I am always amazed at the power of visioning. Even though I’ve been doing this “ritual” every January for many years, I am still so in awe when I view my own finished vision board and compare it to the one from last year. Not only does it clearly shine out as a beacon of light  to where I am focusing my intentions, goals and energies for this year forward, but it is such a huge visual acknowledgment of where I am now, compared to January 2008.

I especially can see the change in my business (lower center) and it is a big awareness to see that all the business development work, marketing and organization I did last year, has paid off.

For my business, I realized that 2009, the inner or yin part is all about re-energizing my office, making space, changing the physical work space and allowing for business expansion and growth.

After completing my board, I stayed up until midnight remodeling my office, moving desks, wires, cleaning and creating a whole new energy of openness. That was all catalyzed by putting “new office” pictures on my board. It wasn’t until I began to build the board that I realized I even needed office pictures.

This is often how the process works.The experience of doing the board helps you to align what needs to happen.

On the yang side of my business, (upper center) it is all about productivity ( my word for the year) and circulation. The world is calling for my books and products to be more available as they are developed to help people to overcome obstacles in their own business. My first e-book will be in print this year.( watch this space).

With my past vision boards, I have always crammed the space full of pictures and words. This time there are open spaces. It might stay that way to allow for expansion or maybe something else needs to be added later. This is another difference and change that intrigues me.

Although my main focus is growing my business and helping other small business owners to grow theirs, using the Ba-gua as a guide for my board has helped me to see that all my life areas work together to bring balance and harmony in my life. My business is here to support my life, not the other way around.

If you have never done a vision board here is an easy step-by-step process.

1. Gather materials: lots of magazines, old calendars, greeting cards, photos,foam board, glue stick, scissors. Do it with a friend or two if you can.

2. Following your own process, get centered and make an intention, say your word for the year or just meditate for a few moments. You can pick a tarot card, sing, listen to music. Whatever works for you.

3. Begin to go through your magazines and cut out any pictures or words that jump out at you. Make a big pile. You won’t necessarily use them all but you won’t know until you get started. I think it works better to not try to control the process but allow the pictures and words to choose themselves.

4. Begin to arrange the pictures and words on your board. When it feels right, glue them down. Look for more pictures or words as needed. There is no right way to do this, only your way.

5. Share your completed board with your friend, mentor or mastermind buddies.

6. Hang it on the wall of your office where you will see it all year.

I used the Ba-gua as a guide for my vision board this year. I loved this process as it feels complete and harmonious, as each area of my life is represented with the appropriate colors and location.

Have you done your board? Take a picture of it and include it hear with your comments. I’d love to see it.

Emotions are healthy!  It’s absolutely essential to be aware of how you feel. Your feelings help you to be a balanced human being. However, unchecked emotions can keep you from being able to focus productively on your business. Emotions can go hey-wire and turn into monsters.  When that happens you become scattered and foggy.

Anxiety, worry and stress are the common culprits. Often it’s around money but can also be a myriad of other issues that trigger these reactions.  They can side-track you from having a sharp and clear focus. When those feelings surface it’s very easy to get thrown off track and begin to make decisions from those places. Stress decisions will often be poor decisions and could cause more problems. Likewise, when you are anxious your anxiety will cause you to constrict and close off access to solutions.

I tend to be a worrier and it’s usually around money. Even when I have enough I can worry that I might not have enough next month. It is beyond logic but it will totally throw me of balance. For you. it might be something else, but remember being an entrepreneur does not mean you don’t have moments of  getting off track.

The important thing is to know what to do when this happens.  What you want it to keep your focus sharp and on task so you can take steps to fill in the puzzle pieces  easily and keep your business whole and complete.

Here are a three key things you can do when those emotions pop up.

1. Get out of your office and walk somewhere in nature. Breathing in fresh air and moving your body will allow you to come back into a place of calmness where your intuition and clarity will re-surface.

2. Find someone you trust to talk to. This needs to be someone who is positive and someone who believes in you. Someone whose presence will make you feel calm and empowered.

3. Look at your vision board, your mission statement or whatever you have that will remind you why you are doing your business. Remembering can bring you back to that place and put you back on track.

Part of being an entrepreneur is staying at the helm, being a leader and being able to calmly overcome obstacles when they arise. What are some other strategies that you use that have helped you when you really needed it?