Girl, Keep Your Religion Out of Your Business

I have very clear definitions for myself when it comes to religion, faith, and business.  They are all extremely different from each other. I’m not going to go into my definitions, at least not for religion or faith because I’m gonna take my own advice that I decided for myself a few years ago in this pursuit of a home-based business career, “Girl, Keep Your Religion Out of Your Business”, and here’s why!

With the release of Rachel Hollis’ new book, “Girl, Stop Apologizing” my feed has Rachel’s face everywhere - people I follow, people who follow me all began to post that they received their pre-ordered book this week.  Many of these women whom I know more personally, practice a Christian religion of some sort. Which is fine, again I’m not gonna go into what I believe is the definition, my belief is everyone is given the choice to decide that definition for themselves.  What did bother me about this wave of someone’s written accomplishment wasn’t that her fans both Christian and those who are not defining themselves that way were excited or posting all over the place this week, but of those who were professing themselves so they could condemn her…

Now, let me premise this with saying, I have not read “Girl, Wash Your Face” or her new book.  I have a life coach who provides me with my needed source of mindset support and have found since I hired her I do not need that extra added dose of mindset support from listening to a few hours of it from Rachel on my audible.  Coach Jennie has been teaching about “Resetting My Mindset” and “No More Apologies” to me for months, so neither of these books I felt were necessary. I have however watched several of Rachel Hollis’ talks and listened to her podcast.  Hence why I felt, I know enough to write about this topic of “Girl, Keep Your Religion Out of Your Business.”

Nothing I have listened to from Rachel Hollis made me believe she was a professed religious minded woman.  Again, I see Rachel as a source of similar life coaching and business coaching support; not where I’d get my weekly influence into my faith.  However, I did pretty much just associated her with “Christian-minded” women because those were primarily the women I was finding were posting or sharing with me about her book and coaching.  Other than that I really didn’t feel the things I was consuming of hers were “faith-based” or “religion-based” but somewhere, perhaps at some time, Rachel shared she was Christian, I don’t know.  

Yesterday, as I was scrolling through my feed I saw a few posts regarding Rachel’s new book again, and the last one I saw just blew me away.  “Girl, Follow Jesus” the title said, “I beg you to reject Hollis’ teaching…” as I read more a few verses were listed, out of context, and it went on to tell you to “beware of the woman sitting in the pew next to you raving about Hollis’ new book”.  It felt wrong. It felt hurtful. It didn’t feel, well, the way at least from my understanding what a demographic of those professing that religion would do to another woman… or would it?

Listen, a long time ago, I professed my faith here on the interwebs as part of my business.  It got a lot of likes, follows, and I built some amazing relationships I still have today around core beliefs I have in my faith.  What I realized though is that wasn’t what I felt or feel today is what I was meant to teach or offer to fulfill the purpose of my want to serve others, not because I reject it, but because I grew in my understanding of it for me.  Seeing these posts condemning a woman for “believing in herself” and “claiming she’s self-made” just made me sick. To spread the thoughts that this woman believing in herself and in her accomplishments doesn’t mean she doesn’t believe they came from her religion or faith, but again, maybe she at one time professed that I don’t know.  It also felt so wrong to put the thought in other women’s heads that if the woman sitting next to you in church is reading Hollis you should condemn her too!  To me, these condemnations from those who potentially could be lifting her up and creating balance for better in this world, just seem like assumptions?

And so, this is my reason for this post.  For me to say to you, my sister in home-based business ambition.  Girl, Keep Your Religion Out of Your Business.  Keep it for YOU!  Stop posting quotes of verses out of context, don’t make it the thing that drives demand to your business, that isn’t where your impact or purpose lies, I promise you.  It's not branding yourself, don't let any of the gurus tell you otherwise.  I admit it, I did it when I first started, and in many ways, I believe business is about growth. It’s where I believe religion, faith the definition for business intersect or cross for me. It works for a time until you realize that isn’t what you’re meant to give to the world, someone else already did!  

So, girl, make your business about the gifts, talents, and skills you have that can serve others in this world to make it a balance for the better.  There will be lots of other things for people to shame you about, I promise, your religion or faith shouldn't be one that is on the table for debate.