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Feeling stuck? This could help you figure out what to do next!

Posted on 2018-01-30 at 9:35 pm.

I am writing this on a train, whizzing north through the English countryside to a beautiful hidden place, for a week-long writing retreat to work on my next book. The fields outside my window are veiled in frost and mist, and I just found myself doing a long and slow exhale. You know the kind that you do at that moment when you realise all your holiday preparations are finally done, your bags are packed, your out-of-office is on and your adventure has actually begun? That kind of breath.

To me the idea of having a whole week stretching ahead of me to write (which means to wander and ponder, walk in the hills and think deeply about one particular thing, chew my pencil, eat chocolate and drink copious amounts of tea) is dreamy. It’s one of the times that I really feel free, and my life is better for it.

I’m sharing this with you because I want that for you too, whatever your version of feeling free might look like. Which brings me to our newest tool to help you figure it out!

Since Freedom Seeker was published a year ago (Is that all? It feels like several lifetimes!) I have been humbled and delighted to hear how it has helped so many of you discover so much more about yourself, and inspired you to move in a new direction. One of the things I have heard over and over is what a difference it made to have practical exercises in every chapter of the book, so it goes beyond inspiration to real and immediate action.

In order to make it even easier for you to take that action, we have designed this elegantly beautiful new Freedom Seeker Workbook to accompany the book. It’s an action plan for living more, worrying less and doing what you love. And it’s in digital format so you can either type straight into it, or print it out and use it like a personal journal.

The Workbook contains versions of all the exercises from the original book, with space to scribble your thoughts and responses, and ready-made templates where they are helpful. 78 pages of goodness to help you make an action plan for moving towards your dreams!

Get your Workbook here, and dive in!

And if you haven’t read Freedom Seeker go and get your copy now to read alongside the workbook, or get it on Audible and let me read the book to you, while you sit somewhere cosy with a cup of tea and let the Workbook work its magic!

Right, it’s time for me to switch off and get writing. I’ll see you on the other side…

Beth Xx

My secret mission revealed (Hint: it’s my next book!)

Posted on 2018-01-23 at 4:20 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

After several months of secret trips and meetings and negotiations and dreaming and planning, I am thrilled to share my big news with you… I am working on my next book all about life lessons inspired by ancient Japanese philosophy and culture, which will be out later this year.

For those of you who don’t know, over the years I have spent many years living and working in Japan, and have two degrees in the language. Even so, I am always discovering new things, and this book is a wonderful opportunity to dive deeper than ever into the magic and mystery.

I know many of you share my deep love of Japan and all things Japanese, so I can’t wait to reveal more over the coming months as this exciting project unfolds (starting with another long trip to Japan next month – hurrah!) I’d love to hear more about YOUR experiences of all things Japanese – please do share.

For those of you who haven’t really come into contact with that part of the world, stay tuned – you’re in for a treat!

I couldn’t be more grateful to be working on a book that brings together my three passions of Japanese language and culture, beauty and design, and personal development, but I must admit I am slightly terrified of my very tight manuscript deadline (April!) I have cleared the decks, booked time in and will be nose to the grindstone for the next three months!

More soon…

Beth Xx

5 steps to decluttering your life {VIDEO}

Posted on 2018-01-15 at 7:22 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

It’s that time of year. Are you feeling the burning desire to declutter and pare things down, but don’t know where to start? If so, here are some top tips for you:

Now, no more procrastinating. Off you go and begin!

18 questions to help you figure out how to make money from your passions

Posted on 2017-11-24 at 7:05 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

Today I want to talk about something which can be a real sticking point for many of us – knowing we want to do what we love but not knowing how to actually make money from it. And let’s face it, most of us need to generate an income somehow. So I thought it would be helpful to share some questions which can help you figure out what might work for you. And if you already have a side hustle or a fully-fledged business, these questions can help you extend what you offer. Depending on your situation, some of the questions will be really obvious, and others will prompt a new avenue of thought. I encourage you to find a few minutes this weekend to sit with a cuppa and your journal, and see what emerges!

Looking back at my story, what opportunities are there to monetise what I have learnt along the way?
What skills/knowledge do I have that I could hire out by the hour as a freelancer?
What could I make and sell?
What could I teach in person?
What could I teach online?
What could I write about in a physical book?
What could I share via an e-book?
What topics could I consult on?
What could I coach people on?
Business ideas are everywhere. What products/services are out there that I could improve upon?
Business ideas are everywhere. What products/services are needed but don’t exist?
What opportunities in my field are offered by rapidly changing technology?
What could I do as a side project to test the water before jumping in?
Could I simply ask for a pay rise at my current job to help fund doing more of what I love? (Be sure to demonstrate why this is justified based on the value you bring and have created for your employer)

And if you already make/sell something, ask yourself:

How could I sell more EXISTING products to EXISTING customers?
How could I sell more EXISTING products to NEW customers?
How could I sell more NEW products to EXISTING customers?
How could I sell more NEW products to NEW customers?

Any closer to figuring it out? If so, you might find one of our courses helpful to take the next step (and the next, and the next)
BethXx

PS I’m off to Japan on Sunday to work on a top secret project! Can’t wait to share more about it soon. In the meantime, come and follow along on Instagram @bethkempton. I promise loads of gorgeous eye candy and off-the-beaten-track peeks into this wonderful country!

On finding your true calling (even if you already have a successful career)

Posted on 2017-11-14 at 3:20 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

If you take a moment to reflect on your journey so far, have you lived out your life on the path you thought was right for you back when you left school? If so, you are not alone. So many of us have the experience of recognising what we are good at, and what brings in the money, and following some version of that path in the hope that it is a route to happiness. And that’s fine if it works out.

But what happens when you get all the things you thought you wanted – the business card, the flash car, the beautiful home and have cash left over for fun… but don’t feel happy? What if you’re left craving something more?

If this sounds like you, you need to meet my guest on this week’s podcast episode, Ruth Anslow, a woman who quit her Global Marketing Manager career to unveil a purpose-rich life as a social entrepreneur. It was a difficult road, but she discovered her true path and is here to share tips with you in discovering yours. LISTEN HERE (and if you know someone who needs to hear this, please forward it to them!)

If this inspires you to make a move, whatever stage of your career you are at, then stay tuned for our huge sale coming next week. We have up to 70% off our life changing courses, that could help guide you in the new direction you are dreaming of, or support you after you have made a major change. I’ll be back with details of that next week!

BethXx

Key Moments:

[2m 25s] Ruth shares how she is transforming the food industry and the social mission she is working on

[3m 30s] Why Ruth is so motivated to solve societal problems, and why you should work for what you’re passionate about

[5m 30s] The challenges Ruth has been up against in taking on such a strong industry, and how she deals with people thinking her mission is nuts

[7m 0s] Why you should start a community before you open a brick and mortar shop

[9m 0s] The confidence that comes from seeing the community you have built rally around the cause you’re fighting for

[9m 30s] How the people you need to build your business will be attracted to the energy you put out, if you’re not afraid to ask for help

[11m 0s] Ruth tells us why she has been outside her comfort zone for the last 10 years and wouldn’t swap it for the world

[11m 35s] Ruth reflects on where her innate “dream big” attitude has come from and how the vision for her future has quickly become a reality

[14m 0s] The crucial moment Ruth realised she had built a life she didn’t want

[15m 0s] The strategy Ruth took to discover who it was she really wanted to be, and what purpose she wanted to work for

[16m 0s] How Ruth came to quit her highly paid, Global Marketing Manager career to become a social entrepreneur

[20m 10s] Why and how Ruth set up business with her sister Amy

[24m 0s] How Anita Roddick’s legacy came to be Ruth and Amy’s inspiration in starting a business together

[26m 0s] The challenges that can come with working alongside a family member and the support they have had with their communication

[28m 55s] How HiSbe the supermarket physically came to existence

[30m 0s] Why Brighton, UK was the most suitable option for Ruth and her sister Amy to open their first supermarket

[33m 30s] Ruth explains how they’ve gone from a team of 3 balancing responsibilities to a team of 11 operating the store

[35m 0s] Ruth’s dream for her future

[36m0s] How do you know if now is the right time to start?

LISTEN HERE

On giving yourself permission to explore [+ new podcast: Women’s Adventure Expo co-founder Rebecca Hughes]

Posted on 2017-11-08 at 10:37 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

This year I have had the chance to meet hundreds of you in real life, through talks and workshops and book-related events. It has been such a pleasure to get to know you and your stories, and to hear more about what obstacles you face. Time and again the topic of adventure came up in our conversations. You asked me how I find the time to have adventures, how I push myself to take risks, and how I avoid getting too comfortable in the way I live, work and play.

My answer usually begins with some version of something I wrote in Freedom Seeker, when talking about the Freedom Key of ‘Adventure + Aliveness’:

“Adventure is a mindset. It’s about seeking out the unknown in all parts of your life. It’s a thirst for freshness. It’s an active pursuit of inspiration. It’s the thrill of pushing yourself in new territory.

Adventure often involves risk, and even sometimes danger. The gift of this is the acute focus required, which obliterates the demands of the normal world in the moment.

Aliveness is about being in the moment, drinking it all in. It’s about noticing and appreciating, and basking in your own sense of wonder. It’s about allowing yourself to be in awe.

This Freedom Key is about realizing you are part of something bigger than yourself, part of a fascinating and mysterious wider world. It’s about wanting to witness it first-hand and taking action to make that happen.

What is the opposite of adventure – boredom and monotony perhaps? And the opposite of aliveness doesn’t even bear thinking about. That’s why this Freedom Key is so important. It’s about the beating heart of life itself. It’s about engaging with the world around you, being an explorer and a collector of moments. It’s about so much of what can make living in this world so exciting.“

So this week I want to challenge you to seek out adventure and aliveness in your every day life. Where can you switch up your routine? Where can you try something new? Where can you inhale beauty and drink in freshness? Where can you push yourself beyond what is known and comfortable, into something scary but exciting, even in the smallest way? Go for it my friend!

To inspire you further, I’m happy to share this week’s Freedom Seeker Chronicles podcast episode with Rebecca Hughes, co-founder of the Women’s Adventure Expo. It is sure to get you fired up and curious about how to bring adventure into your daily routine.

Enjoy the show!

BethXx

In this episode, Women’s Adventure Expo co-founder Rebecca Hughes and I discuss the two different types of adventure seekers. There’s the sporty, thrill-seeking adventurer who challenges herself physically and mentally, and there’s the “urban explorer” adventurer who’s curiosity leads to twists and turns in business and life.

Which one are you?

Listen in to hear why Rebecca believes all women should give themselves permission to explore, live bravely and surround themselves with a community of likeminded souls.

Enjoy the show!

Key Moments:

[2m 30s] Rebecca tells us what the word adventure means to her and decribes the two different types of adventurers in the world

[5m 35s] What Rebecca has learned through being an urban explorer

[7m 0s] Moments when Rebecca felt trapped and her work life lacked adventure, and what she did to bring freedom back to her every day

[9m 40s] Rebecca’s thoughts on risk and why it’s essential for living and learning

[12m 0s] We chat about wild camping and how it’s a great break to experience a healthy pace of life

[14m 30s] How Rebecca has brought her children up with adventure at their core

[17m 0s] Rebecca’s advice for encouraging your children to climb

[20m 05s] How Rebecca’s business the Women’s Adventure Expo came to exist

[24m 25s] Rebecca’s business mission, core values and how they structured the business as a CIC Social Enterprise model

[25m 50s] The mix of adventure seekers who attend Rebecca’s events – some enormously sporty and physically brave, some less physical adventure seekers, explorers, and mummy adventurers

[29m 55s] How Rebecca feels when she is around women in her community who have such ‘can do’ attitudes

[32m 10s] Why women should unite to create communities and the importance of having other women in your life who empower you

[32m 50s] What Rebecca says to people who make finances the blocker for doing the adventures they love doing

[37m 0s] Beth asks Rebecca “What does Freedom mean to you?”

LISTEN NOW

How to find calm as a busy parent

Posted on 2017-10-23 at 4:35 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

Prioritising self care can be completely forgotten about – perhaps even laughed at! – when you’re trying to balance work, life and parenting. But if self care is a fundamental part of yours and your family’s happiness – you must be healthy and feel fulfilled to pass on the same for your children – why is it we don’t make it a priority in our day?

Meet Shawn Fink, a woman striving to help mothers find the inner calm, mindful moments in their day. In a world that is so fast paced, when you feel like you couldn’t possibly steal 10 minutes for yourself and a cup of tea, listen to Shawn’s advice to help you savour those quiet moments you need to make more of…

How to find calm as a busy parent Abundant Mama 1

1. Tell us about the work you do with Abundant Mama and how you came to start Doing What You Love?

Abundant Mama is a family and motherhood wellness program that teaches overwhelmed moms how to slow down, take care of themselves so they can take care of their families and how to mother from a place of abundance.

I started blogging in 2012 and sharing tips and tools for how to be more present, playful and peaceful and my blog took off. I ended up creating the Abundant Mama Digital Program in 2013 and it has been SO popular through word of mouth that I was able to quit my full-time job and focus on this project solely.

2. What is driving you to help so many mothers with the challenges motherhood can bring?

Creating a more peaceful world! I say it over and over again — peace begins with me. I have never found motherhood to be easy. And the more real conversations I have with other moms, the more I realize that there are many out there who feel the same way. We’re highly sensitive and deeply committed to doing this RIGHT and so we place a lot of false expectations on ourselves in the process. By helping moms face the challenge of motherhood with the right tools, strategies, self-care and support, I am helping to create a more peaceful world — one family at a time. That is my ultimate driving force.

3. How can any parent reading this silence the busyness and find calm in their day?

In my book, Savoring Slow, I talk about 12 habits to implement to really slow your life down. This doesn’t mean to no longer be busy. It means to create a sense of calm and beauty in your busy life. We’re raising kids — we’re BUSY. I’d like to share those habits here with your readers 12 Savoring Slow habits to adopt:

Wake Up — Practice waking up every single day to see the beauty in your life. It’s everywhere!
Release — Embrace the idea of letting go of what is not working for you any longer to create more time for what you love.
Reframe — Accept that your busy life is your beautiful life and start telling yourself a different story about how you are living.
Focus — Aim for a distraction-free life where you always try to do one thing or nothing at all.
Go Slowly — Forget rushing through and start lingering more in all areas of your day.
Do Less — Understand that the only way to have more time for the good stuff is to do less of the other stuff.
Plug-in — Reject the notion that you need to unplug and start intentionally plugging in to be more efficient with your time and life.
Unstructured — Create more free time in your family’s day to allow the wow moments to evolve and multiply.
Go Quiet — Quiet your mind and feel time expand in the process.
Savor — Take time to appreciate every little detail around you.
Abundance — Start seeing time for what it is — something to be thankful for in your life.
Make Space — Carve out physical, mental and emotional space in your life for the things you want more of in your day.

4. What do you think is the typical definition of ‘abundance’ for parents who join your community, and what practices are important to put in place to achieve that abundance?

Abundance often means FINALLY feeling like we are enough, we do enough and we have enough … and we can rest now.

5. As someone who is doing what they love, what does a typical day look like for you?

I’m writing this after my girls are back in school after summer break so my days are a bit different. But the idea is roughly the same. I wake early — often between 4 and 5 a.m. and take care of ME by doing my Rise and Shine Routine (I offer a free challenge on waking up early and taking care of yourself!). I then put all of my efforts into getting the family fed and out the door. Once everyone is gone, I get to work. I have about 7 hours a day on a good day to write, send emails, create products and manage my programs and clients. SO … no wasting time. In the late afternoon, I set my to-dos for the next day, take a walk and meditate before my girls get home from school. On a really good day I take a rest in my hammock! And then I try to put all energy into my family and home in the evenings … until I crash into bed often very early because I wake up so early.

6. How do you juggle being a mum with running a blossoming business? What challenges might you come across and ways to overcome them?

My biggest challenge is and always has been my schedule being so inconsistent. Summer break is hard because I don’t have much time to do my work — and taking time to do the work leaves me immense amount of guilt as it’s summer after all. The school year isn’t much better with half days, sick kids, holidays and appointments. I am a work in progress on finding the right way to let go and trust that it all will get done.

7. Do you have any tools/techniques to help mothers who feel stressed out/anxious/overwhelmed because they have too much to do?

I believe strongly in the brain dump exercise for overwhelm/anxiety and worries. This is when you write everything down that is on your mind. All fears. Worries. Tasks. To-Dos. And then you slowly cross off what you can release that is not URGENT. And often, most of it is not urgent. Here’s a post on that! https://www.abundantmama.com/ease-mama-overwhelm/

8. What’s your ultimate dream? And your dream for women/mothers as a whole?

My ultimate dream is to build the most helpful, loving support group for mothers around the world possible. If I could I would build us a REAL VILLAGE with real houses and we’d all live there together helping each other out. I’ve said — they say it takes a village to raise a child but I think these days it takes a village to raise a mother. My dream for mothers like myself — those who are highly sensitive, introverted and highly reflective — is to finally feel peace from the inside out because there’s no better abundance than a feeling of contentment.

Shawn’s snapshot

Your happy place: my hammock if I can’t get to the beach

Quickest way to find clarity: journaling

Mantra of the moment: I am strong as F@#$ 🙂

Best place to people watch: the Beach Boardwalk

Most inspiring books you’ve read recently: The Go Giver, The Hate You Give and Dial Down the Drama

Best ‘ah-ha’ moment this year: Realizing that just because everyone else is doing a podcast doesn’t mean I have to … in fact, I don’t even LIKE podcasts. I’m not an auditory learner. I tune them out. So, I quit my podcast and told everyone to follow my blog. It was a real coming home moment for me.

Biggest ‘proud ofs’ in life: Building my community, writing a book and self-publishing and, of course, becoming a mother.

Current passion project: ReKindle … I’m preparing to launch another round of this program that my community LOVES that is all about rekindling your marriage AFTER children. And, frankly, my husband and I always need to do better this time of the year after a busy summer. Wish for the world: For everyone to place being KIND over being right.

Quote you live by: “Coffee is a lot more than just a drink; it’s something happening. Not as in hip, but like an event, a place to be, but not like a location, but like somewhere within yourself. It gives you time, but not actual hours or minutes, but a chance to be, like be yourself, and have a second cup” ― Gertrude Stein

You can read more about Shawn and Abundant Mama at www.abundantmama.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter

What to do if you’re facing redundancy {+ new podcast episode with Kerry Roy)

Posted on 2017-10-17 at 11:52 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

I’ll never forget the day one of my closest friends phoned me at 9am on a Friday, and I knew something was amiss. She worked for an investment bank, NEVER phoned during office hours. It turned out that she had been made redundant with immediate effect, the last of her team to go. She had known it might be coming, but had buried her head in the sand and hoped for the best.

The funny thing is, the best did happen in the end, only not quite in the way she had hoped.

For someone who had been terrified of redundancy, I remember so clearly the lightness in her voice, the sense of relief and the excitement at the prospect of a new kind of freedom. No more commute. No more 6am starts. No more office politics. And so much opportunity. My friend is the first to admit she hates making decisions, so redundancy actually turned out to be a blessing because it made someone else make a massive decision for her. Now, four years on, she runs her own flourishing business, sets her own hours and gets paid twice as much to do the same kind of work she did before. And she loves it.

Sometimes the very things we are afraid of turn out to be the best kind of adventures. So if you are facing redundancy, ask yourself this:

“What if this were to turn out as a great blessing? What would that look like?”

And while you are thinking about it, I encourage you to spend 30 minutes listening to my latest podcast episode with free-spirited Yorkshire lass, Kerry Roy, who lost her job but found her calling.

Kerry used her redundancy notice to hatch her escape plan, combining running a successful glamping, wedding and events business with feeding her addiction for travel and adventure. Always determined to fulfill her dreams, seek new opportunities, travel often and be forever grateful for the wonderful journey of life, in listening to Kerry’s story you will be filled with motivation to bring your dream to life whatever may be thrown at you along the way.

Enjoy the show!

BethXx

Key moments:

[1m 0s] How Kerry dealt with the disappointment of her redundancy notice and instead made it a positive thing

[5m 0s] How Kerry juggled finances when she began the road to opening her own business

[7m 0s] Kerry discovered her calling, hear how

[8m 0s] How the support of Kerry’s partner, Dave, helped her make breakthroughs

[9m 0s] Building a power team of friends and family who helped start Kerry’s business

[10m 30s] Kerry’s attitude to ‘risk’ when curveballs are thrown her way

[11m 30s] The story behind Kerry’s business name, Camp Katur

[13m 0s] Kerry’s mission for Camp Katur, how she looks after her customers and ensures their escape from routine

[16m 0s] Key ways Kerry makes time and space for herself while juggling business efforts day to day

[20m 0s] How she balances work, life and travel – some great tips here

[22m 0s] What’s next for Kerry and Dave, their exciting plans to move to the mountains

[25m 0s] How Kerry and Dave work as a couple in aligning each other’s dreams

[27m 30s] Kerry’s amazing visualization for her future

[29m 30s] The challenges and fears Kerry faces on her next chapter…

Whose permission are you waiting for?

Posted on 2017-10-10 at 11:42 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

How has your week been? With all that is going on in the world, I hope you and your loved ones are well and safe, and that you are finding ways to see beauty in the every day beyond all the difficult news that surrounds us daily.

Over here, this past week I delivered a couple of in-person workshops, and noticed something emerging as a surprisingly common theme with many of the participants. It was the realisation that before you can be a Freedom Seeker, you have to give up the old story of being a Permission Seeker.

A disproportionate number of the participants were the youngest in their family, and realised they still look to their siblings for permission, validation and advice before they take action. For those who were the oldest in their family or an only child, there was a pattern of looking to parents for that same permission, validation and advice. It’s completely understandable, and we all do it in one way or another. However, the potential issues with this are manifold:

If you seek this permission, validation or advice from multiple sources, the conflicting advice you get back can be so overwhelming that you get stuck and don’t actually do anything
They may not give you the permission, validation or advice you are looking for, and that can drive a wedge between you
When something goes wrong, there is a natural tendency to blame those other people
When you make a decision based on the permission, validation or advice you sought out, and later reflect that it was probably the wrong decision, regret weighs even heavier

Fortunately there is a simple solution – simply to start giving yourself the permission you are looking for, to do whatever it is you are wanting to do, accepting your own validation as enough, and trusting that you know the answer already. Of course this is easier said than done, if it requires breaking year-old patterns, but you can begin today simply by making a list of what you really want to start doing or stop doing, and then granting yourself the permission to do that.

To help you, below you can find a printable permission slip (click to download a high res version) which you can download, fill in and keep somewhere you will see it regularly. I encourage you to do this today, and then get cracking with your dreams!

Have a great week

Beth

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Got an idea for a business? Got too many ideas? This conversation is for you

Posted on 2017-10-03 at 12:34 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

There are three questions I get asked often by people wanting to create a business around doing what they love:

It’s all so overwhelming. Where should I begin?
How do I choose which thing to focus on?
Is it really possible with a family to support?

Rather than just share my own views on this, I thought I’d invite the thoughts of someone who is at the coal face, working with start ups day-in-day-out.

Ben Keene is Head of The Escape School and founder of Rebel Book Club, and with a family of five to support, he is perfectly placed to share entrepreneurial wisdom with those who are juggling business needs and family demands. In this episode of my new podcast The Freedom Seeker Chronicles (which is totally free), Ben shares how to deal with risk when you’re starting a business for the first time, how to balance family and work commitments and the desire for travel. You can listen to it here. I hope this will give you some food for thought, and inspire you to go for it!