The Millionaire Mom Adventure

Play It Cool!

I just returned from improv rehearsal.  Too wound up to go  to bed.  Sometimes I come home high as a kite from the satisfaction of a job well done.  Tonight I have the nagging feeling of wimping out in the face of a new challenge. 

How to keep your cool when you're feeling like a fool?
How to make bold offers when you haven't mastered all the rules?
How not to cave inside when your colleagues make you drool?
How to enjoy the game when you're so attached to looking cool?

I do improv to make me strong.   (and to laugh) In real life, messing up can have grave consequences.  In improv, it really doesn't matter as long as you don't let it.  We say, if you fail, "Fail Big!"  That's the challenge.  Self-forgiveness.  How quickly can your ego surrender to self-forgiveness?  How attached are you to being "cool"?  Does the need to be "cool" stop you from taking risks because you might fail?  

On a scale of 1-10, how brave do you have to be to risk looking like a fool?

This question is important because the biggest battle most of us face is with our own inner demons.  Being in my 40's, I can really see how the mythic "hero's journey" we  can each take, if we dare, is to march off into the unknown to battle with the destructive forces of self-doubt.

Improv is such a rich training ground for practicing the warrior attitude, for learning how to play it cool, even when you're sweating and your gut is tight.  What we practice in improv is to have a great attitude.  We practice generosity, saying "yes", and enhancing the story so that it becomes more interesting. We practice trusting the process because that is the only way to move forward when you head into unchartered territory.  I really encourage anyone reading this to take an improv class because, as the fairy tales will all tell you, the Fool always wins the biggest prize in the end.  Besides, the more comfortable you can learn to become in the shoes of the Fool, the less fear you feel, which is what ultimately makes you SO COOL!

I'm teaching Playful Parenting classes this summer and offering private Theater of Transformation sessions in Santa Rosa this Spring to people who are ready to embrace life as the ultimate improv.  Email me if you're interested: bridget@artoflivinginstitute.org

Get The Support You Need To Keep Your Spirits Up!

How do you get your business off the ground?  I've confronted a variety of issues which make all the difference.  One of them is buoyancy of spirit.  Think about all of the heat energy it takes to get a balloon to lift a basket full of people hundreds of feet off the ground, fighting gravity all the way.  You have to keep the air inside the balloon warm or it will start deflating and the basket will head earthwards.  When you're starting out in a new career, the weight of lack of knowledge and experience hold you back.  You often feel afraid about which choice to make to best serve the development of your ideas.  It takes energy to act plus it takes energy to keep choosing to act in the face of fear.

Today I got energy from two sources.  One was listening to an interview with Jack Canfield who  was reminding the listeners that it makes sense to do the HARD first, because then you can get to the EASY.  Climb the mountain, and then enjoy skiing down from the top.  In my experience, he's right on.  People who promise that growth and change and making money are "easy" are trying to sell us something.  It's not easy.  Gravity is real.  Humans can't fly without help.  However, we CAN fly.  We just had to figure out HOW to do it.  It took time and energy, but in the end, it was worth it!  If you have a dream, accept that it will take hard work and perseverance to bring it to the world, but don't lose sight of how much better life will be for you and others once you've made it real.

I also got energy from a childhood friend who took the time to read my blog and comment to me.  If you're getting tired and feel like you're always climbing uphill, check in with some friends.  They can give you valuable feedback to reignite your flame if your spirits are dwindling.  Keep focusing on what you  DO KNOW and whom you HAVE HELPED, and you'll have more energy to keep moving onwards and upwards rather than being weighed down by anxiety over what  you still have to master!

Bon voyage!

xoxo to all my sisters on the journey

Bridget 

If you want to hear from the people I've helped, check out the testimonials on my website at http://www.artoflivinginstitute.org.

What a trip! In every sense of the word...

Today from 7-11 pm in the Quantum Leap Program we did a personal process designed to help us combat the self-critical voices in our heads.  What really "tripped me out" was that a number of "Professional" motivational speakers and motivational coaches revealed that they still had plenty of their own issues despite what they were selling and telling to other people.  Wow!  I felt like it really took the pressure off to realize that I don't have to be perfect before I can help other people.  It seems that there is no ultimate  healing for us humans except for the VERY few.  For the rest of us, I think the point is to learn helpful strategies that keep us in a positive mind-frame more often than not.  That's as good as it gets! 

I also had one big "Aha!" moment (and a lot of tears) when I realized that I REALLY want to become super wealthy to help address the issue of homelessness in our culture.  I feel pain every time I pass a homeless person and don't help them.  I know they would not be in the scary, demoralizing situation they are in  if they had gotten the love and support they'd needed from their families.  It is SO tragic to me that precious young children grow up to be filthy men begging on street corners and sleeping on sidewalks.  How can such a wealthy nation turn it's back on the suffering of its citizens?  It doesn't take that many resources to care for a human.  Think of all the money being spent on every convict to feed and house them.  Not that I wish for them to become homeless, but are they more deserving of care than homeless people, many of whom are mentally ill?

What do you think?  Which cause are you passionate about?  Would making a difference in that arena motivate you to do what's necessary to get really wealthy??

Share Your Joy - Change a Life!

 
I'm having so much fun at this Quantum Leap conference because people are attracted to the enthusiasm with which I speak about the Feldenkrais Method® and Improv.  By sharing what I know, I am able to stimulate other people's thinking about ways they can improve their lives or  else I validate ideas that are already important to them.  Either way it's win-win for both of us because we have meaningful connections which serve both of us on our path towards our goals.

Do not underestimate the simple business success strategy of talking to people about what you do or what you're excited about.  Even if it isn't a match for them, many people will refer you to someone they know who would be interested in your topic. The more people you connect with who specifically need what you're offering, the sooner you'll build a following and the happier and more successful you'll be.  Make daily conversations about your subject a habit and you'll speed down the road to success.

By sharing your joy you'll improve the lives of others AND your own at the same time!

Invest in Yourself

 
At 3:00 AM, I'll be on an airporter on my way to Philadelphia for my first Quantum Leap meeting.  It is so exciting to be going to participate in a group where I know that highly qualified professional mentors are going to be helping me become the person I want to become and live the life I want to live. 

What price tag does one put on creating their dream life?

Signing up for this program required me to overcome my fear of spending money, but in light of the question above,  what am I actually afraid of??

I know  the information I am going to learn about topics like writing books, public speaking, creating teleseminars, direct marketing, & pitching the media, as well as the connections I am going to make are super valuable.  So, the only thing I really have to fear is that despite all the expert support, I will fail because I am just not good enough to succeed.  

I know it may sound almost silly, but I have never forgotten that my high school class voted me the girl "Most Likely to Succeed" and I feel like I am about to deliver on their faith in me.  (Thank you any high school friends who read this!)

I know that many people don't think too highly of themselves.  Unfortunately, so many people have absorbed messages which make them doubt their own self-worth.  I have had my fair share of such experiences.    However, I firmly that believe that everyone has unique gifts to share and that the greatest obstacle holding them back  is the  self-critical thoughts in their own heads.  The second obstacle is just not knowing how to create  a successful business out of their ideas.  This can be learned.  Many models exist to copy.  Look around you.

It takes practice to stop self-limiting beliefs.  Usually, you need some form of support.  As you gain ground in tuning them out, your vision of what you want and how to achieve it will grow stronger.  You will probably realize that there is some information you need to know to help you accomplish your goals.  Seek it out!!  That's what all the success coaches will tell you. 

Don't let ignorance hold you back or prevent you from connecting with the people who will benefit from your skills. 

Don't short change your own dreams by not seeking the information you need.  Even if you don't have a lot of extra income, you can get a wealth of information from the library to start you off.  Whether you have time or money, invest what you can.  You'll enjoy your life so much more!!

Being Specific Makes All the Difference

Today, I was driving around town on my errands listening to some tapes by business guru T. Harv Eker.  If you aren't familiar with his ideas, I really encourage you to find out more.  He has a great book called Secrets of the Millionaire  Mind.

One of the points in his workshop that really struck me, was how ESSENTIAL it is to clearly and concisely state what you are offering and what your Unique Selling Point is.  I heard a number of his participants give 30 second "core message" speeches.  The ones that really didn't work were way too vague.  Customers or clients want to come to an expert so it really is CRITICAL that we clearly claim what we're an expert in.  That attracts our ideal client to us and lets the other ones find what they're really looking for somewhere else.

I continue to struggle with this issue a bit because I know so many ways to help people and want to share it all.  I'm also realizing, though, through my intense learning process, that TOO MUCH INFORMATION can really result in paralysis rather than movement.   I'm striving to focus my own energies efficiently and pass on pieces of info to others that are usable.

Eker says that coming up with your 30 second message is one of the KEYS  TO SUCCESS in your business.  If you can't explain it powerfully and clearly in 30 sec., you are losing out on a lot of income. 

He also really pushed the idea, which I've heard before, that if you want to actually become wealthy, you need a good "front end" product and a good "back end" product.  This is because it is really expensive to get a new client, but once you've earned their trust, you can profit much more from a mutually beneficial long term relationship.

As Eker says, we will receive according to who we are.  I invite you to think carefully about your character.  Who are you playing on the stage of life?  Are you satisfied with this character's experience? Is there anything you would change?  You know you can, if you focus your attention on that part of your self.

What Do You Focus On in This Image?

This is an image of a regal monarch.  It is also an image of hundreds of aphids feasting on the leaves of the host plant.  Where does your attention go?  The beauty?  The pests?  The "suffering" of the plant?  The potential banquet for a hungry ladybug?

Success in business requires mastery of your own attention.  It requires flexibility to meet each new challenge with whichever novel resources are needed.  The more I study business and success, and pursue my own business adventure, the more obvious that becomes.  If you focus on your fear, you get paralyzed.  If you focus on where you're going with your business, the next steps to take become obvious (even if they are a little scary). 

It helps me to think about the flight of the butterfly.  Sometimes it's at rest.  Sometimes it's launching off in search of food.  Sometimes it floats on a breeze.  Sometimes it flaps it's wings to gain altitude.  Sometimes it's searching for the next resting place.  All phases of it's life are natural and make sense.  It's all okay.

Even though it's hard for me to stay in this frame of mind, I'm striving to be gentle with myself.  To have a light touch, like handling a butterfly.

Today I purchased Peggy McColl's "Chill Out!" approach to using the Laws of Attraction.  I haven't had time to listen to them yet, but I'm ATTRACTED to that idea.  I'll share any gems of wisdom once I have a chance to listen to what she says.

May you treat yourself as the delicate, gorgeous butterfly that you are!

Hundreds of People are Striving to Make Your Life Better Can You Believe It?

I'm so glad it's almost Thanksgiving!  How wonderful to have a holiday devoted to Gratitude.  It's such a timely reminder that our life gets better when we focus on what we do HAVE rather than on what we're still lacking.  One of the best reminders I once got about gratitude was to express warmth and appreciation to all the humans you meet who make your life better through their service.  This might be the grocery store clerk, the mailman, your child's teacher, or a crossing-guard, etc..  It takes the work of so many people to make our life flow. 

What about the farmer who grew the lettuce in your salad?  What about the trucker who drove it to market?  What about the grocery department clerk who  threw away the dead leaves and kept it moist so it would taste great on your table?  What about the person who assembled your shopping cart?  We have no idea how many people are pitching in to make our life better.  When I think about it that way, I feel more grateful than ever.  Wow! So much time and intelligence were invested in the U.S. over the years to make complex systems to satisfy our needs quickly and easily!  We're so lucky!

I AM TRULY GRATEFUL for what I have and to those of you who are taking the time to read my thoughts.

THANK YOU!  I hope you have a peaceful, love-filled holiday.

Bridget

Are You In "In The Know"? Are You "In The Now"?

Do you know what this is?? If you've been in this building and seen this intriguing object, please post a comment at the end of this entry.  Just for fun!

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE "IN THE KNOW"?

There is SO MUCH to know about whatever areas of life interest us.  I feel discouraged when I focus on how much I still don't know.  On the other hand, when I focus on all that I have learned in my lifetime, I feel rich.  How's that for proof that HOW YOU FOCUS YOUR MIND MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

I have always loved reading and benefited enormously from the information in books.  One of my favorite activities is to go to the library and borrow a book that catches my eye, solely on the basis of it's title.  I have had some of the most magical experiences doing that.

A few years ago, I read a biography of Martha Graham that way.  The fact that it wasn't a parenting book  and that I actually took it off the shelf, marked my emergence from the kind of intense toddler parenting  that had distracted me from reading for seeming eons.  Her story reminded me that I had also once been a very creative, ambitious person seeking answers to her own questions.  Answering my children's questions had taken over my existence, but now I once again felt the stirring inside to resume a more personal quest.

I also got THE POWER OF NOW in the same manner.  And CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD.  More recently, it's been NEVER GIVE UP and CD's about Neurobic activities for the brain to boost memory.  Oh, and what about MEDITATIONS TO CHANGE YOUR BRAIN,the CD's on meditation that "happened" to give me vital data I needed to incorporate into my Feldenkrais® pitches in New York at The National Publicity Summit?  I recommend all of the above!

ARE YOU "IN THE KNOW" ABOUT BEING  "IN THE NOW"?

The evidence is building up.  The stories by others.  My own experiences of being given help from unexpected sources.  I don't know if you can relate to this, but my world-view really cracked open when I listened to Joyce Meyer's Never Give Up on CD.  She is a Christian Minister.  I don't generally listen to ministers and I have resistance to religion, because I wasn't raised with it and I had the opinion that many people involved in churches don't think for themselves.  Words like "obey" generally send me running in the other direction.  But Joyce interpreted passages from the Bible in ways which made sense to me for the first time ever.  She didn't sound like she wanted me to be less than.  Her interpretation of the Bible reveals how Jesus was the first Life Coach, teaching strategies to tap into the quantum field of possibilities so that we can each reach our peak potential.  For the first time, I thought ( I know it sounds silly)  "Oh, so that's why people have been reading that boring book for thousands of years."

What I want to tell you, if you don't know already, and if you can wrap your mind around this idea without getting skeptical, is that I receive guidance "in the now" which is helping my life  transform from the dream of what I wanted, into my reality.  I NOW think that "obey" is about having the courage to say "Yes" when an idea or opportunity pops onto your radar screen that's related to your dreams.  I think that "Being in the Now", which I understand as being open-minded to receive information without creating interference from anxious thoughts related to the future, allows me to KNOW what to do next on my millionaire mom adventure.  This practice is new to me.  Obviously, religious people have understood, and tried to communicate their wisdom  for thousands of years. It's exciting for me to observe how the spiritual understandings I'm learning  interface smoothly with quantum science discoveries. 

If you are not already exploring this aspect of the Art of Living, I really encourage you to do so.  I think that consciously using THE NOW to KNOW, without having to run to a book shelf or ask someone else's opinion, is going to become more and more mainstream in American 21st Century culture.  Keep reading, of course, but do so in a context of comparing what you feel and believe to what you read. 

DON'T UNDERESTIMATE YOURSELF.

I truly believe that when we give over authority to another person, giving their opinion more weight than the voice inside our own head, we endanger our progress towards self-realization.  Heed "the tiny voice" that's urging you on towards greatness.  Don't seek rationals from others about why you shouldn't take action on your ideas.  Obey your desire for self-expression and creativity.  Humans are here to create.  That's why we have our miraculous brain and hands and speech and loving hearts.

I can't wait to see the positive effect so many people daring to do great deeds is going to have on our communal destiny!

I'd love to read any ideas these words spark in people!

Enjoying the Roller Coaster Ride Called "Life"

Recently I have had experiences in my own self and in my family of a roller coaster of emotions.  One hour someone can be down, and the next they're up.  Or vice versa.  Last week,  I tried to make peace in a situation that seemed  impossible to resolve.  Hurt feelings.  Doors shut.  I did as much consoling as I could and then started washing the dishes.  By the time I was through, the rival factions had worked out their problems without me.  Go figure.

I find it helpful to remember that emotions are born of our experience in a given moment.   Emotions can change rapidly like a roller coaster track.  Without variation, the ride would be boring.  Our perception of the present is informed by our past of course , but essentially, feelings are our brain's biochemical response  to sensory information  received in the here and now. 

Starting a new business can feel like riding a roller coaster for the first time.  There's anticipation, maybe excitement, maybe  dread.  There are rapid shifts of sensation in the pit of your stomach.  One moment a great idea falls flat, but around the next curve you're elated by  unexpected support.  When the moment passes, our feelings need to shift to accommodate our next experience.  Even though it's tempting, holding on to negative emotions traps us in the past.  When we hold on to fear, blame, and anger, we rob ourselves of energy to meet new challenges and brain processing power to capitalize on  new opportunities.  Holding on to positive feelings can blind us to  the needs of the current market.

On the fast track to success, I want my eyes wide open so I can shift my weight to avoid whiplash.  I'm going  with the flow, observing what's appearing in front of me and responding accordingly.  I'm going to say "Yes!" to adrenaline and "Yes!" to thrills, and even "Yes!" to fear.   The CHOICE to experience these feelings strengthens my will-power.  I become stronger than my fear.  I become a person who can handle sharp curves and fast drops without freezing up.

I am carried forward with minimal effort and maximum speed.  I'm enjoying the ride, because saying "Yes!" to uncomfortable feelings, as well as to excitement,  enables me to accelerate the speed at which I learn what I need to know and create relationships with key people who can help me reach my goals.  The ups and downs don't matter too much because they're both  part of forward movement.  I am becoming one with the ride. You don't have to wait in line for this one, just hop on!