Elizabeth Jewell (previously Stephens) answers questions about being in business as a ‘woman-entrepreneur-spiritseeker’

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Because I would like to run my own project related to spirituality / counselling / inner growth, and I don’t know how to make it happen, and moreover, how to overcome my fear of doing it, I would like to hear from you what has been your personal experience as a ‘heart entrepreneur’. Natalia

You told me in conversation about the first NOs when you were calling people…. What kept you going despite those answers and especially what did you do?

I’ve always had the sense that I was working for God (or Spirit or the Universe if you feel more comfortable with a different name), though I admit it’s been a tug-of-war between the two of us much of the time. However, knowing at the base of it all that I was doing God’s work has kept me going in the darkest moments. I admit, in case I sound too holy, that I have often metaphysically shaken my fist at God because the job just seemed too hard. Indeed, it’s only recently that I am really aware that God, or the Universe if you prefer that, and the hierarchy of spiritual beings that are there for us to tap into, are waiting for me to release the fearful grip of ego and to know that I am being looked after. I admit I’ve known this for years, have been struggling with the concept of letting go, and have thought that I have handed the magazine over to a higher force many times, but each time it keeps coming back. Probably more correctly, I’ve not properly handed it over. So I wouldn’t want to say that I have totally tapped into the answer yet, but I am closer.

Image supplied by Orna Ben-Shoshan
www.ben-shoshan.com

Back to your specific question – the NOs are devastating to me personally. We all have a ‘story’ to test us, to sharpen our focus, to give shape to our personal and spiritual growth. You may know that mine was abandonment at birth. It’s perfect the way the scene is set isn’t it? I agree before coming here that I will learn about abandonment and rejection and not being loved. So I arrange the birth situation with my willing mother, who is now unconscious of the plan in the physical plane of course. Then I go about putting myself in a situation where I have to ask people if they will advertise with me. I mean, really, advertise!?! It’s a pretty dirty word for some people, and yet I’ve seen over the years (21 years in July) that many people have built their lives and businesses by advertising themselves in our magazine. It doesn’t work for some, but by far the majority must get results or we would not have survived at all.

So what did I do? Having an assuredness that God was wanting this project to work allowed me to ask the next person and the next and the next. On a personal level I have been a big consumer of the modalities advertised in the magazine, so that I could work through my angst, learn to forgive, learn to be happy with my circumstances, and so on. It’s no use telling you which modalities I’ve used for which aspect of my development, since everyone needs different methods, different practitioners, at different times. Just look in our pages and see who or what leaps out at you.

I have also meditated nearly every day of my life for the past 30 years, although at times I felt as though I was just going through the actions as my mind would not settle. Nonetheless, something must have ‘got through’. Without this practice, my connection would have been broken and I’d have definitely been adrift with my ego and my pain.

The other thing I did was to use my brain and, hopefully in concert with Spirit, come up with business strategies. Many of them over the years have not worked or have worked for a short time only and then had to be ditched. I have always learnt a good lesson of course, and now I feel very adequately trained to run a magazine, although the running of it is not what inspires me, and indeed not what I am good at. I am not meant to be a businesswoman per se, and yet have allowed myself to be caught in the treadmill. Many holistic practitioners find they are trapped the same way after they hang out their shingles – wanting to heal, but having to do their books, promote themselves, and maybe employ others.

Last year I had a particularly bad year and I asked my readers for help, which actually had a negative effect on my advertisers. I refer to it now because I was speaking to an advertiser just a couple of days ago and she mentioned my ‘very real’ letter asking for help. She was perplexed that, just after that, I announced that I’d be publishing Ripple News (which evolved to be upside down on the back of this magazine). She saw that I was ‘human and real’ by asking for help, but that it was somehow a Jekyll and Hyde situation when I announced a new publication. When she raised that point, because we were speaking, I was able to explain to her that I was guided to do it, and it was good business in that the ads in Ripple are less than half the price of those in LivingNow, and therefore cheaper than our competitors’ too. I hope I was able to convince her that they were both aspects of the genuine me – the letter asking for help and the need to act in the physical to ensure that the help had a channel to get to me.

In our holistic niche, it is very easy to keep our heads in the clouds and expect Spirit to work for us, but we must do the physical stuff. God gave us the brains and bodies to work things out for ourselves.

The tricky part is knowing how much to act and how much to allow. I’ll tell you the answer – if I ever really get it.

Elizabeth Jewell (previously Stephens) is the editor of LivingNow and the author of ‘Seven Angels Helped Me – They’ll Help You Too’, available for $30 including P&H. Phone 1300 730 326 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it