Denise Duffield-Thomas's Blog

EPISODE 257
Money, power & relationships: money mindset in love

 

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Money and relationships - it’s a juicy, complicated mix.

Continuing this month’s theme of Love and Money, in this week’s podcast I’m answering your biggest questions about how money impacts love, partnership, and power dynamics.

Inside, we cover:

✨ Working with your spouse (and why it’s not always easy!)
✨ What to do about inheritances, wills, and legacy planning
✨ How to navigate very different money mindsets in a partnership
✨ Why love and money can co-exist - even if it takes boundaries and honesty
✨ What happens when you’re the breadwinner (and the resentment that can creep in)

Listen now to learn how you can create relationships that work for you. 

xx Denise

P.S. Since we’re exploring Love + Money this month, I’ve created a free Love + Money Meditation Pack to help you soften old patterns around money, power, and relationships. It includes guided meditations, affirmations, and a simple journal to support healthier dynamics with both love and money.

Click here to download our free copy.

EPISODE 256
How to feel safer and more relaxed around money

 

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Today’s episode might feel a little different - but in a really good way.

I’m talking about becoming more magnetic to money… and yes, I know that phrase can sound a bit wanky. Stay with me.

This isn’t about pretending money doesn’t matter, manifesting from the couch, or forcing yourself to “love” money.

It’s about something much more practical:
👉 your relationship with money.

In this week’s Chill & Prosper, I share:
✨how talking badly about money quietly pushes it away
✨ simple ways to start healing your relationship with money
✨ why neutrality with money is often the most powerful goal
✨ how your upbringing shapes what you think you’re “allowed” to have
✨ and why money doesn’t need to be feared, worshipped, or earned through suffering

If money feels stressful, emotional, confusing, or loaded - this episode will help you soften that dynamic.

You don’t have to be perfect with money.
You just need a healthier relationship with it.

 xx Denise

P.S. This month we’re exploring Love + Money and how to feel safer, calmer, and more supported in your relationship with money. If you want a gentle place to start, I’ve created a free Love + Money Meditation Pack with guided meditations, affirmations, and a simple reflection journal.

Download it free at denisedt.com/feb.

EPISODE 255
Can you have love and money?

 

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February is Love and Money month, so this week on Chill & Prosper, we’re talking about something that so many of us wrestle with: how money impacts our relationships.

In this Q&A episode, I answer your top questions, including:
✨ What happens when a woman earns more than her partner?
✨ How to navigate power dynamics without resentment
✨ Why outsourcing at home isn’t indulgence - it’s survival
✨ Helping a partner with their money mindset (without nagging!)
✨ Why love and money can co-exist - even if there aren’t many role models

If you’ve ever felt guilty for earning more, or worried that money might mess with love, this episode will give you clarity, compassion, and lots of permission.

xx Denise

P.S. For Love & Money Month I’ve created a free Meditation Pack to support you with money conversations, boundaries, and feeling grounded in your relationships.

It’s the perfect companion to this episode if you want to feel calmer, clearer, and more confident when talking about money with your partner.

Download your free audio and reflection workbook here

EPISODE 254
New Year, New Price?

 

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If you’ve been feeling a quiet nudge that your prices need to change - I’ve got a juicy bonus episode for you to dive into.

Honestly, there’s never a perfect time to raise your prices, but there are plenty of good reasons. And if you’re feeling that inner “this isn’t sustainable anymore” feeling… it’s worth listening to.

In this new Chill & Prosper ep, I’m talking about pricing - not just from a strategy perspective, but from an energetic and mindset one too. 

We cover:
✨ The common fears that come up when raising prices
✨ Why undercharging leads to resentment and burnout
✨ How Money Archetypes influence pricing decisions
✨ Practical, low-drama ways to raise prices
✨ Why pricing is never a one-time decision

You don’t have to justify yourself endlessly.
You don’t have to earn money through struggle.
And you’re allowed to charge in a way that supports your life.

 

xx Denise

P.S. Pricing is always one of the hot topics in Money Bootcamp - I can help you work through the blocks and mindset issues around setting, increasing and receiving your ideal price. Plus we have a free bonus inside the course that’s my Advanced Pricing Workshop - Click here to find out more

Transcript

Hey gorgeous, it's Denise here. And on today’s episode of Chill and Prosper, we’re talking about pricing.

You might be listening at the start of the year—or a little later—but honestly, there’s never a bad time to increase your prices. There may be undeniable signs or an inner desire bubbling up. If you’re feeling that nudge, this could be the time.

I give you full permission to increase your prices if that’s what you want to do.

I’ve got loads of resources for you, and it doesn’t have to be a scary thing. In fact, raising your prices can be a great marketing campaign. It gives people on the fence a reason to jump in and work with you.

And it’s totally fine to feel unsure or scared—that’s normal.

Let’s talk about some common fears that come up when raising your prices:

“What if nobody buys?”
“What if I get complaints?”
“What if I lose clients?”
“What if people think I’m greedy?”

I’ve had all of these thoughts too! But let me share something that helped me:

Years ago, I worked in corporate training, and I was paid $2,000 a day to train financial advisers on soft skills. I realized I was getting paid that much by a company—yet I was charging individual clients just $75 an hour for coaching.

That’s when I had a major mindset shift. I asked myself, “Why would I charge corporations one price and charge women a completely different price for the same transformation?”

It was rooted in my money blocks—particularly guilt, worthiness, and fear of rejection.

But pricing isn’t just about mindset—it’s also about:

Strategy
Positioning
Systems and structures that support you
And most of all… energy

If you’re undercharging and overdelivering, it creates resentment and burnout. That’s not good for your clients or for your business.

If you’re constantly thinking:

“This client is getting way too much for what they paid,” or
“I’m exhausted by how much I give for so little money,”

That’s a sign your pricing needs attention.

Now, this doesn’t always mean you have to dramatically raise your prices overnight. Sometimes the upgrade is:

Creating clearer boundaries
Restructuring your offer
Adding a new level or tier
Streamlining delivery so it’s more sustainable

You can keep the same price but reduce your time or energy output. Or you can keep your delivery the same and increase the price.

There are so many ways to approach this—and none of them are wrong.

This is where money archetypes come into play. If you haven’t already done my quiz, go to denisedt.com/quiz to discover yours.

Different archetypes struggle with pricing in different ways:

Nurturers feel guilty charging for their gifts
Accumulators fear people won’t pay
Alchemists undervalue their work because they find it easy
Connectors worry about losing relationships if they raise prices
Mavericks might undercharge for the thrill of being the underdog

Each archetype needs a different strategy—and a different affirmation.

If you're a Ruler like me, you might have the capacity to scale and build—but you’ll still hit upper limits if you don’t feel worthy of more.

You might raise your prices—but then over-deliver to “make up” for it. Or create bonuses and extras until your margins disappear.

If that sounds like you, just know: this is solvable. You can absolutely rewire your mindset and pricing strategy to support your long-term goals.

Let’s talk practical tips now.

Here are three ways to raise your prices with less fear:

Give notice.
Tell your audience: “Prices are going up on X date.” That way, people have time to decide, and it gives you a deadline too.
Start with new clients.
You can honour current pricing for existing clients (if you want to), and simply raise rates for new ones.
Add value with structure.
Bundle your services. Add a checklist or template. Tighten your delivery to make it more outcome-based rather than time-based.

And remember—people are already paying higher prices for similar work. There is no universal “right” price.

You get to choose what’s right for you.

Let’s also address a big fear:

“If I raise my prices, people will complain or leave.”

Maybe! Some might. But that doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong.

Think about this: your business isn’t for everyone. You’re not trying to be the cheapest. You’re not running a charity (unless that’s your actual business model). You’re providing a valuable service that changes people’s lives—and you deserve to be compensated fairly for that.

There are always people who can and will pay your new price.

And sometimes, when you raise your prices, you actually get better clients—the ones who are more committed, more respectful of your time, and who get better results.

Why? Because pricing isn’t just transactional. It’s energetic.

Your prices reflect your confidence, boundaries, and business model.

That’s why I created my full pricing course. If you want more help, go to denisedt.com/pricing—it has everything from mindset support to scripts and templates to help you make the shift.

You don’t have to figure it out alone.

Here’s your takeaway for today:

✨ You are allowed to raise your prices.
✨ You are allowed to charge for your gifts.
✨ You are allowed to make money with ease.
✨ You don’t need to earn it through struggle.
✨ You don’t need to justify it endlessly.

Say it with me:

“It’s safe for me to charge more.”
“I serve, I deserve.”
“It’s my time, and I’m ready for the next step.”

Pricing is never a one-time decision. It’s something you’ll revisit again and again as you grow.

You might evolve your offerings, expand your niche, change your business model—and your pricing should evolve with you.

So whether you're just starting out, or you're feeling stuck in an old version of your pricing—it’s okay to shift.

I believe in your work. I believe in your impact. And I believe you can get paid well and serve beautifully.

Big love from me—and I’ll see you next time on Chill and Prosper.

Motivation has a reputation for being loud, exciting, and constant - especially in January.

But real motivation doesn’t work like that.

So let’s talk honestly about what actually keeps you going over the long term — not just in the first few weeks of the year.

Motivation Will Ebb and Flow — and That’s Normal

Some days you’ll feel inspired and excited.
Other days you’ll feel flat, discouraged, or tired.

That doesn’t mean you’re failing.

You’ll have:

launches that don’t go to plan
 
refund requests
 
criticism
 
copycats
 
delays and disappointments

None of that means your dream is dead. These are normal rites of passage in business and life.

There is no criticism-proof price.
There is no perfectly smooth year.

Look at the Whole Year, Not Just the Goals

One of the most helpful things you can do is zoom out.

Instead of just asking “What are my goals?”, ask:
• When will I need rest?
• When are my busy seasons?
• Where do I need space between projects?

Planning visually — seeing your year at a bird’s-eye view — gives you permission to have seasons. You don’t have to go full-throttle all year.

Space Supports Motivation

A big lesson I’ve learned over time is about lag time — the energy before and after big events.

Pre-launch energy.
Post-launch delivery.
Recovery time.

When you don’t allow for that, everything starts bleeding together, and exhaustion follows.

Space isn’t laziness.
Space is what makes momentum sustainable.

Reduce Friction Wherever You Can

Sometimes motivation dips not because you lack discipline — but because life feels harder than it needs to be.

Tiny points of friction add up:

forgotten keys
 
missed appointments
 
unclear systems
 
constant interruptions

Removing friction can restore motivation almost instantly.

This might look like:

tightening cancellation policies
 
spacing out projects
 
automating bookings
 
adding simple systems that save energy

It’s not about motivation — it’s about making things easier.

Add Joy Back In

Motivation isn’t just about removing what drains you. It’s also about adding what lights you up.

For some people, that means:
• exciting goals
• stretch projects
• fun rewards

For others, it’s:
• more rest
• fewer commitments
• massages, naps, or creative play

There’s no right answer. Only what works for you.

Final Thought

This isn’t about running at 100% all year.

It’s about creating a year that supports you - through highs, lows, and everything in between.

You’re allowed to plan for dips.
You’re allowed to build in rest.
And you’re allowed to define success on your own terms.

EPISODE 253
How to stay motivated all year (without burning out)

 

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January can come with a lot of pressure to feel motivated, inspired, and ready to conquer the year.

And sometimes… that energy just isn’t there.

In this week’s Chill & Prosper, I’m talking about how to keep the New Year energy going all year - because your motivation will dip, and that’s completely normal.

We talk about:
✨ Why motivation naturally ebbs and flows
✨ How to plan your year so you’re not running at full speed constantly
✨ What to do when things don’t go to plan (refunds, delays, disappointments)
✨ Why rest and space actually support momentum
✨ Practical ways to reduce friction and protect your energy

This episode is about setting yourself up for a sustainable, supportive year. Not pushing harder. 

xx Denise

Transcript

Prefer to read?  Here's the transcript:

Hey, gorgeous! It's Denise Duffield-Thomas here, and you are listening to Chill and Prosper. Today we're talking about how to keep your motivation going all year long.

Right now it's January—and there's a lot of pressure to feel motivated in January. And sometimes we do feel it! That “new year, new me” energy can feel fresh and exciting. You might think, “This year is going to be so different!”

But that motivation can fade. Maybe it already has. Or maybe you’re listening to this later in the year, wondering, “How do I get that energy back?”

Let’s talk about that—because motivation will ebb and flow throughout the year. That’s normal.

You can still set yourself up for an incredible year. Whether your goals are personal, financial, or business-related—you don’t have to be perfect or full of energy every day. Let’s talk about sustainable motivation that doesn’t just rely on the hype of a new year or quarter.

Even with the best intentions, there will be times when:

You feel off track
You face external disruptions
You get discouraged
You experience delays or disappointments

Spoiler alert:
You’ll have people who aren’t happy with you.
You’ll get refund requests.
You’ll spend money on things that don’t work out.
You might get ripped off.
You might get copycatted.

And none of that means you’re failing. These are just rites of passage in business. They're normal.

You might have a launch that doesn’t go to plan.
You might expect a yes and get a no.

It doesn’t mean your dream is dead.
It doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.
It doesn’t mean you’re not worthy of success.

Sometimes we expect things to go perfectly—or we think success only counts if it happens quickly and smoothly. That’s not true.

There is no such thing as a criticism-proof price, and there’s no such thing as a perfectly smooth year.

The key is to keep going, even when momentum dips or things feel slow. Remember: a year has 365 days. You can achieve a lot—but not everything has to happen in the first week.

All month long, I’ve been talking about the Goals and Upgrades Workbook. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, it’s not too late! Go to denisedt.com/jan. It doesn’t matter when you start—it’s full of ideas to help you set your goals and make meaningful upgrades, whenever you’re ready.

Also, part of setting yourself up for success is looking at your year as a whole, not just focusing on goals right away.

For example:

When are you taking time off?
When are your launches?
When are your busiest personal seasons?
Where might you need space between projects?

Planning visually—looking at your calendar from a bird’s eye view—can be so freeing. It gives you permission to have seasons in your business.

You don’t have to go full-throttle all year.

And yes, I’m saying this as much to myself as I am to you. I have to remind myself constantly: Denise, it’s okay to take breaks. It’s okay to ebb and flow. It’s normal to have seasons.

You might also discover that if you want to sustain momentum, you need to bring in help during your busiest times—or even just for one intense project.

That’s why each episode this month builds on the last. They’re all part of the puzzle:

What’s your big picture?
What are your goals?
What support do you need?
How will you handle the dips?

If you anticipate those dips and plan for them—you’re already ahead.

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned over the years is about lag time—the energy before and after big events.

For example, a few years ago we scheduled all our launches back-to-back without accounting for:

Pre-launch energy (planning, prep, team meetings)
Post-launch energy (delivery, onboarding, follow-up)

What happened? All the projects started bleeding together. It was exhausting.

I remember saying to Mark (who runs my launches), “You’re already onto the next launch, but I’m still delivering the last one. It feels like I’m in every trimester of pregnancy at once!”

This is why we now build space into our calendar. That space creates sustainability. It also supports motivation.

When you’re constantly rushing, pushing, and reacting—it’s hard to stay inspired.

This is true in other areas too. For example, when training for a marathon (which I would never do 😄), you don’t just run a marathon every day. You build up to it. And close to the event, you rest.

In fact, I accidentally learned this in ballet.

Before my first big ballet exam, I got injured six weeks out. I couldn’t train as hard—and I ended up doing really well. The rest helped.

The following year, it happened again. I had to ease off training and—surprise—I did even better.

That’s when I thought: maybe not cramming right up to the finish line is the key.

So now, when I look at my year, I ask:

Where do I need space?
Where do I need rest?
What are the high energy periods?
Where will I need recovery time?

This episode isn’t about “how to run at 100% all year.” That’s impossible.

It’s about identifying what you need to thrive.

That includes:

Managing your energy
Anticipating your sabotages
Putting boundaries or systems in place now to support Future You

Let’s make it practical.

Maybe one thing that always derails your motivation is cancellations. You get thrown off emotionally, your income dips, and it drains your focus.

A fix? Tighten your cancellation policy.

Or change the way people book with you.

For example: my hairdresser now sends a text reminder, requires confirmation, and charges a deposit through an online system. I’m sure it’s cut down her no-shows dramatically.

It’s not just about motivation—it’s about eliminating friction.

Friction can show up in lots of small but exhausting ways.

For example:

I used to always forget my keys. That tiny stress added up.
So, I installed electronic keypads on the doors. Problem solved.
I was constantly searching for my phone charger.
Now I have multiple chargers in every room. No more digging around.

These might seem like little things, but they drain your energy and impact your motivation over time.

That’s why I want you to think about two sides of the motivation coin:

Reduce friction – What’s slowing you down, draining you, or making things harder than they need to be?
Add joy – What gets you excited, inspired, or reconnected to your vision?

You need both. For some people, reducing friction is the game-changer. For others, it’s dreaming bigger, setting stretch goals, or having fun rewards.

Only you can know which one will help most right now.

Here’s your permission slip to make this year work your way.

Maybe you need:

A clearer cancellation policy
Better calendar spacing
More naps or massages
Exciting goals that light you up
Fewer notifications
A VA or coach
New rituals or habits

Maybe you need less. Maybe you need more. You get to decide.

This month, I’ve shared lots of tools to support your motivation:

The Goals and Upgrades Workbook → denisedt.com/jan
The Money Bootcamp call (if you're in the group)
All the January podcast episodes—each one covering a piece of the puzzle

Let’s recap your toolkit:
✅ Visualise your year and build in space
✅ Plan for dips and energy lag
✅ Reduce friction wherever possible
✅ Choose your support team
✅ Set symbolic upgrades and joyful goals
✅ Focus on sustainable momentum—not perfection

This is your year to thrive on your own terms.

“It’s your time, and you’re ready for the next step.”

Big love from me—and I’ll see you next time on Chill and Prosper.

Want to keep this handy?

You can download this complete article as a beautifully formatted PDF:

Free Guide to Batching for Entrepreneurs

Learn how to batch your content and business tasks for ease, consistency, and more income, even when your energy isn’t consistent.

 

Batching is one of the simplest ways to create a calm, consistent, and profitable business, even when your energy isn’t consistent. In this guide, I’ll show you how to batch your content and business tasks in a way that feels supportive, authentic, and sustainable so your business keeps running without burnout.

Quick takeaway: You don’t need to feel motivated every day to be successful. You just need systems that work with your energy.

Hi friend,

Let’s talk about batching.

Batching is one of those business tools that sounds simple, almost boring, but quietly changes everything. It’s been one of the biggest reasons my business has stayed consistent, profitable, and surprisingly chill, even when my energy hasn’t been.

If you’ve ever thought:

“I’m not consistent enough to run a business.”
“I can’t create on demand.”
“I feel amazing one week and exhausted the next.”
“I know what to do, I just can’t seem to do it regularly.”

Batching is how you build a business that works with your energy instead of constantly demanding more from you.

This guide brings together everything I teach about batching, content creation, procrastination, and sustainable business so you can create more ease, more consistency, and yes, more income, without burning yourself out.

What Is Batching Content (And What It’s Not)

Batching simply means doing similar tasks together, ahead of time, while you’re in the right mood or energy for them.

That might look like:

Writing several social posts in one sitting
Recording multiple podcast episodes at once
Drafting newsletters for the month in a single afternoon
Making decisions once instead of over and over again

What batching is not:

It’s not being fake or inauthentic
It’s not forcing yourself into rigid schedules
It’s not locking yourself into content you’ll hate later

When you create something with intention and care, that energy stays in it. People feel it when they read, watch, or listen, even if you created it weeks ago.

Batching allows you to show up consistently for your audience without needing to feel “on” every single day.

Why Batching Creates Ease, Consistency, and Income

If you want to go deeper into the mindset side of consistency, you may also enjoy reading What Is Money Mindset (and How to Upgrade Yours for Success and Freedom.

Here’s the honest truth from over a decade in business:

Consistency equals cash.

People buy from you when they:

Know what you do
Remember you exist
Trust that you’re still around

If you only show up when you feel inspired, there are often big gaps in your marketing. During those gaps, people forget, get distracted, or move on.

Batching removes the daily pressure to perform. You’re no longer asking yourself every morning, “What should I post today?” or “Do I have the energy for this?”

Instead, your business keeps moving even when:

You’re tired
You’re bored
Life gets busy
Your creativity dips

This is how you build a business that feels safer, calmer, and far more sustainable.

Why You Might Be Resisting Batching (By Money Archetype)

Almost everyone resists batching at first. The reason just looks different depending on your personality.

Accumulators often worry they’re doing something “wrong.” You might feel like you need permission or a special certificate to create things ahead of time. You may also overthink what to batch and get stuck before you start.

Alchemists usually have no shortage of ideas. The resistance comes from putting those ideas into a system. You might think, “I’ll be a totally different person next month, how can I plan ahead?”

Connectors can feel like batching is inauthentic. You may believe everything has to be in real time to be meaningful. In reality, batching allows you to connect with more people exactly when they need your message.

Nurturers often struggle with confidence. When you sit down to batch, imposter syndrome can flare up and convince you that you don’t know enough or aren’t ready yet.

Romantics may resist batching because it feels boring or like hard work. Ironically, batching creates the most ease and freedom for you in the long run.

Mavericks resist batching because you resist systems in general. Even when you know something would help, part of you just wants to do it your own way.

Rulers usually love batching once they start, because it’s efficient, strategic, and makes more money.

Celebrities thrive with batching when it’s framed as a performance moment. Hair, makeup, studio time, then you’re done for weeks.

No matter your archetype, batching works for you. You just need to approach it in a way that feels supportive instead of restrictive.

If you’re curious to understand more about the 8 Sacred Money Archetypes®, and why you might be resisting batching in your own unique way, you can explore an overview of all eight Archetypes here.

You can also discover your own Archetype by taking the free quiz at https://www.denisedt.com/quiz, which will help you understand how you naturally make decisions, manage money, and build your business in a way that feels more aligned and sustainable.

How to Batch Content and Business Tasks (My Simple Puzzle Method)

I like to think about batching the way I do a puzzle.

You don’t start with the hardest piece. You start with the corners and the easy bits.

Here’s how to apply that to your business:

Choose one simple tool
Pick a social media scheduler, calendar, or system and stop researching. Done is better than perfect.
Choose a few categories
Think of topics you talk about again and again. For example:


Money mindset
Pricing
Business boundaries
Life and business


Batch one category at a time
Start with the easiest or most fun category first. Momentum matters more than strategy here.
Schedule immediately
Don’t let content sit on your computer. Get it out into the world while you’re there.
See how far ahead you can get
This is not about doing everything forever. It’s about getting a little breathing room.

Then stop when your energy runs out. You can always come back later.

What You Can Batch in Your Business (Hint: It’s Not Just Content)

This approach pairs beautifully with simplifying your business overall. If pricing or overworking is part of what’s draining your energy, you might also like How to Get Your Pricing Strategy Right and Charge Your True Worth.

Batching goes far beyond social media.

You can batch:

Social posts
Emails and newsletters
Podcast episodes
Blog drafts
Video content
Client communications
Admin tasks
Decisions
Offers and launches
Photography and brand shoots

In Chill and Prosper, I talk about simplifying your business by eliminating, automating, and delegating.

Batching is what makes all of that possible.

When things are batched:

Automation becomes easier
Delegation becomes clearer
Your brain gets a break


Batching as a Tool for Procrastination and Low Energy Days

For a deeper dive into procrastination and how to work with it gently, see My Best Tips to Beat Procrastination.

One of my favorite uses for batching is as a procrastination tool.

Sometimes when you’re avoiding something big, your brain just wants a small win. Batching gives you that without sabotaging your business.

You don’t have to be groundbreaking. You don’t have to reinvent yourself every week.

Your job is to:

Be visible
Be helpful
Be consistent

People need to hear the basics more than once. New people are finding you every day.

Batching lets you take advantage of your productive days so you’re not stuck waiting for motivation to magically appear.

How Batching Protects Your Golden Goose

You are the golden goose in your business.

If your business requires constant creativity, urgency, and output from you, burnout is only a matter of time.

Batching protects your energy by:

Reducing daily decision fatigue
Creating space for rest and recovery
Letting you work in short, focused bursts

You don’t have to be consistent for your business to be consistent.

That’s one of the most freeing truths you can embrace.

Common Batching Mistakes (And Gentle Reframes)

Some common ways people accidentally make batching harder than it needs to be:

Trying to batch everything at once
Overplanning instead of starting
Waiting for the perfect system
Breaking what already works out of boredom

Batching doesn’t need to be all or nothing.

Even batching one thing a month is a win.

A Gentle Word About Mindset

If you’ve ever felt stuck around money, visibility, or consistency, you’re not alone. You might also enjoy reading How to Clear Your Money Blocks alongside this article.

If batching feels hard, it’s rarely about time.

It’s usually about:

Safety
Visibility
Worth
Fear of being judged
Old money stories

That’s why mindset work matters.

When you feel safe to be seen, safe to earn, and safe to rest, batching becomes much easier to maintain.

Inside Money Bootcamp, I help entrepreneurs work through the mindset blocks that make consistency feel heavy or impossible so your business can actually support your life.

If that feels aligned for you, you can learn more about Money Bootcamp here.

More Resources to Support You

If you want to go deeper, here are some of my favorite resources on batching, consistency, and creating content with ease:

Podcast Episodes and Articles

Creating Content
Batching Content Creation
How I Create My Podcast and Content Ideas
My Best Tips to Beat Procrastination

Book Recommendation
If you want a bigger-picture approach to building a business that feels calm, sustainable, and profitable, you’ll love my book Chill and Prosper.

It covers batching, simplifying your business, mindset shifts, and how to create success without burning yourself out.

You can order a copy of Chill and Prosper wherever books are sold.

Remember, you don’t need to work harder to be successful.

You just need systems that support you when your energy changes.

It’s your time and you’re allowed to make it easier.

Download the Free Guide to Batching for Entrepreneurs

If you’d like to save this article, revisit it later, or print it out, you can download the full guide as a PDF.

Free Guide to Batching for Entrepreneurs:  A practical, mindset-friendly approach to batching your content and business tasks for ease, consistency, and more income.

So many of us start businesses - and lives - in the name of freedom.

Freedom of time.
Freedom of money.
Freedom of choice.

And yet somehow, we end up doing everything ourselves.

So today I wanted to open up a conversation about support - and why it’s often much harder to receive than to give.

Why Receiving Help Feels So Hard

For a lot of entrepreneurs, especially women, hyper-independence starts early.

Maybe you were the eldest child.
Maybe you were praised for being “mature.”
Maybe you learned not to be a burden.

Add in cultural conditioning — “it’s better to give than receive” — and suddenly asking for help feels uncomfortable, selfish, or even shameful.

But here’s the truth: refusing support doesn’t make you stronger. It often just makes you tired.

Support Is Not All or Nothing

When people hear “support team,” they often think:
• full-time employees
• big overhead
• lots of responsibility

But support doesn’t have to look like that.

It can be:
• a few hours a week of admin help
• a bookkeeper once a month
• a cleaner every fortnight
• a dog walker
• batching meals
• automating something you dread
• even eliminating things entirely

Support is about reducing friction — not adding complexity.

Look at Your Life Like a Company

One helpful exercise is imagining your life as a company.

Who’s in the boardroom?

Who’s doing the admin, the maintenance, the emotional labour?

Many of us are wearing every hat — in business and at home.

At a certain point, that just doesn’t work anymore.

You don’t have to do everything to prove your worth.

Your Role Matters

One of the biggest mindset shifts for me was recognising my role.

I can’t outsource being me.
I can’t outsource creativity, leadership, or showing up.

But that doesn’t mean I also need to do all the admin, logistics, and stress-inducing tasks.

You can be the talent without being the plough horse.

Support Is Symbolic

Sometimes the most powerful support isn’t logical — it’s symbolic.

A monthly massage.
A regular cleaner.
A blow-dry before filming videos.

These things send a message to your nervous system:
✨ I’m supported
✨ I’m allowed to feel good
✨ I don’t have to earn rest

And that changes how you show up everywhere else.

Final Thought

This year, you don’t have to go it alone.

You don’t have to do everything yourself.
You don’t have to burn out to be worthy.
And you don’t have to justify receiving help.

Support is part of abundance.

EPISODE 252
Who’s on your support team this year?

 

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If you started your business (or life) for freedom, but somehow ended up doing everything yourself… this episode is for you.

In this week’s Chill & Prosper, I’m talking about support - not just in business, but across your whole life.

We cover:
✨ Why so many of us struggle to ask for help (especially women)
✨ How hyper-independence can quietly lead to burnout
✨ What “support” can look like beyond hiring a full-time team
✨ How your money archetype might be blocking you from receiving help
✨ Why support isn’t indulgent — it’s strategic

This episode isn’t about adding pressure or overhead. It’s about giving yourself permission to stop doing everything alone.

You’re allowed to have help.
You’re allowed to receive support.
And you don’t have to martyr yourself to reach your goals.

xx Denise

Transcript

Prefer to read?  Here's the transcript:

Hey, gorgeous. It's Denise DT here. And on this episode of Chill and Prosper, we're talking about: who do you need in your corner to really thrive this year?

All month we've been talking about goals, what you need, and what you need to upgrade. And in this particular episode, we’re focusing on helping you think about—not even implement yet—what support system you might need for the rest of the year. Just to plant the seed, and to give you permission: you’re allowed to have support.

If you haven’t already downloaded our Goals and Upgrades workbook for January, it’s still available. Go to denisedt.com/jan (as in January), and start thinking about what you need for this year.

I want you to think about this from a lot of different angles. And I give you full permission to be okay with what you need—not what someone else told you, not what your peers or mentors or mastermind buddies are doing, but what YOU need.

This is personal. But sometimes it also digs up deeper stuff—old money blocks and sabotages.

It’s okay to get support. It’s okay to get help. That’s where I’m going to start.

I really, really, really struggle with this. I am hyper-independent. Some of that comes from my origin story: I’m the eldest child, the eldest grandchild of a teen mum, a bit of a parentified kid, and I had a personality that people described as “very mature.”

From a young age, I told myself, “I don’t need help,” and more importantly, “I don’t want to be a burden.” I wanted to be helpful.

A lot of people relate to that feeling. And you don’t have to be the eldest child to have it. Many women are conditioned to be nurturers. We’re taught it’s better to give than to receive. We want to be helpful. But we struggle to receive.

I’ve talked about this before—maybe it was the December episode—about how holidays bring up so many money blocks. We all have stories about gift-giving and receiving. Maybe you were told receiving made you greedy. Maybe you have trauma around birthdays or holidays.

I remember one time, I was traveling with Willow, who’s now 12. I had her strapped to my chest, I had a big suitcase, and someone said, “Can I help you? I’ll take you to the gate.” And I said, “No, I’m fine.” Not because I didn’t need help—just because my first reaction is always: “I’m fine. I can do it.”

Here’s the thing: I love helping other people. I love being the person who jumps in and says, “What do you need?” So I had to reframe receiving as giving someone else the opportunity to give. That helped, a little. It still makes me cringe, but it helped.

Let’s look at your goals—not just “What do I want to achieve?” but “What kind of support would help me achieve it without burning out?”

You don’t have to do it all yourself. You don’t have to martyr yourself. We don’t want you to get to the end of the year having hit all your goals but feeling like a burnt-out, empty shell.

So many of us have experienced burnout in the past few years. Me included.

Often, it’s rooted in the belief: “I have to do it all myself. I’m not allowed to ask for help.”

This is where your money archetypes can really show up. If you haven’t done the quiz yet, go to denisedt.com/quiz and find out yours—because I’ll be referencing it a lot on the podcast this year.

I’m a Ruler archetype. We want to build big empires, but when we’re in sabotage mode, we:

Reinvent the wheel
Refuse to get help
Overcommit
Overdeliver
Get frustrated with others who can’t do things as fast or as well
Say things like “It’s easier to just do it myself”

I’ve pulled all-nighters at 3am thinking, “Well, it’s too late to ask my team now—I’ll just do it.”

If you’re an Accumulator, you might resist hiring support because you think, “It’s cheaper if I do it myself.” But then you become the bottleneck. You can’t scale if you insist on doing everything.

If you’re a Nurturer, you might feel guilty asking for help. You give and give and give, but struggle to receive. You end up in compassion fatigue, burnout, and sometimes even resentment.

Maybe you’ve even tried to ask for help in the past—and got let down. Maybe you were surrounded by selfish or codependent people who said no, or just didn’t show up for you. That can make you say, “Fine, I’ll never ask for help again.”

Let’s unpack this from a few angles.

Imagine your life is a company. Who would be on your executive team? This is inspired by something Tim Ferriss talked about—who’s sitting at your boardroom table?

In a real company, you’ve got:

HR
Marketing
Accounting
Strategy
Admin
Maintenance

There are so many roles. But when we run a business or manage a household, we’re often doing all of those ourselves. Wearing all the hats.

That might be okay for a while. But if you’ve got big goals this year—it’s probably not sustainable. Even if you have a huge capacity like me (hello, over-functioners), eventually, something’s got to give.

You can’t do everything and expect to thrive.

And this doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. It’s not about hiring a full-time staff tomorrow. You can start small and still make big shifts.

Start by auditing your life like a business. Even if you’re a stay-at-home parent, look at all the roles you’re playing:

Who does the cooking?
Who does the cleaning?
Who handles emotional labor?
Who manages the pets, the kids’ schedules, the birthdays?

These are roles. These are energy outputs. And when you look at it this way, it becomes easier to see where support could help.

Now, a lot of people get stuck in all-or-nothing thinking. “Well, I can’t afford full-time help.” But you don’t need full-time help to start.

Support could look like:

A one-off project
Swapping tasks with a friend
A short-term contract
One hour a week
A couple of hours a month
Hiring a cleaner once a fortnight
Getting a meal delivery service just on your busiest days

If you’ve read Chill and Prosper, you’ll know I break down tasks into:

Eliminate – What can go completely?
Automate – What can a tool or system handle?
Batch – What can I do all at once for efficiency?
Delegate – What can someone else do?

And even delegation doesn’t have to mean “hire a full-time employee.” It could be someone doing a few hours a week. Or just one focused task.

Also, your support team isn’t just about your business—it’s your whole life. You might already have solid business systems in place but feel totally unsupported at home.

Maybe the most meaningful support you could add this year is:

A monthly massage because your back seizes up and sabotages your productivity
A dog walker so you’re not trying to juggle walks with client calls
A cleaner once a fortnight to give you back your weekends

It’s all valid. These things count as part of your support team.

When my husband Mark came into the business, I had to “educate” him (in a loving way) about this. I told him, “I’m the talent in this business. You can’t have me be the show pony and the plow horse.”

I said, “Pick one—do you want me to be the show pony who shows up for our community, creates content, leads programs? Or the plow horse doing backend admin?”

You can’t have both at once. And I’m not too good to do admin—but it takes energy to be the face of the brand. I can’t do it all.

At Disneyland, Mickey Mouse is the star of the show—but he’s not sweeping up after the parade.

Everyone has a role, and they’re all important. But you have to choose yours intentionally.

That shift—being intentional about your role—is huge.

When I thought about what truly drained me, it wasn’t just business tasks. It was home stuff. So I brought in help incrementally:

A housekeeper
A nanny
Laundry help
Food prep support

You don’t have to outsource all of that overnight. Start small. Start symbolically. Because it sends a powerful message to yourself and to the universe:

🌀 “I serve, I deserve.”
🌀 “I don’t have to do everything.”
🌀 “I’m not responsible for everyone.”
🌀 “I’m worthy of good support.”

You might already have support—but it’s not the right support. It might need tweaking.

Sometimes, it’s just shifting roles or changing boundaries. Maybe your VA needs clearer direction. Maybe your childcare hours need to adjust. Maybe the person who helps with admin isn’t actually freeing up your time.

This is about refinement.

So now, ask yourself:
✨ What would be the most symbolic support I could receive right now?
✨ What upgrade would make the biggest emotional or energetic difference?
✨ What help would feel like a gift to Future Me?

Sometimes we have support, but it’s outdated. Or it no longer fits our current season of life or business.

When I was pregnant with my second child, I went to a VIP day with Ali Brown. She had twins at the time, and she said something that really stuck with me:

“I don’t want to build a massive empire right now. This phase of life is busy. I’ve simplified my team. It’s just me, my business partner, and a couple of assistants.”

And I remember thinking, “Oh my God—permission.”

At that time, I was feeling weighed down by the idea of having a big team. It actually held me back from growing because I didn’t want the responsibility. I didn’t want to manage a big group. I’m an introvert. I don’t want to manage people’s emotions or energy all day.

Some mentors told me, “You need to outsource your marketing. You need to bring in a full team now.” But it didn’t feel right for my personality—or my nervous system.

So I made different choices. And you can too.

Your support team doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. You don’t need to follow someone else’s org chart. Start with what you really need, right now, in this season. Start symbolically. Start small. Start honestly.

And remember:
🧡 You’re worthy of support.
🧡 You don’t have to do it alone.
🧡 It’s your time, and you’re ready for the next step.

A lot of people resist setting goals - not because they’re lazy, but because they’re afraid of disappointment.

If that’s you, you’re not broken. 

So today I’m sharing why incremental upgrades are often far more powerful than big, dramatic goals - especially if you’re prone to perfectionism or burnout.

Goals Aren’t About Perfection

People often ask me:

Should I set huge stretch goals?
Should I write goals in present tense?
Should I manifest or use SMART goals?

All of that can quickly turn into procrastination.

The real purpose of goals is focus. When you know what you’re playing for, your brain starts looking for opportunities automatically. But when goals feel too big, vague, or pressured, we shut down.

That’s where incremental upgrades come in.

Why Big Goals Can Backfire

Setting a goal that feels wildly unrealistic can actually hurt confidence.

If you’ve never made consistent money and you jump straight to a million-dollar goal without systems, offers, or support - it can create shame instead of momentum.

On the flip side, setting goals that feel too small or vague can lead to wishy-washy results.

Incremental upgrades sit in the sweet spot between excitement and safety.

Incremental Upgrades Help You Acclimatise

Think of success like altitude training.

If you suddenly jump to a higher altitude, you feel sick.
But if you acclimatise slowly, your body adapts.

The same thing happens with money, visibility, and success.

Incremental upgrades help your nervous system get comfortable with:
• earning more
• receiving support
• being seen
• charging properly
• having better tools

That’s why people who get sudden windfalls often sabotage them - they haven’t acclimatised.

What Incremental Upgrades Look Like

An upgrade doesn’t have to be expensive or dramatic.

It could be:
• improving your workspace
• buying better tools
• setting a cancellation policy
• opening a business bank account
• stopping a stressful product or service
• charging for “pick my brain” sessions
• upgrading one page of your website
• discontinuing something that drains you

These changes are symbolic. They tell your brain - and the universe - that you’re taking yourself seriously.

Planting Seeds, Not Forcing Results

I always remind people: my very first course had one person in it.

That wasn’t failure. It was a seed.

Every launch, every offer, every small upgrade teaches you skills you use later. You don’t skip steps - you build momentum.

Success compounds.

Final Thought

You don’t need to suffer for growth.
You don’t need all-or-nothing goals.
And you don’t need to overwhelm yourself to prove you’re serious.

This year, ask yourself:
What’s the next upgrade that would make my life easier, calmer, or more supportive?

That’s how real change happens.