Embracing Autumn Energy for HSPs and Your Small Business
Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) who also happens to be a small business owner?
🙋♀️ Can you relate? Do you feel more tired lately, or find yourself feeling a little off as one season ends and a new one begins? Let’s harness that wonderful Autumn energy.
And, for those of you in the southern hemisphere, spring is arriving with fresh energy, blossoms, and a sense of new beginnings.
I’m an HSP and solopreneur offering branding and Squarespace website design services for purposeful business owners. I believe it’s essential to pay close attention to both our inner and outer realities, especially during seasonal changes, to run a business that brings freedom, flexibility, and a work-life balance.
Of course, as business owners, we still need to be productive and put food on the table. However, it’s really important to take the time to listen and act on what we know is good for us and, therefore, our businesses. Let’s find ways to harness this golden autumn energy season while staying true to who we are and what is best for growing our business.
What Is a ‘Highly Sensitive Person’ (HSP)?
The term HSP was first introduced by a psychologist named Elaine Aron. According to Aron’s theory, HSPs are a subset of the population who are high in a personality trait known as sensory-processing sensitivity, or SPS. Those with high levels of SPS display increased emotional sensitivity, stronger reactivity to both external and internal stimuli—pain, hunger, light, and noise—and a complex inner life.
Interestingly, did you know that about 15-20% of people are highly sensitive persons (HSPs)? That means that they're more sensitive to their surroundings, both physical and emotional. They may also be more aware of their own feelings and the feelings of others.
Oh, and HSPs can be introverts or extroverts, and of course, there's nothing wrong with being an HSP; it's just a different way of being in the world 😊.
So, whether you're experiencing a similar life transition or simply seeking ways to optimise your productivity and well-being, I hope these strategies can help you navigate the changing seasons and thrive in your entrepreneurial journey.
Personal Reflection: Embracing Change in Midlife as Empty Nesters
This autumn holds a special significance for me as my husband and I are about to become ‘empty nesters’ as both of our children are about to head off to university. As you might imagine, this is prompting a period of reflection and reassessment in both my working life and personal life. With one child having just left for uni, the house already feeling quieter and the daily routines shifting, I've realised the need to adapt and find new ways to balance my business responsibilities and projects, with self-care and personal growth.
This year in particular, I’m coming to appreciate the autumn season as a metaphor for this transition in my life. Just as the trees shed their leaves and prepare for winter, I find myself thinking about shedding old routines and expectations and creating space for new opportunities and personal development. This season of change is teaching me the importance of embracing the natural cycles of life, and how it can positively impact not only my own well-being but also the success of my business.
In this blog post, I want to share with you some insights and tips on how you can harness the autumn energy to boost your small business. Whether you're experiencing a similar life transition or simply seeking ways to optimise your productivity and well-being, these strategies can help you navigate the changing seasons and thrive in your entrepreneurial journey.
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”
Seasonal shifts for introverts & HSPs
In the UK, the Northern Hemisphere, autumn brings a natural transition.
A shift from growth and renewal in spring, and warmth, energy, and joy in the summer. Autumn sees a more reflective, letting go, releasing, and relinquishing vibe. There’s a certain ‘yin’, a drawing inward.
Again, the cycles of the year seen in nature are ever-changing, but without the leaves falling, there wouldn’t be any room for the new leaves of spring.
Below are some tips to help you acclimatise to this special time of year, both for your small business and for taking care of yourself as someone who may identify as HSP and a small business owner:
1. Embrace the Seasonal Changes:
Take a look at your services or product lines. Is there anything that needs to be introduced, adjusted, tweaked, or let go of?
This blog post shares tips on getting a personal brand website with authentic storytelling and interactive elements that showcase your brand and attract clients.
2. Revitalise Your Business Processes:
Evaluate your current processes, operations, systems and strategies. Are there any that are no longer effective, or could do with being brought up to date?
Today, list out 3 tasks you dread and ask why / what change would make them easier.
3. Reconnect With Your Business ‘Why’:
Every season, I personally like to reflect/tweak/reconnect with my ‘why’, the purpose behind my business, and when working and mentoring clients, I gently remind them to do the same.
Honing your why is what will get you out of bed in the morning ready to greet the day, and it’s also what your ideal client will connect with as they interact with your business. You may well have watched Simon Sinek’s TED Talk - an oldie but a goodie from 2009, or on YouTube.
If you’re wondering how your ‘why’ could be clearer/more aligned, consider booking a Web Strategy Session. I’d love to hear what emerges in your reflection and then suggest ways to weave this into your business.
Here’s My ‘Why’:
“I love helping entrepreneurs grow businesses that are both profitable and fulfilling with strategic and beautiful websites so that they get to live the life they truly want, and this, in turn, helps me to do the same.”
4. Autumn Energy-Themed Marketing Campaigns For Small Businesses:
Explore creative ways to incorporate an autumn offer, service, or promotion into your business. Go all out and use autumnal images, warm colours, and create a cosy atmosphere.
This blog post looks at how and why your brand voice matters more than ever. I share the steps to building stronger connections with your audience.
5. Look How Far You’ve Come:
Make a quick list of what your business has achieved so far this year. This can include completed projects but also thinking about any important insights, ideas, new ways of working, etc.
6. Autumn Vibe Set Up:
Get creative and make your workspace inspiring and uplifting to suit the autumn energy. For me, I like to add a few items from nature, a postcard or small piece of art, or a quote that inspires, comforts, or grounds me.
7. Taking Care of Yourself While Being Productive:
At this time of year, many of us may need more time to rest and recharge, versus the spring and summer months.
What’s currently on your plate (personal and biz) this season, and consider whether tweaking your client or workday schedule and setting new boundaries may help.
Change things up. Bring a sense of calm and cosiness by taking 10 minutes to enjoy a warm and soothing drink mid-morning, or have some quiet thinking/ideas time as you walk the dog earlier in the day, whilst simultaneously enjoying a little more sunlight, crunchy leaves and Vitamin D.
Incorporate other forms of movement in the colder months and make comforting, healthy food options to heat up for lunch, or make use of a slow cooker for an easy meal in the evening.
Pause here: take 2 minutes, close your eyes, think about what you’re shedding this season…
Additional Resources:
Here are some relevant links, videos and resources that you can explore for further information and support.
The Guardian Newspaper - could you be an HSP
Susan Cain - online course. Quiet At Work
Dallas Hartwig: Why you should change your lifestyle with the seasons
Conclusion
Harnessing the autumn energy can be a powerful way to boost your small business, especially for those of us who identify as highly sensitive people (HSPs). As HSPs, we are naturally attuned to our inner and outer reality, making it even more important to pay attention to the changing seasons and the impact they have on our well-being and businesses.
By embracing seasonal changes, revitalising our business processes, and reconnecting with our business's purpose, we can navigate the shifting energies of autumn in a way that aligns with our sensitivity and promotes growth.
It's crucial to remember that taking care of ourselves while being productive is key, and incorporating self-care practices and setting boundaries can help us thrive during this time of transition.
So, let's embrace the autumn mood and use it to create a harmonious balance between our sensitivity and the success of our small businesses.
If you need a new website or would like to optimise an existing Squarespace site, please get in touch to arrange a free discovery call to find out how I can help you.
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