48% of Entrepreneurs Suffer from Mood Disorders and Depression {Is this You Too?}

These past weeks have been a whirlwind of live events and intense eclipse energies. I’m officially now a mother of teens, with my youngest, sensitive Piscean son turning 13 on the 15^th of March. It has been a tough start to his high school years as he has struggled to adapt to the new demands that young adulthood brings. There have been oceans of tears and a growing realisation that flexibility and openness to change are some of the most important qualities we need to cultivate in life. All of life is change. It’s possible we may be going back to the Shearwater Steiner school which supported his early childhood years so beautifully. After spending time now in both the mainstream and alternative worlds of education, it feels liberating to make a choice from a place of having experienced both styles.

I’m so grateful for the tool kit of support that I’ve needed to liberally apply these past weeks to try and keep my nervous system steady. My staple self-care strategies being prayer practice, meditation, trataka (candle gazing), DoTERRA oils, swimming endless laps every morning at my local pool, the love of friends, gathering in women’s circles and blessing-way ceremonies, counsellors and self-coaching.

If you’re in business, you know how important it is to support your nervous system to prevent the adrenal fatigue and depression so commonly suffered in the entrepreneurial space.

Once upon a time, it was taboo for leaders to admit to experiencing personal and physical challenges. It’s tempting sometimes to think that everyone else has their act together and that their lives are picture perfect. This has been borne from two factors: firstly there’s still so much unnecessary stigma surrounding depression and mental health and secondly, (due to factor one) the need for businesses to appear robust to investors and clients for perceived marketing viability.

I’ve always advocated for visibility and vulnerability as one of the greatest connectors in your business. The people who understand your challenges and your personal triumphs are the ones who are more likely to want to do business with you. The feminine shift calls for a very different style of leadership to the stoic and polished leadership styles of the past. I’ll never forget choosing my first coach based on the fact that she was a mother just like me, and had a toddler in the background and a baby on her breast and a messy house – and she hadn’t done her make-up. She understands my challenges and she’s also successful at what she does. Bring it on. Let’s change the status quo shall we?

There has been a slow rise in willingness for entrepreneurs to admit to just how prevalent their depression is in the roller-coaster ride of start-ups and expanding business. This may in part be due to the fact that women are so adept at expressing their feelings and are taking up more and more space in the entrepreneurial world.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I’ve never made a secret of the fact that I suffer from depression. Whilst my mood disorder has been challenging to manage throughout my life, it is where I’ve learnt to find my edge in business. It has given me sensitivity to some of the energetic subtleties of business which has allowed me to refine sustainability practices and adopt a slow cook approach. It’s also enabled me to see my clients and their superpowers with greater intuition and insight. It’s been a gift for thinking outside the square and being fearless in the face of dragons. Put simply, depression helps you to build the resilience and courage to be able to say, ‘f*ck you’ in the face of trials and tribulations. It also lead me to seek refuge in the calm, loving space of meditation and yoga.

Following a period of depression, more often than not I surge forth into a hypo-manic phase which brings huge doses of inspiration and creative juice. It can be a roller-coaster ride, but there’s genetic viability in it because it’s a persistent and prevalent trait common to many human beings walking the planet right now. It’s one that is also typical for entrepreneurs because we thrive on the cyclic nature of business and the grandiose ideals that make us crazy enough to believe we’re here to make a difference in the world. It’s why depression rates are considerable higher in the entrepreneurial space – we are more likely to be drawn towards a visionary quest. It often comes with traits that make us ‘unemployable’ in that we love to think for ourselves, find it challenging to be submissive in the face of authority and love to work our own hours.

Please know that Sacred Women’s Business welcomes you if you happen to fall outside the mainframe in the ways that you think and feel. I’m here for the long haul. I choose to reframe sensitivity as a gift and I’m unashamed to put nervous system regulation at the top of my priority list and yours if you become a client. I’m grateful that my vulnerability has kept me connected to my body out of necessity. Disconnection to the body is dangerous for entrepreneurs. An embodiment practice – dance, swimming, yoga, tai-chi, walking, running – helps you consistently connect to your steady ground within and find poise in your body. Intellectualisation has a tendency to take you away from your gut instincts and away from your body’s intuitive knowing. Your deep bone wisdom points you to the green or red lights of your yes and no. Spend time in your body, every day. Get out from behind your screen and take some deep breaths, do some pelvic floor exercises and take a walk.

Over the coming months, I’m planning to share more about the embodied feminine leadership tools that will help to support you to regulate your nervous system and experience a feeling of slow, nutritious, sustained and nourishing energy release for your business longevity. I’d love for you to make a comment on the blog below if you’ve ever struggled with depression, mood or anxiety disorders and the best tools and strategies you’ve used. You’re so not alone.

Sacred Women’s Business is proud to be a stand for women who walk on the edge. We are not afraid to admit that we are never done. Our self development and continual cycles of evolution are never-ending and we are the mistresses of working with our unique challenges and not struggling against them. We are unashamed of being exactly who we are. I love your courage, your strength and your incredible staying power. You’ve got this.
If you need some coaching to help you stay the course (because let’s face it: the only difference between someone who makes it and someone who doesn’t is staying the course) you can apply here:

https://lisafitzpatrick.com.au/11-coaching-packages/

Below, I’m sharing some poignant articles about the psychological price of entrepreneurship. Depression is a surprisingly common part of the entrepreneurial space. There’s a plethora of new articles being written on the topic. I would have to credit Brene Brown’s groundbreaking work on the Power of Vulnerability for supporting the absolute gift that embracing vulnerability brings and lifting the lid on the taboo of revealing the truth about how we feel as human beings.

And as all good speakers know, there is nothing more powerful than connecting with your audience through the poignancy of your heroine stories and personal triumphs over your challenges. Who can relate to that perfect person who never experienced struggle? I’m the first to lean in when someone describes a challenge that they have overcome.

Some insightful (and award winning) articles about depression in the entrepreneurial space:

1. http://www.inc.com/magazine/201307/brad-feld/many-entrepreneurs-deal-with-depression.html

2. http://www.inc.com/magazine/201309/jessica-bruder/psychological-price-of-entrepreneurship.html

3. http://www.businessinsider.com.au/austen-heinzs-suicide-and-depression-in-startups-2015-7?r=US&IR=T

If you’d prefer to email me privately, you can reach me at sacredwomensbusiness@yahoo.com.au

I’m here for you with all that I am.

P.S. – Women’s circles are a potent way to lift your energy and create profound transformation and connection. Find out all about the Sistership Circle’s program ‘How to Lead a Circle’ here http://bit.do/sistercircleSWB

P.P.S. –  Apply for coaching with me here: https://lisafitzpatrick.com.au/11-coaching-packages/

NEWS FROM THE SUMMIT 

It was an honour to speak on the recent Feminine Leadership Activation summit alongside some amazing women who are activating their leadership potential in many areas of life and business. If you’ve ever been drawn towards creating your own circle to share and support other women, Sistership Circle has just announced that their ‘How to Lead a Circle’ course is now open.  Check it out here.

One million circles.

With one million circles, we hit critical mass, a tipping point to make real change on this planet. Because when women gather in circle, we find our collective voice, which is stronger and more powerful than any one individual voice.

And so we need women to rise into their leadership and hold the space for these circles to exist in every town, state and nation around the world.

Sistership circle is creating a movement. A ripple effect. One circle at a time.

We’ve created a simple and effective structure, curriculum and system to empower you to start and grow circles in your local community. It can supplement what you are already up to or become a business for you.

And it all starts with the How to Lead Circle Program.

What is it?
“How to Lead Circle” is a 6-week online training program that shows you step-by-step how to facilitate our proven circle curriculum so that you feel confident in your ability to gather the women and lead them in circle.
How does it work?

Each week, you receive a new training Module inside our private membership site. Each Module contains step-by-step training videos, done-for-you templates and scripts, supplemental audio meditations and visualizations, and action guides designed to take you through the exact process to lead your circle program.

In addition to receiving your new training Module, you participate in a weekly circle call with other participants and the gorgeous summit host, Peta Bastion as your facilitator.
Go to: http://bit.do/sistercircleSWB

On these calls:

• You will get to experience the application of the facilitation teachings you have been studying that week.
• You will connect deeply with the other feminine leaders in the circle and go through The Circle Experience firsthand.

You’ll then be able to ask questions at the end of each circle call and in the forum to receive coaching from the Sistership Circle team (Tanya, Laura and Peta) and feedback from the community.

Normally, the program is $297. But for the next 24 hours, you can make the most of a Summit Special for $197 when you checkout with the coupon code: AUSFLAS1. Once you enroll, you’ll receive an email to select your call time. And if you have to miss one, you can always do a make-up during one of the other times. Go to http://bit.do/sistercircleSWB

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