Running your own small business can be a bumpy road. Many small business owners go through moments were we aren’t sure we can succeed or that we are “enough” (good enough, smart enough, talented enough, etc).

Overcome the confidence crisis! Create your own positivity file. It can be a folder on your computer, a folder on your desk filled with printed papers, a special box, a bulletin board on your office wall, or whatever else you’d like to use. It’s a place where you can keep things that are positive and remind you of your value and accomplishments.

Ideas of what to include:
- Customer comments or testimonials
- Pictures of your favorite projects
- Awards, reviews, etc.
- A profit statement from your best day/month/year in business
- Comments from your colleagues
- Your own notes on projects or clients you feel you made a difference
- Accomplishment journal

If you’ve been in business for a while you probably already have many of these items and will just need to gather them.

If you need help building things to including, here are some suggestions:
- Join LinkedIn or Merchant Circle and invite your clients to leave you reviews
- Send an email to a few of your favorite clients and ask if they’d be willing to write a testimonial for you
- Look back through your project files and find the projects that you enjoyed working on, whether for your own business or in a previous employment position, and include those in your file
- Start an accomplishment journal and write down something positive you accomplished each day — small or big, doesn’t matter, anything that you were successful at will help you boost your confidence

Next time you feel that confidence slipping, allow yourself time to acknowledge the feelings, then pull out the positively file and refocus on the reasons that you have to smile and be confident.

Would you like to republish this article on your website or in your ezine? I’d be honored! Please include this at the end of it with my link:
Work at home mom extraordinaire Michelle Shaeffer publishes The Muses Brainstorm, a weekly ezine with tips to help you balance, manage, and market your home based business. If you’re ready for inspirational guidance and bright ideas sign up free at www.thesmallbusinessmuse.com.

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade!

I’ve been awarded the Lemonade Award by Tammy of the ParentZone blog.

Visit Tammy’s blog for articles, healthy recipes, tips and more.

Here is how the Lemonade Award works…
1) You must link back to the person you received the award from.
2) You have to nominate 10 bloggers who are deserving of this award!

So, here are 10 blogs I nominate.

• Organising Queen – http://organisingtips.blogspot.com/
• Create a Thriving Business – http://createathrivingbusiness.com/
• The Savvy Entrepeneur – http://blog.cristinafavreau.com/
• Article Writing & Marketing Tips – http://wahm-articles.com/blog/
• Beneath the Rowan Tree – http://beneaththerowantree.blogspot.com/
• August Afternoon – http://www.augustafternoon.com/blog/
• My Happy Crazy Life – http://myhappycrazylife.com/
• Virtual Freedom 4 U – http://virtualfreedom4you.com/blog/
• My Direct Sales – http://mydirectsales.com/
• Freelance Mom’s Blog – http://freelancemom.com/blog/