I was heading to the gym the other day and for the first time I noticed three speed bumps that one needs to drive over as you enter the parking lot. I never consciously thought about the process of slowing down to get over these bumps - I simply slow down and take my time going over them. During my work-out I thought about how we all, from time-to-time, hit bumps in the road. It could be a set-back with your business plans, stagnant growth either personally or professionally, or things simply not manifesting in the time that you want (and need) them to.

For example, a client of mine who recently started her own business about 6 months ago hit her own bump in the road where she was facing faced major self-doubt about her progress thus far. She came to the session very anxious and explained how she felt that things haven't manifested in the time she thought they would - and how she should be much farther along the path then she is. This situation was a fabulous opportunity for us to work together on perspective - and how we could use her bump in the road to help her slow down and evaluate where she is on the path and where she wants to go.

We started out by looking at the last 6 months and taking an inventory of all the things she has accomplished in that time. We then matched these accomplishments up against the goals she had set for herself and the business. Within minutes, she began to see how much she truly has achieved. We then looked at her shoulds in terms of things she wants to see manifested but, for whatever reason, they haven't. We brainstormed and talked through her approach and she saw that some of the actions she was taking, were actually actions she felt extremely uncomfortable with.

For instance, in terms of marketing and selling herself - and her services - she explained that she's been attending pressurized networking events to "sell" her services and has felt each time she's attended, that it feels "very non-me". Being a huge proponent for extending your Self through your business - we discussed how this non "her" activity was probably doing more damage than good. We then spent the next 10-minutes brainstorming on activities that would feel more "her" and came up with 10 alternatives that felt much more natural, comfortable, and authentic.

When we face bumps in the road - especially on the tipsy, topsy, curvy, rollercoaster ride of entrepreneurship - we can use these bumps as a chance to slow down and take inventory of where we are and want to go - and most importantly - where we've been and all that we've accomplished. We are so quick to judge ourselves based on our shoulds and very rarely take the time to reflect on all the successes that have already occurred.