We kicked off this year with our inaugural ‘Reboot Your Business’ summit, where so many of us explored the quiet power of taking a pause. In last week’s community newsletter, I shared a gentle reminder about stepping back to ask ourselves that big question: ‘Why?’
That pause does something quietly powerful. It stops the momentum of a busy week long enough for us to hear ourselves think. Once that clarity settles in, the question naturally becomes: What do I actually do with it?
For me, this hasn’t just been a theoretical exercise—it’s been my real life this past year.
A decade ago, Mums@PLAY started with a single bazaar—earning the affectionate nickname ‘the friendliest bazaar in town,’ as friends and their families thronged our bazaars and gatherings. Over the years, these pop-ups became central to my identity as mum-vendors became friends, and those friends grew into a vibrant community.
After all these years of non-stop logistics, I am deciding to take a intentional break from organizing them. When I checked in with myself—really checked in, I had to be honest: something has shifted. Continuing to run them on autopilot, just because it was what I’d always done, may not serving my energy or my bigger purpose.
This isn’t the first time I’ve listened to that inner shift. Years ago, after more than a decade of running my clothing line, SUMMER, I decided to close that chapter as my kids grew older and family priorities changed.
In his book Don’t Believe Everything You Think, author Joseph Nguyen talks about the difference between goals created out of inspiration versus those driven by desperation.
- Desperation-driven action comes from fear—fear of missing out, fear of losing relevance, or simply doing something because “that’s what I’ve always done.” It feels heavy, urgent, and draining.
- Inspiration-driven action, on the other hand, comes from alignment. It flows from a place of clarity, purpose, and genuine enthusiasm.
Looking honestly at my business, I realized pushing forward with more bazaars was coming from a place of habit and subtle desperation—a fear of what stopping might look like—rather than true inspiration. Stepping back gave me the space to align my daily work with what actually matters to me now.
When we clear away what no longer serves us, the next phase usually comes down to two everyday practices: positivity and productivity. Not as buzzwords on a vision board, but as mental muscles we build through small, repeatable choices.
Positivity is about attention, not denial
Let’s clear something up first, because this is where many of us tune out. Real positivity isn’t about pretending everything is fine when it’s not. It isn’t slapping a smile over a exhausting month or telling someone to “stay positive” when they just need to be heard. Forced cheerfulness is draining, and we can all spot it a mile away.
Practical positivity is simply choosing where to place our attention and looking for the next helpful step.
In my coaching sessions, a client recently described her week as a total write-off. But when we slowed down and unpacked it, she had actually:
- Sent a proposal she’d been avoiding for a month.
- Had a meaningful conversation with a potential collaborator.
- Said no to a project that would have drained her.
Nothing about the factual events of her week changed in our conversation. What changed was her focus. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by what was left undone, she could see what moved forward—and from there, taking the next step felt manageable.
Two questions I keep close:
- What is actually working here, even a little?
- What is the next helpful step—not the perfect one?
Productivity is about energy, not a packed calendar
We often measure productivity by how full our schedule looks. A packed calendar feels like proof that we’re working hard. But being busy and being productive are two very different things.
Productivity isn’t about filling every available minute, it’s about directing our energy toward what truly matters. As an entrepreneur balancing business, community initiatives, and family life, I know how fragmented time can be.
Instead of wishing for more hours in a day, it helps to work with the energy we actually have:
Know yourself and your rhythm: Save the time when your mind is sharpest for meaningful, high-level work. Its usually early mornings for me. Save routine emails, admin, and quick errands for low-energy windows.
Focus on what truly matters: Just 30 to 45 uninterrupted minutes will move your business forward far more than three hours of scattered multitasking. I sometimes set a 20 minute timer in the middle of work when I need extra focus.
Choose excellence over perfection: Most tasks don’t require perfection, they just need to be completed. Send the email, publish the post, make the call—TODAY! Action always speaks louder than words.
Where the two meet
As a coach, what excites me most is how positivity and productivity support each other. They aren’t separate goals, they feed off one another.
Small shifts in our perspective change how we feel, which directly impacts the actions we take.
Compare these two thoughts:
- “I am so far behind.”
- “I have made a solid start.”
Both can describe the exact same situation, but they create completely different afternoons. The first leads to procrastination and scrolling social media. The second builds momentum for one more task.
The stories we tell ourselves about our progress become either our fuel or our brakes.
Moving forward with intention
Stepping off the treadmill of doing things out of habit isn’t easy—whether it’s stepping back from a 10-year project or simply changing how you structure your day. But operating from inspiration rather than desperation changes everything. And who knows! If inspiration calls, those bazaars might just be round the corner! But for now, I’m giving myself space to focus on what feels aligned today.
Clarity shows us where to go. Positivity helps us notice what’s working along the way. And productivity is how we channel our energy into what truly counts.
Over to you: Have you ever had to step back from something that was no longer serving your bigger “Why”? Or if you look at your week right now, what is one small win you haven’t given yourself credit for yet?
Leave a Comment