Up Leveling to Level Up - How Improving Yourself Improves Everything Else

As busy entrepreneurs, we are often focused on what needs to be done today, instead of pushing ourselves to look beyond to what we want to achieve next.

I’ve been noticing in my own business how my level of self-care and drive directly correlates to how I can perform. If I’m tired, anxious, or repeating mental patterns that no longer serve me, I am at a fraction of my capabilities. But what if I prioritized my time differently? What if I up-leveled my personal practices (meditation, yoga, journaling, downtime, healthy meals, and family/friends)? What difference would this make to my ability to execute at the level my clients deserve and need.

Understanding Up Leveling

According to an article on TheBreakthroughMethod.com, author Stephanie Booth describes up-leveling as:

An uplevel is the act of your body assimilating the energy and higher frequency that comes with elevated emotions and beliefs.

Booth notes in her article that there are stages to up-leveling, as outlined below:

1. Comfort Zone
2. Tension Phase
3. Breaking Point
4. Breakthrough
5. Up-Leveled State

According to Booth, most people quit at stage 3, seeing some progress, yet are still stagnant in some areas. This was certainly true for me. Recognizing my dips and having the willingness to move forward were the keys to achieving the final steps and reaching an up-leveled state.

Different Perspectives on Up Leveling

In an article on Medium.com, the author provides another view of up-leveling:

Upleveling is defined as having greater capabilities or a higher version number. It’s actually a computing term. We think of ourselves in a higher, more evolved version.

This goes back to my previous comments on checking in with our thoughts and deciding what has been programmed by others and what is truly our own. Having this perspective allows you to take a step back and be the observer of your thoughts and actions and tap into the greater capabilities within. This inquiry allows you to see where you may be lacking and define what works for you and what does not.

My Personal Up Leveling

Physical

My personal up-leveling started with the intent to level up in my business, to scale and provide more value. As I combed through the ideas, I kept coming back to these words: “It all starts with you.” I began small, limiting myself to one weeknight out and one weekend night out. This made a huge difference in my energy and my focus because, previously, I would go from one work function on one night to a social function on the following night, coupled with saying “yes” to every invite for Happy Hour. I’m a highly social person, and people are a battery for me, yet pulling away and tuning in has brought me a clearer mind.

SLEEP! Additionally, this has been important for me. I’ve committed to 8-9 hours per night and wake up feeling recharged. I’ve never been a night owl or a person who can live on 6 hours of sleep, and when I try to be that person, I and all around me suffer.

Spiritual

Then I began focusing on my thoughts and checking in with myself by asking, “Is that who I am now?” “Did I come up with this belief on my own, or is this someone else’s?” When I began questioning why I do the things I do and where that all came from, I was able to let go of the chatter. This is a practice I have been doing for years and have found that there is always something that comes up which needs questioning and letting go of.

These physical and spiritual practices are my time to tune out and tune in. Focusing on my breath, calming my mind, and tuning into my body allows me to keep going and producing throughout the day.

Up Level Challenge

How are you up-leveling yourself to level up your life and business? Everyone will have a different approach and a different set of habits needed to support that growth, but this is where the knowledge of self is such a huge gift.

Take some time this week to dig into your habits and be brutally honest on where improvement can be made. There’s no timeline or recommended course of action. The only requirement is that you’re hungry for more, you’re committed to change, and that you’ll not only be 100% honest with yourself but you’ll also give yourself 100% grace as you discover your next level.