I invest in myself and my business - Motivation Monday
I INVEST IN MYSELF AND MY BUSINESS EVERY DAY
The beautiful sun is starting to show more up here in the PNW. Spring is fully here and shining. Businesses are starting to really burst, in preparation for the busy summer season. Up here in Snohomish County, we get a lot of tourists to the antique shops and businesses on First Street start extending their hours. I absolutely LOVE Snohomish in the summer!
But in preparation for that, businesses are investing in themselves NOW. They are purchasing extra supplies, creating stock so they can sell at vendor markets and farmers markets. They are creating their marketing strategies and putting together advertisements.
Now is the time. Now is the time to invest not just in your business, but yourself. Don't forget to take care of YOU - so you don't burn out. Burnout isn't fun and can damage all the hard work and progress you make on your business.
It's okay to spend money on your business, it's okay to spend money on yourself, taking care of yourself. But remember, there is a line. Make sure that what you're spending money on is not in vain, but still glorifies God.
MONDAY
“What is our security base? God or Mammon? That is what Jesus would ask. He says that we cannot put our security in God and also in money. We have to make a choice. Jesus counsels: ‘Put your security in God.’ We have to make a choice where we want to belong, to the world or to God. Our trust, our basic trust, Jesus teaches, has to be in God. As long as our real trust is in money, we cannot be true members of the Kingdom.”
Take some time to work out your feelings and attitude towards finances. We all come with different experiences and views surrounding money. Are you a gather and saver? Do you get money and then spend it on your business? Do you just wing it and trust that God will provide? I am a combination of spend on my business and trust that God will provide kind of business owner. Even if you don't gain clients right away, trust that God has your back. God will provide. He makes all things possible. It's okay to spend that money on something that ultimately will help the business. Let God take care of it.
TUESDAY
“So when we give ourselves to planting and nurturing love here on earth, our efforts will reach out beyond our own chronological existence. Indeed, if we raise funds for the creation of a community of love, we are helping God build the Kingdom. We are doing exactly what we are supposed to do as Christians.”
Like yourself, your clients and customers are also children of God. Remember this through every encounter you have with them. Although they may appear to have the finances, poverty can take many forms, and all people are in need of God’s love and provision. This perspective will help you value their wellbeing as individuals rather than seeing them solely as a financial resource for your business.. Help others within your business to take this same approach. Eliminate all language that dehumanizes clients or presents them as simply financial resources. They are people, children of God and are valuable just like you. It's never too late to adjust how you speak about and to clients and customers. Do not be afraid to correct others in your organization when you hear language being used that isn't appropriate, inviting them to consider how the client would feel knowing they were talked about in that way. Think of this a form of investment - a way to humanize and add value to everyone you meet. How you treat your clients and customers will come back to you.
WEDNESDAY
“The Church is a leader in development with a particular ability to influence in a way that few other organizations can, across different socioeconomic classes around the world.”
We have a special opportunity as Catholics, to influence in a way that is unique - we belong to a church that spans the ENTIRE world, rich and poor alike, in ALL areas with ALL races. Use that. Take advantage of that and spread your word. Invest in the glory of God and let the church's expansive reach help you. Don't let that go to waste. God wants to help you. He has provided an amazing platform for us all - let's show the whole world our light and love.
THURSDAY
“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers, and went on a journey. And when the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce.”
We all know the goal of investment is to provide financial return, ROI. But what if there was more? It's also to provide a high return relative to risk. Meaning, the return should be more than the risk of making that investment. The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard illustrates this point: The landowner bought land (or inherited it from someone who bought it), invested capital into developing that land, and then rented it. Why? To receive 'produce', literally 'fruit', which can refer to actual fruit or simply to any form of gain. We too, can be like this business owner. We put money into our businesses in order to get the fruits of our labor. It's a careful balance to make sure that the investment isn't more than the risk though - which is where prayers comes in. Pray. Pray to God to help guide you and your business into the correct investments and allow Him to lead the way.
FRIDAY
“Invest in What you Believe in, with who you Believe in.”
There was a billboard that someone saw with a message similar to this - a billboard that carried the idea of investing in the kingdom. The statement that it made was that they were investing in the kingdom. The man who saw this billboard would look at that and say, "well, we're investing in a kingdom, aren't we?" At least we're supposed to be. We're supposed to be investing in God's love. God's glory. In all His children. Our businesses are a part of God's kingdom. But we get to choose WHO we spend our money on and WHERE we spend our money. Personally, I would prefer to spend on other businesses that I know will also help invest in God's kingdom.
I want others to do the same - I want others to invest in their business and use others who believe the way they do to help build and build and build the kingdom of God. Last week I mentioned how we as business owners have the unique gift to spread the word of God to our clients and customs, showing them what God's true love actually is. Well, we can circle back to that now and start connecting the dots. We can all believe in our clients and customers - invest in them! They are God's children, just like us. Invest your time into trusting God, that He will have your back, no matter what.
SATURDAY
“The devil frequently fills our thoughts with great schemes, so that instead of putting our hands to what work we can do to serve our Lord, we may rest satisfied with wishing to perform impossibilities.”
As we hit the end of our week, I want to touch on the doubts. How the devil likes to plant seeds of doubt and inability into our heads. He tries to make sure we don't spread the love of God. How many times have you sat and THOUGHT about what you need to do for your business? You sat and pondered, wondering if it was the right move, weighing pros and cons, but never actually taking the next step? Tell the devil to leave you alone! Trust in Him, trust that God will help you take the next step. TRUST. Don't let the devil make you second guess all your choices. Take the leap, have faith, serve your community and your business. Do it! And pray, pray, pray.
SUNDAY
“Do not worry over things that generate preoccupation and anxiety. One thing only is necessary: to lift up your spirit and love God.”
This quote has the same message as the previous one - do not worry. Do not let the devil take over your thoughts and bring doubt. Trust in God, trust that He will bring you goodness and light. Pray, love, hope, don't worry. Lift up your spirit and love God will everything you have. Love and be loved. Invest in yourself and your business by loving God with everything you have.
So as you proceed through this week...
...invest in what you believe in, with who you believe in, and trust God! Love Him with everything you have, so that you can thrive and keep spreading his glory and love!
