Denise Duffield-Thomas's Blog, page 18

Handling other people’s bad money mindsets

EPISODE 139
Handling other people’s bad money mindsets
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So your partner or family and friends have a bad money mindset; now what? 

I know this is so challenging, and I hear it from our Money Bootcamp members all the time.

How are you meant to do this essential money mindset work - working on yourself and growing your business - when everyone in your life seems to be against you or stuck in scarcity? 

What should you do if the money blocks of the people around you are holding you back?

And how do you overcome the fears of outgrowing people or feeling isolated while you break cycles and create a new legacy for your family? 

In so many situations, I’ve seen beautiful transformations when couples or family members unite and transform their collective money mindsets.

It’s happened in my own family, and my husband Mark and I even teach a module on this in our Money Bootcamp course. 

So, on this new episode of the Chill and Prosper podcast, I’ve got my best advice for nurturing your money mindset and supporting your loved ones with their work. 

Listen today for my tips on: 

Handling people in your life who you have outgrown 
Why understanding your money personalities can transform your personal relationships 
Uncovering the money memories that shape how money shows up for you and your partner 
Overcome the fears that come up when you’re goals are different from those around you
Finding new circles of abundance, support, and connection  

One of the biggest things that has helped my relationship and our money mindset is developing a shared language and understanding of our money history, triggers, and goals.

Understanding our money beliefs and being able to call each other on our blocks helps keep us moving toward our shared vision and feeling like we’re on the same team. 

I want this for you, and you deserve it. 

I’d love to know if you listened to this episode with your partner and how it went.

If you need to vent or someone to witness what you are working through with money and the people around you, please send me a message. 

xx Denise 

P.S. If you want more tips on handling your partner’s money personality, especially if you clash, check out episode 72 here.

Key questions before you quit your business

EPISODE 138
Key questions before you quit your business
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Sometimes, in business, things feel hard. There'll be times when you might not love your business; in fact, you might hate it and want to quit. 

But before you do anything drastic, let's work through it together. 

It's not all or nothing; you don't have to break your business completely - some tweaks could make all the difference. 

Your capacity, energy, and passion for your business will change at different stages of life.

And even at different times of your cycle (if you have periods).

So be honest with yourself about the season that you're in right now. 

Farmers need to rotate crops and animals and give land fallow time, and maybe you're in more of a family or health season than a business growth season right now. 

Wherever you're at, it's okay, and you can set up your business to support rather than drain you. 

Listen to today's new episode if you need support with: 

Dealing with overwhelm and frustration in business
Self-care tips to support yourself in business 
Attracting the right clients for your business and personality 
Reviving the passion you had for your business when you first started 
Tweaking your pricing and product offering to generate more money and joy

It's normal to have ups and downs in business, but you can still make money and grow. 

The wrong customers, product, or price can kill your joy for your business, so I hope the tips in today's episodes spark some ideas to help you fall back in love with your business.  

I'd love to hear how things are going for you and what you will work on between now and the end of the year - message me on social media @denisedt. 

It's your time, and you're ready for the next step. 

xx Denise

 P.S. If you need help to set better boundaries and navigate awkward conversations, grab my free e-book "Awkward Money Conversations Made Easy" here.

My best tips to beat procrastination

EPISODE 137
My best tips to beat procrastination
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I’ve struggled with procrastination my whole life, especially in business.

I’ve even created courses on beating procrastination, but it’s something that regularly gets in my way.

I know this is a big pain point for a lot of entrepreneurs, especially those with ADHD like me, so I’m sharing my tips and tricks on taking action when you least feel like it.

Although I might look like a very organized and focused person, the truth is, I’m not. However, I can get a lot done by playing to my strengths and using some of the techniques in today’s podcast. 

Listen to today’s new episode for more on:

Why public accountability is a game-changer for making things happen in your business
How I use micro-commitments to get over resistance 
Strategies to make money AND beat procrastination with pre-orders and waitlists 
How to overcome your perfectionism and embrace “Done is better than perfect.”
Why I have a decoy to-do list to create momentum when I can’t face a big task 

And here’s a quote I recently shared on stage at my Chill and Prosper Live event - it’s so true and hopefully this gives you a little extra boost; 

Fortune favours the…
Bold
Brave
Person who just does it! 

Please let me know what you’re working on right now - send me a message or tag me on social media for some extra public accountability.

xx Denise

Don’t kill the Golden Goose in your business

 

You know the story of the Golden Goose, right? 

I’ve alluded to it several times in emails and videos, because it’s the catch-phrase in my company when things get too busy (for me). 

I say, “Guys, protect the Golden Goose!”

There are many variations of this story but my favorite goes like this:

A man had a goose that unexpectedly started laying a golden egg every day. 

It soon made him very rich, but he got greedy and impatient and wanted to become even richer. 

So, he cut open the goose to get all the gold at once. 

But when he butchered it, all he discovered inside was goose guts. 

There was no gold, and the man realized that, in his greed, he killed the source of his wealth.

There are many things Chillpreneurs can learn from this story, and the first is that you are the golden goose. 

You can profit for a long time through your skills and talents, but not if you kill the source of your creativity.   

When Mark joined my business and saw what I had created (a million-dollar business working part-time and half-assing everything), he concluded that, if we just worked harder, had more launches, and perfected everything, we’d make even more money! 

Let’s flog that golden goose! 

Not only did that kill my energy and enthusiasm for the business, it almost killed our marriage! 

I’m being dramatic, but there was a lot of yelling and resentment during that first year of working together.  

Without me, there is no business. Maybe I could squeeze a bit more profit but for how long? 

It’s taken some time, but I’ve learned to care for myself well enough to keep laying the golden eggs that my entire family relies on. 

I’ve become a fierce advocate and defender of my inner golden goose—protecting it from anyone who demands more than it can deliver (and sometimes the person who expects too much of it is me). 

Are you in burn out mode?

Many of my business friends have experienced burnout recently, including myself. 

I was almost ashamed to acknowledge it because it felt like admitting that I couldn’t “hack it,” which is a huge part of the problem. 

I was embarrassed that I was suddenly so “weak,” and I beat myself up about losing my motivation for my business. 

In my quest to succeed, I created way too much work for myself, and one day I woke up feeling completely empty. 

I was burned out and just wanted to sit and play mindless games on my phone. 

Look, I admit that I’m the kind of person who goes on holidays and still thinks about work. 

I’ll get blog ideas during a relaxing massage, and I love going to my office and digging into work on Monday mornings.

I’m a high achiever by any measure and that’s never going to stop.  

If that’s you too, let’s just accept that we’re lifelong learners and consummate entrepreneurs. 

We’re always thinking about our businesses because we love them. There’s nothing wrong with that.

But, if that leads to burnout because you never take time off, or you resist sustainable business practices, it’s a huge problem. 

And if you’re not having that problem now, you will one day. 

I often overestimate what I can achieve in a month, regularly schedule launches back-to-back, and forget that I’m a human who needs time off for pleasure and restoration. 

Ignore your body and your need for rest at your own peril. 

Do you really want to burn out in a few years, instead of having a long, successful, and rewarding career? 

Me neither. 

If you have a business that requires every drop of blood, sweat, and tears, it’s only a matter of time before it catches up to you—either in the form of a health wake-up call or another type of disaster. 

I’ve had friends who only stopped working because of a cancer diagnosis, the traumatic birth of a baby, or another “forced intervention” from the Universe. 

We can avoid that intervention by consciously choosing to look after ourselves first, and we often succeed a lot more quickly when we do.

If this sounds all too familiar, you might be a Ruler archetype like me. 

Rulers thrive on working in their business and have the tendency to push themselves to the point of burn out in pursuit of success and achieving more. 

But there is a better way to do business and embrace your natural gifts as a Ruler, or no matter what your money personality. 

Take the quiz here to find out which of the 8 Money Personalities you are and how to set up your business to avoid burnout and overwhelm for your personality type. 

Remember, we’re in this for the long term. 

You are the only finite resource in your business. 

Protect the Golden Goose and you’ll be able to create abundance for a long time.

How spaciousness and reflection help grow your business

EPISODE 136
How spaciousness and reflection help grow your business
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These words in a recent fortune cookie really got me thinking;

"Reading without reflection is like eating without digestion."

I can devour a book in an afternoon, but sometimes don't take the time to reflect on what I've just read. I can be a fast eater, too.

And I'm fast entrepreneur, constantly juggling multiple projects and quick to action new ideas.

The fortune cookie made me reflect on how I can bring more spaciousness into my life.

And it sparked some new ideas on how reflection can help you grow your business. 

Because when you're growing a business or dreaming of a bigger life, everyone's best next step looks so different. 

Sometimes, it's education or a course. Sometimes, it's going on a retreat like I did recently. 

Sometimes, it's in the nuances, like giving yourself an extra day of travel so you don't feel rushed or time off between projects. 

 

I'm not good at switching off. I very rarely meditate.⁠

So, I find other ways to add spaciousness and reflection into my life. Otherwise, I just go on to the next thing without pausing to celebrate or learn from the experience. ⁠

On the pod this week, I talked about how I create those little pockets and what magic can come out of it. ⁠

How do you give yourself time to pause and reflect? Are you overdue? ⁠

xx Denise

How to come up with more content ideas

EPISODE 135
How to come up with more content ideas
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Whether it’s for your podcast, social post, or videos - being in business means constantly coming up with new content ideas. 

And I always get asked how I come up with ideas and keep things fresh. 

So, I’ve put together all my best tips and tricks to inspire you to get into the content-creation groove. 

As you listen today, grab a pen or the notes app on your phone to capture your ideas for podcasts or emails.

Listen to today’s episode for more on:

How to ask your audience for content and even product ideas
Staying focused on your pillar topics and avoiding distraction
The “know, like, and trust” process and how content can nurture your leads 
How to repurpose old content and mine for new inspiration 
My strategy of creating content for new valuable niches 

And, of course, as always, I cover lots of mindset and batching tips related to content and being visible in your business.

You don’t have to create everything or talk about every topic, but trust me, you’ll never run out of ideas if you think about your business from all the angles in today’s episode. 

What would you like me to talk about? Are there any money mindset and marketing topics you’d love me to cover on a future episode?

Send me a message at @denisedt to let me know. 

xx Denise

My “New Money” mistakes

EPISODE 134
My "New Money" Mistakes
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Thankfully, I don’t get a lot of hate mail. 

Well, actually, I don’t know because my team gate-keeps my emails, but I hope not 🙂

But the inspiration for today’s podcast episode does come from a comment I got online…

“Denise, you’re so new money.” 

I think it was intended as an insult, but I didn’t take it that way because it’s kinda true. I am new to money and have made a few classic new money mistakes since becoming wealthy. 

So, I’ve got some insight and cautionary tales to help you acclimatize to having more money. 

Listen to today’s podcast to learn: 

Why we need to become accustomed to holding more wealth so we can attract more
Common mistakes me and other entrepreneurs have made after a significant surge in income
How old money blocks often derail new money 
The dream v reality of impulse purchases 
My next money priorities - family, debt-free freedom and joy!

 

I love hearing success stories from our community about making more money, growing businesses and investments.

As Sara Blakely said, “Money is fun to make, spend, and give away.” 

And after making my new money mistakes, I’ve learned that money is also fun to SAVE. 

Make sure you’re saving some of today’s riches to make your tomorrows more chill and prosperous. 

I’ve made a big shift in this direction in the last 12 months. It feels adult, but it’s the calm security my nervous system needs! So freeing! 

Please let me know what comes up for you during today’s ep and your current money goals. 

Let’s build abundance and legacy together. We’ve got time. 

xx Denise

P.S. Obviously, I’m teaching money mindset, and I’m not a financial adviser. Get your own advice - it’s worth the investment, and be kind to yourself. I’m still making mistakes and learning too. 

If you want more conversations like this and support from like-minded people walking this journey, then check out my Money Bootcamp course - we’ve got an epic community cheering each other on.

Ghosts, zombies and how to handle other scary clients

EPISODE 133
Ghosts, zombies and how to handle other scary clients
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Do you like Halloween? Are you dressing up and trick-or-treating? I love it and can’t wait for some fun and candy with the kids. 

Today, we’ve got a spooky topic on the podcast - scary clients. 

Whenever I speak to entrepreneurs about their fears, many of them are around having scary conversations with clients or dealing with difficult clients. 

It’s a rite of passage on your business journey to have a few nightmare clients, so hopefully, today’s advice will make that a little easier when they pop up for you. 

Or if you’ve had nightmare clients in the past, this is an excellent opportunity to heal and let go of any horror stories. 

Difficult clients are often a very small percentage, but they do happen, and the experience of dealing with them can be traumatic, so listen to today’s podcast if you need some help: 

How to spot and recognize types of potential problem clients
Setting boundaries to protect yourself from scary clients
Creating client policies to make awkward conversations easier
Understanding the money blocks behind your fears and your clients 
How to protect your privacy and energy from ghost and zombie clients

These type of client conversations can be scary - it’s scary when someone asks for a refund or threatens to sue or bad mouth you. 

So, these are valuable lessons to learn early in your business so your fears don’t hold you back.  

I’d love to hear which of the clients in today’s episode you’ve experienced and what actions you’ll be taking next week to work on your boundaries or policies. Send me a message on social @denisedt 

Have a great weekend, and Happy Halloween if you’re celebrating!

xx Denise

Feeling scared about your business? Here are 7 ways to snap out of it - fast!

It’s pretty normal to feel scared about your business – but you can’t stay there long! Here are 7 ways to snap out of it and get back to business FAST.

I’m preparing for a couple of speaking gigs and one of the questions I know I’ll get asked over and over again is…

“Denise, do you ever get scared?“.

Spoiler alerts…

Yes

All the time

Yes, but I don’t let it derail me.

Sometimes I want to run away from my business screaming .

I understand the question because it stems from an incredibly useless belief that we have to be perfect before we’re allowed to have our dreams come true.

Not true at all. 

It’s entirely normal to feel scared when you’re doing something out of the norm, like having a successful life and business.

Why is it that we alone think we’re scared? Even though most successful people look like they have it together all the time, it’s not true or even necessary.

Fear is inevitable because business is the best personal development ever! Don’t believe me?

Nothing will…

Bring up your money issues quicker than asking for the sale
Test your personal boundaries faster than the first time a client tries to overstep them
Unearth your fear of being a bitch quicker than saying NO to a non-ideal project, client or request
Expose your fear of being seen like having your first blog go viral

Some days I’m so scared, I just want to curl up on the couch, watch Netflix and never look at my inbox again.

Surely it goes away eventually?

No, never.

Millionaire Ali Brown is one of my business mentors and surely she’s never scared? Nope – she told me that every stage of her business has been filled with fear too. Not every day, but enough to know that there’s never truly a time when you’re 100% fearless.

“One of my escapist fantasies is to run away to Mexico and make jewelry. I know when that sounds good to me, it means I am working way too hard!” – Ali Brown.

Guess what? Even millionaires and billionaires sometimes feel like frauds. That’s okay. We’ve established that there’s nothing wrong with feeling a little fear, but what to do about it?

Here are my 7 tips:

1. Call a friend

Have a few business besties who you can call or message when you’re feeling scared. I connect with my friends most weeks. 

Sometimes it’s just a quick, “I’m about to send out this sales page, and I’m crapping myself” or “Guys, this person is being aweful, what should I do?“.

Either way, having other entrepreneurs who have your back or can talk you off the ledge is invaluable for those scary days.

Don’t try and get through your fear by yourself.

By the way, have you ever told your husband/friend/parent that you’re scared or feeling crappy about your business, and they replied “oh, maybe you should just get a job then”?

GRRRRR.

Obviously, they meant it with love – afterall, they can’t understand why you can’t just make your life a little easier and just live a “normal life”.

Not everyone understands the fears associated with running a business, so be careful who you speak to when you’re feeling down. 

If you need some business reassurance, talk to someone who is qualified to help you (Qualified = non attached, sees you as your highest potential and someone who has achieved success in their own life).

Don’t take advice from people who aren’t successful – it’s literally not their business and don’t use your friends and family as mastermind partners.

Action – set up a date with someone awesome or start your own mastermind.

2. Declutter 

I am super messy, I’ll admit it. (My mum never gets tired of reminding me I used to stash wet and dirty towels under my bed in an effort to “clean up” my room)

After a few days of feeling stagnant, I clean up my office and burn some sage - damn, that feels so good.

Being surrounded by mess can make the fear feel worse. You feel like you’re literally trapped under a pile of crap.

Clearing clutter really works.

Action – spend 5 minutes cleaning up

3. Deal with that emotional stuff

It’s okay to get emotional and have a day or two feeling sorry for yourself. But you don’t have to stay there for long.

Most fear stems from this yukky feeling that we’re flawed or not good enough.

Yup – that totally sucks and can start a shame spiral which is the exact opposite of awesomeness.

Break that pattern of being hard on yourself and remember that everyone is human. Just because you have a bad day doesn’t mean that you’re a bad person.

Just because your article had a typo in it, doesn’t mean that anyone is going to die (not even of embarrassment) and just because you’re scared, doesn’t mean that you’re not meant to be successful.

Action – forgive yourself and move on. Put your hand on your heart and recite, “ It’s my time and I’m ready for the next step “

4. Make a list

Sometimes you’re scared to start or complete a project because you really don’t know what needs to be done. I’ve sat at my desk many a time, freaking out about something when the reality was actually really easy and painless.

Shining a light on what’s stressing you out is the quickest way to eliminate the “False Evidence Appearing Real” syndrome.

I love stationary grids to organize my to-do list - any “month at a glance” grid will do.  Each square gets it own action item and you can tick them off as you go.

Write a list of…

Everything you need to do to finish off the project
Everything that’s bugging you in your business
The worse case scenario of That Thing you’re scared about
10 things you can do to manifest money quickly
30 solutions to your problem

Action: ease your fear by writing a list

5. Write some love notes to yourself

Grab a whiteboard marker and write love notes to yourself all over the house, on windows, closet doors and bathroom mirrors. 

(My bathroom mirror used to say “Smile, you’re beautiful” and “Today is your lucky day!”)

Sometimes that fear comes from thinking ugly thoughts…

I can’t do this
I’m really a failure
I’m not as good as X
Who am I to be this successful?

Remind yourself that even though you’re scared, you deeply and completely love and accept yourself. 

6. Self care works wonders

Spend $20 and get your nails done, two bucks in one of those mall massage chairs or take yourself on a movie date. It’s a great way to break the pattern of wallowing in your fear.

This goes doubly if you’re working from home by yourself. Days and days without a shower or changing out of your yoga pants can make the fear seem even worse because you’re basically isolating yourself from the real world.

It doesn’t have to cost that much money, in fact, you’ve probably got a bunch of unused gift vouchers hiding away in a desk drawer.

By the way, spending $50 on a professional blow dry will make you feel like a million bucks. It’s totally one of my manifesting secrets. Good hair = manifesting mojo.

Action: Get out and do something that will make you feel good. 

7. Reconnect to your purpose

To get deep for a second, I truly believe that business is a vehicle for the most intense personal development in the world (maybe second to having a baby).

So, next time you feel fear, tell yourself it’s a completely normal reaction to living your life in an extraordinary way.

Your purpose only has to be greater than your fear by a little bit to create a truly extraordinary life.

Need more support?

Message me on social media with what money or business fears are coming up for you right now @denisedt

And if you’re interested in working with me and getting more mentoring and support for your money mindset, I’d love to welcome you into the Money Bootcamp course and community.

Click here to find out more and see if Bootcamp could be the source of inspiration and practical coaching you need to create your First Class life and business. 

How to simplify when feeling overwhelmed

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Let’s face it: so many of us are stressed out. 

The last couple of years have been a lot, and running a business while having a relationship, family, and self-care isn’t straightforward. 

I’ve seen more of our community sharing their health challenges, and I’ve talked a lot about my ADHD diagnosis and peri-menopause journey.  

As we get older, things like aging parents, chronic illness, and parenting can cause upheaval.

So it’s no wonder we’re feeling overwhelmed - not to mention pending climate change doom, political instability, and inflation! 😅

In today’s podcast episode, I’m sharing how I simplify when I’m feeling overwhelmed, and I hope there are a few tips that can help you chill and prosper. 

Listen to this week’s podcast episode for more on:

My elimination process when I have too much on my plate or can feel the business taking on too many projects
How simplification helps you manifest more of what you want quicker
How to set up systems and automation to remove friction from your life
My Keyless Life philosophy and changes I’m making at my new house to make this happen

Whatever your reason for needing to simplify, this is a great episode to help when you’re overwhelmed.

Even though I’ve written a book called Chill and Prosper, I still get out of balance and have to watch myself and my anxiety constantly. 

It’s safe to drop the perfectionism and embrace doing what you can with what you have. 

Simplification will help shift the energy, create a vacuum, and create space for something new - a lighter way of working. 

Just start with one thing to create more bandwidth and ease. 

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN