

My Love Language Is A Paid Invoice
That moment when the teller asked, "How can I help today?", I hurried and told the teller, "Here's how! I got a pen and if passing me that application to open up a business bank account is the best thing you do for anyone today, do it for me." This was the day I opened up my first business bank account.
In that next hour, I could see myself finally relating to a middle-aged woman about grown financials. She needed me in that hour to vent and I needed her in that hour for assistance. I arrived at a local bank with that burning fed-up desire to stop playing myself short.
I had enough of me and these fears and finances after running a side-business for four years. I came across a few different types of clients to finally realize what an "ideal client" really meant and then it became time to take things to the next level. I was honored for this phase of life, and knowingly more confident when a paid invoice came through.
So I pondered, if a new release of The 5 Love Languagescame out for small business owners, maybe — just maybe, this feeling could replace the love language of "receiving gifts" with "paid invoices" for those of us in business. Cause' honey, when that ding sound comes through these money mobile apps—let's just say my love language has been feeling like it's paid invoices for quite some time now.
Because life is so busy, I became so wrapped up in the joys of my personal life; getting engaged, taking family photos, a family trip, shooting for the stars that I couldn't wait to get back to my passion of writing to release these thoughts. It wasn't hard to discover that this subject might've stayed on my mind for a reason — a reason to pay attention to — as I noticed how fast we were rising as owners and investors in pretty much every industry as a culture.
It took me back to a moment when my ex-boyfriend and I went our separate ways. He tried to get me back in every way he knew how and nothing felt right until I told him that in order to get back together he'd have to enroll in my course and it was filling up fast. Caught off-guard he was but he needed that ego lowered a little bit and I needed his harsh truth, the fit was good at the time. As a Writer and Career Coach who operates a small business full-time, I learned to bet on myself early on. At first, he side-eyed my demand and then pulled out his debit card and booked his spot.
Ding! I felt loved.
Understanding that if he wanted to love me, he needed to support what I believe in. You see me, show me. You know me, put your money where my account is. And he did. We didn't last long after that but what that moment did for my confidence in business starting out was worth the experience.
I know when you're constantly replying something like "over here booking clients" enough to their "what you doing" mid-day texts, someone on the other side should get the picture but many don't. As small business owners, or owners-to-be, it's important to challenge the level of support from our friends, family and lovers.
I've been known to write about the areas we hardly speak about, and this is one. If more people would understand that knowing your worth in money areas and matching it with top-notch quality services or products is allowing your gifts to make room for you, they'd see what I'm talking about.
Showing me love and loving me one way right — is a paid invoice, something that life taught me. Check this! Artificial support is blind to bills and if inquiries and not paid invoices only came — I'd be a broke and broken fool. My heart is ready to serve and this is how I stay ready.
Here are 3 proven strategies you can use to ensure you get your invoices paid to feel loved too.
Set Clear and Non-Negotiable Due Dates
Clear communication is key. Before engaging with a client, you need to make sure you're able to have an open and transparent dialogue with them. When setting a due date, avoid invoicing-terms like "upon-receipt" or giving them a number of days i.e. "due in 15 days, 30 days, etc…". Instead, give your client a physical immediate date. That way, there is essentially no room for confusion or misinterpretation.
Don’t Send the Invoice Without a Conversation First
When setting the date, I find that simply speaking to a client first, whether over the phone for 15 minutes or a voice audio sent through a DM, adds an instant buyer connection for you. Wouldn't you easily see the value in someone when they notice you as a person and not just a transaction?
Find the Right Point of Contact
Being able to identify people's strengths and weaknesses is one of the most valuable assets you can have in life. Some individuals just don't have the wherewithal for understanding how accounting works. That being said, you need to find and engage the right contact when billing your clients. More often than not, there is a quick filter process when it comes to your point of contact. Make sure you're engaging with the individual who is authorized to complete the payment. If you communicate through a middle man, it will only delay the process further.
Desiring to live in the collection of giving and receiving love is mandatory; loving yourself right out loud can lead to a paid invoice. Putting yourself first can lead to a paid invoice. Saying no can lead to a paid invoice and contributing to any conversation can lead to a paid invoice. Let's move the wheel freely back into our lives.
xoNecole is always looking for new voices and empowering stories to add to our platform. If you have an interesting story or personal essay that you'd love to share, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us at submissions@xonecole.com.
Featured image by Shutterstock
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.