Archive for Impact
Practicing the Art of “Being”
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I’ve spent the majority of my life “doing” rather than “being”. After all, there are places to go, people to see, and things to do, right?
This approach to life fell short for me over ten years ago when I made the bold and courageous decision to leave behind the security of my steady paycheck. I quit my “Corporate” job to pursue my entrepreneurial dream because I was exhausted and burnt out from all of my “doing” for the sake of what?!
Little did I know that I would find myself going through life transition upon life transition, starting with my divorce and the subsequent hurdles of my daughter’s health struggles.
Because of these changes, I was challenged to find answers to the questions of “Who am I?” and “What’s next?”
I could write a book on the topic and some day I just might! In the meantime, the key learning is that I am a “human being”, not a “human doing”. Out of this paradigm shift, I have reaped the benefits of living a heart centered life and I am committed to supporting women like you to do the same.
For those of you who are “do-ers” (which is 99.9% of the women out there), here are some practical next steps that will help you “to be”.
- Slow down and breathe fully. Repeat multiple times during the day!
- Go for a walk in silence. A little bit of exercise, a chance to be and not just “sitting still”.
- Get up early in the morning before everyone else wakes up. Drink your coffee in silence and breathe some more.
- Stop talking and listen. Pay attention to others and to your inner voices, your body, etc.
- Read my blog article “On the Verge of a Break Through” for more insight.
Learning to “be” is essential if you want to find inner peace, joy and greater purpose. It’s a huge shift from the crazy-making world we live, yet so worth the perseverance and commitment to find it.
So what else would you add to this list? Share your comments at Facebook and the Blog…And then, breathe and “just be”!
Going on an Information Diet
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OK, let’s get real. Are you overwhelmed by too much information? It’s a blessing to have readily accessible information at your fingertips 24-7. However, the curse is that there’s an overwhelming abundance of “too much”. So much so that I’m inviting you put yourself on an information diet!
Let me set the stage as to why I think this is important. Last week I had a conversation with a colleague about the impact of being plugged in to so much information. We both agreed that having access to the collective wisdom and brilliance of so many people provides not only inspiration and practical tips, but also calls forth new directions, opportunities and possibilities.
Just like a coin however, there is a flip side. We’ve both found that too much information can become distracting, overwhelming and worst case, it can cause you to question your value, abilities and direction.
If you’re like me, you might often find yourself reacting to what shows up in your in-box feeling obligated to read all of the newsletters, blogs, daily devotions, tips, and inspiration that you’ve signed up for. The challenge is that it can become all consuming to the point you end up working more than you’d like, once again compromising what really matters. Not to mention it can totally diminish your self-worth and esteem.
If any of this resonates for you, my suggestion is that you go on an information diet. Just like you cut back on your food intake to focus on becoming physically healthy, an information diet is about reducing the volume of content you read so you become emotionally healthy and can thrive in your life and work.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting you eliminate everything. I am encouraging you to become tuned in and aware so you can decide what content to decrease as you guard your heart.
Here are some questions to ponder and some potential next steps:
- Does this information add value to your life or work or is it a distraction? If it’s a distraction, consider opting out.
- Are you energized and inspired by the information or do you feel drained or defeated? If you are drained and defeated, it might be time to opt out.
- Do you read the information or do you just delete it? If you’re deleting it you aren’t reading it anyway so clear out the volume of e-mails by opting out.
- Is it all good and yet there’s just too much? Rate what you receive on a scale of good, better and best and opt-out of the good so you have time for the better and best.
Clearing and purging information that is no longer life giving or relevant to where you are in your life and work will have massive benefit to you. It will free you up emotionally because you will have more energy available to focus on what’s truly important. It will also help to eliminate the self-sabotage and allow you to focus on who you really are, not what you think you ought to be.
So what do you think? Share your comments at the blog and share it with your friends, family and colleagues.
Here’s to living freely and lightly!
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!
In the Absence of Complete Clarity
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Do you find yourself in the absence of “complete” clarity. I’m right there with you because in this season of my life, there’s a lot in flux in both my personal life and business. I have a sense of where these shifts will take me and I’m moving forward in action in new and positive ways.
At the same time, I find myself challenged by the lack of “crystal clear clarity” that “us coaches” support our clients to discover. Perhaps you’re like me, finding your schedule jam packed, having little margin, and new opportunities coming to you at warp speed.
Here are some of the realizations I’ve had over the past few weeks:
Strengths taken to an extreme become a weakness. My can-do attitude has resulted in me saying “yes” too often. Don’t get me wrong; I am saying “yes” to good things that honor my values, strengths and vision. The end result however, is that my quiet time has been impacted and the quality of my personal relationships is being affected. What about you? What strengths have become weaknesses in your life?
The “good” can crowd out those things that are “best”. When you receive an opportunity that appears aligned with your strengths, talents, values, vision, etc. pause before saying yes. Evaluate whether the opportunity is “good”, “better” or “best”, and choose accordingly.
Replenish on a grand scale so you can continue to give to others in a big way. You must renew and replenish to the same degree you are giving to have increase your impact, influence and results. To be in service from a “full” tank you need to take care of yourself. This isn’t selfish; it’s a fact of life!
So now what?
Reduce your screen time—my daughter’s pediatrician told me that she should have no more than 2 hours of TV, Computer, and Electronic Games a day. Hmmm, I wonder what that means for us adults. For me, this means that I must turn off the computer when I leave my office daily.
Aim for an earlier bedtime—what bed time allows you to wake up being your best self? I have found a time that allows me to wake up refreshed and every time I “push it”, my morning is challenged.
Radically reduce your multi-tasking—you can’t send an e-mail, put a load of laundry in the machine, talk on the phone and be present all at the same time. Keep the main priority your focus and be real about how many activities you can handle at any given time.
Here’s the truth in all of this. You need to shield yourself from the busyness to hear what your body, soul and spirit are saying. External noise and excessive activity interferes with your ability to hear the still small whispers within that will give you the “complete” clarity you need.
What do you think? I welcome your feedback and comments.
Live from your Inspiration
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Years ago someone told me that motivation only lasts for 72 hours. It comes from outside of you and is an external driver which doesn’t last, requiring you have to look for more of it. Inspiration comes from within and keeps you energized and moving. It’s passion on fire and the stirring in your soul which awakens your heart, stimulates your thinking and propels you to action.
So what does it mean to live from your inspiration?
Think about this in the context of your business or career. Let’s say you are working with someone who we’ll name “Ann”. As you motivate Ann with your enthusiasm, insight and wisdom, she takes action and gets results. You’re excited because she’s having an impact and seems to really understand what’s needed going forward, so you redirect your attention elsewhere. About a week later, you realize Ann didn’t follow-up with you like you’d asked and it’s awfully quiet on her end.
It’s not that Ann doesn’t want to achieve her goals; what’s actually going on here is that the motivation from you ended after 72 hours, and Ann wasn’t able to sustain the momentum without your input and influence. The truth is Ann does have what it takes, she wants to be successful and she needs inspiration, not motivation.
Just like you, Ann must be really clear on her values and what’s important to her, because there’s not enough “you” to go around to keep her and everyone else in your realm of influence motivated. Quite frankly it’s draining and exhausting, and will cause your life to become imbalanced.
What Ann needs is an emotional connection so her actions are connected to her heart, calling forth her internal inspiration. This will give her the inner drive to stay engaged in her business and getting greater impact with less effort because she’s acting from the inside core of who she is, also known as her “sweet spot”. This aliveness will keep her spark going even during the challenging times, which means that you no longer have to be the catalyst to keep Ann moving. Your role has now shifted to keeping her connected to her inspiration which will bring more aliveness and balance to the relationship between the two of you. It’s actually a win-win all the way around!
To help you live from your inspiration here are some key steps that will help you inspire others to do the same:
- Uncover your unique values, which are woven into the fabric of your being and flow out of your heart. These will point to what internally inspires you.
- Discover your deeper why. Underneath the surface, there is a something much greater that connects you to your inspiration. Ask questions like, “what’s really important?”, “what else?”, and “why?” to allow your inspiration to percolate to the surface.
- Focus what’s going on within you. When you engage in an activity, what’s happening inside? Where you do you notice an awakening and stirring in your heart and soul? This will reveal what inspires you.
As you connect with and live from your inspiration, you can begin to do this with others. After all, inspire means to “breathe life into dreams”.
What inspires you? How might you inspire others? Share your comments at the blog and let’s inspire one another!
