Inspiration Infusion - Quote

People are often unreasonable and self-centered.

FORGIVE THEM ANYWAY.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.

BE KIND ANYWAY.

If you are honest, people may cheat you.

BE HONEST ANYWAY.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous.

BE HAPPY ANYWAY.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.

DO GOOD ANYWAY.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough.

GIVE YOUR BEST ANYWAY.

For you see in the end, it is between you and God.

IT NEVER WAS BETWEEN YOU AND THEM ANYWAY.

~Mother Teresa

Who are you attracting?

"To attract attractive people, you must be attractive. To attract powerful people, you must be powerful. to attract committed people, you must be committed. Instead of going to work on them, you go work on yourself. If you become, you can attract." --Jim Rohn

Look around you. What are you attracting? Who are you attracting? 

Is it what you want? If not, what needs to change in you to attract what you really want?

I woke up about a year and 1/2 ago and realized that I was really, really good at attracting poor, financially strapped new business owners looking for a "magic bullet" for marketing. Let me tell you how frustrating that was!!! 

I've gotten really clear about my ideal client and what their qualities are and what they are looking for. I'm pleased to say that I attract really successful and creative business owners who want even more success everywhere in their life and in their business. They are already commited to success but not desperate to pay the mortgage. A much better fit and more inspiring for me.

And, a much better fit for the clients. Their expectations are better met.

So look at your appointment book. Do you love who you see showing up everyday?  If not, what needs to change in YOU?

Clarity & Alignment for all,

Laura

Gratitude Rampage

"How much abundance that already exists in your life do you take for granted?  How can we expect more from the Universe when we don't appreciate what we already have? Today, start to make a spiritual inventory of all your blessings. So much good happens to us, but in the rush of daily life we fail even to notice or acknowlege it."

--Sarah Ban Breathnach

My Gratitude Rampage for ....

• My boys who are the loves of my life and my teachers, my inspirers, the ones who get me to open my eyes anew every single day and see life through their perspective.

Marc, my loving soulmate, who shows me the world...both physically, emotionally and spiritually. Here's to "Oceans of Possiblities" my love...

Discovering Jack Johnson and his witty, soul-ful and oh so delightful tunes, especially inspiring to write my blog by.........

• All those people who love Christmas so much that they spend lots of money and time and effort to put up outrageous Christmas decorations in their front yards - just so I can hear my boys squeal with delight when we ride past! (Maybe that's from all my years of overseeing Christmas decorations being put up in shopping malls until wee hours of the morning!)

For my special friend Sally, who has been by my side loving me and my process over the last few years as I've found myself, lost myself, and found myself again. You bring lightness, laughter love to being a best friend. (and a gracious surrogate mom for my boys at the last minute!)

To my girlfriends, Valerie, Jamie and Sherean, who are Joyful Entrepreneurs in their heart and constantly show me what a powerful, commited, creative, successful and loving woman can look like!

Shari, my fab web wonder, who so gets the expression of the "Joyful Empire" in her graphic design.

Dawn, my virtual strategic partner, who strategizes, inspires and makes things happen while I'm busy doing "my thing"!

The Entrevis Advisory Council who calls me forth each week to support and create according to my natural & learned strengths.  Jeff, George, Teresa, Samy & Mary Beth I love each one of you and what you bring to the world.

Bright sun on chilly crisp wintery days.

Books, books, books and all those who are passionate enough to write them. They have been a part of my world as long as I have a memory. They have been partners in possibilities, escapes, tears, joy and new beginnings.

Danusia for her Strong Woman Chronicles who is reminding me that as strong women we all look different AND I AM a strong woman.

To whoever wrote Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I never seem to get tired of hearing the various versions of the song from Sam, my 4 year old son as he tries to repeat all the reindeer names....over & over sometimes successfully and always creatively...You know Dasher and Dancer, Prancer & Vixen, Comet & Cupid, and Donner & Blitzen.....(he taught me well).

Digital Photo technology - as frustrating as it can be sometimes, I love being able to just select, crop and print....whip together a new gift, an album or an update for the "ol frig.

My 8 year old's last two teachers. Mrs. Angelucci and Mrs. Sutton. They love boys, they GET busy, active boys and know how to love 'em & create a learning style that works for him (and several other energetically fully boys!).

the magical sound of windchimes...always brings delight and a smile. (So you may be saying...this is all interesting...what does this have to do with being an entrepreneur? EVERYTHING!  To know what delights you, inspires you and makes you smile....you can create more consciously  and THAT is how you start to create your own flow......tap into your creativity by creating your environment...)

I'll be adding to this list as the holidays continue.....

With peace & joy,

Laura

Peace on Earth

How many times have you received a Christmas card over the years with the greeting "Peace on Earth" inside?  I seem to remember it quite often growing up. I don't recall getting many of those greetings over the last few years. Maybe it's because as we are bombarded with depressing CNN messages everywhere where life feels hopeless and so we feel that "peace on earth" is too big of a wish?

Well, good news!  The Pentagon has released a new policy change which states that the U.S. Armed Forces' mission is to be equally charged with waging war and making peace. Never before have they had a declaration about peace as an equal duty & responsiblity.

It's easy to say.."Wow, that's great and I can't wait to see what happens." I've been in that chair before...hmmm, that's interesting, I won't believe it until I see and so I'll sit back and see what I see.

What if.....I care enough to stand up and have my voice be counted? 

As long as we have a "do it to me" attitude, well, that is exactly what will be served on the menu!

Now I'm not saying you have to buy a ticket to DC and get your waterproof markers out and make a sign and start wearing out a path in front of the elegantly decorated white house but there are little things you can do that don't take much effort and well, since you are online anyway...you can easily drop your state representative a word and let him know that you do care about "peace on earth" and not just about the latest accessories for your ipod! (I'm talking about me here - did you think I was talking to you??)

If you want to get involved, even just a little bit, even if it's to be curious and see what others are doing to help create a Department of Peace  and make "Peace on Earth" more of a probability vs. a far-fetched dream....check out www.peacealliance.org

"What is quite clear - and would become clear as you go along with this campaign - is that you are trying, and I consider myself with you on this in every way... [To create] not only a massive but a basic change in our culture, in our entire approach to our relationships with other human beings... It's not a matter of simply getting another Department of government. You're speaking of an entire philosophical revolution."
~Walter Cronkite

And yes, if I was in line for a Ms. America title and was being interviewed and rated on my intelligent answers to the questions...I would still say my highest goal is to help create "peace on earth".  (I'd get high points for authentic dreams & passions though!)

Wishing you much peace in your world this holiday,

Laura

delightful music

Just downloaded a new CD from iTunes from Jack Johnson - I'm so loving it! 

What perfectly delightful music to play for a Friday afternoon of creating!http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007GAEVW/ref=pd_kar_1/002-3923508-6560043

Enjoying sharing delight,

Laura

Clients Who Quit - The best thing ever?

A couple of weeks ago I had a client who just up and quit right in the middle of an 8 month coaching program. It would be really easy to take it personally and ask myself what is wrong with me and my coaching. And, I'll admit to about an hour of that self-flagulation. How many times as business owners do we beat ourselves up when a client decides to leave?

I realized that it truly was the best thing. You see if I was truthful with myself, I knew she needed a different kind of support. She was in what I call a "striving place". A place of wondering how she was going to pay her bills next month. Therefore,every coaching session was plagued with questions about the value of this coaching instead of being able to trust the process. She wasn't wrong. I wasn't wrong. We just weren't in alignment.

You see, my ideal clients are  "thriving business owners" - they already have success in their business and they want more. More impact, more capacity to handle the business growth, more personal effectiveness, more ways to handle all that creative juice without loosing their relationships, and more time to enjoy life while growing their fabulous business.

Maybe she'll be there in a year or two. By us parting ways, I am allowing her to get the help she really needs: a get clients quick type of coach, a job, etc... By coaching with me she really wasn't able to get the support she needed. So in fact, by letting go gracefully, I am now giving her the freedom and support she really needs to get that help.

And, it frees up my energy to work with my ideal client who is in a position of creating a sustainable business, a fulfilled life, and the legacy and impact they want to leave behind.

So, next time a client quits. Give yourself a little time to reflect on what you might have done differently, but don't get stuck there beating yourself up. Shift to the learning and the opportunity it has created.

Here's to Graceful Business Ownership,

Laura

Vision Stories Alive!

I seem to be walking around with tears in my eyes a lot lately~

What's going on you ask?  Well, it seems that I am surrounded by clients, collegues, workshop attendees and leadership training events where we are working on creating their Vision Story. A story many years into the future that is about authentic success in their life, business or even their team.

Because it's not just a Vision Statement, it's actually a Story they create, it is really powerful. It tells the story of their life and how they are showing up as powerful leaders in their business, with their family and friends, and for themselves. It's full of their passions, their unique beautiful strengths and most of all there is an awe at what dreams they have stepped into. Many of them are celebrating a special occasion in 2010 and looking back at the past 10 years.Some are preparing to give a huge speech and are reflecting back with gratitude at all that got them here. Many are enjoying more time in their life for being with grandkids and imagining what they can teach them and share with them about life.  Most are feeling a sense of pride and appreciation for finding a way to combine their business efforts with making a difference in people's lives.

It is such a moving process that I always feel my heart open up hugely when I witness (hear) a story and the tears well up at the courage they all have to step into hope and possibilities.

Here's a wall mural of one such team's  Vision Story come alive. They did a process prior to this where they imagined TIME magazine interviewing this team as they were namesthe #1 Most  Innovative Technology Team in the world - and they are part of a church!  Once you allow yourself to stretch really far - you'll never come back to the place you are now. You'll be forever changed.

Talk about powerful!

(Yes - my vision story includes a wall mural of photos of people who I've supporting in stepping into creating a business they love and living a life fully. And it includes lots of fun creative visuals like these big wall graphics and mind maps!)

With the New Year approaching - what is the Vision Story you would like to be telling next New Year's Eve?  Or, imagine yourself in 10 years - where are you? What are you doing? What is your life like? Let yourself dream..........

With tears and smiles of gratitude for this amazing work,

Laura

Values Driven Holidays - It's Possible!

I talk about have a values-driven business quite often with my colleges and clients.  It's really such a pleasure to see values-driven business in action especially during the holidays when quite often, what's really important to us gets crushed inthe hurried activities to get "lots of stuff done"! I know this one well.

A couple of months ago, my virtual assistant, Dawn, also know as my Virtual Angel, told me that she was taking vacation for two weeks BEFORE Christmas.Of course, I didn't really pay much attention until December 1st rolled around and I realized that I was only going to be in communication with her for about a week this month since our holiday schedules were going to cross.

I asked her about it. "How can you take off the two weeks before Christmas - most people took off after Christams?"  And yet, there was a part of me who understood without any further conversation - the mother who wants to make the holidays special for her sons, the school holiday party volunteer, the neice who wants to share photos of her sons in Christmas cards, the woman who likes to wear the Santa hat and find the ideal gifts that light up someone's eyes  and well, the little girl in me that wants to enjoy the sparkles & magic of Christmas- whew!  (What hearty expectations we have of ourselves!)

Dawn shared with me that about two years ago she worked right up until Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day she was a major grump.  Christmas has always been favorite holiday and she was a grump all day long. She didn't want to do anything that required any effort 'cause she was too tired. After that she swore that she would never do that again. She gives herself the luxury of two weeks off to thoroughly be present to her kids, shop & wrap gifts without stress (and while the kiddos are still in school), and just to enjoy the journey to the big day as well as Christmas Day.

I knew I was working with Dawn for a reason. She brings all of herself to our relationship. I value that she is a mom and takes pride in her family life. AND, I had this really long list of projects I wanted to get done in December with only one week to work together on this!

It's amazing how when you are clear about your values and communicate them with others that we will support you. I immediately got clear about my most important priorities and amazingly within a week I have ezine's all lined up for the month of December. Projects set to be launched in January. AND, I feel so good!

So, my unexpected gift is that by supporting Dawn in honoring her values, I feel really good AND I have the luxury of time to enjoy my holiday journey!

Thank you Dawn!

Enjoy the journey!

Laura

If it's Easy it's not Real

Have you noticed the tag line for my Joyful Marketing programs and website?  Make growing your business easy, natural & fun!

I know that I easily attract the most amazing clients, and opportunities when I am focused on my strengths, my natural gifts, and showing up authentically.

I am amazed at how I still can get caught up in the belief that if "it's easy" then it's not real or what usually happens for me is that I don't really even notice. I made a list this morning of all the new clients, new opportunities, article ideas, ideal partners who are surrounding me and I had to pinch myself to wake up and notice how truly easily these opportunities are popping up and sliding into place!! 

Sometimes I will start thinking I need to work harder, work longer even though I know that's not in my ideal vision. It's because I slip into thinking "it's not enough" thinking when in fact, what I need to do is look around and pay homage to what is working and working really well.

It doesn't have to be hard. It doesn't have to be a struggle. And most importantly, flipping those thoughts....It really is easy if you allow yourself to be you. You can have success and probably already do if you just look around and honor what is working. And, when you honor and pay gratitude to what is working, you'll just end up attracting more of that!!! 

I've even found that I'll catch myself with the "it must be harder than this" thinking in my relationship. Over the last 2 years I've been in a serious(notice THAT word! heee)relationship, ok, so I'll reframe.... I've been in a playful relationship with my soulmate. It's usually really easy between the two of us. We so get each other. AND, every now and then I find myself questionning...can it be this easy?  There must be something wrong here!  This especially happens as he lives in the UK and so we have a long distance relationship.  Hmm, maybe I should think about what's wrong until I find it!  Ugh!  What a great way to attract "something wrong"!  I like thinking that my relationship is "easy, natural & fun"!!!!  And, taking the time to realize where it's showing up already!

Delightfully full of ease,

Laura