Delisi Araceli Friday’s Post

The advice I gave to my first official associate mentee? “You are dispensable here.” 😬 She was a little taken aback at first, but eventually, she told me it was the best piece of advice that I gave her. I obviously didn't mean it in the sense that she was dispensable as a human being. She is (and all of us are) indispensable in that sense. But I wanted her to very clearly understand something that took me too long to understand. At the end of the day, you are working for a business. Even if you love the people that you work for or with… Even if they truly care about you as a human being… Even if you are the one responsible for a matter or project or team… Even if your team is lean… Hear me when I say: You. Are. Still. Dispensable. If you do not do the work or cannot do the work, for whatever reason, they will find someone who will. At the end of the day, it’s transactional. You cannot make yourself truly indispensable. And you shouldn’t want to. We like to think that we are indispensable. It feels good to think you are needed. It validates us (temporarily). But for most of the women I know, when you think you are indispensable or you want to be, it’s rarely serving you. It leads to overworking. To not taking that vacation. Or to work the entire time. To saying yes to things you don't want to do. To being on 24/7. To going above and beyond over and over again at your own expense. To burning out. To not delegating or teaching other people what you know. To comparing yourself to your colleagues and finding yourself wanting. To not taking that job that’s a better fit for you. Here’s what our brains don’t understand. We can be both dispensable and extremely successful. We can be both dispensable and an important and valuable member of the team. We can be both dispensable and an expert in our field. In fact, intentionally making yourself dispensable will actually lead to you being more successful. It will lead to you creating a career that is sustainable, rather than one that leads to burnout and resentment. It will enhance your leadership skills by requiring you to delegate and train people to do parts of your job, freeing you up to do the parts you are more currently suited to, to up level your skills, to take on the next role. It will lead you to being indispensable in a way that serves you - in a way that has your firm wanting to keep you around even if they don’t technically need to. So you are dispensable, and that’s great news! Act accordingly. A ❤️ note to you: If you find yourself constantly acting against your own best interest, your own wants, your own desire, your own mental, physical, and emotional well being at work, let’s chat. You can be extremely successful without doing any of that. I promise. If you want to hear more, send me a DM or sign up for a consult with me at the Book an Appointment link in my bio.

Ever feel like you're always running around, putting out fires, and never making real progress? I was mentoring a young professional, Sarah, who was in this exact situation. Sarah would jump at every email, notification, and minor issue that came her way, thinking she was being productive. But in reality, she was just scattering her focus and exhausting herself. One day, during our mentoring session, I asked her about her biggest challenges. She admitted that despite being constantly busy, she rarely felt accomplished. That hit home for her. I suggested she try a different approach. Here’s why I advised her to hold off on reacting to every minor issue: Keeps You Focused: Jumping from task to task breaks your concentration and lowers productivity. Sarah started setting specific times to check emails and messages, which allowed her to focus better on deep work. Reduces Stress: Pausing before reacting helps you stay calm and reduces stress. By taking a moment to breathe and assess the situation, she realized that not everything needed an immediate response. Improves Decisions: Waiting for things to unfold gives you a clearer picture, leading to better decisions. Sarah found that by allowing situations to develop, she often discovered simpler and more effective solutions. Sarah implemented these strategies and found that not reacting immediately to every small issue helped her stay focused on her bigger goals. This approach made her more productive and less stressed. What strategies do you use to stay focused and avoid distractions? Share your tips in the comments!

Not too long ago, I went to a Mentoring Circle organised by FÉ, a mentoring platform mentored by Stephany Goncalves, M.Sc. In my previous post I shared all the learnings on the topic of the session: navigating & embracing change. And boy, how my life has changed in the past few months. I went from being in a good job with a great place to live, to temporary and at some point even no housing, and no professional prospects in the pipeline. Safe to say this shook me to my core. And while at the time it felt like one of the most challenging times in my adult life, it’s the best that happened to me. Here’s why: 🏗️ There are 3 important pillars in life that determine your sense of safety, security & provide you headspace: housing, job security, and relationships. When 1 is shaky, you’re less stable, but still okay. As soon as 2 are being challenged… it’s hard to stay afloat and you go into some sort of survival mode. 🛤️ Sometimes you will have to do what you have to do, in order to be doing what you like, or even love, later. While everyone was enjoying summer, traveling and living their best life, I was busy trying to stay sane, monitoring my self-talk, and of course, finding solutions for my housing & employment gap. And that’s okay - there’s a time for everything. 🙏🏼 My beliefs are what pulled me through. I was forced to actually put into practice what I already knew I had to learn: letting go of the outcome. Taking things step by step, focusing on the next (few) step(s) only and realizing that “this is temporary.” Sometimes you know it all, but applying it is harder. Then life forces you to practice what you preach. ⏳And it’s exactly this, life forcing you, we sometimes need in order to take the action we know we need to take. I am a firm believer that everything happens when it’s supposed to happen, and things will take as long as they take. While I understand why people say ‘start before you’re ready’, I also believe that as long as there are certain blocks on the road, you will not be able to push through. It’s all about knowing when to take the next step, where to focus on, when to continue, when to stop, when to postpone, and when to take it up again. As long as you don’t give up on yourself. This challenging time has forced me to go deeper. Again. I have been doing a lot of inner work and self-reflection in the past few years - but it’s when we reach the deeper levels that actual growth and change happens. And that’s exactly what’s been set in motion. More on the specifics later… But I can already promise you: I’m going through what feels like one of my biggest transformations yet. By the end of this year, new levels will be unlocked. 🔓 (Keep an eye on my page to get some hints in the upcoming weeks 👀 ) #change #transformation #levelup #entrepreneurship #hardship #challenges #empowerment

15 years ago, my self-empowerment journey took a transformative turn. My Australian adventure was cut short due to financial constraints. But that's when the concept of independence truly hit me and became my compass. And as my journey unfolded, I realised independence is a multifaceted gem: → Financial independence: I learned to make smarter financial decisions, not just to survive, but to thrive. → Emotional independence: I learned not to let my emotions, whether triggered by external sources or my own thoughts, rule my world. → Self-Worth independence: I learned to detach my worth from my work, status, or anything I do. → Identity independence: I embraced the fact that my identity/personality is fluid, not fixed. → Intellectual independence: I opened up to challenging the status quo and societal norms, focusing on enjoying, not conforming. → Professional independence: I became the CEO of my career and took charge. Independence isn't about going solo or being isolated. It's about taking ownership and trusting yourself and your judgment. Independence is the cornerstone of self-empowerment 🌟 ………………. Hi, I'm Nathalie Gricourt, your ally in daring to dream and act. I help quietly ambitious women set in motion the change they need to create the next career milestone they crave, through strategic planning and self-empowerment coaching, without hustling or changing the essence of who they are. 🌱 Thinking about kicking off your D.A.R.E. project? Head over to my profile, hit the 🔔 to stay in the loop with every post, and get your journey started with a 🌟 FREE mini-training video. In just 10 minutes, you'll learn how to get back into the driver’s seat of your career. 🌻 Power Hour: Ready to tackle your career growth roadblocks and map out your D.A.R.E. project in just 1 hour? Let's get to it! 🌳 1:1 Coaching: Embark on a 6 or 12-week coaching programme for personalised support and guidance to bring your D.A.R.E. project to life.

The importance of mentors & advisors: This week, we had our quarterly meeting with our board of advisors.   It made me think. First, about how lucky we are to have such amazing and caring advisors.   But then I thought, if I get such great value from our company advisors, and I also get support from coaches, mentors, CEO peer support groups, shouldn’t everyone have that type of support?   My belief is yes. If you don’t have someone smarter than you to run by those key decisions that will have a big impact on your life, you are hurting yourself. I can’t even count the number of times that my decisions have been shaped for the better because I ran them by people smarter than me. What I can say is that I’d be nowhere close to where I am without that help.   And, I believe everyone should be getting that help as well.   So, I encourage you to consider getting 1 or multiple mentors to help you with life’s biggest decisions. Maybe that’s someone you look up to at work. Maybe that’s someone in your industry that has already been there and done that. Maybe it’s someone who has a family life that you admire, or is in that great health that you want to be in.   I can’t recommend it enough. I’ve never heard anyone say they wish they didn’t get help from mentors and advisors. So go ahead and ask that person you really admire, I promise you wont regret it!

Up🙂 Down🙁 Up🙂 Down🙁…🤯 Here’s why today is an Up Day☺️ for me, so far… At this stage, we are simply seeing who is interested in providing and/or receiving 1:1 mentorship to/from a peer. So… (Everyone) If you are at least bare minimum interested in taking a closer peek into the Good Advisors Mentorship Initiative, please let me know or submit the form in the comments. Current plan for the next stage is to ask each mentorship pair to meet 4 times over the next 4 months. Mentorship was a foundational pillar of my vision for Good Advisors Finish First, as well as a defined value prop deliverable. And the organic mentorship that has taken place within the community has blown away my most optimistic expectations. However… 95% (maybe 99) has been taking place beneath the surface and I’m only aware of it happening because of anecdotal conversations. So… When Joe Conroy, CFP® suggested developing a more formal structure for advisors to both deliver and receive mentorship, I jumped at the idea. And given that we’re not an aircraft carrier (yet😉), we went from proposal to action in 4 days. What isn’t seen in the attached stats is the 30 or so emails I received from people who support this initiative, may want to participate in the future, but are self aware enough to know they do not currently have the bandwidth to make an additional commitment. That means nearly 50 people (so far) took the time to respond to this ask❤️ Hoooo-leeee-sh!t!!! That’s the shot in the arm that I needed and a clear indication we’re on the right track👍 And a clear example that there are enough people who genuinely subscribe to our Core Values to make a wider impact in the lives of their clients, their peers, the industry… And we’re just getting started😏 We’re Pursuing Better Client Outcomes as a Community Whatchu been up to?

I DID NOT EXPECT THAT 😁 I got outsmarted by my 5-year-old yesterday!!! Long story short: School run- pouring rain-running late My 2 girls in the car ☑️school bags ☑️ packed lunches☑️Traffic☑️ So far so good... Until there was a sudden scream from the back seat "Noooo, I forgot my show-and-tell"! I had forgotten that my daughter was supposed to take her favourite toy to school on Friday to "show and tell" her friends. She had forgotten too. Now we had a dilemma and a tantrum coming. I braced myself! I took a deep calming breath preparing to explain how it is IMPOSSIBLE to go back in the traffic and still make it on time to school...when I heard her saying: "That's ok, we can be resourceful, like you always say, and call Alex - he can bring it to school for me." She knew that her brother Alex, always leaves for school 5-10 min after us, so indeed he could and he did bring the toy. What struck me most was my daughter's quick thinking. Here she was, faced with a problem, and instead of focusing on it, she focused on finding a solution. This wasn't by chance – a few weeks ago, we'd talked about being resourceful. We discussed how it means finding alternative solutions when things don't go as planned. It seemed that conversation had lodged itself firmly in her mind, ready for when she needed it most. And let's be honest, I was a bit embarrassed of myself. I was stuck in a "fixed mindset," dwelling on the problem rather than seeking a solution. On the other hand, my young lady embraced the challenge with a "growth mindset," seeking possibilities. This experience reminded me of a valuable lesson, not just as a parent but also as a professional. We can all train ourselves and our children to be problem-solvers, not just problem-finders. By fostering a growth mindset and encouraging creative thinking, we can equip ourselves to navigate life's unexpected hurdles with a little more grace. Developing resourcefulness and a growth mindset is a process. It is like building a new habit- it takes time and practice. The key here is to master emotions and re-focus your attention, especially in critical circumstances. #practicewhatyoupreach #businesssuccesstips #growthmindset #focusonthesolution

kyu nahi ho raha kaaam ? yes you heard it right? what is hindering our productivity : expecting more , working less also, working more with less expectations working with no direction also, working in too many directions working without a mentorship also, following too many mentors therefore channelise - maximise ! p.s.- this is what investing in too many avenues at once looks like ! #productivity #onedirection

Happy Monday !!! Today I want to share a quote to help anyone feeling a bit stuck or weighed down at the moment: "The only way to reach your full potential is to let go of anything, and anyone, holding you back." In our life and in our business we often encounter hurdles and challenges, some external and some within us. Sometimes, these hurdles come in the form of outdated practices, limiting beliefs, or even relationships that no longer serve our growth. It’s easy to cling to the familiar, but true growth? That begins the moment we dare to LET GO!! Letting go doesn't mean giving up; it means moving forward with courage and clarity. It means prioritising your well-being, your goals, and your practice's future. Whether it’s outdated software that’s slowing down efficiency, a client relationship that’s more draining than rewarding, or old habits that prevent innovation, it’s time to reassess and realign. Ask yourself: What am I holding onto that’s keeping me from my highest potential? Is it fear of change, comfort in the status quo, or the weight of past expectations? This week, let’s challenge ourselves to let go of just one thing or one relationship that’s holding us back. Embrace the freedom and space that come with this release, and watch as new opportunities and avenues for growth present themselves. Remember, every step towards letting go of limitations is a step closer to the vibrant, thriving practice and life you envision. Here's to a week of liberation, growth, and stepping into our full potential! #MondayMindset #MondayMotivation #MondayMojo #Gratitude365 #AbundanceMindset #Ikigai #Purpose #LoveYourPracticeLoveYourLife #BetterPracticeBetterLife #TheBalancedFirm #TheThreeFreedoms #FinancialFreedom #TimeFreedom #MindFreedom #AccountingPracticeCoach #SMPCoach #GrowYourAccountingPractice #CAANZ #CPA #IPA #IPAAustralia #CharteredAccountant #FCA #GAICD #DifferenceMaker #DoingItForDempsey #DoingItForDemo