Archive for Fulfillment
The Path To True Fufillment Begins with You
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The longer I journey this path to true fulfillment I am reminded daily that there is no “one size fits all”. Your unique and rare blend of values, identity and mission are meant for you to discover, embrace and unleash for the benefit of the world at large. And news alert! You are also meant to understand these truths for the joy of your own fulfillment.
Yes, you get to enjoy you! You are beautiful! You are unique! And you deserve to embrace who you are and what you bring to others for the simple fact that when you do, you actually have more life and love available to share at home, in your community, your workplace and the world.
As little kids, you were probably told to stop bragging or boasting about yourself because it’s considered rude. For the most part this is true. However, as a little child with the inability to understand anything but black or white, you might have interpreted this comment to mean that it’s selfish and rude if you put any attention toward yourself and that you are meant to serve and give to others exclusively.
Carry this line of thinking forward into your adult life and now you deflect praise, are unable to receive thanks and put others needs before your own heart because it’s selfish otherwise right?
Wrong! This is such a lie and it’s worked for years in keeping you from discovering who you really are and the larger story you are meant to live out in the world.
So now what?
Renew your mind! Take captive every thought! Get rid of stinkin’ thinkin’!
And remember these poignant words shared in a speech by Nelson Mendela years ago:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be?
YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the glory that is within us. And as we let our light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Marianne Williamson
Author and international lecturer on spiritual, personal and political issues.
Owning your brilliance begins with overcoming your negative self-talk. If you need help, download our free tool to Empower your Voice Within and consider partnering with one of our coaches to overcome your obstacles as you discover who you really are as you create a life of freedom and true fulfillment.
What makes you mad, sad or glad?
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I’m curious what makes you mad? How about sad? And what about glad? If you take a moment to think about these simple yet powerful questions, you’re actually a step closer to identifying and naming what you are passionate about, ultimately pointing you to your greater mission and purpose in life.
Let me make a clarifying point here because what I’m not asking is what activities make you mad, glad or sad. For example, I’m sure spending time on a beach in the warm sun could make you really glad. I know it would make me glad since we’ve only had about 5 sunny days in the Pacific Northwest this summer. 
(Thankfully today one of those sunny days this summer!)
The responses to these questions live beneath the surface of your life and connect you to the core and fabric of your being. Your deeper answers to these questions point you to a very important place, as they reveal your greater mission and purpose in the world offering a powerful foundation for making intentional and meaningful choices for your life and business.
For example, it makes me glad to hear people’s stories of life because as I watch and/or listen I am able to notice the sparks of aliveness and resonance within them. As this happens, it makes me glad to connect others to what really matters for them which becomes the fuel needed to create a fulfilling and inspired life. This is why I am richly blessed to work as a professional life and business coach, acting as a catalyst for life transformation in the lives of women business owners who long to make a difference.
On the flip side, it makes me mad (and sad) to know that women feel inadequate and insecure within themselves. It takes its toll on your confidence and esteem while wreaking havoc on your life and diminishing your success in your business. This is the reason I’m so passionate about living my purpose which is to help women like you overcome obstacles and discover who you are so you can boldly live your inspired life vision with courage, confidence and authenticity.
So what moves your heart?
What makes you mad, sad and glad?
What stirs you?
You have a vital role to play in the world. When you access the answers to these deeper questions, you will find direction toward your mission and purpose which will bring you greater joy and lasting fulfillment and leave a favorable impact in the lives you touch.
As you contemplate your answers, feel free to share by posting your comments at www.shannonbruce.com. More importantly, take action upon what stirs your heart and don’t let this moment to connect with your purpose pass you by.
Calgon Take Me Away–Permission to Pause
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Remember that commercial years ago where a woman is overwhelmed and frustrated by the many demands for her attention? She finally took a stand and declared “Calgon, take me away!” This woman was really onto something that I think bears repeating. Her declaration points to the truth that we all need to step away from the chaos and demands of life to slow down, pause, breathe, check in and reassess.
So what about you? Could you use a “Calgon” break? Permission granted…Go for it! Maybe it’s not a bubble bath, but it could certainly be a ten-minute break to breathe or go for a quick walk. Or how about sitting down to eat your lunch at the table rather than “on the go” or standing up?! 
At some point, you will get caught up in the “doing” and “serving” others through your business and your life that you barely have time to think, let alone feel. Some of you might press in and push through, while others shut down and just stop all together. In either scenario, you’ll reach the point where you are ineffective and unproductive forcing you to reevaluate.
So what’s the answer?
The answer is this: give yourself permission to pause. Take a quick assessment right now and contemplate the following questions.
- What are you currently experiencing internally? Are you at rest inside? Or are you feeling chaos within? Name what you notice.
Once you tune in to what’s happening in your internal world, take a look at what’s going on externally by answering these questions.
- What’s working?
- What’s not?
- What really matters?
- What changes are needed?
Your answers to these questions will reveal some powerful truths. However, you’re just scratching the surface at this point.
There are actually deeper truths that need to be accessed. This internal wisdom will actually help you on the front-end to be proactive in your life and business rather than reacting to the shut-down or burn-out that comes after you hit the proverbial wall.
When you give yourself permission to glean this inner wisdom, you’ll discover your true identity and life mission which reveals your purpose. With this information, you have filters for your choices and you can design a path to the life you’re intended to live. This keeps you anchored in peace while achieving greater impact and tangible results with less effort in both your life and your business.
There’s actually a coaching journey that can help you tap into these deeper truths. It’s called The Destiny Project and this week it went virtual under one website location with it’s own unique brand, identity, mission and purpose. What’s really cool about this journey is that it provides enough structure to keep you moving forward, blended with enough process that takes you deeper into the learning of who you truly are at the core.
Many say they don’t have enough time to dream because there’s too much to do. How about you? What do you think?
What if the question isn’t how can you afford to dream, but rather the question was how can you afford not to? I invite you to contemplate this in your “Calgon” moment as you exercise your permission to pause.
Post your comments at www.shannonbruce.com; I’d love to read your thoughts and be sure to check out the new website because it’s pretty amazing! Thanks Michael Warden and Josh Tilton.
Photo Provided by www.photoxpress.com, Copyright Julia Britvich
Fears and Faith – Stepping into the Unknown
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Do you remember how you felt when you were very young and your birthday approached? You were excited and anxious. You knew you would certainly receive gifts and other special treats. But some things would be a surprise. It wasn’t a question of “if” you would receive anything; instead the question you pondered was actually “what?”
Imagine that you held this same perspective around the “unknown”? What if you took that step out of your comfort zone and instead of fearing the unknown outcome, you had faith that there was a gift awaiting you on the other side. Just as birthdays combine assurance and anticipation so does faith!
In my early morning Facebook posting yesterday, a dialogue on the topic of faith began. Here’s how it went:
Shannon – “Faith is learning to be OK with the unknown. It’s learning to embrace the “I don’t know” and seeing this as the open door to the many possibilities that are beyond what you could ever hope for or imagine.”
Friend #1 – “Living in the unknown also increases your faith…it’s all divine. 
”
Friend #2 – “I’m intrigued and interested in learning how to be more faithful in this regard… The “unknown” frightens me and freezes my ability to act freely.”
Can you relate to Friend #2? I know I can, along with every one of my past, present and future clients!
We all have fears and the truth is these never go away completely. On the other hand, you can turn your fears into excitement when you choose to be courageous and act in spite of them. In doing so, your faith grows because you find the gifts that are available as you step into the unknown. This changes your fears to faith as you let your anticipation for these unknown surprises give you courage along the way.
Here’s what Robert G. Allen suggests around fears and faith as you step into the unknown:
Hold up your hand and assign one letter to each finger:
FEARS = Failure, Embarrassment, Abandonment, Rejection and Success.
How do you over come your fears?
With FAITH.
FAITH = Freedom, Abundance, Inspiration, Triumph, and Happiness.
As you read this post, what’s being stirred in you? What fear will you overcome and what’s the action step of faith that you’ll take today, either in your life or your business?
Living courageously is exhilarating and scary at the same time, and it’s not meant to be done alone! Find a mentor, hire a professional coach, or get an accountability partner.
As a first step, I’d like to challenge you to share your fears and your courageous moves of faith with this community of blog readers. Let’s use this blog as a form of accountability for that one step into the unknown where your surprise gift awaits.
So I’ll start….I’m on a mission to grow my community of newsletter and blog readers and yet I haven’t directly asked for your help. Today I’m moving beyond my fear of embarrassment and rejection and asking you to send this post to 5 of your friends as you invite them to sign up for our blog and newsletter. Why you might ask? I’m looking for 500 new women and Mompreneurs to join our lists as we expand our network and impact with courageous women who are ready to overcome obstacles to discover who they are, as they boldly take action to live their inspired life vision.
Thank you for referring your friends, family and colleagues. Here’s to living courageously, overcoming fears and growing in faith!
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience. We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face… we must do that which we think we cannot.”—Eleanor Roosevelt
Truth and Transformation
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I know you’ve heard it before; it’s the poignant phrase about knowing the truth which will set you free. I believe it now more than ever before as I process on my ferry ride home from The Destiny Project Retreat. It was a life transforming weekend where the hearts, minds and spirits of 11 women (including mine) have been set free to experience more of an abundant life.
If was the first ever “live” version of The Destiny Project, held as a retreat at the beautiful Gaylord House B&B just outside of Seattle, WA. Throughout the weekend, the home was filled with laughter and tears, creating a safe and courageous space for the women to experience the truth of who they are as unique masterpieces.
I hold a new perspective around the term B&B thanks to the innkeeper who joined us for the journey. It no longer stands for Bed & Breakfast; it now means Belief & Belonging which was exemplified over and over throughout the weekend. It allowed the women to fully own and believe in their true identities as they felt a deep sense of acceptance and belonging. This sacred space allowed each of them to bring their full selves to the experience.
Throughout the weekend each woman learned to embrace her humanness, including both the light and the shadow, bringing about the compassion needed for each one of them to declare, “I like me!” What a profound statement when we live in a world so focused on what’s not working as we strive to be who we are not, meeting the have to’s, ought to’s and should’s that are placed upon us by ourselves and others. With child-like joy these women came alive to embrace the truth, which provided a clear path to the life change that has transformed each woman forever.
The impact was significant! After settling into the experience, each began to trust the organic process and the truth was awakened. Every woman now has a clearer picture of her desires, dreams, values, identity, mission and yes, even her shadow. They all left with a tool kit overflowing with truth and wisdom that will be used as personal filters for moving forward with boldness and courage toward each woman’s God-inspired destiny.
As we wrapped the weekend, we moved into the making it real phase because this journey is so much more than “feeling good” about yourself. It’s about a new way of living, a God-inspired paradigm shift that allows you to find the deeper truths of who you are so you can integrate and live out this truth and transformation in practical real world ways. I refer to this type of living as the “sweet spot” where your spirit intersects with God’s so you achieve greater impact and enhanced results with less effort because there is no more striving.
As you can imagine, the ripple effect of women living from this authentic place of being is exponential. Their lives have been transformed AND the freedom and love they bring to their homes, families, communities and the world will overflow in powerful ways to others.
One of the participants, Rhonda, described her experience this way:
“I’ve lived my life with the burning sense of knowing I was meant for so much more. I filled my life with busyness and over commitment not knowing what to say yes and no to. I longed to really hear clearly from the Holy Spirit what he saw in me and where he wanted me to go in my life but never felt I could.
“The Destiny Project Retreat changed all that! For the first time I heard loud & clear from the Holy Spirit, that he definitely had an identity for me and my mission became quite clear! What incredible freedom to know what to focus my life around. The world would never be the same if every woman stood in their true identity and moved forward courageously in their mission. My prayer is that every woman would get this opportunity.”
After facilitating the Destiny Project for over 2 years, I am convinced that women are hungry for this type of experience. I’m a firm believer that each and every woman is worthy and deserving of the truth and transformation that is evoked. The genuine woman that is released and the freedom that comes is no longer option, but essential.
Where are you in journey to complete freedom as you live from your true self?
Contact me if you want to explore what it means to free your genuine self so you can find meaning and purpose while leaving your legacy behind. Also contact me if you’d like to participate or coordinate a group for The Destiny Project over-the-phone course or in-person retreat. Don’t waste another minute; the time for change is now!
