Tag Archives | Courage

Are You Courageous Enough to Do This?





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Last month, I found myself on an early morning flight.  5 am.  Which meant being at the airport by 4 am. 

Ok, that’s early!  (And no, that’s not what I’m talking about regarding courage.  Read on, please…)

When the plane boarded and took off, the pilot turned off all the interior lights.  It was dark.

And I was awake.  Wide awake.  And I wanted to work.

But working meant turning on a light.  And turning on a light meant disturbing other people. 

For the next 10 minutes, I agonized over whether I should turn on my light. 

I thought,

“If I turn on my light, people will get mad at me.  They’re trying to sleep.  What if I’m the only one with my light turned on?  I can’t turn it on; my seatmate is asleep.  I should just be nice and keep it off.”

On and on it went inside my head.

It was like I had two people whispering in my ear because the other things I heard were…

“Oh, please, you can turn your light on.  It’s YOUR light!  That’s why they have individual lights. You don’t have to cater to everyone else in this.  You can work.  Just because everyone else is asleep or staying in the dark doesn’t mean you have to.  Seriously, Anne, go ahead and turn it on if you want!  Get some work done.  Honor yourself, for goodness sake.  Stop being afraid!”

(Ever have conversations like these?)

When I heard that, I finally screwed up my courage, reached up and turned on my light.

And the plane still moved forward, and nobody yelled at me (or even glared).

I pulled out my notebook and began to work.  A moment later, I looked up and noticed that several other people had turned on their lights and were working.

When I turned on my light, then they realized it was ok to turn on theirs, too.

Oh, my gosh!  What a powerful metaphor this was – for business and for life.  It goes back to what Marianne Williamson said:

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, 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 are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own 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

 

When we stand out, when we stand up, when we live authentically, when we do business authentically, then we shine.  And we give others permission to do the same.

Branding is like this.  Branding your business in a powerful way allows you to stand out, to stand up … to shine.  And when you do this for your business, miracles occur. 

So, step up.  Stand up.  Turn on your light.  Be visible.

Others are waiting for you.  When you do this, they will have the courage to do it, too.

And isn’t that why we’re all in business?

Get going, Divine One!  Your world is looking for you!

Hugs, Anne

 

 

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What If I Can’t Do It?





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If I had a dollar for every time I’ve either heard someone say this (or said it myself), I think I’d be rich!

This question is one of the most challenging questions that every spiritual, heart-centered entrepreneur faces as they grow their business.

I faced this question over ten years ago when I first started my business.  I was terrified, and at the time, I was a single mom to a teen-age daughter.

Seriously … what if I couldn’t build my business?

But I had two things going for me:

1) my desire to create my business was stronger than my fear of failing, and

2) tapping.  God bless tapping!  Because truth to tell, I’m not sure I’d have made it to where I am today without it. (Well, that’s just silly.  I KNOW I wouldn’t be here without it!)

For those of you new to this, tapping is EFT or the Emotional Freedom Technique, a simple, easy-to-use acupressure technique which helps remove blocks.

I personally use it for removing the mental blocks which keep me stuck.

And when I was in the Seminary, this same question surfaced among my fellow seminarians.  What if we couldn’t do it?  (Be a minister.)  What if we failed?


It’s a common fear.

We worked our way through our fears together and were ordained in one of the most moving ceremonies I’ve ever experienced.

And we all became ministers.

Then I decided to re-create my business – this time online.  I had had a delightful and successful healing practice, complete with beautiful office space when I lived in Virginia, and when we moved to Florida, I knew I never wanted to have to uproot my business again.  I wanted to be able to take my business wherever I went.

Creating it online was the answer.  But boy, oh boy, it was very different.


The technology was a challenge, but my mindset was the bigger challenge.  What if I couldn’t do it?

Again, thank God for tapping!

Which brings us to today.  Last week, I had a session with a client who is starting on this business-building journey.  Her main question was  “Can I do this?”

I smiled inside as I recognized this very familiar fear, and said, “Well, let’s tap on that and see what happens.” In a very short time, she moved from being too afraid – to being inspired … and then she took the very action she had been so afraid to take.

Whenever we step into a new way of being, whether it is creating a new business, or doing our business in a new way (i.e., leveraging our time by offering group work vs exchanging time for money by working with clients one-on-one), or we step up to a new level of business owner, we find ourselves facing the same question:  “Can I do it?” The fear that is always underneath that – “What if I can’t?”)

To which I will always respond:  “Well, let’s tap on that, because what if you can?”


You and I are given dreams that, with the help of the Divine, we are fully capable of bringing into being.  It is up to us, however, to get out of the way of ourselves and our fears, and to follow the guidance that we are given.

Our intuition will never guide us wrong, but our fears will keep us from taking the action we are given.

The Divine is just waiting to help you, to support you, to lift you up.   But you have to let it in.  You have to say “Yes!” to it. The changes won’t happen without you taking the action you need to take.

Here are some actions steps to help you move through some of your own blocks.

 

1. Take a look at a specific situation where you are saying to yourself “What if I can’t?”

2.  Write down 3 fears you have that keep you from taking action.  Pick the biggest one.


3. Write down 5 reasons that support you in thinking you could create what you want to create – like “I’m persistent.” “I’m creative.” “I’m smart.”

4.  Tap on the fear.  Try saying, “Even though I’m afraid because (enter your fear here), I also know that I have (enter here a reason or two that support you) to help me.  (If you need to know where the tapping points are, they are on my website under “Tapping Points.”)

5.  Finish your tapping with “I am strong. I am capable. And I am supported by the Divine in all ways, always.  I can do this!”

6.  Check in with yourself to see how you feel.  If you need to tap more, then just do it!

7.  Then go take some action to help you anchor this new belief.

Before long, you’ll be asking yourself “What if I can?” questions as you build your confidence in your ability to move through your fears and doubts.

How fabulous is that?

 

 

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Are You A HO?





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“I feel like I have all of these gifts I want to share with the world,” Karnie said.  “And I keep taking trainings, and when I’m taking them, I think, I could be doing this!”
“I really want to be teaching other people how to help others heal, and how to be happy, and how to have a great life!”
“That’s awesome!” I said.  “So what is getting in the way of doing this?”
“Well, I just don’t really know how to do it,” she replied.  “I mean, I know how to help other people get what they want, but I don’t know how to really market that.”
Karnie and I were having an “Ignite Your Business Intuition!” strategy session.  She had asked for this session to help her get clear about where she was headed in her coaching business.

As we talked about how she could build her business, Karnie began to realize that in order to build her business the way she wanted, she was going to have to take some actions that would cause her to treat her business as a business, rather than a hobby.  She would have to step up in a whole new way.

She had to take a risk, believe in herself, and make some seriously different choices regarding her business.

Karnie was a Hobby Owner (“HO”).  And she realized that she really wanted to be a Business Owner (a “BO”).

In order to become a BO, Karnie was going to have to be willing do whatever it takes to build her business, instead of just doing what was convenient.

Even though she felt intimidated by these new actions (particularly marketing action) she said “Yes!”

 

Karnie knew that in saying “Yes!” she was going to create the business she dreamed about.  She was going to be able to have the money she wanted to have, the time to live the life she dreamed of, and she was going to be able to bring her unique gifts to the world in a much bigger, more powerful and authentic way.

She just had to say “Yes!” to herself, instead of saying “yes” to her doubts and fears.

 

Karnie bravely took action for herself and for her business.  And in so doing, she is creating her life and her business in a whole new way.

 

What about you?  Are you a HO?  Or are you a BO?

Hugs, Anne

 

 

 

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How To Create Your Divine Love In 3 Easy-Peasy Steps

How to Create Your Divine Love in 3 Easy-Peasy Steps

On January 15, 2003, I was in the middle of a huge argument with my soon-to-be ex.  I slammed the door to my home, leaving him outside to go back to his house.  As I stomped up the steps to my bedroom to try and cool off, I railed at the Universe.

“I don’t ever, ever, EVER want anything like that again!!!!  Do You HEAR ME???  NEVER!”

And in the midst of my temper tantrum, I heard a quiet voice inside say “Ok, so if that’s what you don’t want, then what DO you want?”

I stopped, still angry, and retorted, “FINE!  You wanna know what I want?  HERE’S what I want!”  And I picked up my journal and began to furiously write down characteristics.  Here is what I wrote:

He is strong: physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually.

He has integrity, honor, wisdom, kindness, courage & compassion.

He speaks only with love and listens as much as he talks.

He is spiritually-evolved, loving and open-hearted.

He is emotionally healthy, “baggage” free and addiction-free.

He is open to alternative healing and spiritual differences.

He is tolerant, unprejudiced and has a great sense of humor.

He has a “wealth consciousness” and is generous in spirit, heart and dollar.

He cherishes me and loves me in all ways, always.

He wants to be with me and makes plenty of time to do so.

He is passionate and joyous in his view of life, himself and others.

He is attractive and sexy; he looks, sounds, feels, and smells good.

He is a wonderful lover who loves only me …

… has eyes for me alone … has desire for me alone.

He is very intelligent, highly-educated and also self-taught.

He is successful career-wise and is highly compensated for it.

He loves what he does and is widely recognized for it.

He is fiscally sound and wise and supports me in all ways, always.

He has plenty of money for Christina and me in his life.

He has plenty of “room” for Christina and me in his life …

… and he wants us in his life.

He wants to commit to marriage with me.

I finished writing this, and sat back to look at it.  Immediately, I burst into tears!  My fears, my beliefs, my frustration at where I was all came up to grab me by the throat and tell me “No way, Jose!  Who are you kidding???”

Fortunately, I had been trained in EFT, so while I was so incredibly present to my fears and my beliefs that I couldn’t have what I wanted, I also had a tool at my fingertips (literally!) that I knew could release those fears and beliefs.

So, I began to tap.  Here are some of the beliefs that I had at that time:

“This guy doesn’t exist, and even if he did exist, he wouldn’t want me!”

“Who am I kidding?  After what I’ve just been through, nobody would want to get involved with that!”

“I’m not good enough.”

“I don’t deserve him.”

“I don’t deserve to be happy.”

“I can’t have what I want.”

“I’ve never had a guy like that, what makes me think I could have someone like him now?”

“Look at you, are you kidding me? You’re not a beauty queen!”

and so on.  It wasn’t pretty.  But then, it’s never pretty when we’re getting really present to our fears and our anxieties.  But, let me say this:  when we do, it is at that point in time that we have the greatest power and the greatest opportunity to change them.  Because we have looked the monster in the face and we have breathed through our fear only to discover that it was just that: a fear.  Nothing more.  And certainly not the truth.

I think I tapped for about and hour and a half straight, crying the whole time, and tapping hard on every negative thought that came up.

Finally, I felt finished.  I sighed a deep sigh, and I remember saying “Well, maybe I could have him…” and I put my journal away.  I got up and washed my face and went on with my life.

Less than three months later, one Saturday evening, I got an IM (instant message) on my computer asking if I would like to chat.  Normally, I deleted them, but there was something about the way this person asked.  It was polite and respectful.  I agreed, and we had a lovely conversation.  Later that evening we talked on the phone.

One year later, we were married.

As a wedding gift, I decided to write out that list in calligraphy and frame it for him.  As I looked it over, I realized something astonishing:  Not only was he everything I had asked for, but also … I had created the list on his birthday, two and a half months before we ever met!

What a delightful confirmation of something I already knew:  I could create my world to be what I wanted it to be.

So can you. So can we all.

We just have to get out of our own way to do it. And we have to be willing to learn and to use the tools we have to create the lives we desire and deserve.

Now … are you willing to take some action steps to help you create your Divine Love?  (By the way, this also works even if you are already married or in a relationship!  How great is that?!)

Your Take Action Steps:

1.  Get clear about what you want.  Write it down.  Be bold.  Be courageous.  Be determined. Be clear. The clearer you can be, the faster you will be able to manifest what it is you want.

2.  Get present to the conversations you have (your thoughts and beliefs) that are standing in the way of where you are and were you want to be.

3.  Tap on those beliefs until they have no negative charge anymore.

See?  Easy peasy!

Now go have fun and create your Divine Love!

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