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The Creative Connection: There's Still a Chance for You to Win

The ladies over at The Creative Connection are having an extra special giveaway, and you need to act fast.

I have wanted to go to this event since before it happened last year.  One of the biggest reasons I want to go is because I know it will be a great opportunity to meet creative like minded business women.  Since I moved away, I have had a difficult time surrounding myself with (let alone finding) like minded people (that’s what happens when you move to the boondocks).  That is also why I have turned to the Internet and have found so many wonderful people through this blog, Facebook, and the like, but I still want to be around people face-to-face and this is a great opportunity for that. 

The event begins the day after my birthday so it would make a great present, too.

Now on to the giveaway info

GIVEAWAY

2 FREE PASSES + HOTEL

The Nitty Gritty

RULES OF ENTRY:

To enter you must do the following: 

• Leave a comment on THE CREATIVE CONNECTION BLOG that includes the following information: Why you want to attend BlogHer Handmade and The Creative Connection Event and who you would pick to take with you and why.

Additional entries:

• Tweet the following “Win a full pass and hotel for you and a friend to BlogHer Handmade & The Creative Connection Event!” http://ht.ly/5Ped4 #tccevent11. 
• *Blog about this giveaway and tell your readers why you would love to attend BlogHer Handmade and The Creative Connection Event- 5 additional entries-leave the link on each comment
• Have THE CREATIVE CONNECTION EVENT button or link on the sidebar of your blog (2 Entries–leave a link to your page on each comment)

• “Like” us on Facebook-1 Entry (if you previously shared a post on FB, this is your entry. We must follow their rules of promotion-Thank you)

*Remember, you may have up to 10 entries, but you MUST POST SEPARATELY for each additional entry. This contest ends at 11:59 on Thursday, August 4th!  Winner announced Friday, August 5th! Good luck

 

7 Ways We Sabotage Our Own Powerful Intentions

by Christine Kane

Do you ever feel like you're just way too sensitive?

"Intention rules the earth," says Oprah.

It's true.

The first part of my Uplevel Your Life™ Mastery Program is devoted solely to intention. There are exercises to strengthen clarity and commitment as you answer the following question:

"What do you want?"

This question might totally throw you off. If you're like many of my clients, you've believed your limiting thoughts for so long, that you don't realize you can ask for what you truly want and that you have the power to attract it!

So, naturally, you might do some wonky things at first that actually sabotage an otherwise powerful intention! Here are seven of the most common ways we do that:

#1 - "So that."

Example: "I intend to lose weight and get in shape SO THAT I can be energetic and happy in my daily life."

"So that" says: "I can't have THIS if I don't have THAT." It is restricting. And intentions are about expansion!

Be brave enough to ask, "What do I ultimately want here?" If you want two things, you can divide the intentions with AND or WHILE. "I intend to lose weight while being happy and energetic in my daily life."

#2 - Implementing Bureaucrat Speak Calibrated to Leverage Maximum Capacity Mental Paralysis

Example: "I intend to leverage an incremental degree of financial stability insomuch as I can facilitate a reasonable facsimile of value-added methodology."

When you set an intention, you're speaking to your soul, not to the folks in HR. Intention is supposed to excite us a lot, and scare us a little. Pretend you never worked in corporate, and use language that feels good to you.

#3 - "Ing" Overdose

Example: "I intend that I am becoming clear about my career path while my health is getting better and I am attracting a loving romantic partner."

The Universe always says YES. In this case, it says, "Yes indeed. You ARE becoming clear. And you are, in fact, ATTRACTING a loving partner... any minute now!"

Stick with present tense even though it's scary.

#4 - Scattered, Splattered and Covered

Example: "I intend to get clear about the next steps I'm taking in my life with health, lifestyle, my relationship, and career. Oh, and I also want to lose weight, make more money, move somewhere else and write a novel."

I call this "Attention Splatter." It doesn't work. It's nothing more than sabotage.

Here's what's wild, though. When we allow ourselves to focus on one single intention, often the other things we want will begin to manifest effortlessly. (OR we come to realize that we no longer want all those things!)

Be willing to be unimpressive and boring. Start with just one thing.

#5 - Trying to figure out the HOW.

The reason my call tonight is called "The Unstoppable Power of Intention" is because it's true! When you set an intention, you don't have to know HOW.

Yes, of course, you take action. But you don't "figure it all out" first. Trying to figure out HOW it could possibly happen is just your scarcity mindset trying to take control. (And how's that been workin' for you so far?)

#6 - Worrying about your ego.

"Isn't this just my ego talking? How will I know if I'm honoring my deepest self? Is this intention my TRUE! LIFE! PURPOSE????"

You can spin your wheels for years trying to discover an Academy Award-Winning Life Purpose, or waiting til you're "totally at peace." Don't set this trap for yourself. The simple action right in front of you is all you need to take. (And sometimes, it might be deceptively boring!)

If you can't hear your deepest self yet, then just start somewhere. Maybe your ego's desires will open up a deeper path.

#7 - Removing, obliterating, or ridding yourself of obstacles, weakness, and issues.

Example: I intend to rid myself of all of my anger and addictions and stop letting my ego run the show and never have emotions again.

Dude.

This is SO not gonna happen.

You don't have to focus on your "stuff" just to prove that you're not in denial.

Remember this: Energy flows where attention goes. When you include your "issues" in your intention, then you are, in essence, saying, "Let's really give this my energy. Let's dredge it up, shall we?"

Focus instead on the things that you DO want. That way, the obstacles and issues will naturally come up for release in their perfect and right time.

*~*~*~*

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

The Top 10 Solo-Business Blunders that Sabotage Success

by Christine Kane
Whether graphic designer, author, or coach - there's NOTHING better than having a business that provides freedom and an unlimited potential for income!

However, many solo-business owners get quickly burnt-out and disillusioned on this path. If that sounds like you, don't feel bad! It's probably because no one ever taught you how to run a business AND be creative all at once.

But it IS possible! (I am living proof! So are my clients!) It's just that you might have to let go of a few old habits that are holding you back and blocking your success.

Here are the Top 10 Solo-Business Blunders that Sabotage Success:

1 - Not scheduling Vision-Time.

If you don't take time away from your business for visioning and thinking, it's easy to become a reactor, not a creator.

A business is dynamic and organic. (So are you!) Shape and create your business by taking time out for planning and visioning your desires and new directions.

2 - Too much Vision Time!

Some people are forever analyzing and planning, afraid of doing the wrong thing or of failure. At some point, you must take action. Just know that failure is only failure if you give up!

3 - Waiting for rescue.

Book deals. Hit records. Getting on Oprah. A huge IPO.

Hey, great things can and DO happen all the time in life. However, waiting for something to "sweep you away" is a surefire path to frustration.

Having a business is an on-going relationship. It can be remarkable! But like any relationship, it requires attention and action. Hoping for rescue is a sign that you're afraid of the potential of your own power!

4 - Living in the "Field of Dreams."

Remember these amazing words?

"If you build it, they will come."

Really? I can do that, and everything else will be taken care of?

Well, sort of. There IS truth in that famous line.

But too often, people think it means, "All I have to do is hang my sign - and the world will rush to my door."

This can lead to disillusionment. That's because "building it" is not a one-time thing!

Here's another way to look at it:

"If you build it they will come. But if you build it and market it, they'll pay you!"

5 - Making problems a problem.

Donald Trump advises something that contradicts every positive thinking tenet out there. He says to expect problems.

Yes, even if you're a mindset junkie!

Glitches, hiccups, snafus. Hey, they happen. Too often, we let problems paralyze us, and steal our time and emotions. Successful people expect "problems," and always put their focus on finding the solution!

6 - Taking numbers personally.

Much of business is a numbers game. Sometimes the numbers are low. Sometimes they're high!

Numbers are just numbers. (They're not the Universe's way of telling you that you should give up and get a job at The Gap!)

7 - Waiting to "feel like it."

Creative types often don't market themselves until they "feel like it." Which - let's face it - is never!

Marketing works best as a system. Robert Middleton says, "Marketing is not only about being known, it's about not being forgotten." In other words, learn how to market so you won't have to dread it!

8 - The Cycle of Reactivity And Panic

Is this you?

Every now and then, you realize you have no clients. You react. You go on a marketing/cold-calling binge. You fill your schedule. And for months, you panic - you can barely breathe, let alone hire someone or continue marketing.

Sure enough, it shifts. The projects end. The clients are gone. Suddenly, your calendar is empty. The cycle begins again.

I call this the Cycle of Reactivity And Panic. (C.R.A.P.) It is one of the unhealthiest habits out there. You must set your business up so that the flow is constant and automated! (And yes, this IS possible!)

9 - Status-before-Spotlight Thinking.

All too often, we wait to "deserve" the spotlight. We hope for enough status, letters after our names, or training before we'll make the slightest move toward a bigger opportunity.

News Flash: No amount of outside status can create worthiness. Success happens when we take chances and play bigger, regardless of outside status.

10 - Not investing in yourself.

Every successful entrepreneur invests time and money in herself and her business. She attends workshops and teleseminars. She hires coaches.

Too many of us go it alone. This leads to limited thinking, isolation, and burn out.

When an opportunity arrives, don't ask: "How much does it cost to do this?" Ask instead: "How much will it cost me NOT to do this?" This simple question has changed my life!

*~*~*~*

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 20,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

7 Telltale Signs It's Time to Get Over Yourself and Get Support

by Christine Kane
Way back when I had a lawn, I used to mow it myself. I was a tried-and-true DIY gal. I prided myself on it.

Only problem?

I freakin' couldn't stand mowing the lawn. I dreaded it all week. Even though I was happy once it was finished, I started dreading it again the very next day!

At that time, I was starting to uplevel my life and business. I began seeing my time differently. I realized that the simple act of writing a song like "Right Outta Nowhere" could pay me - in the long run - WAY more than the money I saved by mowing my own lawn.

In other words, I learned how to value my work. I learned to act on that value. Was it scary? Yes. But when I finally hired someone to mow my lawn every week, I learned all about success and the value of my time. In other words, I got over myself and my fear of lack.

These days I've taken it to a much bigger level, and I have a full-time team working for me.

I now teach my clients new ways of valuing their time as they expand into more success in their own lives. They always end up realizing the ROI (Return On Investment) of getting help!

Here are 7 telltale signs that it might be time for you to get some support, too...

1 - You don't have enough time to do the thing you're best at.

What are you good at? What do you want to be good at? How much time do you actually spend doing that thing?

If you're running around getting menial tasks done - and you have no time to pursue your passion, or engage in your high-pay-off, high-delight activities - then ask yourself why.

Even if you let go of one item (like cleaning your house) you're telling the Universe the value of your time. (And you know what? The Universe always says Yes.)

2 - You resent people who don't struggle.

This is a big one.

If you hold resentment for people who live life with joy, ease and success, this could be a sign that you are waiting for rescue. That just leads to more struggle.

Only YOU are in charge of whether or not you struggle. Rescue yourself and learn what true empowerment feels like.

3 - You're worried about the economy.

Waiting for the economy to get better before you'll hire someone? Why not become a part of the solution and use your money to improve the economy?

While everyone else is pulling back and firing people - you can experience what it's like to be the change you wish to see in the world!

4 - No one can do it as good as you

If you just shouted "Amen Sister!" - then please step away from your computer. Go to the bathroom mirror. Look into your eyes and say the following aloud:

"I have a bit of a control issue."

The belief that no one can do it better than you serves only to keep you in the role of the Martyr. Unless you are, say, a brain surgeon, then there are many people who can (and will) do it as good as you. (And I doubt that brain surgeons run around cleaning the floor after surgery!)

5 - You're playing not to lose.

Ask any coach or athlete about this.

When you play to not lose, all you're doing is surviving, relying on yourself and hoping no one notices you.

When you play to win - you take risks, you keep your mental attitude strong, you rely on the team, you look for the goal. Decide that you want to play to win.

6 - You've used this phrase at least once in the past month: "By the time I show someone how to do it, I could just do it myself."

This is the mantra of someone who refuses to succeed. It's the mantra of the struggle-addict.

Learning how to delegate is empowering. Not just for you, but for others as well. Besides, when you show them how to do it once, they can keep doing it so you don't have to!

7 - You dread certain things so much that they don't get done.

It's okay to not enjoy certain aspects of your work or your life. This is the exact thing you can hire someone to do.

What items do you dread? No matter what they are, when you get them off your plate, you'll experience more energy just knowing they're getting done - and you don't have to worry about them anymore!

*~*~*~*

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 20,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

Overcoming Overwhelm: 5 Secrets to Peaceful Productivity

by Christine Kane

Overwhelm is one of the toughest things my clients face.

No surprise, of course.

The people I work with - whether they're in my Platinum Mastermind, or my Uplevel Your Business Program, or at one of my retreats - tend to have one thing in common:

They're creative types with lots of great ideas and a deep desire to be of service in the world. (If you're reading this, you're probably that kind of person, too.)

Creative types are often challenged by the practical day-to-day stuff of life. To-do's, organization, finances, getting things done. NONE of this comes easy! Overwhelm becomes a way of life.

Only problem is this:

Overwhelm leaves you emotionally drained, constantly feeling like you'll never quite catch up.

As a creative person, you might have to accept that you'll be overwhelmed on a regular basis, but you can also take a few practical steps to overcome overwhelm. Here are five secrets I've learned along the way that have helped me get back on purpose in my daily life.

1 - Get out of the weeds

If you've ever waitressed, then you know what it means to be "in the weeds." So much is happening so fast that you can't even pause to regroup.

Many of us live our whole lives like this! We wake up and just start reacting.

If this is you, then it's time to get out of the weeds and into the habit of something I call Self-Summits.

A Self-Summit is a weekly 30-minute practice - Sunday's are perfect! - during which you connect with your intentions, remind yourself of your goals, and get clear on your priorities. You look at the week ahead and:

• List your top three priorities (not your 57 to-do's!) for the week.
• Get clear on upcoming appointments.
• Schedule your work-out time, your writing time, your downtime, etc.

This one practice does wonders for keeping you on track. Even if your week doesn't work out exactly as planned, this is better than not having any plan at all!

2 - Project vs. Task

Is this your to-do list? -->

"Re-paint house. Create website. Write book. Eat healthy."

If so, then it's time to discern between a project and a task. A project is something big...like a website. It looms like a monolith on your to-do list, with its own foreboding theme song that plays every time you glance at it.

A task, on the other hand, is something you can actually complete. Like, "Write bio." Or "Call Photographer."

Learn to break down your projects into tasks during your Self-Summits, and you'll reduce your overwhelm by at least 75%!

3 - Experience Completion

I often make my clients set their weekly goals so small that they laugh at me. I do this because most of the creatives I work with have never allowed themselves the bold luxury of simply experiencing completion.

When you experience completion, then you can maintain your motivation. When you are always running to keep up with your 73-item to-do list, then you are prone to overwhelm and burn out. Make your goals and your to-do list small so that you can revel in getting complete!

Think of completion as an essential vitamin that makes you immune to overwhelm!

4 - Set the Timer

This will sound so simple and stupid that you'll think, "Yea, yea yea. Got it. A timer. Duh."

But hear me out!

Let's say you've scheduled 2 hours to write Chapter 4 of your book. Set the timer for 55 minutes, and write. Don't go one minute over or under. Take a five-minute break. Then set your timer for another 55 minutes.

When the clock is running, you won't be as tempted to go downstairs to put the clothes in the dryer, or see if the mail has arrived. It's an effective mind game that keeps your butt in the chair and your focus on the task. Even my most skeptical clients have become believers in the timer.

5 - Eliminate All-Or-Nothing Thinking

Many creatives see only two options:

Either be fun-loving, chaotic, creative and spontaneous...

OR

Be a totally boring robot who never experiences love or joy.

This is called All-or-Nothing Thinking. It is also a "Limiting Belief." It is downright untrue and even destructive, and it will keep you playing catch-up forever!

The trick to overcoming overwhelm is to play with these new habits. Tweak them so they work for YOU. Many people use all-or-nothing thinking as an excuse for not even trying. They give up on themselves way too quickly.

Don't expect to be perfect when you first start digging out of overwhelm. But DO expect yourself to keep practicing these habits.

*~*~*~*

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 20,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

My Day in Photos

See more days here.

How can it be spring and snowing?

One benefit to working for a school district, at least the one I seem to talk and write about the most (besides snow days of course), is that I get all of the traditional school vacations off as well.  I have had this last week off because for us it is spring break.  I have been using this time off wisely and productively.  I have been busy resting and creating lots of different things that I will share with you in the coming weeks. 

It has been all sorts of crazy weather here this past week.  During the previous few days the region has experienced a little of everything: high winds, rain, snow, hail, sun.  About every fifteen minutes or so we get a different weather system come in... it definitely makes it difficult to pick something out to wear... that is one thing that makes it nice that I can stay in a create while I listen to music or watch (listen to) movies.

I don't know why, during my vacation time, I am up at five in the morning, so I better take advantage of it and go do something at least semi-productive...

Here's to a long and wonderful weekend...

Happy Friday!

5 Indispensible Marketing Tips for Authentic People

by Christine Kane

"But I'm not a widget!" she whined. "It's harder for me!"

Denise was giving me her number one reason she despises marketing. I laughed and told her that it was also the number one reason EVERY solo-business owner claims to despise marketing!

Why is that? Because it feels different when YOU are the product.

You're not selling widgets. You're selling YOU, your soul, your passion, your ideas, your services. And marketing YOU feels like ego. It feels phony. It feels sales-y.

I won't lie to you. There will be discomfort when you uplevel your marketing efforts and when you become more present in the marketplace.

But know this:

The people who release their marketing fears are the same ones who have more clients than they can handle and more cas.hflow than they ever imagined. They learn that marketing is actually how they serve!

In fact, it's a relief when you realize that the problems in your business are not the Universe telling you that you're lame. They're just "marketing problems." Learn the valuable skill of marketing and watch your wealth build.

And take heart! It doesn't have to be slimy. In fact, authenticity rules!

Here are 5 tips for creating success while keeping it real...

1 - Know Your Peeps.

You must get VERY CLEAR about who your "peeps" are!

That's because when you know your ideal client - then you get to speak ONLY to her in your marketing. This not only saves you time and money (after all, marketing to "everyone" is expensive) but gives you true freedom to be yourself and to cater to that one ideal person.

2 - Build Trust. Be Yourself.

People buy from people they "know, like, and trust."

So, how do you build that?

• Establish a regular contact schedule. Make SURE your newsletter goes out at the exact same time each month or week. This shows that you honor your peeps, and that you are reliable.


• Be yourself. Allow your peeps to see your human side. Even the most distinguished among us burns the veggies and forgets to pay the water bill sometimes. Let your peeps see themselves in you.


• Let go. Some people will unsubscribe and get snarky. No problem. They're just telling you that they're not your peeps. This is the beauty of marketing well.

#3 - Be an Expert.

Getting over your fear of being an expert is crucial.

Know what else?

Get over the worn-out belief that you need to go back to school and get more letters after your name before you do this.

You can be an expert in body work, organic veggies, vegan cuisine, gemstones, native plants, still-life photography, alcohol addiction, collage, journal writing... and the list goes on.

The difference between you and someone who goes back to school before she'll let herself write is that your enthusiasm, passion and experience are your expertise! If someone requires that you have letters after your name - then they aren't your peeps!

4 - Give it away.

So, if you have a newsletter, blog, and tutorial videos, won't people just figure that they don't have to pay you for your services, your coaching, or your work? After all, you're giving away all your secrets!

Or so it seems.

The truth is that giving it away is what makes people want to work with you even more because they trust you so much.

5 - "The Fortune is in the Follow Up"

A musician friend called me disappointed the day after he had hosted a huge event in his town. "Hardly anyone came last night," he said.

I asked him if he told his list about the show.

It turns out he wrote to his list two weeks before the show. No follow up. No reminders.

Listen up, people!

The biggest mistake we make is to play small when it comes to follow up. Your peeps are busy. They need reminders. Many people respond to that last-minute sense of urgency.

There are strategies to doing this well, for sure. But not following up is a surefire way to get NO response!

-------

Does this stuff take time? Yes.

But remember, it's the pushy people who want to rush the process that make us all despise marketing. Be patient and allow that strong connection to grow, and you'll have never ending cashflow in your business.

*~*~*~*

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 20,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

Are You Having a Bad Day?

Things are going better but there have been some dips.  This article helped me get out of my own mind, sometimes I just need to stop thinking about EVERYTHING.  And Baby Boy, the "icky" word is just for you...

How to Deal with a Bad Day by Christine Kane

Let's face it. No matter how much progress we make, we're still going to have "bad days."

You know the ones.

When the old critical voices are milling about drinking martinis in your head. You try to send them all away with your favorite powerful affirmation, but only a few of them even look up - and one of them turns away and snickers.

So, what do you do when no matter what you do, you're just icky?

Very few success-gurus or business coaches talk about the bad day. Rarer still is any discussion on the process of following your dreams or building a business and the persistence it takes to break through old patterns.

Sometimes it helps to hear someone be honest about this stuff. Not so that you can indulge in self-pity about how hard you have it. But so that when the bad day strikes, you have some leverage and you KNOW WHAT TO DO! (Or not to do!)

So, how do you get through a bad day?

Here's a few things that help me. Let them help you too...

WHAT TO REMIND YOURSELF:

1 - The icky voices do not tell the truth.

They're just your old voices coming up to feed. Do not feed them. This is what makes them stay.

2 - This is not who you are.

The voices like to tell you that this messed up person is who you really are and that the rest of the world doesn't have these same flaws.

Not true.

This is just a temporary set back. That's all.

3 - Lattes don't take the voices away. It just makes them go faster.

Bad Days are not a call to rush out to Starbucks, hoping that if you move faster, it will all go away. If there's any action that needs to be taken now, it's probably a nap.

4 - You can put off your productivity until tomorrow.

Consciously choosing to be unproductive is much more effective than spending the day wondering why you can't get anything done. It really is okay to put down your goals and to-dos for one day. You can return to them tomorrow. Today, make it your goal to consciously do nothing.

5 - Everything seems worse when you're tired or hungry.

If you are tired or hungry, that could be the primary cause of feeling bad. Eat something yummy. Take a nap. Go somewhere and sit quietly.

WHAT TO DO:

1 - Stop feeling bad about feeling bad.

If it helps, make today a container. Know that you're allowed to have this stuff and that nothing horrid is going to happen with this one day of getting thrown off.

2 - Make no decisions.

The late Richard Carlson, author and psychologist, gave this great advice: "Never make decisions when you're in a low mood." That's because low moods are a natural occurrence and that any low-mood decisions are typically not healthy. Put off all decisions when you're having a bad day.

3 - Don't read fashion magazines. Or the news.

4 - Take a 20 minute walk.

Bring a gentle affirmation along with you. On days like this you don't want to say, "I am master of the universe!!!" On days like this you want to say, "I am loved. I am precious."

5 - Don't try to FIX yourself today.

No need to rush to the Self-Help section at Borders. Maybe there are steps you can take toward being healthier in the big picture. But today, let yourself stop.

6 - Lower your standards.

If you eat a good healthy meal, be proud. If you do a little yoga, give yourself a high five. Tomorrow you can have your old high standards back and be productive and evolved and all that. Not today.

7 - Say NO to anything if it's motivated by the word "should."

This is a good rule to follow on good days too!

8 - Ask yourself what you feel like doing.

Sometimes the answer to this can be surprising. Maybe you'll want to begin a fiction audiobook and clean your closet! Maybe you'll just want a nap. Don't judge your response. Just do it. You might be surprised at how this one little bit of permission changes your state instantly!

9 - Don't do anything destructive.

Don't overdose on sugar or indulge in alcohol. Don't call anyone who drains you. It will not help.

WHAT TO BE:

Be very, very kind to yourself.

WHAT TO KNOW:

That the victory is not about not having bad days anymore. The victory is that you can get back up after having one.

*~*~*~*

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com

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The Universe is Your Dog

by Christine Kane

"Start by becoming a pack leader in your own world and healing your own world, and the effects will ripple." - Cesar Millan,
The Dog Whisperer

One of the fun assignments in my Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program is what I call "Mental Dress Up."

This is a game that you can play daily. It is designed to bring intentions to life by literally embodying them in your own being.

Here's how it works:

Take a few moments throughout your day and Be [Fill in the Blank with Desired Thing].

As you're driving you can become a published writer. What would that feel like? When you're at a party, try being someone that everyone wants to talk to. Be wise. Be someone who has so many clients, you can hardly get through a day without turning people down. Be someone who is certain of what she wants. What does that feel like?

Don't get all scrunchy-faced and try to VISUALIZE - which is a very high-pressure word.

Instead feel the effortless shift in you, and BE successful. BE a fun person. BE wealthy. BE a rock star. Whatever!

My client Isabella started using this technique when she decided to "be someone who loves to run with her dog in the morning." She was amazed at the results.

Typically after a few blocks of running, she'd start wheezing and feel awful. But when she became "someone who loved running with her dog," she had more stamina and felt great during the run. She got better and better at this game until she actually began to love running with her dog!

One morning, she was returning from a run. Another dog and his owner were walking in her direction. Isabella's dog, Bruno, is still healing from an abusive past and can be aggressive with other dogs. So, Isabella started to get anxious, clinging to Bruno's leash.

Then, she remembered Mental Dress Up.

Instead of getting nervous and reacting to her dog's bad behavior, she focused on how calm she felt and how much she loved her dog. She also played Mental Dress Up on Bruno, feeling that he was always very loving and peaceful around other dogs.

It worked! Bruno was fine. He followed her energy, and they both headed home without incident. To Isabella, this was a nice little miracle.

At this same time, Isabella was beginning a new business. She had experienced a whole range of emotions from enthusiasm to fear to excitement to disappointment during the process. At one point, she met with her accountant. The accountant was skeptical, issuing warnings to Isabella about the numbers and telling her the reasons why the business wouldn't work.

During our coaching call, she shared these stories - about the triumph with her dog, and about the discouragement from her accountant. She wanted to know how to deal with her emotions after this deflating meeting.

Here's what I told her:

I said, "Your accountant is your dog."

Huh?

It's true!

People follow your energy. It doesn't matter if they are mentors, accountants, lawyers, audience members, listeners, friends, or customers. People follow your energy, just like dogs. You always have a choice to step up and lead them. Just like Cesar Millan has been telling dog owners for years. And just like Bruno showed Isabella in that one situation.

I told her that the success of her business would always be up to her. I told her that every business owner, artist or entrepreneur experiences bad news, good news, depression, loss, gain and insecurity. The decision to quit, fail, or succeed is always hers.

In that moment, her accountant might have sensed her fear and found all the negative stuff he could muster up to dissuade her. He became her dog and followed her energy.

You don't have to be a Jedi master to tap into someone's emotional state of being. You just have to be human. Had Isabella been feeling confident, most likely the accountant would have presented his views in a different light.

Ultimately, during our coaching call, I told Isabella this:

"The Universe is your dog."

Everything and everyone follows the energy and emotional state you bring to it. Decide that you can do something, and the Universe follows that decision. Choose to radiate love and wisdom, and the Universe follows that radiance. This is not always an easy place to go. But it almost always teaches us about our own power to create or transform any situation.

*~*~*~*

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.