Mar 31, 2020
Anyways guava loves, I think I have this whole “self isolate while you grow + run a biz + reduce anxiety + make money” thing DOWN.
To be transparent, I found myself ~dicking around~ for the first 14 days of Quarantine. In that time, I lost touch with my spiritual practices and threw myself into #workmode.
I have no shame or guilt, but once I caught wind that my healthy habits were going down the mindfulness toilet, I needed to recalibrate.
After only 4 days of going on runs, taking cold showers, meditating, and cooking a nice meal (in that order), I can say with confidence that: it can be so easy.
I wanted to share the biggest challenges happening in our home and creative solutions to get you back into the highest vibrational being that you are. Remember, you have power and create your own reality
**Also, at the bottom of this post I shared a new Instagram DM growth technique I’ve been experimenting with over the past several months.
CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS:
Challenge 1: Enjoying Your Life During Time of Crsis
Running a business while not being able to enjoy life “per usual” (traveling, restaurants, seeing friends & fam). I mean, there is only so much Netflix I can watch!
Thoughtful Solution:
Money is rewarding to a certain extent. I would much rather have freedom to be the spontaneous human I am, which made it difficult for me to embody my full CEO during the first 2 weeks of Quarantine. The secret is to find something you can look forward to and connecting back to your WHY.
Normally I look forward to the next time I will see my family, or take a weekend trip with Victor. I didn’t know where to place my excitement for life other than my business. The days began to blend together and the weekends didn’t even feel the same.
I began reading a romance thriller novel I love the feeling of not knowing WHAT is going to happen next (solving the issue of not having something to look forward to) and started a new series on my Instagram account “Dream Home” and am so excited and overwhelmed with gratitude after trying to move out of Gainesville for 2 years.
I can’t wait to nurture and nest my new guava sanctuary, and drop some serious coin.
Journal Prompts to try out:
1. What is one thing I can look forward to right now?
2. What does it look like for me to live my most zesty life?
Challenge 2: Limiting Screen Time.
I got a notification on my phone this morning that said my screen time is up 30% from last week. 30%?! This made me feel uneasy.
Thoughtful Solution:
Again, I don’t shame myself for how much time I am on my phone. I trust myself and am extremely intune with my energy container. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t fall victim to the zombie scroll. Here are some points to keep in mind when it comes to time spent on our devices:
- Environment Manipulation: If you know you’re not going to be able to fight a bad habit, keep it from happening in the first place.
- Example: I let my phone die every night around 8pm-10pm, I do not charge it until the next morning. This keeps me from waking up and “checking my phone”
- If you know ice cream won’t last long in the freezer, don’t keep it in the house (although, it is Quarantine so do wtf you want)
- Fun fact: the “just check” is a huge reason why you might be feeling unproductive and not able to get into a state of flow.
Spending way too much time on your computer and experiencing major eye strain? Grab a luxy pair is Klassy Network Blue Blocker glasses – their styles are the cuuuutest and the brand supports ambitious women #guavaapproved
Challenge 3: Keeping the house CLEAN as a couple
My house is not just my home – it’s my sanctuary. I love taking care of, specially curating, and putting SO much intention in the place we live. I miss my house manager like hell and have honestly no idea how she put up with my messy tendencies (is it really that hard to toss your dirty clothes in the hamper RIGHT NEXT to the bathroom door Isabella?? Yes, it is.)
Do not be mistaken. Your girl knows how to CLEAN. I just hate it. So I outsource it. But now I can’t.
So I clean, clean, and clean. And then I stop cleaning for a while, and the house turns into a big ol mess again, how?!
I feel so bad because me and Victor are only 2 people (3 if you include Mr.Cash who is a baby so YES, 3.)
Families, my heart goes out to you. Goddamn.
Thoughtful Solution:
Victor and I brought back a cleaning practice we used to use a few years ago. This technique is a total gamechanger and every time we share it with couples, they tell us how helpful it was! Be sure to let us know if it works for you too 🙂
- Set a timer (we use our Google Home) for a 10,15 or 20 interval
- Do nothing but tidy up around the house until the timer ends. Focused, undivided attention here.
- Make sure you choose tasks you can actually finish in the time increment you set
- Someone is making the bed, putting the dog toys away, swiffs the floors
- The other person is doing dishes, going through the recycling, and wiping the countertops.
- When the timer ends, you will look around and find a different, uplifting home
- Victor and I like to do 2-3 rounds every few days. On Sundays we do 3 rounds of 20 minutes.
Go ahead and try this out on yourself or with a partner. You can even listen to my Spotify playlist “Guava Girl Jams” to make it a tad more rad – be sure to hit the “Follow” button! [I just added new tracks]
Challenge 4: State of Flow
I have been in a constant state of flow for several weeks now and recently had one client struggling with getting INTO a flow. She was feeling a lot of pressure to get her new course done but it was difficult putting pen to paper.
Thoughtful Solution:
Below is a Voxer message I sent her. Within 2 days she had her entire course developed.
“So I think the best solution for hashing these creative projects is really simple: Discipline & Commitment.
When I know there’s a creative project to be done – I OPEN the time in my calendar and organize myself to be most in flow (after coffee, comfy on the couch, lo-fi music playing). Then I follow a series of guidelines & steps:
- I made time for this, I will focus on this & limit distractions
- This is fun! I love being creative
- First, I will outline all of the modules & lessons inside
- Then I will brain dump on all of the topics and let whatever comes out, come out (flow state)
- If you get a little distracted, take a break. An INTENTIONAL break – then resume after about 5 or 10 minutes
- Flow, flow flow
- Once you think you dumped it all out , NOW it’s time to organize and prioritize what you created!
- Fill out any gaps or missing connections
- Organize into lessons, modules, bonuses, action steps, etc.
- Celebrate!”
Follow these steps and tag me in your stories with what you created in your flow! Xo
Going to quickly transition to let you know that doors for Guava Gladiator are closing in just 3 days!
Not sure if Gladiator is for you yet?
When you enroll in the membership, you fill out a client intake form that myself and support coaches memorize, so we always give advice based on YOUR current situation.
You get to decide how big you get to be
You get to trust yourself
You get to build a business that yields an abundance of fulfillment & joy (and pays all the bills plus a new peloton bike)
Our Initiation Ceremony is Thursday, April 2nd at 6pm EST
Sign Up Here to step inside the arena – do it now before you forget!
Now back to the blog!
Creating More Connection On Instagram Stories
Ok ok, maybe you scrolled alllll the way to the bottom to read this. You are doing a huge disservice to yourself, but I can’t control your actions, only my emotions 😉
But seriously, you should read the whole thing!
I positioned myself high-up in the industry as an Instagram “Guru” Expert before I transitioned into teaching women CEO Embodiment.
I still pay close attention to buyer behavior psychology on Instagram as well as WHAT breeds more connection behind the scenes (Instagram direct messaging).
The goal is to draw rational conclusions from data.
**I have a business/creator profile account, which is why I am able to access my analytics. I do not believe there is a way to find out this information without it.
I wanted to figure out how to get higher IG story views & more “story responses”
It was really simple, but also very insightful
Go to Your Profile >> Insights >> Under the “content” tab >> Stories >> Change settings to “Replies” and “14 days”
You might scroll and see A LOT of “0’s” – this means you had zero responses on that Instagram Story
Note: this tracks REPLIES, not “reactions” (emoji reactions)
Take a gander and try to find commonalities of story posts that get NO replies and ones that get 3 or more.
For my profile, posts that would never get responses are:
- Story reshares (when I get tagged in someones story or repost)
- Promotional IG Story templates – very normal, although I have had some replies when it was direct response messaging
Story posts that got LOADS of DM responses were:
- Random non-business related
- Baby birds nest outside our window
- Quarantine Body Update
- When I said I MUST have my morning coffee
- Mr.Cash & Victor
- Mr. Cash taking a bath
- Victors dancing / humor
- Waking up with Victor in bed
- Mr. Cash all over The Guava Gladiator Sales Page (doors close in 3 days!)
- Jogging in the sunlight
- 35 responses from my “I love you friends….but I’m not doing pushups” post
What to do with this information?
Create leverage. UP the content that connects. I have been having probably over 100+ NEW conversations a month with my Guava Girls. I also don’t reshare EVERYTHING, only ones I can tell I was tagged with love and intention <3
OOOOF, that’s all I got today Guava fam!
Let me know which part of this blog post helped you the most! And be sure to sign up for Gladiator if your heart strings keep pulling you into the program. I’d love to mentor you inside!
XO
Coach Isabella
