Hello. I'm Bonny Snowdon, ex-corporate person and mother turned successful artist entrepreneur. It wasn't that long ago though that I lacked the confidence, vision, and support network to focus on growing my dream business. Fast forward past many life curve balls, waves of self-doubt, and so many lessons learned, and you'll see Ignite my thriving online colour pencil artist community, a community that changes members' lives for the better and gives me freedom to live abundantly whilst doing what I love and spending quality time with my beloved family and dogs, all whilst creating my best artwork with coloured pencils and mentoring others to do the same. But this life wasn't always how it was for me. It used to only exist in my imagination. I've created the, it's a Bonny Old Life podcast to help increase people's confidence, share mine and my community's experience, and hope through fascinating personal stories, champion the other amazing humans in my personal, professional, and membership community and create another channel through which I can support others to realize their dreams. If you're a passionate coloured pencil artist or an aspiring one who's looking to create their best work and a joyful life you love, you're in the right place. Grab a cup and a custard cream. Let's get cracking.
I want to talk to you today about limiting beliefs, limiting beliefs that are the destroyer of confidence. As well as having a core set of beliefs, we also have many other things we tell ourselves we can't do or we are not good at. These limiting beliefs stop us from doing what we want to do, and they also keep us in our comfort zone, and we all know that the magic happens when we step out of that zone. This quote has always stood out to me from Henry Ford. Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you are right. The thing with limiting beliefs is we think they're true, whether it's about yourself, your relationships with other people or in the world that surrounds you, and that can have a really big effect on confidence. Many times, keeping you stuck in a negative mindset and stopping you from living a blissful and abundant life.
There are so many reasons for having limited beliefs. Fear of failure. I can't do that as I'll fail, so I won't bother. Fear of success. If I succeed, things will change. Fear of rejection, we may be naturally less open-minded situations. We may have limited beliefs instilled in us from our early childhood. My current limited belief stem from being middle-aged overweight and ordinary. The belief that I'm overweight means I can't join the lovely spa I have my eye on because everyone will judge me and it will be a horrible experience. I have to say, I got over this belief very quickly. I joined the spa. No one there gives a toss what I look like and every single time I go is wonderful and I come out a new person. I am so glad that I had a word with myself about that limiting belief.
The belief that I'm now in my fifties means I can't be a successful businesswoman. All the successful entrepreneurs are in their early thirties and look a certain way, don't they? I'm 52. I have made 500,000 pounds in my first year of business, all the time, being totally authentic, being me, not trying to be someone I'm not. I've discovered that that is a big part of why people follow me, because I'm always me and people can relate to someone who is not all glammed up, has bad hair days and doesn't always wear makeup. I have to say, I do make an effort to get dressed though.
I'm an ordinary single mum, I do ordinary single mum things like stack the dishwasher and do the washing multiple times a day. I'm also an extraordinary woman who has come through some really tough times, who has been brave enough to make changes and to take total responsibility for everything that I do. An extraordinary woman who takes every single limiting belief that pops up, and they do, and creates new beliefs that enable me to keep on growing as a person, keep on living the life I want to live, in the way I want to live it.
Now, I'm just going to give you a few ideas, exercises to uncover your limiting beliefs. The first one is, what are other people doing that makes you feel like you are missing in your life? Think about things that make you feel less or limited. For example, they're a successful artist because they went to art school and got a degree. I didn't. Therefore, I can't be a successful artist, which is a a total fallacy.
Number two, when you describe yourself, what do you usually tell people that you always or never do? Using language like I always or I never creates a limited description of yourself. For example, I never complete a drawing. I always get bored and I have a draw full of unfinished pieces or I can't build a successful business because I've always been rubbish at all of that marketing stuff. Two awful limiting beliefs because as soon as you tell yourself those stories, as soon as you put those words into your head, again, back to Henry Ford, what you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.
Number three, what areas in your life do you wish you could be more confident in? For me, it's about meeting larger groups face-to-face. I wish I could be more confident in going to the face-to-face networking meetings. I always make excuses. I know if I went, I'd get a huge amount from it and meet amazing people.
Number four, what were the common messages you heard from your parents or role models growing up? Think of a common phrase, family mantras, friendly reminders. For example, oh, you're so good at drawing, but you can't make a career out of art. Haven't you heard the saying starving artist? Do that as a hobby. All my family were doctors, so it was an expectation that I would be a doctor too, even though I had dreams of being a footballer. This, that's not my self-belief as you can tell, it's just an example.
Your answers to these four questions will uncover your limiting beliefs, beliefs that you've been living by and have been holding you back from your full potential. To all of the answers to these questions, ask another question, is it true? And I'm just going to finish on another quote that I love. It's not what you say out of your mouth that determines your life. It's what you whisper to yourself that has the most power, and that's a quote by Robert T Kiyosaki.
I really hope you enjoyed listening to this episode of my It's a Bonny Old Life podcast. If you did, I'd be so grateful to you for emailing me or texting a link to the show or sharing it on social media with those you know who might like it too. My mission with this podcast is all about sharing mine and my community's experience and hope by telling your fascinating personal stories, championing the other amazing humans in my personal, professional, and membership community, and to create another channel through which I can support you to realize your coloured pencil and life dreams. If you haven't done so yet, please help me on my mission to spread positivity and joy throughout the Coloured Pencil world by following me on my socials at Bonnie Snowden Academy or by getting on my list bonnysnowdonacademy.com.
And remember, I truly believe if I can live the life of my dreams doing what I love, then you can too. We just need to keep championing and supporting each other along the way in order to make it happen. Till next time,
