Taking The Big Leap

It's happening. The train is rolling, it has gathered steam and it is too fast to stop it now. I am officially taking the BIG LEAP. I have done the planning, downsized, fretted, fear-faced, worried and wondered. I have meditated, mediated and all but medicated, myself through the transition. I am motivated, agitated and exhilarated all at the same time.

After years of dipping my toe in the water of taking Faydra and Company out into the open, I am doing it full-time. I am scared as hell and exuberant all at the same time. I know I am ready and I know that what I want, wants me.

What amazing times. It has been like expecting a child who is looooong over due. I want to meet this "person" that has been baking inside of me and is ready to meet the world. I want to show her off and take her on play dates and marvel at her magic.

Every day leading to this point has been important and necessary for me to become who I had to be in order to do what I have to do to live the life I was meant to live. Each and every step I have shared with you as I learned along side of you. Yes, even coaches use coaches. We especially use them because we know how valuable they are.

If you have ever thought about following your heart and realizing your dreams. I wholeheartedly encourage it. It is worth the struggle, the fear and the effort.

You can do it, I know you can and so do you. Dare to dream, but triple dog dare to live your dream.

My Jealousy, Her Triumph

I am green with envy, I am a jealous monster and I love it!

I have a friend who is realizing great success right now. She is manifesting so many things in her life that I can barely keep up; but be certain that I am trying to.

Not two weeks ago she thought that things were crashing down in her life. She had some major setbacks and needed the "life coach." I did my best to prop her up just like she does for me when I am in "woe is me" mode. She made a spectacular self-preservation plan to take two weeks off from work and take care of "her."

Well, two weeks later she has gotten more than one amazing career lift - she has accepted new opportunities that are lighting her fire.

At one point we were talking on the phone and she said to me, "I knew this would come. I knew all the hard work would pay off." That sparked something in me. It sparked me into action. I have so many ideas and potential projects partially developed. I want them to happen. They will happen. I know they will happen.

I am about the work of making them happen. Each day brings opportunity. Be prepared each day for what you want to come. Operate as if this is your day. Make the plans, do the tasks, take the actions. Even if your big break does not happen today, you will barely notice for all the work you did this day.

Fill your day with promise, submerge your senses in promise. Feel your spirit rise in the warm shower and as you put on your best clothes and look great. Taste the promise in that healthy breakfast that fuels you for the day. Hear the uplifting words of a CD that resonates with your positive mood. See the promise of your dreams as you witness the beauty in this world as you make your way through the day. Touch your future in the hand that you shake as you meet someone new who could be the contact you've needed to make your dreams a reality.

My jealousy and her triumph is getting me closer to my goals.

Recession-Proof Your Attitude

Did you hear the news? Everyone is talking about it...... We're in a recession.

Seems to be that talking about all things in a negative way is the flavor of the millennium. How bad the economy is, how bad gangs are, how bad the President is, how bad the housing market is.... Sometimes the negativity is maddening. Sometimes the thought that all is lost is only masked by the equally comforting thought that I can surf the net to find a way to end it all with as little pain as possible. I mean, what else is there to do, but admit defeat and end it all while I still have great gams and can leave behind a decent looking corpse.

Another option is to recession-proof your attitude. History can be a great predictor of the future and that being said, you can focus on the part of history that said you are doomed to destitution or you could focus on the lesser touted parts of history that remind us that lots of people prospered in the previous recessions and that many people became greater people having lived through tough times.

Recession-proofing your attitude means that you insulate yourself from the negativity. Did you know that you will not die if you do not watch the news, read the front page of the newspaper or listen to talk radio? Did you know that you are not required to maintain friendships with people who emotionally violate you, whether they are family or not? Did you know that you do not have to feel guilty if you are doing well in this economy and enjoy a purchase if it pleases you? I didn't think you did.

Here are some tips to recession-proof your attitude:

1. Turn off the media: You do not need to watch the news. You don't need the influence of talk radio. You are not burying your head in the sand if you refuse to listen to the biased hype. All you need to know is whether you need to evacuate due to a natural disaster. Spend your time in search of positive information about how to improve your situation.

2. Evaluate your friendships: There are a lot of good-for-nothing people out there. If you feel like you have to pretend to be something you are not or to believe something that you don't in order to remain in favor with someone. Leave them at the curb. You do not need people in your life who are high maintenance. Life is tough enough without whining negative people bringing you down.

3. Learn everything you can: Education is the key to the universe. I am talking about education in all five areas of life: emotional, spiritual, physical, relational, and financial. make it part of your daily routine to learn something new in all areas. Learning is expanding your mind and that expansion makes room for you to have all that you want to be, do and have.

4. Combat depression: All you need in life is the moment at hand. Everything you fear is in the yet undetermined future. If you succumb to all the negativity, you may become situationally depressed. Make sure that you exercise and eat well and keep your mood even.

Make new situations: As you stop the negative situations affecting you, people will begin to come into your life that excite you and open up new opportunities. Embrace these people and experiences and before you know it you will be one of those people who profited from the recession.

What's Driving You?

Have you ever experienced unpleasant emotions at inappropriate times? Have you cried in the middle of a bank transaction or gotten angry ordering a Whopper?

When people are overwhelmed, they often times experience emotions that do not fit with the situation. The key to understanding why you are having incongruent moments and reactions is to look at what is driving you.

1. Are you hungry? When people do not take in the right types and amounts of foods, they may experience lags of energy, anger or other negative side effects. Make sure that you are taking in plenty of nutritious foods that are vitamin packed and include protein. Follow up with plenty of water to keep hydrated.

2. Are you tired? Sleep deprivation is a major cause of many negative situations. Car accidents, explosive anger, inability to cope with stress and onset of illness are all caused from deprivation. Make certain to plan at least 7-8 hours of sleep into your normal routine. Learn to power nap and make rest a priority. It is true that you can not be there for others if you do not care for yourself.

3. Do you have unresolved issues? If you are ignoring issues in your life and shoving them aside into your subconscious, you are setting yourself up for surprise emotional attacks. Face your issues and address anything happening in your life so you are free from emotional flare ups.

4. Are you excited? What do you have in life that excites you? What do you look forward to? People who have a hobby or passion are far happier than those who work, go home, fight with the wife, watch tv and go to bed.

5. Do you know who you are? People who have higher esteem and truly know and like themselves are less likely to repress issues that can haunt them. Take time to always expand your self awareness about who you are and how fabulous you are and you will be less likely to experience negative reactions to people and situations. You will be better equipped to let things roll off your back instead of get under your skin.

In Your Weakest Moments, You Build Character and Strength

When you are at your weakest, you have the best opportunity to build strength. When all hope seems lost, you have the best opportunity to make change. When it seems like things are going nowhere, you have the best opportunity to create a new path.

I am sure that if you reflect on your past you will remember times when you thought that you were weak and found that you were strong. Did you survive a divorce, death, financial crisis or employment crisis. Didn't you find out that you were made of much more than you thought?

I remember a quote that goes something like this. The hotter the water, the stronger the tea. The same is true for you and I. We find that when the going gets genuinely tough, we somehow manage to put on our big person britches and get things done. We become stronger in the face of adversity and change.

I spent a lot of time beating myself up about weakness. I have always been anti-victim. I have always applauded strength. It is as if weakness is seen as, well, weak, and I do not like that adjective associated with me.

It takes a lot of fire to melt metal. It takes a lot of mettle to start a fire. You are stronger than you know. It is the heat that forges your strength. Be strong.

Off To The Market

Come and meet the Faydra and Company team at the Wednesday night market in front of the Red Bluff courthouse.

Get your copy of our first CD for a reduced price, just 10.00!

Come meet me and the dream team: Rhonda, Diane and "Supa J" Justin.

See you there!

Mastermind Groups

Mastermind groups are a great way to be, do and have anything that you want. I have started my own group on my Facebook page.

What is masterminding? It is the art of bringing talented people together to strategize achievement of goals. It is the ultimate in networking, accountability and motivation all rolled together. You do not need a common goal as a group. You only need your desire and the willingness to listen.

Mastermind groups should be configured with at least 5 people, or more. Ideally, these people should be motivated in their own right and should have a natural desire to help themselves and others. It does no good to join a mastermind group if you truly do not want to be, do or have something better in your life.

Once you have your group, you need to craft some goals. I have asked my team to come up with three goals each. They need to be specific enough that you can make an action plan for them. My goals read like this:

1. I want to change my employment;

2. I want to launch a national radio show with Kimberly Archie;

3. I want to launch Faydra and Company nationally.

Once I have my goals, I will develop action plans for each one, or for one at a time. Either way works fine.

Next the group will begin to mastermind one person's goals and action steps per day, per meeting, or however works best for the group. For the Facebook crew, we will tackle one person's goals at a time throughout the day. The person who is the focus (known as the person of focus or POF) will let the group know which goal they are working. The group will give suggestions, make recommendations and use their connections to assist the person who is the focus. The POF will give regular updates that day about what steps they are taking, how the others are helping, and report out as to their success.

If your group is meeting in person, do the same model ~ focus on one POF a meeting and use technology to stay in touch with all the support and follow up. Rotate the POF each time you meet and you will be checking off goals like magic. It may take a few rotations for you to get where you want to go, but all that support is contagious, infectious and exhilarating.

Good Luck!!!