Posts Tagged ‘empowerment’
-
Tipping points
I went to yoga class yesterday. I am a new student to this ancient practice and so I accept, with grace and humility,
that my body cannot yet do what some of the students in class are capable of.
This is one of the many blessings of learning to love me: I accept that I make mistakes, I fail, and fall,
forward (sometimes in the same moment.)
If you saw me at yoga you would know what I mean.
The teachers are kind and patient and always tell us to do what we feel our bodies are capable of, no less and no more.
We were working on a few balance practices yesterday.
I am bad at balance, always have been.
I started wearing glasses before I was two and I know the balance issues are somehow related to that.
I have always told myself there are some things I cannot do because I have balance issues, skiing for example is out, as
is walking on a tightrope and flipping on a trampoline.
So when the instructor gave us a balance pose to practice, first with our eyes open and then with
our eyes closed, my mind went immediately to “ Oh I can’t do that, I have balance issues” even before I tried my
mind had made it up that I would not succeed.
The teacher went on to explain why it was important to persist.
She explained that, if you close your eyes, the brain is forced to fire up new neurons to make this happen.
This was especially important to know for the “more mature women” in the class because it would prevent falls.
Apparently just practicing a minute a day will begin to improve the balance.
Wow! I can do that. I can spend a minute a day rewiring my brain.
Here is my take away from that class. The paradox between spending just a few minutes a day practising
my balance to improve my future health is akin to taking a few moments each day to practice personal
balance to improve my mental health.
Both are related to the other, both are essential.
So, now that I am close to done here, I am going to pour myself a cup of hot tea
and turn my brain off. Who knows, I might even spend a minute or two standing on one foot with my eyes closed.
-
Personal Best Life Coaching from a person who was told she’d never amount to anything…
This is a story written by a beautiful soul. We worked together for almost a year: her journey is remarkable. Meet Shelley, this is her story, in her words…Follow the link to read about one woman’s journey from absolute terror as a child to absolute freedom as an adult.http://pblcservices.blogspot.com/
Thank you Shelley for all I have learned from you. Living la vida fearless, Jan
-
Making my mess my message: introducing Little Miss Fortune
I don’t know about you but I’m old enough, and my daughter is young enough, to remember the children’s book series called “Little Miss..” They had titles such as Little Miss Sunshine, Little Miss Mess, Little Miss Trouble…there was also a boy’s version of the books. They were very popular, simple to read, fun and always had a lesson. Today I am happy to introduce you to Little Miss Fortune. My mentor coach, Suzanne Evans, says make your mess your message so that’s how the name came to be. My mess really and truly is my message: through my own trials, obstacles and huge elephants in the way I managed to get to where I am today. My movement, helping millions make millions, has been created specifically for women 45 and older who want to run out of life before they run out of living. Uncover your passion, turn your passion into profit through a small business, and be in charge of your own retirement, be in control of your financial future: that’s what we’re all about and we’re excited! So far we’ve had many women jump on board through one on one coaching, group coaching, private coaching, forums, blogs and our radio station and there are new millionaire wannabes coming on board every week!Little Miss Fortune is here to answer your questions: any questions you have about small business start up, being stuck, having a dream and not knowing where to start…whatever it is Little Miss Fortune is here for you. Keep it clean please and know, if it’s clean, no question is too stupid, silly, unimportant or irrelevant!
So, what’s your question for Little Miss Fortune?
Living la vida fearless, Jan
-
A reversal of fortune: thank the economic conditions
I’ve been traveling through the east coast of the US for a few weeks interviewing business owners, small business owners specifically. Many that I have been in touch with own businesses related to tourism and food…restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries….Yesterday was no exception and, once again, I saw a pattern. The owners of Keegan’s in Indian Rocks Shore bought out the previous owners three years ago. Yup, just as the economy started it’s slide. When I asked the owner how his business had fared since that time I was not surprised by his response but a lot of people might be. “We’ve tripled our business every year since that time.” Tripled….in a down turn economy, in a state where unemployment sits at 12%, in a major tourist based economic area, in an area where they rely on tourism and tourism is down big time…Wow, how is that possible you ask?Well I’m going to continue the interview this week so I’ll let you know his own words for the answer but I have a guess or two of my own. He’s offering the people what they want, he’s being flexible and listening to his followers, he’s had enough capital to keep himself going without needing to rely on the banks (they’re not supporting small business much these days) and he’s asking for help from those he can trust….I don’t know for sure but this is a typical method of staying ahead of the game. The biggest, most singular way to remain successful in a downturn economy, or a prosperous economy for that matter, is to do what you love. If you are doing what you love then the days that feel like they’ll never end will be easier…
So, want to triple your income? Buy a restaurant in the beginning stages of a gut wrenching recession in a tourist town where the tourists are leaving in droves….In other words: find your passion and turn it into profit…
-
The Millionaire Next Door, Did you know?
I’m doing some studying this week from the book, the Millionaire next Door, and I’m finding it pretty interesting so far. Did you know that, according to the statistics, most of America’s millionaires are first generation rich. Most people who become millionaires have confidence in their own abilities. They do not spend time worrying about whether or not their parents were wealthy.Only 19% receive any income or wealth of any kind from a trust fund or an estate.
Fewer than 20% inherited 10% or more of their wealth.
More than half never received as much as $1 in inheritance.
Ninety-one % never received, as a gift,as much as $1 of the ownership of a family business.
As a group they feel that their daughters are financially handicapped in comparison to their sons. Men seem to make much more money-even within the same occupational categories. About two thirds are self-employed. Interestingly self-employed people make up less than 20% of the workers in America but account for to-thirds of the millionaires…
Did you know any of this? I have to be honest with you, most of this is new to me and I’m really learning a lot. Being so passionate about what I do, teaching women how to turn their passion into profit so that they can control their financial future, is such a gift for me. I love to teach women how to make money by doing what they love, I love to see women earn a million, or more, and then follow them as they, in turn, teach others how to become independent. I love that women are now learning how to make their own money, to be self-sufficient and self-reliant and sharing their wealth with other women who may not have the ability to move forward on their own…
So, what about you? You ready to tap into your inner millionaire? What’s your passion? What’s your dream? What’s stopping you? Want to be the next millionaire next door? Start right now!
Living la vida fearless, Jan
-
Fried fish, money walls and psych degrees…
http://yfrog.com/h7dwkkj Check out this picture of the money wall!
We decided to try something new today for lunch so we made our way to www.PJsoysterbar.comin Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. First thing we are greeted with is a life size sculpture of the Blue’s Brothers rocking out at the front door! Oh this is going to be fun! PJ’s is a local hang out and was referred to us by somebody we met recently. She spoke well of it and I’m glad we’ve decided to go. Our server was Shirley as in “Surely you can’t be serious, I am serious and don’t call me Shirley..” that famous line from the late Leslie Neilson…She was really friendly and helpful and when I asked her if I could meet the owner she went out of her way to make it happen. Turns out Shirley has a psych degree and, instead of using it, she’s working two serving jobs. I bet she’d have a story or two to share! So, we sit down and I start looking around the decor and begin to see a familiar theme. First off, it’s a fish joint so there’s lots of fishing stuff around, nets, buckets that kind of stuff but the wallpaper is what really caught my eye. This place has been operating for 26 years and, from day one apparently, customers have been lining the walls with dollar bills…Seriously, they were everywhere. The restaurant also keeps a jar at the front door that gets filled up quickly and that money goes to a local children’s hospital. To date they’re raised more than 10, 000 dollars! How cool is that? I’m going to be interviewing the owner of PJ’s oyster bar in a few days so if you have any questions for her send them over. In fact, if you have any questions for me send them over too! I’m curious to hear how, in an economy that is apparently shaky, this little place manages to keep ‘em coming back for more. I’ll keep you posted! Living la vida fearless, Jan
-
My mentor coach says make your mess your message
I talked to a lovely woman a few days ago and when we parted ways I wondered about something. Sometimes when I share my story I think people think I’m crazy. Seriously. Most of the time I use both my ears, my heart, my compassion to listen to others and once in a while I’ll use my truth and speak. This was one of those days so, when she asked me why I knew so much about women’s abuse issues which was part of the conversation, I told her…The mess: I am an abuse thriver, started when I was 7, the impact remained with me until my forties..the mess: I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease when I was forty and had to give up my successful relocation company…the mess, six years later I was told the specialist had made an error in diagnosis and I had never had PD: the mess: I’m 46 and wondering what the hell to do with my life now….the mess: one of my best friends is murdered by her husband just a few hours after, what would be, our last visit together, the mess: I invested in a woman who was running an empowering program for abuse survivors/ she took the money and ran! When I was relating just a little bit of this to her even I took a step back and thought “wow, this is crazy, how can anybody be exposed to so much and still move forward?” Well that’s the message isn’t it…Keep moving forward no matter what, the choice is always there to stop and give up or to keep moving on..sometimes I couldn’t even get myself out of bed but I did get anyway. Sometimes I cried so much I thought I’d never cry again, I was wrong. Sometimes I didn’t want to speak to another person, to listen to yet another story of tragedy, but I did anyway. Here’s what I learned: the heart is a compassionate friend, the heart, my heart, loves me very much and I feel the same way, my life is a gift and I’d bloody well better share that out with everybody who is willing to join in. I didn’t go through all of this just to sit back and ponder….nope I believe I went through all of this so that you, yup you, could fine the courage to move just one little toe toward that first step until eventually you’ve started traveling your own path of passion and truth. So, I’m not crazy that I know, but I sure do prefer to listen to your stories than mine! Living la vida fearless, Jan
