Building a Foundation For Purpose

Guest post by Joyce Harrell

I often get the question, “How in the world do you work fulltime AND try to run a business?” Some days I ask myself that question. The answer is always the same. I am building a strong foundation toward the purpose for which I have been called. There is an inner drive that keeps me going. That drive comes from the vision to see my dreams fulfilled. I believe it is a God-given vision.

Many times entrepreneurs have a dream, and everything may be in season to line up and carry them into that dream right away. They may have a financially supportive spouse which allows them to put 100% of their efforts into growing their business. Others may choose to take out a small business loan or have capital saved to pursue their dream and vision fulltime.

Currently, none of the previous situations apply to me. I am married. However, to leave my job and pursue my passion fulltime is not something I am able to do at this time. I have always had this inner knowing that I wanted to work for myself. I also knew the general area that was of interest and passion for me.

It wasn’t until my 50th birthday that I had an event which propelled me forward to realizing my dream. This time of reflection prompted me to take a good self-evaluation. I wasn’t fulfilled in my life and knew this was the time to start making changes.

I started praying that God would make clear my path, and that I would walk through the doors He wanted to open for me. Soon after, I started getting clarity about moving forward. I wanted more training, so I enrolled in two wellness coaching programs, one after the other.

I started building a foundation for the path I was taking. Here was the key for me. I didn’t have a get-rich-quick idea that automatically started the income I needed to do this fulltime.
The other “aha” moment came to me while going through the coaching programs. I had a lot of self work to do. Much negative thinking and negative mind tapes needed to be replaced with who I really was and am in Christ.

As a nurse, my physical passion is to help other people realize how prevention of disease is important. I do this through coaching others on prevention, by changing negative behaviors like food patterns and by incorporating healthy lifestyles for prevention, or even management of disease.

The other is a spiritual passion I have to wake up women to who they are in Christ and to empower self-acceptance and purposeful living. Christ always met a physical need before healing the spirit.

Working fulltime while building a business/ministry is where God has me right now. He is instructing me in principles of leadership, teaching, business, and people skills. Most of these skills are instinct for me and are being refined through different job opportunities. I was the manager of a busy cancer clinic where I learned leadership and business skills (all paid for by the hospital). I travel now as an educator and speaker where I am learning more effectively how to talk to diverse groups. I talk to physicians, nurses and staff. I give presentations with power points and I am learning how to be at ease with this.

I look at my life and work experiences as stepping stones into the arena where God is calling me. I am building a foundation. My paying job allows me to invest in my business without going into debt. All training and coaching is paid for in cash, not credit card. I have invested in a health business coach, as well as a spiritual coach.

My website is gaining attention as I blog routinely and build a mailing list. My business coach is helping me to create my market funnel, while my spiritual coach is mentoring me in furthering my education and with my mindset – having a free mind, so I can more effectively help others.

My paying job consumes about 50 hours per week. Scheduling time to grow my business comes in the nooks and crannies of my life, taken one step at a time. I schedule chunks of time (an hour or two) to write, update my website, or network on social media sites.

Currently I’m offering an eight-week, Mind-Body transformation program which I am able to run virtually, instead of in person.

Growing a deep rooted foundation is my plan: slow, steady growth, utilizing my website, and starting a new membership site in the future. My marketing plan is to continue to bring clients down my marketing funnel and then I will be at a point to step out in faith and have a solid foundation to step on. I pray for wisdom in these areas and know I will be ready when God says…GO!

Joyce Harrell, RN, OCN is a Christian RN Health Coach/Educator who wants to share victory and hope with women in the Body of Christ. She uses the low glycemic lifestyle and a mind-body transformation program to assist with healthy living choices, and ministers to women as their lives are transformed through self-acceptance and purposeful living.