got back from dinner around 7:00, we were all ready to get to bed so we’d be fresh for the event the next day (plus, it gets dark by 5:30 in Costa Rica).
Everyone was in their rooms, and I went to set the alarm for the evening.
I set it, and as I was walking up the stairs, the alarm started going off (this was after I had set it off by accidentally opening the garage door before disarming it when we got home. The neighbors here must love me. This alarm is LOUD).
I run down, turn it off, and get a message about which zone was triggered.
I set it off twice. 🙄
I texted my friend who owns the house (I tried the property mgr. first, but it was after hours), and she called me back.
It was me.
Instead of hitting “STAY” to set the alarm since we were in the house, I hit “ARM” – which is for when you leave the house. 🔔
So, any motion inside the house would trigger the alarm.
Because of my ongoing challenges with the alarm since last Thursday, I couldn’t see what was right in front of me.
And I was tired.
I missed the obvious mistake I made.
How many times have you been struggling with something in your business, only to leave it for a while (or a day), come back to it with fresh eyes, and the solution is staring you in the face?
In minutes, you’ve fixed or solved something that only the day before had eluded you for longer than you’d care to admit.
It feels counterintuitive, doesn’t it?
You have a deadline or need to get something completed so you can invoice a client, launch a product/program, or simply move on to the next step, but the best thing you can do is walk away.
Leave it alone for a bit.
Take a nap, go for a walk, play with your dog, watch a movie… whatever it is that gets you out of how you’re feeling in that moment (ideally, something that brings you a little joy).
Physically, get up and do something different – simply changing tasks and working on something else won’t work.
It’s too tempting to go back to the original task you were working on that caused your frustration.
As Anne Lamott says:
I wanted to share this story with you this week because we’re coming up on the two busiest months of the year, and it’s way too easy to get caught up trying to do all the things.
Give yourself some grace, choose a couple of things that are important, and stay focused.
And when you need a break, take it.
There’s nothing in your business that’s more important than your well-being.
SPARK Spotlight 🔥
My co-host for the IGNITE Retreat is my dear friend, Liz Weaver. I have to brag about her for a moment and show you some of her amazing talent.
Liz created everything in the image below… plus some amazing posters. And design is only one of her many talents. 😉 She’s also an incredible human beings and one of my favorite people.
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Liz does marketing strategy, websites, SEO, and print design.
Click here to learn more about Liz.
A Little Brainpower 🧠
Branding lessons from Disney. Read “Learning From 100 Years of the World’s Greatest Brand.”
I still wish I had focused on this skill sooner. “The Fastest Way to Become A Better Copywriter.”
I had a great time on the “Your First Digital Product” show with Rene Morozovich. Listen to “Continuous Learning and Experimentation with Kim Doyal.”
Tool Time 🛠
- Video: These AI ideo repurposing tools are just getting better and better. Use Capsule.video free here.
- Events: I’ve shared this before, but it’s a great tool for running events that sync to your Zoom account. Use Lu.ma free here.
- Video: Yep, another video tool. This one lets you insert B-roll in your videos based on your transcripts. Try Jupitrr free here.
- Mockups: This site has a great selection of PSD product mockups. Check out Yellow Images here.
Yep, been there… 🤣
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We’ve got a couple of days left of our retreat here, and then I have a little more time in Costa Rica to catch up with friends.
It never ceases to amaze me how powerful connecting with people in person is.
As much as I love that I work for myself from home, breaking up the routine and putting forth the time, energy, and money to connect on a deeper level is priceless.
I’m looking forward to doing an in-depth review of the retreat (probably a podcast) when I get back home, but I can tell you that this event has been soul-filling and inspiring, and I’m excited to see what everyone does with the work we’ve done here.
If you have the opportunity, attend the events and connect in person (or just set up a time to connect). You’ll rarely be disappointed.
Have a fantastic day!
Pura Vida,
Kim
