most of the time i am naturally positive, the one who always smiles and laughs, but there have been darker periods in my life too. not that anything that have affected from the outside have ruined my mood or my basic positive attitude, it’s usually caused by me and myself. i haven’t valued myself enough, for who i am and what i’d need. since i am very sensitive and always sensing other people’s feelings — i don’t necessarily even recognize that i often end up compromising. i think i want to do that, because someone else did.

funny thing happened a few weeks back: i was organizing a weekend getaway with my childhood friends… we decided that everyone organizes a weekend on their turn. things that we each want to do, “my-kind-of-weekend”, so that the others get to experience a weekend with things you love to do. i immediately asked myself: “what would they love to do?” and once again i fell for the trap: i started to plan something for others even though it was literally meant to be all about me. this happens so automatically that most of the times i am not even aware of it.

same goes for business. too often i choose solutions that i think are good or right from other’s perspective. no surprise here, they usually DON’T WORK! you have to listen to yourself and your heart. and for you to do that, you need to create space for you to be able to listen.

if you’re anything like me, try to do things that you need at least every now and then. you owe it to yourself.

for me it is my own time — every now and then. my own time when i don’t compromise to anyone – not even for myself. i try to minimize my screen time, so that i am more focused to hear my own inner voice and what i need, want and desire. i try to do this every month. since i am an entrepreneur, this time involves upcoming business plans for my business, self-developing: where am i going, what do i need & what makes me happy? basically i’m just sorting out the chaos in my head. since i get easily carried away with other people’s energies, their desires and so on… i get easily unhappy, if i never fulfill my own needs.

when i listen to myself and follow my own ideas, everything seems to work out — and even more effortlessly than i ever imagined.

take some time for yourself, dear co-entrepreneur

minna, co-founder of neam