When starting a business at home, the enthusiasm of starting a business from home is exciting and motivating. This start-up energy, however, can fade away when the real work begins. The best small business marketing tool you can have on your side is knowing how to stay energized. Here are seven top tips for staying encouraged and motivated.

TIP #1: LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING RIGHT

After the initial start-up of a business, there is usually a slow, steady stream of growth happening for that particular business, despite expectations of immediate success. So, every time you may feel a bit impatient and discouraged that the business is not performing in accordance with your expectations, stop and ask yourself, "What is going right?" This simple act will immediately shift your energy to being enthusiastic and motivated to continue with the next phase of the business and is the number one way for overcoming discouragement during business start-up when consistently practiced.

TIP #2: KEEP THE BIG PICTURE IN MIND

When you are starting a business at home, there is a "big picture" of what the business can and will bring you. This vision, however, can get lost when you have your "nose to the grindstone" every day toiling away on the business. So, lift your head, take a breath, look at your overall business plan and remember that each phase of the business builds upon each other and that you are building a business "brick by brick" that will thrive when the "cement has cured."

TIP #3: LIST MOTIVATING FACTORS

When you decided to start a business from home, there were definite reasons for doing so. Keeping a list of things that "got you into motion" in the first place (like being home with the kids) can and will keep you going when the business is still "getting its legs and learning to walk." Keep this list on your body at all times (in your pocket, wallet, bra, etc.) and look at it when the going gets tough. This is key in knowing how to start a home business that will survive the learning curve that is inherent to business start-up.

TIP #4: SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP

Many times when you are starting a home based business, long hours are spent alone wondering if you are doing it right or not. Talking to a mentor, business coach or someone who has "been there, done that" can help enormously to re-energize your hope, validate your efforts and remind you that there really is a "light at the end of the tunnel."

TIP #5: CHANGE YOUR SCENERY

Many times when starting a business at home, your work life and home life get so intertwined that you never get a break from either segment of your life. When this happens, a great thing to do is to go for a long weekend somewhere and change your physical scenery. Even if it's just going for a drive to a beautiful location that you enjoy, letting your mind and body "renew" through visually changing your environment can and will initiate new spark and enthusiasm for your business.

TIP #6: IMPROVE YOUR VIBRATION

Sometimes we can get stuck in a certain vibration of the things we have around us and the clothes we wear. For example, if you tend to wear dull colored clothing or work in a dark office, you can lift your physical vibration by putting more light in your office, wearing a bright color or splashing color around you in your home. The vibrational science behind light and color is not a new science, but one that you can use to lift your spirits and improve your mood and energy around your business life.

TIP #7: IMPROVE YOUR MINDSET FOR SUCCESS

Speaking of vibrational science, another great way to improve your mind's ability to problem solve is to get creative with something other than business. Take a cooking class, plant a garden or finger paint. Feed your creative being and you'll change your brain's "frequency" (and vibration) to being more relaxed and in charge. If creativity is a new subject for you, using a brainwave meditation audio that puts you into the alpha brainwave frequency will quickly invoke greater creative expansion as well as increased focus and concentration.

SUMMARY

Starting a business at home should be a fun and rewarding adventure. However, with today's economic pressures and stress, starting a business from home can slowly turn into an 80-hour a week obsession until it meets expected financial results. Using these tips keeps both your mind and your body positive during your business venture. Also leveraging the Internet by using automated online marketing systems as well as leveraging highly profitable products can both lighten your load and reduce your necessary work time to make it easier to stay encouraged and motivated.