6 Things Homeschooling Has Taught Me About Business

Back in August I started homeschooling my 5 year old. I have always taught her but, never on a strict schedule. (I felt like I needed to say that because, you know as moms we always have to over explain things...just wanted y'all to know she has always been learning.) So, her doing schoolwork was nothing "new", So why was this so hard? Seriously, one day I just told her we had to finish another day because, I was mentally exhausted.

My brain was like this: 

Really though, why was this so HARD for me? It was hard for me because I was playing the comparison game. I was looking at everyone I knew and it felt like I was just not as great at homeschooling as they were. As with all things in motherhood and life in general, no one tells you the bad. Everyone wants to only tell you how awesome it is and how great they're doing. Fair enough. Maybe they don't have bad days. I don't know. Unicorns are real to some people.

Here's the thing; once I buckled down, got over myself and looked at how I could scratch that,  had to make this work for us. Things got better. I was trying to fit a square into a circle, like I've done so many times in business. I had to see what our formula was. Obviously, it was different that everyone else.

My daughter is a smart girl so the problem was me, not her. Same with business, the problem is ME not the business. Replace business with marriage, or school, whatever works for you.

My girl doing her schoolwork, hanging off the bed and wearing those hot pajamas.
 It was literally 90 degree that day. Whatever works. 

Here's where I went wrong in business and homeschooling:

1. Comparison: I had to learn (thought I learned this already -_-) that it doesn't matter where anyone else is or what they are doing. I have to deal with me and where I'm at now. Deal with today. We don't know what others are doing behind closed doors, we don't  know their struggles.

2. Consistency: If it works, keep at it. Don't switch or try something different. Do the same thing everyday. This is how you see progress. That's it. You can do the same thing in a different way but, keep doing the SAME thing. I have ADD or something because, I will know what works and still go off and try something else. I'm a glutton for punishment really I am.

3. Calm Down: Okay, you had a bad day, month, year. So what?! So does everyone else. It's not the end of the world. It feels like it though. Breathe and go on. You can do it. I'm doing it.

4. My Formula: If you can only do 2 hours, do 2 hours everyday. If you need to focus on one thing a day, do that. Do what you have to do (Consistently) to get what you need to get done.

5. Goals: You always need a goal. Even if it seems like a small goal, that's okay. If it's sending 10 emails a day, you're ahead of whoever doesn't send any. You have a plan. That's something!

And above all else!

6. Focus! I'm not a part of a million homeschooling groups. I can't be. I have no interest in what 100 other moms are doing anymore. If I need a specific tip, I'll look it up. For me, when I get too involved with others, I start scrutinizing what I do and forgetting what works for me. Then I'm back to square one; looking crazy. I've had to downsize my email inbox, I was following too many marketers and all of them were telling me different things to do at once. I needed to focus on one thing at a time. I had too many things left undone, nothing completed.

These things have made homeschooling easier and have also made business easier. We are really our worst enemies. We are harder on ourselves than anyone else. Don't do that anymore. You have the idea to start the project, you've also got it in you to finish the project, whatever it is.

It's October and I'm still homeschooling my girl! I've surprised myself. I haven't given up AND she is actually learning and growing!

Humble brag: She is in 1st grade books, she passed Kindergarten long ago. She is blowing her worksheets out the water. I didn't doubt her and it made all the difference. I had to stop doubting myself.

How To: Simple Steps For Taking Care Of Naturally Curly, Coily, Kinky Hair

I've had "natural hair" (hair that is naturally kinky, coily, curly and perm/relaxer FREE) for about 5 years now. I've never really found my hair hard to maintain, I found what worked for me and stuck to it. Consistency is key when you're trying to grow your hair long or just keep it on your head and moisturized. I'm a simple person who at times can even be considered lazy, so I like to keep things simple. As simple as possible for a mom of 3 with a 5 year old who has hair down to her behind.

So here are the basics. This is the starting point, you can grow from here.

CLEANSE- Shampoo. You need to use shampoo. It doesn't matter how often you use it but, the bare minimum needs to be once a month. Think of washing your hair as starting over, a clean slate, allowing your hair to breathe and reabsorb nutrients. Like washing your body.

Matter of fact, taking care of your hair is VERY similar to taking care of your skin. Minus washing your hair once a month, you need to wash your body everyday but, I'm sure you know that.

What to look for: Sulfate free? Sulfates are detergents that do their job too well and can over cleanse your hair, resulting in dry hair and an itchy scalp. Unless you've used heavy products and have massive buildup, use shampoos without them.

My shampoo recommendations:
Shampoo Bars
Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat

CONDITION- After your shampoo, next up is to apply a rinse out conditioner. You don't have to use the conditioner that comes with your shampoo, you can use any rinse out conditioner you want. I wouldn't advise you making this yourself, I suggest you purchase a great rinse out conditioner.

What to look for: Silicone free? Silicones make your hair feel nice and silky. The problem? Silicones coat the hair shaft and prevent moisture from getting in. They also have to washed out with sulfate shampoos. Using silicones creates a cycle of dry hair that looks nice but, it constantly breaking. It's an illusion.

What exactly is a silicone? Silicones are ingredients that end in -cone, such as: Trimethylsilylamodimethicone, Amodimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclomethicone, just to name a few. Those look scary don't they? They have their place in hair care, just not in our weekly wash routines.

What conditioners do I recommend?

Lia Naturals Detangling Conditioner (pH balanced!)

Giovanni (as you can see I love Giovanni products! They worked for me and I stuck with them, consistency is key.)

MOISTURIZE:  Moisturize with what? A leave-in conditioner. This step is important, don't skip it. First, we have to define what moisture is and what ingredients moisturize. Well, there are really only 2 true moisturizers; water and aloe vera juice. These 2, either 1 or the other or BOTH need to be the first ingredients in your leave-in conditioner. 

Leave-in conditioners are a very personal choice, no really, some folks will cut you behind their leave-in conditioner of choice. Just joking but, it is serious business. You have A LOT of options and sometimes it can seem overwhelming (I know you're probably already overwhelmed, sorry about that).

In this area you're really going to have to see what your hair likes. A simple spray of aloe vera juice & water, could be enough for your hair or you may need something more.

What Leave- Ins do I recommend?

• Make your own, here is my recipe for the one I use on my hair: Leave-in conditioner recipe.
• Koils By Nature: I am warning you, this stuff is awesome. 

There are literally 100s to choose from online, so make sure you read reviews and see which ones would work with your hair. If something works then stick with it.

SEAL: Last step! Seal all that moisture in! This step is somewhat optional depending on how often you wash your hair. If you plan on going days before you moisturize your hair again, you need to seal in the moisture to help lock it into your hair or else, your hair will be dry again in no time at all!

What are sealants? Sealants are butters and oils that do not moisturize your hair. They do nourish your hair but, they do not penetrate the hair shaft. They coat the hair and make a barrier between your hair and the elements. Sealants are really a MUST HAVE during winter.

Some great sealants are:
Shea Butter
Mango Butter
Whipped Butters- Lia Naturals Coconut Mango Butter
Coconut Oil- Can actually penetrate the hair shaft!
Argan Oil- LOVE!
Avocado Oil- Can actually penetrate the hair shaft!
and lots more!

You don't have to be heavy handed with sealants, just apply a light coating to your hair right after you apply your leave-in and you're all done.

Okay, so that wasn't so bad was it? Shampoo, Condition, Moisturize and Seal! Again, these are just the basics, there are other elements such as detangling, deep conditioning, pre-pooing (which I don't do), and more. You can do the bare minimum like me or indulge in a 3 hour hair session. The world is your oyster, really.