by Sarah McGirr | 12 Jan, 2021 | Uncategorized
Let’s talk 2021, money and……..YOU!
Have you set your money goals for this year?
Think of it this way, when you set out on a journey in the car that may not be familiar, you set the GPS for the destination.
And we can take this approach when it comes to setting your money goals – you set your destination points at the start of the journey.
A very simple, yet impactful, approach is to have three simple money goals.
It might be something you think is actually too simple to put pen to paper about, but the beauty is in the simplicity itself.
Here are three major areas to set goals around that can really transform your relationship with money.
- Savings Goal
If you don’t have one already, set up a savings account.
Setting this up is a great way of taking action and showing the Universe you are ready for more money to show up.
There can be a lot of resistance around having “excess” money for women. It can be a bit of an uncomfortable topic to talk about for some.
If you are fairly new on your journey of self development and money, you might be finding that you spend every penny that comes in, or don’t feel comfortable having “spare” money and burn through it.
Some women don’t feel safe having a buffer, a bit of a cushion when it comes to cash.
Or having more than they “need”, so burn through what they have.
A familiar pattern for many can be feeling broke at the end of the month….or even the beginning!
A perpetual cycle of feeling broke!
And this doesn’t necessarily apply to those who “have” money.
If you aren’t comfortable having a buffer, you will get through money no matter what your level of income.
And this situation can be very telling.
It can be reflective of the money stories that were happening when you grew up.
It might have been that there was always that feeling of having “just enough”.
Or feast or famine.
Or always feeling like there would never be enough for any “extras”, so you didn’t bother asking.
These money stories, stories you grew up with, can “normalise” money stress and this eternal feeling of never having enough, or even not being WORTHY of having enough.
But as an adult, you can GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION to have more than you need.
Give yourself permission to allow yourself to have more than you need.
And where you feel any resistance, is a clue as to where it would serve you to begin to peel away those layers through money mindset coaching, which happens to be my passion!
Women often have a complex relationship with money.
If you are a mum, you are used to making sure everyone else is looked after before you, and this includes financially.
And you often make sacrifices along the way – in terms of time, career, finances and so it goes on.
You heard from a young age it is greedy to have more than you need.
To want more.
To have more than others.
To be seen as having more than others.
So you learn to play small and this shows up in your behaviour around money.
Or if you have more, you should give it away, as others need it more than you.
How much of this rings true for you?
How many times in business have you told yourself if you cover your costs, that’s okay?
Or if you do make more money, you find some way of spending it?
Self sabotage is so intertwined with women and money.
Have you found yourself spending just because you can and lo and behold, funnily enough, you don’t have any money left and are back in that familiar space of feeling broke?
You got rid of the money as it was uncomfortable to have around you – having more than you need.
A positive action step you can take, starting today, to get you started on your journey of getting comfortable with money is to set up a weekly direct debit. It doesn’t have to be a huge amount, say £5 or $5 and stick with it. Ringfence it and let it build up.
And the reason I say weekly is because you can see the money build up, bit by bit.#
And for those of you who do already save, up your amount, make it a weekly amount, even if it has been monthly so far.
And let it roll!
- Debt-Free Goal
Debt is another area where you can go crazy with self sabotage!
It keeps you trapped, stuck in job that drains the life out of you, or working with clients you’d really rather not!
Now, debt is really socially acceptable.
College debt, student debt, credit card debt and so it goes on.
I’m not saying having debt is bad, but it’s how you deal with it that really impacts you and your mental wellbeing.
Having debt might be part of your money story that has been keeping you stuck – an excuse not to move forward in your life, in some areas.
Making a decision to get out of debt can also bring up old money stories too.
It is a courageous step to make to take the bull by the horns and work on clearing your debt and following through on the intention and making a plan and sticking to it.
And the reward comes when you experience the sense of liberation when you start to see the debt reducing and eventually clearing it.
Part of my work covers non-scary(!) debt payment plans, so book in a complimentary chat with me to find out more.
Paying off debt is a mindset shift and maintaining a debt-free life takes commitment and maintenance, all of which are doable, but it does take action, it doesn’t magically happen on its own. And that is something I can help you work on too.
The first step when it comes to clearing debt is to be really honest with yourself.
Total up the entire actual debt, get a clear repayment plan in place and get started.
There is so much more I can tell you about this, so if you do want to find out more, book in a chat with me, and I can fill you in.
But for now, get new weekly additional regular payment amount going towards that debt, again, it can be a smaller amount, £5 or $5, it’s getting started that counts and staying committed.
- Step Three: Set an income
In view of the economic turbulence that 2020 brought, it is clear that it is certainly more than useful to have more than one income stream.
Take a look at your skillset and see where you could create a new product or course that generates an income, this is your passive income and set a goal for this.
Be clear and set the intention on what you want for your total income goal and how much of this will be your passive income goal.
You will probably find you have resistance around this. These will be old money stories that been an active part of keeping you where you are.
But to get to where you want to be, what got you here, won’t get you there – to your new income goals.
And it doesn’t mean working all hours under the sun – quite the opposite. See how easy you can make it and how playful can you make it? Making money doesn’t have to be boring!
And it doesn’t have to be such a long list that you don’t even get started on it.
Keep it simple.
But get it started.
Take action.
Imperfect action is better than no action.
And it’s not all about size! It can be a small digital product, but the volume sells it. A small digital product is a great way for new customers to enter your world and get a taste of your work, at a low investment.
You could re-purpose or repackage what you have already written, or restructure some of you work into different modules, courses etc.
Keep it simple and you don’t need to have the latest shiny platform to sell it from.
Get started, put it in your diary. As they say, “What gets scheduled, get’s done.”
And track it. You can test out what works, what doesn’t and tweak along the way. It’s entirely up to you.
The main point is that you get started, today.
And once you start building up an income from this product/course etc, you can put money into your savings and into towards paying down your debts.
So here you have three very simple and easy to apply steps to get 2021 working for you when it comes to your income.
No more playing small – make 2021 work for you, today!
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by Sarah McGirr | 5 Nov, 2020 | Uncategorized
As we find ourselves in yet another lockdown here in the UK, we are faced with yet more uncertainty. More unknowns popping up in a year that has already been packed full with unknowns, as if we needed any more!
A great way to navigate these seemingly never ending unchartered waters is to present yourself with the gift of courage. It doesn’t have to be a huge dose, just a little, yet turbo charged, shot.
You might be wondering where on earth you’ll find it, as quite frankly, so many of us have been worn down this year already. But I assure you, it’s there, lurking somewhere inside you. And if you give yourself a few quiet moments, you will find some, even just a little. Here’s a quick coaching tip to get you started.
When you feel afraid of taking a risk, the fear of uncertainty arises. Now, it would be glossing over things to just think, just do it anyway and see what happens. Yes, that could get the task in hand done, but a crucial element is left out by taking that approach, and that can make all the difference between backing down or moving forward and taking action.
I have found that the way ahead in a situation like this is to find a way to create a feeling of certainty, even if a task or situation can seem uncertain. Say, for example, you are asked to speak at a Zoom event and you feel a little out of your depth, as in your eyes, other attendees have experience or expertise in their field. It’s exciting to be booked for a speaking gig, but you may have a few nerves, which is entirely understandable. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t have an emotive response to the engagement. And variety is the spice of life, so does it really matter if others have more experience than you, or you think they do? Everyone has to start somewhere, right?
Now, you might try and talk yourself out of going ahead with the engagement, you might feel a bit out of your depth or unsure of the response your talk may receive. This could leave you feeling overwhelmed and wishing you hadn’t accepted the gig in the first place, which then leads you to feeling even more uncertain.
Here’s the key to moving through this and getting yourself out there and showing up as that confident speaker and expert on your subject.
Start by listing what you can be certain of. First and foremost, you can be certain that you will get through the engagement. Even though this sounds obvious, it is definitely worth reminding yourself of this fundamental point!
You can also be certain that attendees will be polite, after all, you don’t hear of too many online meetings or engagement where attendees are rude to speakers! And to give yourself a head start, if you are feeling nervous, practice your presentation until it feels completely natural, as natural as saying your name.
And something you can be certain of, is that you will learn a lot from the experience, as well as feeling a sense of accomplishment once you have reached the other side!
I invite you to take a few moments see what else you can add to your Certainty List. You never know, you might just surprise yourself!
Ready for more of my best free content on all things coaching? Money mindset, pricing, branding and so much more.
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by Sarah McGirr | 23 Oct, 2020 | Uncategorized
As if 2020 hasn’t been strange enough – and as if that isn’t the understatement of the century – it would be all too easy to keep up some habits that are all just a little too familiar, albeit becoming a bit more uncomfortable by the day.
When it comes to money, and I speak from experience, some of us may have a little repertoire of AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOURS. Not a term you hear every day and it does what it says on the tin – have you behaving in a way to avoid something that you don’t want to deal with.
Money management is often one of them.
I speak from experience, when I say sometimes it feels “easier” not to deal with envelopes arriving in the post, especially when you know they are chasing outstanding debts.
But after a while, those envelopes pile up and the time comes when it is DO OR DIE and you have to bite the bullet – as the alternative is way more overwhelm than you are feeling now.
Sometimes it feels easier to bury your head in the sand. This avoidance behaviour can be something of a long term companion for many. It was for me at times.
However, each of us are unique and accordingly have our own unique behaviours when it comes to money. And the best way forward when it comes to money management is to take one step at a time, and it’s perfectly fine if those steps are baby steps. It’s moving forward and that’s what counts. Not worrying about what your inner critic might be mumbling about.
In my work as a business coach, I use a unique psychological based system to help clients step out of overwhelm. I have had my own days of unopened envelopes piling up and looking away from financial situations that I thought would actually be more uncomfortable than they were to start dealing with.
I used to just ignore calls or correspondence in the hope that it would magically disappear. Or I would have a sudden lottery windfall to clear things up, despite not doing the lottery!
The only way to move myself out of those days was to look the monster, as that’s what I thought it was, straight in the eye and get organised. Again, something that I used to think I was too relaxed and chilled to be – organised.
However, I realised that by NOT being even vaguely organised and on top of my finances it was actually holding me back.
Holding me back from:
• feeling empowered when it came to money – feeling overwhelmed was pants
• being financially independent
• creating my own financial freedom
• having “spare” money to spend on what I wanted
• investing in trainings that I wanted to do
• freeing up headspace – as money shame would often be whispering in my ear
And so it goes on.
When I realised the increasing negative headspace and discomfort of:
• staying in that space of denial
• looking away from the situation; and
• still playing avoidance behaviour games
were eventually wearing me down, something gave way and I knew that it was NOW OR NEVER.
The discomfort and limitations of NOT living a fuller life and holding myself back from feeling #cashcomfortable were too much – definitely not something I wanted in my future.
So I got to grips with my money management and the huge revelation was that it wasn’t that much of a mess after all.
It was actually the story I was telling myself in my head that was the cause of the discomfort. And not dealing with the related calls, correspondence and admin.
The sense of relief of getting on top of your money management is totally worth it.
And the joke was, there wasn’t any need to bury my head in the sand after all. It was completely do-able.
And I felt so much more clear headed and empowered once I got back on track and organised.
The #moneyshame had gone and the #overwhelm had disappeared too.
And it gets you wondering if those monsters your head tells you about are real after all?
Ready for more of my best free content on all things coaching? Money mindset, pricing, branding and so much more.
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by Sarah McGirr | 30 Sep, 2020 | Uncategorized
Female entrepreneurs have enough on their plate. Often, we can feel as if we aren’t good enough and it can be dismissed by some as a bit a taboo subject, or maybe a bit self-indulgent to bring out in the open, or played down to feel as it doesn’t really matter. This could stem from fear of being judged, worrying about what other people think of us, people pleasing or wishing we were firmer in our boundaries, in life and business.
I often hear from female entrepreneurs who tell me that they are worried about not feeling good enough to say, raise their fees, or be seen as a groundbreaker in their field, or feeling worthy of following up with a client about invoices and so it goes on.
I’d like to share 3 quick and easy ways you can overcome these hurdles and start to feel good enough, in life and business.
- Let Go of Looking for External Approval
A popular belief I hear from female entrepreneurs is that they are worried about feeling judged. Sound familiar? This may come from a belief buried somewhere in your subconscious mind you that you need the approval of others. Have you found yourself subconsciously waiting for someone else to approve of your work, your fees, or your contribution towards something?
If this rings a bell, what is happening here with this belief, is that you are looking to others for approval. You are waiting for others to tell you that you are okay but an unfortunate side effect of this is that you are giving them your power in the process. This may be an old habit formed from a belief that you didn’t even realise you had.
I’d like to ask you to consider this, what would it look like if you DIDN’T need to wait for others’ approval, telling you that you are okay? What if you actually gave YOURSELF approval for something? What if you told yourself that X, Y or Z was great and you did it well? How about allowing yourself to give yourself praise rather than subconsciously waiting for others to give you the nod?
This might be breaking away from old thinking. But why not give it a go? You may surprise yourself!
- Comparisonitis
Secondly, you may not have realised you have this strange sounding condition!
Now, I can’t guarantee it is a medically recognised condition, but you can probably guess what I’m referring to just from the name! And you might be curling your toes already at the thought of it!
So let’s bring it out of the shadows and have a closer look. It won’t hurt! Now, it might seem completely logical and rational to compare your work to others in your industry – to see what’s going on. But if there’s some negative self-talk in your inner dialogue already, looking around might actually make you feel worse and keep you in a place of analysis paralysis and overwhelm. It could lead you to feeling lousy for having considered, say, increasing your fees, or stepping away from the crowd in some way in your business, say perhaps, offering your services in a different way.
When you look at others, you aren’t actually comparing like with like. Everyone is different, and even if many businesses might seem somewhat cookie cutter, they will each have different ways of doing things. I invite you to acknowledge that it is safe for you to do things your way. No two entrepreneurs will be doing things exactly the same way. We are all born as individuals, so that’s how we will operate our businesses. You will serve the clients in your business that you are meant to serve. It is safe for you to be you in your business. It is simply not possible to be like someone else, or else we would have all been born the same. There is space in the world for you to run your business in your unique way and show up and serve your clients as only you can. And the same goes for other businesses too. There are enough clients to go around for all, and for you to serve in the way that is authentic to you. Give it a go and give yourself permission to allow yourself to be you!
- Look at What is Going Right
Finally, it’s not something that is often done, as it is all too easy to focus on the negative, but I’d like to flip this around and ask you to look at what you are actually doing right. What is going well for you?
It may be as seemingly basic as say, having a roof over your head, or being in good health, or simply waking up to see another day, or having the energy to go for a walk.
In these fast changing times, it can be reassuring to take a step back and look at what’s going well, as it is such a great foundation to move forward from and build on.
I’d like to invite you to list 3 things that you are grateful for at the moment, without judgment. Allow yourself the space to go with the first 3 things that come to mind. It really doesn’t matter how trivial they may feel. What matters is that your mind is focusing on the positive and that’s where healthy foundations are built.
Moving forward from a place of knowing that there are at least a few things in your life that are going well could be just the lift you need to keep going and be you.
Ready for more of my best free content on all things coaching? Money mindset, pricing, branding and so much more.
Join my Facebook Group: Money Healing – Release and Reset for Female Entrepreneurs. A fast-growing supportive community, specifically for women in business, who are ready to stand in their power by knowing their worth and creating their financial freedom.
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by Sarah McGirr | 10 Sep, 2020 | Uncategorized
We all know, undercharging is rampant among female entrepreneurs and as I say so often, it’s the #1 thing that kills your business faster than anything else.
A common concern that comes up time and time again for female entrepreneurs is that many often feel like they won’t be so accessible or affordable if they raise their fees.
Female entrepreneurs tell me time and time again that clients at lower investment level are more demanding, less respectful of time, as well as often cancelling sessions at the last minute. They end up not getting results because they aren’t motivated to do the work.
You can also start to feel resentful towards clients when you know you are undercharging. You may have thought a lower investment would make you more “accessible” and supportive for clients, especially business to business, but the resentment it stirs up can lead you to realising that you aren’t paid enough to be spending your time chasing after clients.
However, once fees are raised, things turn around and you will find that higher-paying clients are more serious about their work, pay on time, do the work, and respect your time and expertise.
Charging premium fees invites you to become a better business owner and deliver a more energetic, committed and aligned client experience.
Turning your focus to the committed clients you DO want to serve at your highest level, doubling, tripling or raising your fees makes complete sense as the clients who are ready to make that kind of transformation, that you specialise in, will see that clearly and show up committed to transformation.
By making this one shift in your business, you are liberating yourself from less committed clients and propelling your business by moving forward and serving your new, more committed clients, more masterfully, as you feel more energised serving at this level of client commitment.
Ready for more of my best free content on all things coaching? Money mindset, pricing, branding and so much more.
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by Sarah McGirr | 13 Jul, 2020 | Uncategorized
Receiving a financial windfall or signing on a new client to your business can trigger so much excitement, it’s thrilling, but by the end of the month, the excitement can turn to disappointment, as the money seems to have pretty much disappeared into thin air. Leaving you feeling robbed of the opportunity to enjoy “having more money” and instead, feeling as if it went out as soon as it came in.
This can trigger so many old emotional patterns of guilt, shame, not feeling good enough, feeling unworthy or undeserving. Now, it really doesn’t matter how much you “needed” that money, unless you know what to do when the money does come in, these unconscious thoughts be part of a pattern causing money to continue to slip through your fingers, firmly putting you back to square one.
And as frustrating as it feels, being back to square one, it can be easy to believe that you actually don’t have any control, but in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Money does not control you. You are not a puppet at the hands of money, despite it feeling like you may have been at times.
You are in the driving seat, not money, and are in more control of it than you may think or give yourself credit for. The foundation of my coaching work is mindset, working on thoughts and beliefs. When it comes to money mindset, there are few tricks that will set you well on your way so you can stay in control and get to keep more of the money you have flowing in.
Use these 3 simple steps to stay in control and keep more money:
- Look at the Money Leaks
You may already be aware of your money leak pattern, it that’s the case, that’s great as it means you are already ahead of the game.
Let’s take a moment to check in and see if money leak patterns like these look familiar?
You swing from overworking to exhaustion, borderline burn out, creating swinging gaps in your income.
You “give” money away, overpaying or picking up the bills, to make up for feeling guilty or fearing being judged as a bit “tight” if you don’t.
You keep a secret stash of money because you are concerned that others will “take” money from you or you don’t want to stand out and be seen as having more money than others.
You avoid discussing money to avoid conflict and thereby any feelings you think may come up if you did.
Everyone has their own money leak pattern, so don’t worry, if yours aren’t listed above. Some patterns are more obvious than others. Now, whether your money leak pattern is one of the above or a different one, the more honest you are with yourself, the faster you’ll feel empowered to bite the bullet and take control, getting into aligned financial action.
The sense of relief you feel once you get started will be more than worth it, completely outweighing any sense of dread you think you may have at the moment.
- Give Yourself Permission to Have More
As a business coach, some clients put themselves in a position where they ask me to “give” them permission to make and keep more money. Very often, below the surface there is a desire to feel safe, loved and accepted by someone they trust, so they can feel free to create greater income.
Why is this? Every client has someone in their life they have concerns about upsetting, making angry, disappointing, hurting or even disempowering in some way.
Most women need to consciously give themselves permission that it’s safe to make more money, to keep more money, to let themselves shine, to feel empowered, to make more than others around them, to make more than their spouse/partner. The list goes on and on.
Acknowledging where you may have a concern about being successful and wealthy and explicitly giving yourself permission that it’s safe to make and keep more money is a simple yet profoundly impactful action you can take that instantly gives you the control you’re seeking.
Your desire to be financially successful doesn’t disempower anyone around you. Will a few people in your life feel threatened as you start to have more money? Maybe, but that’s their choice, that’s their emotional response, not yours. Remember that you playing small does not help anyone else feel big.
So, give yourself permission to shine, now.
- Let Money Stick To You
It’s time to get sticky! A powerful coaching exercise I do with my clients when they receive a financial windfall of any size is to let the money just sit in their bank account for a minimum of 2 weeks.
Having that money just sitting there will shine a light on where you are uncomfortable and where you may want to get rid of it fast as a way of avoiding uncomfortable feelings.
During these two weeks you could experience, and process through, feelings of guilt, success shame, having more than others, and so it goes on. Gifting yourself that time allows you to get to the other side of those feelings and make empowered choices that support you in continuing to grow your business, your reach and influence.
Keeping more money is an empowering action that will increase your confidence and starting these 3 powerful actions are a great kick-starter to getting to know your worth. Here’s to your success!
Ready for more of my best free content on all things coaching? Money mindset, pricing, branding and so much more.
Join my Facebook Group: Money Healing – Reset and Release for Female Entrepreneurs. A fast-growing supportive community, specifically for women in business, who are ready to stand in their power by knowing their worth and creating their financial freedom.
Click here to request access now!
