Creating my own business put everything in a different light. Suddenly things I had avoided because they were out of my comfort zone changed perspective. Those activities were now challenges to overcome. To strive toward my goals I had to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Joining a high-level mastermind group gave me the impetus to step out of my comfort zone and expand my belief of what is possible. Connecting with my mastermind buddies provides support as I take each next leap of faith.

Well this week was no different. My business coach offered me and several other members in the mastermind group the opportunity to spend a day with her. It would have been easy to make the excuse that I could not go because of the time and expense to just meet with her for one day. Instead, I grabbed the opportunity.

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Yesterday, I read a post from Sandra Martini on why ‘blueprints’ don’t work. Of course, I HAD to leave a comment. I’m one of the people coaches and consultants come to for business mentoring after they’ve invested thousands and thousands on a blueprint, and still don’t see results.

Some of my business mentoring clients say that the ‘guru’ who sold them this blueprint throws it back to the customer, using language like:

• “You’re not trying hard enough.”

• “You have some blocks keeping you from figuring this out.”

• “You’re not investing enough time in this”

• “You’ve got to be patient… it will happen when you have everything else in order.”

• “You need more help… I can do that for an extra $$$”

Did you notice the blame is put directly on the customer?

It’s wrong to blame the customer/client for it – after all, they paid the ‘guru’ to help them. That’s what the ‘guru’ should do: help, not blame.

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Teaching via video, from my home office, the secret link between women, debt and self-esteem. This F.R.E.E. info has caused a big buzz on my blog. If you missed it, click here to get in on this awesome no-cost content. To be fair, I must warn you that this no-cost video series will only be live for a few more days.

Sharing this info with thousands of women feels like a dream come true. I had NO idea ten years ago, when I started my business, that I would be a mentor for so many on the topic of marketing AND money. What I love MOST is seeing the breakthroughs that happen for women in their biz once they heal their relationship with money. It’s like putting into place that final piece of the puzzle that’s been holding you back.

I’d love for you to get this info totally FREE as my gift to you, before we pull the videos. There’s no selling – just a refreshing boatload of awesome, all new content I created for you.

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It’s Time to Take Back Your Power, Open Up and Connect with Each Other

Back in June, I held the first of the Deep Real Conversations call, and it was powerful and connecting. Very sacred – really just beyond words. What I know is that we are creating and leading a new way of being in business and being in our lives. Sometimes that means we put our heads on our desks and cry, and it’s ok to release. And we ask for help, and we do it collaboratively and in community. It’s not the traditional way of being in business and going through our lives… we are honoring our intuition, our emotional guidance, our spirituality and our values.

Part of why we as women entrepreneurs are feeling so frustrated is that we feel alone. We don’t have the mentors and the models out there to help lead the way. We’re yearning to connect with other women. To understand and validate that we aren’t alone in thinking about business that’s different from what the business books say.

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Finding time to de-clutter is something that is often on our To Do Lists.  It can be one of those items that keeps getting moved from list to list – never quite making it to the top.

Why is that?  There are many reasons.  Other tasks can often seem more pressing and take priority.  Add to that the fact that many of us have difficulties with letting go, and you have a sure-fire recipe for procrastination.  I would add that when a task like de-cluttering becomes a “should” in our minds, then that alone can often bring out enough rebelliousness to keep the activity shelved!

Last night when I was putting my work away and getting ready to leave my office, a guest post by Barrie Davenport on Zen Habits caught my eye.  Titled “How to Simplify When You Love Your Stuff,” it offers ideas and insights about simplifying and simplicity that I found very intriguing – most especially her comments on mindfulness and balance.

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The Sentelligent Solution is all about learning to pay attention to the messages our senses are telling us. This goes beyond what is happening inside our body. It also pertains to what is happening in our homes, in our environment, and on the planet in general.

This applies to the everyday things that happen in our life as well as the larger scale issues of what is happening on our planet. It is all the same.

Let me give you an example on a smaller scale. I was visiting my mom in Florida recently. Mom is 83 years old and widowed and lives by herself. She is in remarkably good health and still lives a fairly active lifestyle.

About a year ago, I noticed that there was this loud banging noise when I turned on the shower in her master bath and only when I turned the knob past the noise did the water came out. I found the noise quite disconcerting.

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My friends Alan Hickman and Jan Stringer turned me on to this video today and I thought you might enjoy and benefit from it.

Like Vishen Lakhiani suggests in this video, I find that certain ritual practices in my life help keep me on a more even keel. The trick, when I find myself in a place of feeling crummy, is to remember to engage the practices!

Enjoy the video.

http://www.martyink.com/2010/08/daily-ritual-life-balance/

What most often stops women from making a big shift in their life is the fear of hurting someone’s feelings. In my business, I’m affectionately known as the “Velvet Hammer” because of my soft-but-tough stand with my clients. But personally, I worry as much as any gal about hurting someone’s feelings.

What I’ve learned is to NOT let that stop me from making a decision that is right for me. Here’s what I do: When I feel myself contracting, not wanting to upset someone, I always ask a powerful question my mom, Kailash (an awesome coach on these kinds of sticky situations!) taught me. The question is:

“What is it YOU really want?”

I then answer the question, without fear of upsetting anyone. In that moment, I have found my truth and from there, can respectfully and compassionately have a conversation or take action from a place of authenticity and power, rather than from guilt or worry.

Relationships are tough but they get surprisingly easy when we come from our place of truth, no matter what.

I came back from my business mentoring completely WIPED OUT. I played some with my kids and then took a long bath. I slept 10 hours last night.

What is amazing is that today, the very next day, I have sprung back to my normal, “energizer bunny” self. It always astounds me how listening to our bodies when they tell us “slow down” …”take a break”…”get some rest”… really HELPS us on our journey to achieve great heights.

We simply CAN’T be highly successful without self-care along the way. The clients I see burnout or continue to go around and around in circles, without much growth, are the ones who don’t listen to their bodies’ plea for breaks.

Blessings to you as you listen to your body and take essential breaks when they are needed!

We all want clarity — clarity of purpose, clarity of knowing who we are, clarity around the offers we make in sharing our gifts with others.

There comes a certain point, however, when clarity costs:

• Clarity costs time — we often spend so much time thinking about how to get clarity that little else happens

• Clarity costs energy — we often spend so much time analyzing and reanalyzing what we’re doing (or not doing) that we have no energy left for other pursuits

• Clarity costs money — spending so much time thinking and analyzing means little time for producing programs, products and services and less time for sharing them with others

For today, take pleasure in being unsure. Revel in the muddle. Embrace the gray.

And as you sit unclear about your life purpose, choose one thing you can to do generate extra revenue this month.

You don’t have to love it.  You don’t have to want to do it forever. By doing it, you’ll learn if you enjoy it. . .or not.  And then move on to the next thing.

Gaining clarity around what you do comes from DOING, not thinking about doing.