Have you ever had a soul-sucking job? One that causes you to wake up in the morning with anxiety and a feeling of impending doom? If so, you’ve come to the right place, because today I want to talk about a topic that completely lights my soul on fire. I want to share how I quit my 9-5 job and built my own dream business (and how you can do it too!).
My story starts in 2022 when I had the realization that my corporate tech job was not the dream job I had hoped it would be. I was waking up in the morning feeling anxious, stressed, and fearful of what my day at work would hold. I started to experience backaches and get sick often. I quickly realized that this was my body letting me know that the work I was doing was misaligned and no longer the job for me. My work was affecting me physically and lowering my vibration. But how could I leave? What would I do for an income? So many fears and limiting beliefs came to mind when I considered leaving.
I decided to attend a twenty-four-hour retreat. The purpose of this retreat was to ditch the phone and get uncomfortable. The idea behind the retreat is that getting uncomfortable can push you to new levels and change your life for the better. The retreat included activities like staying in a teepee, doing yoga, taking ice baths, breathwork, utilizing a sweat lodge, and all that good stuff.
I had a strong calling to go to this retreat, yet I felt resistance to it. I was nervous about all it required—being vulnerable, doing things I’d never done before, being there with people I’d never met before, and so on. I pushed myself to go despite my fears in hopes that it would help me level up.
And it did. Not only did it provide so much clarity on what I wanted out of life and work, it completely changed my life.
While at the retreat I took the time to really consider my life and dream career. I didn’t want to spend my life dedicating time to a company that made me feel anxious and sick, did I? Absolutely not. So what’s the alternative? I knew I had to leave, but so many fears were coming up. “What if I never make money again? “What if I end up on the streets?”. I was encouraged to think realistically. I had family who would support me, and I was an educated, capable woman. There were a thousand money-making opportunities out there for me to take if necessary. I knew what I needed to do.
I promptly put in my two weeks and said goodbye to corporate life. I had a savings nest egg to support me for some time, which I took as an opportunity to travel, find myself, and build my very own business. Ultimately, it led me to create my dream business, Expand With Hannah. It's an online business where I help others expand their business through podcasting, online courses, and social media marketing. I help others expand their life and leave their 9-5s.
So, why am I telling you all of this? Well, there are five steps that I believe are critical to succeed in starting and growing your own business. I want to share them with you today in hopes that they will help you on your journey to starting your own dream business.
First and foremost, have trust in yourself.
I took a huge leap of faith when I left my corporate job. I had no next job lined up. I had to put full faith in myself that I could figure out a better path and improve my life. I would wake up and tell myself every morning, “I am capable. I trust myself. I trust that leaving my job and pursuing something new that will set my soul on fire is the best possible decision I could make.” I would repeat these phrases when fear would seep in. I made myself trust me so deeply that I knew I would succeed. It was almost a delusional, deep inner knowing. Life would work out for me.
2. Build a powerful network.
“Your network is your net worth.” Who are you surrounding yourself with? Do your immediate friends support and believe in you starting your own business? Do they have beliefs that support you in leaving your 9-5 and living your dream life? Or are the people in your life saying things like “it's never going to work, you’re never going to be successful, it's going to be so hard,” etc.? The mindsets and energies of those we are closest to have such a strong impact on our mindsets. It’s critical to ensure we are surrounded by like-minded people who want to see us succeed.
This is why I recommend surrounding yourself with a group of people who are doing similar things to what you want to do. I found a group of fellow entrepreneurs and was able to see successful business owners firsthand. They were passionate, excited, and building the life of their dreams. Seeing other people in their purpose was evidence that it was possible for me too.
3. Take an exploration phase.
After leaving my tech job, I had to sit down and think deeply about what I wanted to do with my life. I went through a whole journey of having an idea, imagining it coming to life as vividly as possible, and considering, “What would my life look like if I were to make money in this way?”
There was an exercise I did that was particularly helpful for me. It’s called “100 Opportunities.” What you do is get a piece of paper and a pen and write out 100 possible ways for you to earn income.
So often we get into this fear mindset of “If I leave my current job, how am I going to make money?” When in reality, there are thousands of possible ways to bring in income. If we stay stuck in fear, then we are unable to consider and seek out other options. This exercise is so helpful in reframing your mindset and opening yourself up to all the abundant possibilities that exist for you.
You can start off with jobs like bartending, serving, cashier, working for your city, etc. Then consider your unique skill set and all the ways you can put your knowledge to use in different roles. Take it a step further and think about what lights you up and gets you excited.
p.s. I began with consulting...interested in learning how you can start your own consulting business? Download my free guide here
I started thinking about my life and what I love to do. I considered times in my life when I felt so lit up. I thought about being with friends, enjoying nature while on a hike, listening to music, etc. Once I had those experiences in mind, I was able to play with them as they would apply in the workforce. I had so much fun exploring so many different roles and ideas. It allowed me to find the ways that light up my soul and connect them to a potential way to make money. This exercise helped me realize that I wanted to create a community, connect with others, and aid others in finding their path in life.
The exploration phase was key in me figuring out who I wanted to serve and how I wanted to make a mark on the world. Try these exercises and see what comes up for you!
4. Learning to Release Control.
Let go of old things to make space for the new to come in. If I had stayed at my job, I probably would not be sitting here with my own business today. I’d likely be held back in fear, spending my time doing work I didn’t enjoy. I would probably still be stuck in the cycle of going out drinking, waking up the next day hungover and anxious, and feeling bad about myself.
Instead, I left my soul-sucking job and allowed space for an aligned opportunity to come take its place. When we make room for things that we are meant for and that we truly desire, the Universe will deliver.
I encourage you to consider the following: what in your life are you no longer aligned with? What can you let go of? Release that which no longer serves you and watch what comes to fill in that space.
5. Delusional Thinking.
We want to manifest the things that we desire, right? To do this requires a few steps.
First, it takes aligned feelings. If I desire to go on a vacation to Bali, I need to align my thoughts and actions as if I am already on that vacation in Bali. I need to embody how I would feel on a vacation in Bali. For example, while in Bali, I believe I would feel a sense of freedom and excitement, the warmth of the sun on my body, the nourishment from nature and the healthy food I would eat.
Now, how can I bring these feelings into my life right now? Let's take freedom, for example. What is an example of a time in my life when I felt a sense of freedom? I’m going to take that memory and fully immerse myself in it.
Second, it takes aligned actions. I need to consider what actions I can take to make a trip to Bali happen. I can search for flights, research hotels, talk to a travel agent, etc.
Considering your aligned feelings and taking aligned action requires delusional thinking. It means convincing yourself that something is going to happen without any current proof of that being the case. I make myself feel all the feelings that I am desiring and choose to bring them into my daily life.
This is exactly what I did with my business. I convinced myself that I was a successful business owner running a multiple six-figure business. I was thinking this even before money was coming into my bank account. It may sound crazy, but having delusional thinking pays off. It creates an inner knowing and inner belief that what you desire will come true.
When our energy is aligned with what we desire, it is impossible for us to not get it.
If you are ready to start the journey to building your own dream business, book a free discovery call here with me for us to connect.