This is part two of a two-part series on money and freelancing.
In part one Dianna Huff talked about how to manage cash flow more effectively when you have a variable income.
Today’s episode is a bit different. We get into the mindset of earning more as a freelance professional.
My guest is Rhonda Page. Rhonda is an ideator, clarifier and forward thinker. She’s worked at top graphic design and branding firms for 25 years, and brought them hundreds of thousands of dollars in new business along the way.
She’s worked on the biggest global brands for companies like Kraft and Coca Cola and assumed the role of designer, account director, brand strategist, and consumer insights specialist while doing business development throughout.
These days she works with design and branding firms all over the world helping them plan their success by combining her experience, her ideas about where the industry is headed and her “inner game” success strategies.
If you’ve been following me for a while you already know how strongly I believe in adopting the right mindset in your business.
Everything starts with mindset. Your mindset guides your actions. And your actions dictate your results.
And when it comes to your income, it’s especially important to adopt a healthy mindset. It’s so much easier to earn more and to enjoy the fruits of your labor when you have the right beliefs about this stuff.
The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of the show. There’s a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe in iTunes to get this show delivered straight to the Podcasts app on your smart phone, tablet or iPod.
Tell us about yourself
Rhonda Page has worked in branding and design for over 25 years. She started as a designer and then moved into account management, brand strategy, marketing and business development. She’s worked both independently and at large design firms.
When did you start thinking about your mindset?
In 2001, Rhonda got divorced. She had two small children and was petrified about money. Things weren’t going well, and she started searching for answers.
Her yoga instructor introduced her to the book, Ask and It Is Given. The idea of manifesting desires with thoughts was new to her. She started noticing that negative thoughts filled her days.
After years of practice and classes, she’s turned around these negative thoughts.
What specific actions can we take to change our mindset?
Rhonda has ten practical things you can do:
1. Pay attention to your thoughts
You don’t have to engage with your bad thoughts. Simply notice them as they go by.
Put a rubber band around your wrist as a reminder to notice your thoughts. Words have power. When you talk negatively to yourself, it drags you down.
2. Be grateful for what you have
Gratitude can change your whole vibe. Keep a gratitude journal or list and write in it every morning or evening before bed. This will help you think positively not only in that moment but also throughout the day.
3. Hang out with people who are positive and abundant
Notice who you hang out with. If you’re in a negative place, your friends probably are too. You drag each other down by complaining all the time.
Set boundaries with negative people and other negative influences, such as the news or social media.
4. To create abundance, send out abundance
Give away some of your money, time, and talent.
When you send abundance out into the world, it circulates and comes back to you.
Don’t keep an iron grasp on your money. Go with the flow.
5.Examine your beliefs from childhood
Almost everyone has issues with money that stem from childhood. Work to clear those beliefs. If you’re not where you want to be, you have to work on yourself. You can’t blame the economy or anything else. You have to take responsibility.
6. Look at loss as an opportunity
Every setback can lead to something good. If you lose a bid for a project, you might land an even bigger project later on. So don’t get too fussed with “bad things.” Something better might be just around the corner. Trust the process.
7. Stop being the victim
Freelancers tend to blame the economy or crummy clients. You have to take a look at yourself. You have to take ownership.
Even if your industry is dying, you’re choosing to stay in it. What can you do to move into a different sector? How can you find new ways of doing things? People are afraid to reinvent themselves.
8. Stop worrying about money
Worrying about money stops you from being in the flow. Meditation can help you chill out and stop worrying. Try working out or keeping a gratitude journal. You can also go for a walk, spend time in nature or listen to music.
Feel your way through things instead of thinking through them. Listen to your gut. Read books. Take courses.
9. Do the internal work
Take positive action in your business. Get a coach or an assistant. But at the same time, you also have to do the internal work.
10. Believe in yourself
If you don’t love what you do, you’re not going to get anywhere. Don’t hang on to a business or job you hate because you’re afraid of letting go. Take baby steps if you need to. It’s a lifelong journey.
Any other advice we haven’t addressed?
Yes. Ask yourself what is possible. Live in the space of “How can I create more in my life?” Go where things feel light. Go where you feel happy and energized instead of feeling sick in your stomach.
Where can people learn more about you?
Rhonda’s website is rhondapage.com. She has programs on business development, marketing and branding for freelancers and firms.
