How to Find Your True Value.

As women entrepreneurs we often equate our value with our financial success. But I believe your true value is so much more than that! I learned this lesson early in the pandemic when forces out of my control had a big, negative impact on my business. Here’s how I dealt with that shift and learned (again) how to gauge my own true worth.

The Day My World Changed.

I remember the date – March 9, 2020 – when my life changed drastically. We were in the early stages of the pandemic and no one really understood what to expect. But the stock market (as the stock market does) knew and it crashed on March 9th. Travel bans began to pop up, everyone hunkered down, and definitely stopped taking beach or cruise vacations. This was right at my normal “peak season” that relies on travel so on that same day my sales dropped 80%.

The Big Question I Had to Face: What is my Value?

So the question for me was: what happens to our value when we lose the things that we believe give us value? This loss of business really affected me mentally. Almost overnight I went from having a multiple 7-figure business to not really sure what I had anymore. And I saw in stark relief that I’d viewed my worth as being tied to this successful business. As many of you know, I created this thriving business in my mid-fifties and I was really proud of myself that I was able to change my life.

For that first couple of weeks, I had this feeling of shock, but I remember thinking: this is kind of interesting. We were all in a never-before seen experience and I knew that there was nothing I could have done to prevent this drop in sales. So, I stepped back and used all the tools I had – meditation, research, strategy – to really assess where I was. I asked myself the big questions (which we all sometimes avoid).

Questions like:

Who am I now?

Am I still a successful woman entrepreneur?

Do I still have a successful business?

I realized that I was valuing myself based on the success (or failure) of my business. I saw that I was gauging my worth on the bottom line of my business instead of the accomplishment of having built a business at all! I saw that my true value is in my ability not the end result. Because I know that I can build a successful business (and I’ll always have that skill), my worth isn’t determined by a monetary success or failure.

Shift Your Mindset Around Worth.

And I know you are just like me! How did the pandemic affect you? Did you lose your job? Did you lose your business? Did your sales go down? Has there been a status changed in your life because of what's happened out there? Has your perception of your value changed because of all of this?

Let me be the first to tell you – your worth is in your ability not on your bottom line. You can still create books, music, or art; you can still build healthy relationships; you can still build a business up from scratch; you can still use your talents (that are always there) to create something new; you can still serve yourself and others in the world. 

Because nothing can take away your talent, your ability, or your drive. It's inside your cells; it's inside your longing; it's inside your wanting; it's inside your desires; it's inside your energy; it's inside of you! Sure, you’ll need to shift and adjust but that is where your value lies. You’re flexible, you’re adaptable, and you learn more every time you need to shift!

Your Experience is Always with You.

Once you realize this, you’ll feel a beautiful sense of freedom! This pandemic has been hard but it has brought me to a place I probably wouldn’t have gotten to otherwise. I feel as if I’ve had an epiphany around knowing my value and it’s truly freeing! My mindset has shifted so fully and I’ve realized I have the energy inside of me can create anything. And you can too! 

So, my question for you is: what are you going to do with that energy?

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Who is Leslie Kuster?

I became a 7-figure woman entrepreneur in my 50s -- with my successful Back from Bali clothing brand! It took some getting real with myself to finally say, “Damn it, I want money!” Now I am here to ignite women entrepreneurs -- like you -- to experience the empowerment, independence and joy of creating a business that brings you both money and freedom. Read more about my story here.