\u201cHow we feel, move, and be in life directly affects our business.\u201d
\n- Nick Onken
\n
\nHey guys, welcome back to ONKEN RADIO (previously NION Radio), the podcast where we explore the creative entrepreneur's body, mind, and soul. It\u2019s my goal to help you take your creativity, business, and life to the next level. I\u2019m so glad you\u2019re joining me on this journey!
\n
\nToday, instead of interviewing someone, I have decided to share 11 tools that I use as a creative entrepreneur to scale my business \u2014 and look after my mental health, too, as I\u2019m my own boss! You might not have your own business yet, but what I\u2019m sharing can help you start your journey and figure out how you can become an entrepreneur.\xa0
\n
\nSo wherever you are on your journey with entrepreneurship, I hope my 11 tools for entrepreneurs resonate and help you.
\n
\nLet\u2019s get started!
\n1. Personal Development
\nI find personal development essential in the journey of entrepreneurship because how we feel and move in life directly affects our business. I've interviewed successful people like Scooter Braun, Usher, Donna Karan, AJ Vaden, and Gary Zukav to name a few \u2014 and the biggest thing for them is a growth mindset.\xa0
\n
\nPersonal development makes you a better human being and positively affects your business. That growth helps you weather storms \u2014 all the ups and downs and challenges that come with being your own boss as a creative entrepreneur.\xa0
\n
\nPersonal development can come in different ways from books to courses. Some examples of courses I\u2019ve done are MITT, which is Mastery In Transformational Training, a a course geared explicitly toward emotional intelligence and leadership training. I was able to apply what I learned to my business and how I run it now.\xa0
\n
\nI\u2019ve also attended the ALA (Ascension Leadership Academy), run by my friends Brad and Jenna, which helped me develop a better and bigger space of possibility for my business and life.\xa0
\n
\nPersonal Development is one of the biggest keys, and the tools that I've acquired over the last few years while building my own business have helped me weather all the ups and downs.
\n2. Morning Routine
\nThis tool is crucial to creating the best platform for personal development and productive days. Developing a healthy morning routine has been essential for me, especially as I\u2019ve learned to create discipline to get the morning started right and to build healthy habits for my mental health.
\n
\nCreating a consistent morning practice or routine helps get the train on track for the rest of the day.\xa0
\n
\nMy morning routine starts as soon as I wake up, and I don\u2019t check my phone (no messages, emails, or anything). I meditate for 20 minutes, followed by a gratitude practice for a couple of minutes before I move into my movement practice of working out. That usually takes about an hour, at least.\xa0
\n
\nSome people like to journal as part of their morning practice, and there is no right or wrong way to do that \u2014 so try different things to find the right routine that works for you.\xa0
\n3. Meditation
\nI practice Ziva meditation, taught by Emily Fletcher. Meditation teaches you to stay centered and keep inner peace for moments when chaos unfolds. I find it useful as a way to look after my mental health.
\n
\nIt's a mantra-based meditation to de-stress the mind and remove the monkey chatter to balance me out. I can wake up with my mind starting to chatter constantly, and Ziva meditation helps me align myself, get the stress out of my body, and clear my mind.\xa0
\n
\nI include the gratitude practice as part of the meditation practice. Gratitude shifts your emotional makeup and way of being, and we all have something to be grateful for \u2014 especially because we\u2019re alive! Gratitude sets a wonderful vibration for the day ahead to ground me in what I have instead of foc...