We each have 24 hours in a day, in which we have to fit in eating, sleeping, exercise, working in and on our business, taking care of our family, and the other responsibilities we have in our lives. In every moment we have choices - staying present in the moment and working mindfully based on our values and goals, or tending to the fires that have to be put out throughout the day.

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Do your days run you? Do you feel like you spend a lot of your time reacting to what’s going on around you right now than deliberately planning your day? Are you ready to slow down and take control of your schedule? Are you ready to do more meaningful activities and live more consciously?

The Big Rocks

Stephen Covey’s "Big Rocks" story is pretty famous. He does an exercise in his presentations where he fills a clear container with big rocks, and then pours in pebbles and sand, which fills up all the spaces. When he tries to do the same thing with those same three materials but starts first with the sand and pebbles, the big rocks cannot fit.

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Over the past three days, you have reflected upon the last year, created a list of your core values, and have revealed  how balanced you are in your life. Today we’re going to explore why you are here.

Stephen Covey, the author of several "7 Habits" books, writes in "First Things First", writes about how humans have four fundamental needs to feel complete. They are:

1. Physical - our basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, health and economic well-being.
2. Social - our need to relate to others, to love, be loved, and to belong.
3. Mental - our need to continue learning to develop and grow.
4. Spiritual - our need to have a sense of meaning, purpose, contribution and personal congruence or alignment.

In a simple sentence, Covey says the "essence of these needs is captured in the phrase ‘to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy’."

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In order to have a successful business, it’s important to consider how successful you are in other areas of your life. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are your relationships satisfying?
• Are you getting enough self-care time?
• Is your health where you’d like it to be?
• Is your home a peaceful, comfortable (or lively, if that fits your personality better) place to be?

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Dear Savvy Doula,

I’m preparing to speak to some new business owners next week about my businesses. I was asked to share lessons I learned, and thought I’d share some of my insights with you.

As background, I started my first business with my husband — an asset liquidation company and office furniture store. We started in our home and now have two warehouses and about 25 employees. We started the company because my husband had been laid off, so we succeeded because this was our livelihood and we were determined to make it work. In some respects we were at the right place at the right time.

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