If you’ve fallen off your design track and find yourself caught in doubt or anxiety, these five surefire steps will guide you back—and help you stay grounded in your design success.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
02:45 – “Setting intentions with index cards”
10:15 – “Releasing the how and stepping into belief”
13:25 – “Catherine’s breakthrough after four months”
21:05 – “Using gratitude as a tool in dark times”
29:10 – “Choosing peace over people pleasing”
#1 Set Your Intention Daily
This step anchors your entire day. I write my intentions every morning on a standard index card. It takes less than 20 seconds. At the top, I put the date. Then I set the tone for what I want the day to feel like and what I’m creating. That’s the key—you are the creator of your day.
Ask yourself:
✔︎ What will you do today?
✔︎ What attitude will you bring to doing it?
✔︎ What outcome are you looking for?
My tools for this practice? I pull a card each morning from The Secret’s deck. I also use The Secret Daily Teachings app. Today’s card reminded me:
“Think before you act. Make it a daily habit to determine the outcome of every event in your life through your thoughts.”
You’re not a bystander in your business—you’re the creator. You have the freedom, the power, and the ability to declare your day in advance.
#2 Establish Your Expectations: Anticipate All Good Results
What you think about, you bring about.
If you fixate on what you don’t want, that’s exactly what you’ll get. When you instead focus—without hesitation or doubt—on what you do want, and give it space and time to unfold, it will.
Wayne Dyer once said: “Your doubts are your traitors. If the sun and moon should ever doubt, they’d both go out.”
Doubt feeds anxiety. Faith feeds results.
Release the need to know how. That’s where overthinking lives. Let the how show up for you. It always does when you’re rooted in belief and imagination.
Designers I coach have experienced this over and over:
✔︎ Catherine P. waited four months for her ideal client. She stayed clear, passed on poor fits, and eventually landed multiple high flat-fee projects.
✔︎ Ania D. flipped her focus from what she didn’t want to what she did. She opened her home to potential clients. Within six weeks, she secured three ideal projects—each one bigger than the last.
✔︎ Lindsey G. and Jerad Gardemal also followed these exact steps and are still reaping the rewards.
They weren’t waiting passively—they were preparing. They stayed grounded in belief. They stayed ready.
#3 Lead with Gratitude Every Day in Every Way
Gratitude isn’t just a mindset—it’s a strategy.
I use a gratitude journal daily. I build gratitude into my intentions. I make it part of my environment.
Take inventory often. Look around at what’s working. Look in the mirror and acknowledge what’s right about you. Gratitude is fuel.
Even when life felt dark, I still had things to be grateful for—but I had to open my eyes to them. Not just physically. Spiritually, creatively, soulfully.
Dr. Joe Vitale started his journey as a homeless man grateful for a pencil stub and a scrap of paper. Today, he’s a best-selling author and multimillionaire. It started with gratitude.
If work is off, be grateful for your family. If your family isn’t working, be grateful for your health. If your health is shaky, be grateful for your home. If your home doesn’t inspire you, be grateful for nature. Climb the ladder of gratitude.
You can be grateful for the past, present, and future all at once. Gratitude unlocks creativity, resilience, and profitability.
#4 Look for the Lessons Always
When things aren’t going your way, it’s a sign that something better is on its way. In the meantime? There’s a lesson waiting to be learned.
The pandemic taught us that. It felt like everything was falling apart—but the silver linings were profound:
✔︎ We learned to outsource.
✔︎ We mastered remote work.
✔︎ We gained precious time with family.
✔︎ We reconnected with clients.
✔︎ We got creative within new limitations.
And what did it lead to? The greatest demand for design in our lifetimes. Consumer demand went from 6% pre-pandemic to 20% today. That’s triple—and it’s still holding.
When you’re in a hard place, remember that. You’re being prepared for something greater. See into your life and your business, not just at it.
#5 Take Care of the Company You Keep
Be selective with your time. Be intentional with your circle.
Toxic team members, clients, or collaborators will drain your energy and resources. Replace them. Your business can’t thrive in a toxic environment.
The same goes for friendships. I once led a group of girlfriends, organizing weekly events. But I wasn’t feeling connected—I was just the organizer. When I deleted the group, I expected to feel a loss. I didn’t. That told me all I needed to know.
Only four or five of those women were true friends. And I’m grateful for them. The rest? Good people—but not my people. Values didn’t align. Energy didn’t align.
It’s okay to walk away.
This includes family. You can love someone and still choose to protect your energy. You’re not obligated to spend time with those who leave you drained or anxious. You get to choose. And that choice can be both liberating and polarizing.
The same principle applies to clients. Not every client is your client. If they’re not a fit, it’s okay to say no. That’s not just protecting your business—it’s honoring your peace.
Key Takeaways
✔︎ Set your intention daily
✔︎ Establish your expectations and anticipate all good results
✔︎ Lead with gratitude every day in every way
✔︎ Look for the lessons always
✔︎ Take care of the company you keep
These five steps will carry you through challenging times and bring you into greater fulfillment, success, and satisfaction. When you make them a habit, they will transform your life and your business.
If you’re serious about growth and ready to take action, coaching will accelerate your success. It starts with a confidential Design Business Assessment—a complimentary session where we’ll take a close look at your design practice, where you are, and where you want to be. We’ll put together a plan to close the gap.
If you’re ready to explore coaching, schedule your Design Business Assessment here.
