We all have a moment or two in our lives where we know something special has occurred that will change the course of our future. It might have been when you were little and you saw Swan Lake with your mum and decided there and then you wanted to become a ballerina or you had a lovely textile teacher in high school that made you want to become a fashion designer (that was my first life altering moment).

I wanted to talk to you today about one of my life changing moments which happened at the end of 2015.

I met a very successful, super positive woman who said to me that I seemed very happy but appeared a bit low, if that makes any sense? It did! She suggested I read a book she’d read that was all about self-development. At that time I’d been working for a fashion company for 8 years in the same job, I loved what I did and who I worked with but felt there was more for me out there, I just wasn’t sure what.

Now I was a complete cynic at the time, I’d never read a book like that before. But here was this successful woman telling me all types of CEO’s and her peers read books on self-development, to make them the best that they could be in their fields and in life generally. So off I went and read ‘You Are A Badass’ by Jen Sincero. MIND BLOWN!

You Are A Badass, changed my life.

That was my entry point into the self-development world. Jen’s style of writing is completely hilarious, she’s sharp, witty and is the perfect first author for someone who is just dipping their toes into the self-help world. I actually just shuddered writing, self-help - I kind of hate that phrase but it’s true.

It’s for people looking to help make their lives feel a little happier. I’ve met so many people who have read her books who have radically changed their lives within a few months of reading her work. A friend of mines girlfriend had read the book at the same time as me... she was a runner (assistant) on film sets and had a dream of producing and directing her own film. She’s now just showcased her very own film at the BFI London Film Festival.

This shit works people! What is this shit, I hear you ask… it’s all about believing in yourself and realising you can create an absolutely awesome life, be a badass and not settle for mediocre.

Shortly after reading the book I signed up for Jen’s 8 Week Badass Online Course, at the end of it, I’d created my first business, ‘Blossom London’ designing/selling inspirational quote phone cases. The next year and a half were an absolute blast! I was still at my full-time job whilst running my side business, I’d appeared in Cosmopolitan magazine, Closer, Woman’s Own and a few other national titles and was on Not On The High Street.

Jen’s book opened me up to being an entrepreneur, I started listening to Podcasts and immersing myself in the female entrepreneur community. I travelled to LA to the first Girlboss Rally, attended workshops and events all across the UK.

A year and a half after reading Jen’s first book, she released her second one - You Are A Badass At Making Money and she was coming to the UK for book signings.

Around this time I was waiting for the next ah-ha moment to happen, which it did when Jen announced there’d be a special event at Babington House to have lunch with her and 30 other readers. It was at this time I’d started thinking about getting my own life/business coach or going on a coaching program. Jen’s friend Kat Dever was hosting the lunch and she was a coach, one I very much wanted to work with and eventually did. Everything happens when you are aligned, The Universe Has Your Back.

I’d decided I wanted to close down the phone business and start something new with my creative skills. I realised that what I loved most about creating ‘Blossom London’ was creating the Brand, designing the website, building my social media following, telling a story – not having an ecommerce store. So with Kat’s help and guidance I decided I wanted to help other female entrepreneurs like me who wanted to start their own businesses but didn’t have the skills that I had to design their own websites. I could use my fashion photography and website design chops to create Badass brands for them.

I KNEW I could make their websites AMAZING, and get clients like myself, clicking ‘where do I pay’ immediately. So that was that, I’d found exactly what I wanted to do! And as I write this I’ve had the pleasure of working with numerous incredible and inspiring women since starting my business.

To finish with, I wanted to talk a little more about the day I met Jen.

It was a small intimate gathering of about 30 people where we ate a fabulous lunch and Jen spoke to us about her new book ‘You are a Badass at Making Money’.

I thought it quite appropriate that since I was recently talking on this blog about mindset and growing your business, that I share my takeaways and insights from spending those 4 hours with a woman who literally turned her life around from being completely broke to bringing in the moolah that now adds up to over 7 figures a year. Yep you read that right.

I’m not going to recount her story, because I would do a bad job of it and you can read the book yourself - you will get more out of reading her book than getting it second hand from me!

So here are a few points that struck a chord with me...

Spend time alone and think about what you really want. Get specific and put a price tag on it.  That way you know what you are working towards.

It’s okay to want to be rich.  
Quit judging yourself and others.

The only way you are going to make it happen is to get uncomfortable.  Just accept it and take action in the direction of your dreams, no matter how uncomfortable.

Make the decision to not be the ‘broke’ person anymore.  It all comes down to that one decision.

Everything you need is around you right now and is available now. Open your eyes.

Listen to your intuition.  It is the womanly gift that we were burned at the stake for many years ago.  It’s powerful stuff.

Let fear be your compass not your brick wall. This goes back to point 3.  

If you have the thought or vision of something great, it is your truth.  Believe in it.

Those that are closest to you who don’t support you - remember it is them that have the most to lose as you change.  It’s okay not to share your dreams with them. Stay the course.

Journalling is a great way to get to the bottom of your limiting beliefs.  When you think you are done, keep going and write two more pages (at least).

These points probably don’t seem that profound, but I have to say spending time in a room of people talking about how it is our right to be rich was powerful.  

I have previously had two-sides of my brain thinking that I have never really been sure whether getting rich would actually make me happy.  I believe this is a root cause for me not creating the success I have desired (I’m talking about the fact that deep down I have always felt I was going to be wealthy).  In fact, I now understand that the pure fact of having money is NOT going to make me happy, it will be the things that the money allows me to do that will make me happier.  

And yet I also know that no matter what, even though as I grow and evolve over the years and become prosperous, I will still be me.  I will still have days where I feel like shit, there will be days when I get grouchy with friends or snappy with my mum. There will be sadness and heartache too - because THAT is life.  BUT one thing’s for sure whether I am rich or poor I will still experience these things, and as Jen says in her book - if I am to experience these things anyway, I think I’d rather experience them being rich rather than broke.

So I am declaring here and now that I am no longer willing to hold myself back from the greatness I know I can achieve.  I have no idea HOW things will happen, and that comes back to my new idea of surrender, but even though I don’t know how, I know that I will be working towards becoming rich.  In the best possible sense.

I hope you do too.

What are your thoughts about wanting to become rich?