If you came across my reading list last month, you may have noticed that I was reading Rising Strong by Dr. Brene Brown. You also many have noticed from my raving blog post that I mildly enjoyed the book. That said, I was particularly attracted to a concept she referenced throughout her most recent work – the concept of wholehearted living. I’ve heard this term before but I’d never really grasped what it meant or what that could look like, let alone how that way of living could affect my business! So I set out to immerse myself deeper into this thought process, learning as much as I could about the approach along the way.

So, what exactly does “wholehearted living” mean? According to Brown, we partake in the practice of wholehearted living when we allow ourselves to engage in our lives from a place of worthiness. When we give ourselves enough grace to know that no matter what, we are enough, we are able to experience the world around us more freely. According to her book, Daring Greatly, Brown also shares that wholehearted living calls for a daily practice of courage, compassion, intentional joy, vulnerability and gratitude. Oh my gosh, yes. Sign me up!

At this point, it’s likely that we have a clear idea of what the practice of wholehearted living could mean for our personal lives. A stronger sense of engagement, a more mindful approach, not to mention the slew of overwhelmingly positive characteristics we embrace along the way! But what does wholehearted living mean for our businesses?

I set out to discover just how this fully present, heartfelt way of approach life could impact my creativity, my workflow, and my profitability. Initially, I thought that giving this way of life a try would result in a happier me, which would permeate my attitude during the workday and how I engaged with my clients. But instead, I found that practicing a more mindful, wholehearted way of living gave me the ability to cultivate meaningful work and the freedom to find fulfillment in even the smallest of tasks.

As a part of wholehearted living, Brown references about ten guideposts that make up this heartfelt way of life. From cultivating joy to embracing gratitude, each characteristic is a mindset that I know I would like to strive for each and every day! And as I delved deeper into Brown’s guideposts and what each one meant for my own life, I found four that promise to transform the way that I work, as well.

Cultivating Authenticity

Authenticity has been the cornerstone of my business, and I can honestly say that without it, I don’t think I would have made it this far on my little journey on entrepreneurship. Knowing how to ask for help, how to honestly admit when we don’t have it all together, and how to intentionally incorporate who we can into everything we do is a trait that I strive to nurture more and more daily. And the endless possibilities it can offer your business? Oh my! I could go on and on but I won’t, because no one wants to read the longest blog post ever.

Cultivating Creativity

In the life of a creative boss lady, it’s always a fine balance trying to utilize our existing creativity to the best of our ability, all while allowing ourselves to stay inspired and replenish what we deplete on a daily basis. And along the way, as we inevitability start to compare what we do to what that creative over there is doing, it’s only a matter of time before comparison starts to kill our fragile store of creativity. Brown suggests we start to tend to our creative stores within by kicking comparison to the curb.

Cultivating Rest + Play

If you’re familiar with my little brainchild, the illume retreat, then you can only imagine how much this guidepost has me raising my hands in the air in celebration! If we are to build heartfelt businesses and make room for wholeheartedly living our lives, then we simply must nix the glorification of busy. Instead of using our overwork, our overwhelm, and our unbelievably high stress levels as a status symbol of success, let’s focus instead on returning to a slower pace of life. Instead, let’s focus on getting back to a more purposeful pace that enables us to find our self-worth elsewhere, not in the flowing pages of our imbalanced to-do lists.

Cultivating Meaningful Work

You may have guessed from the title of this guidepost that it could potentially be a good thing for your business. But when we talk about cultivating “meaningful work,” it goes so much deeper than we traditionally think as creatives. What would our work look like if we let go of the industry’s definition of success? What would our approach or our workflow blossom into if we choose to disconnect from self-doubt, and all the things we’re supposed to do as business owners? I believe our work could look more fulfilling, richer and heartfelt than ever before.

This way of work and life certainly isn’t for the faint of heart, or those seeking a quick fix. But, the more I immerse myself in this approach, the more I’m rewarded with more authenticity, a more realistic worldview, and a deeper desire to engage fully in the world around me.

Have you tried this approach of wholehearted living in your own life, friend? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Sound off in the comments below.