Ruth Poundwhite [00:00:00]:
I am going big this quarter. I have set myself a bold goal and I’ve got a hard deadline with an exciting trip to Thailand coming at the end of the year. But I refuse to let my business growth come at the cost of my well being. So in this episode I’m pulling back the curtain on how I’m actually supporting myself right now. The mindset shifts, the boundaries and the small but powerful practices that are making the momentum sustainable. And before I dive in, if you would love some support to boost your own Q4 sales in a way that feels soulful and not like you have to push harder, I I am hosting a free masterclass on October 15th on AI shortcuts to boost your Q4 sales without burning out. I’m going to show you how to use gentle human first AI strategies to make the most of this season without sacrificing your voice, your values or your energy. You can sign up for that@ruthpoundwhite.com workshop and I’ll pop that link in the show notes as well.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:00:53]:
Welcome to the Soulful Sales show where we talk about believing in the value of your offers, getting them in front of your right people, and selling more.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:01:02]:
Of what you do in your unique way. Hi and welcome back to another episode of the Soulful Sales Show. So in a previous episode I talked about how I am planning for a really powerful and profitable Q4 without burning out. In that episode I shared some of the things I did in Q4 2024 and what I’m taking forward and what I’m changing in 2025 and I wanted to record another episode. But this is more on how I am supporting myself. Because the truth of it is I am going big this Q4. I have made a conscious and empowered decision to really go for it. I am going to Thailand at the end of the year and it feels really, really good for me.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:01:47]:
I am so motivated by deadlines. So not only do I have the deadline of breaking up from work for Christmas the end of the year, but I also have this big trip planned. So it feels really, really good for me to set a big goal and to go big. Now I will caveat that by saying I am absolutely open to changing my plan. So I’ve just been planning out all the things I want to sell and all the ways I want to show up in Q4. There is a lot on my list and I know that some of it can be removed if I need it to. Because what will also tend to happen is the closer I get to the deadline, the more overwhelmed I can get. So I’ve built that into my plan so that there is some wiggle room.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:02:28]:
But yeah, generally I’m so motivated by deadlines and I’m really ready to go big in Q4, 2025. Not every season, not every quarter is like this for me. I definitely have more intentional times of scaling back earlier this year as well. I really intentionally did less publicly so that I could work on stuff behind the scenes. But yeah, this is just where I am. Doesn’t mean that it’s where you should be too. But I wanted to record this episode because in a season like that, when there is a lot going on and when I do have big goals, supporting myself personally with my mindset, my body, how I feel is very, very important, more important than ever. So I wanted to share some of the ways I am doing that right now to help me not just go big on these goals, but actually to do it in a way that doesn’t feel rubbish, that doesn’t totally deplete me, that actually feels good.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:03:27]:
So I think I have about five main points and I’m going to get straight to them. I’m on a very short time window to record this episode, so let’s see if I can do it in one take. Okay, so the first thing is something I mentioned in the previous episode, but I’m going to mention it again because it’s really, really important. Number one, I am recommitting to big goals. So I just went to this event with Susie Ashworth and I reflected on some of the goals I had set myself in at the start of 2025. And I realized that, you know, I haven’t hit my biggest goal. And the only thing stopping me from hitting it going forward is my belief that I can do it. The reason, my belief that I can do it is, is the thing that is stopping me.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:04:08]:
Because if I actually can believe it’s possible, I will still aim for it. If I decide that it’s not possible and that I can’t do it, it changes the way I show up. So I’m recommitting to that goal. And more than that, I am asking myself what the version of me who has already met that goal would choose in the moment. What would that version of me choose? And another question that I’m asking myself, and actually this will come in in one of the later points as well, is what would I choose if I wasn’t afraid? Because I think a lot of the time when we have a goal and when we can’t hold that goal when we just feel better to the goal go and decide that it’s not happening. The reason we do that is because we’re afraid it’s not going to happen. We’re afraid we’re going to be disappointed. We’re afraid it’s going to be hard.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:04:56]:
So that question of what would I do if I wasn’t afraid is really helping me to discern, like when I have different choices, it’s really helping me to discern whether this is a choice that is good for me in the long run, even if it’s a bit stretchy now, or it’s just something I don’t want to do full stop. So really, really helpful kind of mindset questions. The second point is more of a practical thing. Realize that I have let my boundaries slip massively this year and especially and, and this always happens to an extent. And I do cut myself some slack for this. When I was running my summit. I end up working early, working late, fitting work into little times of the day. It’s, it’s, it’s not the way I want to be living my life honestly.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:05:39]:
And at the same time, there are seasons where we do end up in that kind of way of working for whatever reason. But that is not how I want to be doing things going forward. And I also real when I was at this event with Susie Ashworth that my lack of boundaries isn’t necessarily about having too many things to do when I’m in a summit. I do have a lot to do and I do actually have plans in place to work with my team differently for the next summit. So I’m hoping it won’t be the same situation again. But let’s just say sometimes, yes, I do have too much to do and I do need to work extra most of the time though I do not believe that is actually the case. And you know, let me know if this resonates because I know this will resonate with some of you. I actually think that my lack of boundaries around stopping working or not working the evenings or weekends, whatever, is more coming from a place of fear.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:06:29]:
Like it’s either a fear of am I going to make this work the way I want to if I don’t take advantage of working every moment that I can. Or it’s a fear of being alone with myself and that’s like a really vulnerable thing to share. But it’s not the first time I’m sharing this because, you know, some of us are wired in a way that doing more keeps us safe. Some of us are wired in a way that thinking more and doing less keeps us safe and not doing the thing. I mean, that’s a very simplistic way to put it, but I definitely fall into that first category. Doing more makes me feel safe, it makes me feel worthy, it makes me feel valuable, and I think it also makes me feel in control. So therefore, like, my lack of boundaries really isn’t just about having too much to do. It’s about being afraid of what happens if I’m not doing.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:07:19]:
And what I have realized this year, or maybe that it’s not all this year, but the last few months, is that the. This lack of boundaries has really led to a lack of creativity. Because if you don’t have that space in your head when you are not doing, when you are not learning, when you are not being productive and being efficient, you don’t have any space to dream. You don’t have any space to come up with those ideas. You know, we often come up with our best ideas when we’re in the shower or when we’re on a walk, when we’re not so distracted by things. Right. So what I am reminding myself again and again is that working less actually leads to better ideas, more creativity, as well as being good for me. Right? But when I’m talking to that fearful part of my brain, I have to frame it in that way.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:08:07]:
It leads to better ideas. So the boundaries are. I’m going to really, really have firm boundaries in Q4. And I was actually speaking to my mastermind group. I’m in two mastermind groups, by the way. I need to do a. A podcast episode about these. I would say one of them is more business practical, and one is them.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:08:24]:
One of them is more spiritual and feeling. So I was speaking to my spiritual mastermind group, and one of the mastermind sisters in that group suggested to me that I create a new work agreement for myself. And I was like, you know what? I love that idea. Because sometimes we are living by rules that we haven’t consciously set and bringing it all to awareness and creating a new agreement with myself, I think is the way to go. So that is definitely something that I am doing asap. Boundaries. Okay? So number three is supporting my body and my energy. So when I was just about to hit the really busy time with my summit, I was speaking to my coach about how I often go to eating junk food when I’m in a really busy time.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:09:12]:
And I do. This is. This is a short period of time where I do genuinely just have loads of extra work to do. I often resort to eating really easy junk food. And it’s not even just about the time it takes to prep it or how easy it is. It’s also about the comfort of that junk food. And we talked about how can I make it easier for myself to eat healthily. And one of the ways was I just went to Waitrose supermarket here and got a load of prepackaged salads because their salads are so much better than the other supermarkets and Waitrose is a little bit out of the way for me.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:09:49]:
But it was like the reason I’m sharing this is part of me is like, why am I even sharing this? This is like the simplest thing. But clearly it’s not the simplest thing because I don’t normally do this. And by talking to my coach about it and making a plan ahead of time, I got these salads as much as I could that were, you know, not going to go off. And then I got another batch after that and I can’t. I noticed the difference during my summit. I physically noticed the difference of having, even though it’s a pre prepared, pre packaged salad, not a fresh one that I made myself, I noticed the difference versus the normal like basic cheese sandwich that I might have for lunch. I really, really noticed it. So I feel like obviously this is a, this is a thing that I would be thinking about all the time.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:10:35]:
But in the summit and, and the busy seasons, that’s when my habits slip the most. And really feeling that difference during my summit, how it felt was really, really powerful for me. So, you know, like I said, it seems like the simplest tip. But in case you need reminding like I do, I thought I would share it anyway. And of course I’m also prioritizing my sleep, I am prioritizing my hydration and I am prioritizing getting outside. I find that just getting outside and walking is one of the best ways to shift my energy. And when I have a lot going on, often my brain can feel very full and it’s easy for me to slip into a place of overwhelm and decision fatigue.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:11:17]:
I feel that moving my body is the best way to shift that. And you know, if you’ve been here for a while, you know that I have chronic fatigue. It’s really not that bad now, but I do still have to be careful. I definitely have crashes and phases where I cannot be moving my body so much. So in those cases, even just getting outside and doing a lap of the park that is outside my house, which is not that Big even that is helpful. So just reminding myself of those, these basic things that we all forget. Okay, Number four is claiming support. So one of the biggest challenges I have had is that when things feel hard, I think that I need to figure it all out myself.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:12:04]:
And I have, like I said, I’ve got two mastermind groups. Both of these are peer led mastermind groups. So they’re not paid containers. They don’t have a leader, they are peer led. And they work because we are all committed. They have been so valuable to me and just remembering to ask them when I am feeling overwhelmed, when I’m stuck on a decision. And actually I’ll talk about decisions in the next point. But making a decision when I’m stuck between different options, sometimes that is the most draining thing.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:12:37]:
It’s not actually doing the work itself, it’s deciding when to schedule this, should I do this or that. Because I have way more ideas than I can ever act on and making those decisions is, is tiring. So using that support and also, you know, having that spiritual support like I talked about with people reminding me to work less or nourish my body clearly I wish that I could just remember that myself. And it feels so obvious. Like I said before, but I do need other people to help me. And it was my coach that reminded me that maybe I could prep a bit differently. Even if I was still getting pre packaged food, it could be salads from Waitrose, you know, so really, really helpful. And I also find that sharing some of my goals out loud.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:13:27]:
So I’ve, I’ve, I’m not sharing it with you, but I’ve shared it with my coach and my masterminds about my goal that I’m recommitting to is really, really helpful. Saying it out loud, Going back to the first point I made about recommitting to goals, it’s really easy to let those go when you’re the only one who knows about them. When you share them with coaches or peers, they become more real. And then there are people who are on your side who can actually remind you of them as well. And also, let’s just be real. I often just get a really good dose of perspective when I am turning things into a really big deal that helps to keep me moving. And on the topic of keeping on moving, I want to get to my fifth point which is making quicker decisions as a way to support my well being. This was a big aha moment that I had recently.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:14:22]:
I thought about a lot of the things that I’m planning to do. And one of them in particular has been on my list probably all year. And I’ve been delaying it and delaying it and delaying it. And I was reflecting on how much mental space that is taking up up in my brain. And then I made a list of all the other little things that are taking up mental space in my brain and I was like, oh my goodness, this is wild. What happened was when I was away in London at this event, I talked about, I went back to my hotel room on one of the evenings, I looked at my list and I thought, how many things can I check off this list this evening? And you won’t believe, I checked off most things. There were about 10 things on the list. I probably checked off like eight of them that evening.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:15:04]:
They did not take long whatsoever. They were things that I had kind of already decided but actually wasn’t going all in on. And when I say going, they weren’t big things. Like one of them was closing a Facebook group for one of my memberships. Because the Facebook group is so quiet. I just don’t need that in my brain. Like they can use my client only Facebook group instead, things like that. So not necessarily huge things also like setting a date to do a free workshop or webinar.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:15:30]:
I checked most of the things off that list in an evening and it really reminded me how much brain space these decisions take up. And you know, one of them I talked about in the previous episode about how I’m planning for a profitable Q4, which was to retire some of my offers as well. And it just. And actually one of the things I have witnessed, so I’ve been in my peer led, more business practical focus mastermind for about a year now. One of the things I have witnessed in the other people in this Mastermind, who are all brilliant, successful business owners, is how quickly, like they’ll be talking about something on one of the Mastermind calls and then the next day they’ll be putting something out there. They act on things very quickly. And I was reflecting on this to my husband and I was saying, probably from the outside you might see me as that as well. And I can be like that.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:16:19]:
But there is a lot more indecision and faffing around and overthinking going on behind the scenes than you might realize. So I’m not pretending that it’s all going to be fixed overnight, but that exercise where I listed out all the things that I was undecided on or that I had sort of decided on but not acted on and actually took action on them that evening in a not very long period of time to get them out of my head. That was so eye opening. So my, my mantra going forward is that that deciding is supportive. And I’ve said this before, but you cannot make a wrong decision. The wrong decision is usually not deciding at all because it takes up space in your head. And actually one of the things I mentioned in the, in the last episode about my Q4 was that in Q4, 2024, I finally made the decision to stop posting on Instagram. That had been in my head for months, if not the whole year before that.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:17:14]:
So making that decision instantly took a load off my shoulders and helped me just to focus on the stuff that was actually important. So there you have it. There’s some practical stuff here. There’s a lot of mindset stuff here. I hope that this has been helpful for you. I’m just going to ask you a few questions to help you reflect on some of this stuff as well. Is there a goal that you are willing and ready to recommit to for the last quarter of the year? Maybe something you set at the beginning of the year that you’ve decided isn’t possible because it hasn’t happened in the first three quarters? Well, I hope that you realize that it is still possible. Can you share that out loud to a community or a coach or anyone that feels like the right person to share it with that makes it feel a bit more real? Are there any boundaries you can set to support yourself? Any ways you can take care of your body and maybe do what I did and make a list of all the decisions that you are putting off or that you haven’t acted on and see how many of them you can just get through.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:18:11]:
If you really commit to no more faffing around, no more undeciding. I’m just going to choose and if it’s the wrong choice, so be it, because at least I’ve made a choice and got it out of my head. So I hope that this has been helpful for you. Definitely been helpful for me to reflect. And I just wanted to say as well that I am running a free workshop and I actually made the decision to push it back a week. It was one of those things that I was about to get all up in my head about and I was like, no, you know what, I’m just going to push it back a week. I need the time and you can sign up for that RuthPoundWhite.com workshop. It’s all about AI shortcuts to boost your Q4 sales without burning out.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:18:50]:
So if, like me, you are planning for a really powerful Q4, you have a lot of emails to write, you have a lot of content to create, you have a lot of ideas to work through. This is going to help you with all of that in a way that honors your energy, that honors your values, and that doesn’t lose your voice and your uniqueness when you are using AI to support you. So that’s happening. On the 15th of October. Get your free ticket to that workshop@ruthpoundwhite.com forward slash workshop and I look forward to seeing you there.

Ruth Poundwhite [00:19:18]:
Thank you so much for listening to another episode of Soulful Sales. If you have a moment to rate and review, know that it really does make a difference and if you’d like to carry on the conversation then you can connect with me on instagram @ruth poundwhite. Sign up to my newsletter at ruthpoundwhite.com forward/newsletter or my personal favorite. Join me inside the Low ticket membership@ruthpoundwhite.com membership and keep doing what you’re doing because your work really does matter.