Run the business. Be a great mom. Serve your partner well. Show up for others when they need you. Don’t forget your 30 step morning routine for success. These are some of the things we’re expected to do, but what about taking care of our basic needs? Is balancing health and wealth even possible in today’s culture?

It’s a running joke amongst business owners that we didn’t get a chance to eat or drink because we were so busy, but really, it’s not funny at all. In our pursuit of success and productivity, we forget that our businesses can’t be healthy unless we are.

Heather Ford knows this well. She’s battled a chronic illness while running multiple creative businesses, raising her family, and pursuing other creative endeavors. And she’s hear to share what she learned along the way.

Her Health and Business Journey

After officially receiving a diagnosis to explain the misery Heather was experiencing, she knew she needed to make some changes… this included her career! So, she started her first photography business and never looked back.

She shares her experience with traditional medicine, how it let her down, and how she’s been able to heal herself over the years holistically. We have a candid conversation about how her health has impacted her business (and vice versa) and how she’s handled it… including flaring up on wedding days!

How to Recognize When We Need to Slow Down

Heather compares symptoms we experience to the check engine light in a car. They’re warning signs something bigger is going on so we can catch it before our metaphorical engine explodes. If we can look at symptoms like headaches or pain as a blessing, it changes everything.

She also reminds us, “when you ignore [these symptoms], your body is going to break down and force you to slow down. If you don’t make that time, your body will do it for you.”

How to Set Boundaries in a Culture of Constant Productivity

She shares how in the past year, faith has become an increasingly important part of her health and business journey. “I’m constantly reminding myself to focus on the word and not the world.”

When she finds herself stressed, she asks “Am I focusing on material things? Am I trying to keep up with the Joneses? Am I idolizing work? Am I idolizing what I do for a living? Am I idolizing other professionals in my field? Usually when the answer is yes, that means I need to step away and I say jump back into my ‘re’ state.”

Learn what she means and how you can step away from hustle culture yourself!

Simple Business Changes to Support Your Health

We talk about the key to attracting clients that respect your boundaries and support your values first and foremost. But we also talk about how Heather regularly “intentionally loses her phone” and how this fosters slowing down and being more present in each moment.

This doesn’t happen without kick back… I say to her, “I think what I’m hearing from you a lot today is that you have to be willing to let people get upset because I think that’s what drives a lot of us harder than we want to be driven. It’s not that we feel like we constantly have to be productive. It’s that we feel like if we’re not, someone’s going to be upset.”

If you can have people in your corner who care just as much about your wellbeing as they do your business, you’ll have a much easier time balancing health and wealth.

Self Care Practices for Entrepreneurs

Heather also talks about small self care habits & tools she uses to reduce stress on her mind and body. From grounding mats to blue light blocking glasses to preparedness kits, she knows little changes can make a big impact.

We also talk about what she wishes she would’ve known earlier in her business and health journey… “I wish I realized earlier how lady boss culture can become toxic so quickly. It’s so easy to get into this idea of being a flashy successful business owner who can do it all and never take breaks.”

Her Best Advice for Business Owners

After hearing the quote, “at the end of your life, you can’t take things with you, but you can take people with you,” she had an epiphany. She talks about how instead of focusing on material things or achievements, we should focus on our impact. “What we do on this earth is not necessarily things. It’s about the way we can make people feel and change for the better just by using our creative gifts.”

If you want to learn more from Heather and her ten years of experience balancing health and wealth amongst the go-go-go of hustle culture, tune into Episode 23.