It is so exciting that the Winter Olympics has begun! Watching the figure skaters twirl with dizzying momentum, the skiers maneuver the mogul terrain and the hockey players pass with precision is awe inspiring.  As I watch these athletes I am amazed and hold admiration at their natural talent and fine-tuned skill.  I love that the Olympic coverage is also giving us a glimpse into what it takes to be an Olympic Athlete. The behind the scenes story that makes it all the more remarkable! A peek at what it takes to be elite.

Last night as the women’s freestyle moguls skiing event was underway the broadcaster revealed that one of the US women’s coaches mentioned to his Olympic freestyler, that she could do this run and bring home a medal because she had done 3,000+ leg squats, had run hundreds of miles and practiced her jumps for a multitude of hours. The exact numbers were given during the broadcast and they were astounding.  It made me wonder how it would even be possible as a human being to accomplish those numbers.  The time it would take, the toll on the body, the strength of spirit, the focused attention, the will and determination.

One of my daughters is reading the book, The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance, which is about what it takes to be an elite athlete.  It was actually given to my husband as a gift but my daughter decided to read it because she was perusing the house for something to read and it peeked her interest.  As a driven and intense athlete this book is a perfect fit for her even if it is targeted at an older demographic.  She has begun to share golden nuggets that have touched her.  Yesterday she must have asked about twenty times how many hours she has put into playing and practicing her beloved sport of hockey.  We finally asked her why she needed to know that detail.  She explained, to be an elite athlete one needs to dedicate 10,000 hours to the sport, playing, practicing, and training.  We could see the wheels turning in her head figuring out how she could reach that bar that is set so high and the time, energy and effort needed to invest in the endeavor.

We all have hopes, dreams and goals in our lives. The question is, are you willing to put in the time, energy, effort and focus to bring them to fruition.  It is much easier to dream and say that it will happen “one day” than to actualize it.  In my life I have had dreams that have manifested, like writing a book for Hay House and others that have evaporated with time, like being a congresswomen.  The ingredients for the recipe of success are: a willingness to invest in the time it takes to achieve your goal, having complete and laser focus on the end goal, creating a strategy that makes your vision achievable and an unwavering knowing in your heart that it is possible.

The next time you think about your ideal life and the goals you hope to accomplish, I have one question for you. Are you willing to put in 10,000 hours?

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Happy Soaring!

XOXO

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

Have you walked outside your comfort zone recently?  Some might ask, “Why would you?” Well, the answer is growth & expansion! It is easy to move along in the hazy fog of everyday living. Our routines and habits determining what we mechanically choose to do, be and say.  Studies have shown that more than 86% of a person’s day consists of habitual, autopilot behaviors. These are the actions that are done without thought. You know, taking a shower without needing to think about it while your mind contemplates the activities for the day ahead. This is an innate response of the brain that actually helps us move through our day without thinking about every little thing that needs to occur, like lifting your leg each time you take a step.  Unfortunately, more often than not, it is easy to allow this mode of “unthinking” to dominate every moment of every day.  This is one reason it is so important to be consciously present and live fully awake in the now.  Living in the now allows you to consciously choose what is in your best interest to do, be and say in any given moment.  There are a few ways to help you wake-up and move out of the dazed delirium and into a mindful and vibrant daily presence.

Move Out of Your Comfort Zone:

As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” These words are sometimes misinterpreted. When I hear this, I think of it as a call to action to move out of your comfort zone.  It is so easy to do the same things day after day.  But, when you shift gears and begin to diverge from your same-old worn out path you need to be fully present to watch where you step to avoid pitfalls or obstacles in the way. This presence moves you from a state of unconscious living to a state of awakened existence.  Even if it is scary it stirs heightened sensations from every sense. This helps you feel truly alive!

I recently spent some time with a friend who had one of those move-out-of-your comfort-zone moments.  She fully acknowledged that she was uncomfortable with the situation at hand, but instead of resisting she took a deep breath and explained that one of her recent motto’s was to “Do one thing each day that scares (her)”. She took on the challenge and came out the other side stronger and pleasantly uplifted.

How can I?

In my business it has been a year of taking on new challenges, risks and first time endeavors. If I had said “No” to any of the opportunities I would not be where I am today or have felt the exhilaration and excitement that has come from so many outside-my-comfort-zone moments.  Each time one of these situations presents itself; I take a deep breath and think to myself, “How can I?”  This attitude has allowed me to grow on each occasion and feel the exhilaration of being present, consciously alert and living in a state of mindfulness.

Observe:

Begin to notice what habits you have.  Those are the consistent things you do each day.  Highly successful people purposefully develop positive habits that help them function at an elevated level.  But, before they can do that they need to be cognizant of their habits in general.  Are these habits serving them in a supportive way or depleting them on many levels.  Begin to notice your daily habits.  Maybe replace one habit for something new that is outside your comfort zone.  I would love to hear what that is and how it made you feel!

Growth and expansion come from trying new things and moving beyond where you once were. Awakening comes from not accepting the status quo, raising the bar of awareness to new heights and conquering the blocks that hold us back. These moments of presence and clarity wipe away the habitual fog of everyday repetitiousness and move you to vibrant and exhilarated living. What one thing will you do today that scares you and wakes up all of your senses?

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Happy Soaring!

XOXO

I am fortunate to be part of a mastermind group of luminaries (individuals who share and shine their light with the world).  We meet each month to share insights, encourage each other to grow and support one another personally and professionally. We had our first meeting of 2014 and the main focus of our discussion was looking at past and present goals.  The big question was “Where (personally and professionally speaking) are you?”  As we began to share our different experiences there were common threads that I could hear within each message that made me pause and reflect on how we are all capable of moving forward in our lives and reaching the goals we set out to accomplish and that there are specific techniques that facilitate the ability to meet our objectives and live our ultimate lives. Funny thing is that some of these insights might be different than you expected.  By implementing these strategies you can accelerate your ability to create the life of your dreams. These simple steps will help you become clear on your goals and develop quick and effective ways to manifest your ideal life.

Plant Clear Seeds

You might have an idea of what your inspired life looks like or what you would be doing to live the life of your dreams.  With the New Year, many folks begin to ponder these thoughts, envision their idyllic future and put goals together to make their ideals come to fruition. Gaining crystal clear clarity is essential to accomplishing your goals and bringing your dreams to fulfillment. Think about how it would look, feel, and smell. What sensations would you experience in your ultimate world?  This clear vision is the seed you plant that will encourage your dream/s to grow.

Focus on the Goal

It is important to focus on the goal without pushing so hard that you push it away.  Have you ever experienced wanting something so badly that you keep pushing to make it happen, only for it to be more elusive than it was previously.  Roadblocks and obstacles appear that weren’t previously there? I can appreciate this phenomenon.  As a Type A person, there have been many times in my life where I have focused in on a goal and blazed forward to make it happen.  Unfortunately, more times than not, this energy pushes the goal farther away leaving me wondering why things aren’t working out.  In recent years I have finally come to the understanding that we are better served to become crystal clear on the goal, which plants the seed of possibility.  From there it is important to step into the energy of ‘Allowing’.  Move with the natural rhythm of a greater power that taps into infinite potential and possibilities.

Take Small Steps

Strategically make decisions that will help you flow gracefully towards your goals without pushing them further away.  I suggest strategically because often times I see clients or colleagues spinning their proverbial wheels doing busy work that gets them no-where fast and leaves their dreams just beyond arms length, never to be reached.  Break down your goals into smaller steps so that the big goals don’t seem insurmountable.  When moving with the natural rhythm of the Universe nothing is impossible and small steps can begin to accelerate your momentum.

Celebrate the Past

The great thing about small steps is that they are achievable! I can’t say enough how important it is to celebrate even the smallest of successes.  I know in my own life that I often find myself moving forward towards the next goal or project without taking the time to notice how much has already been accomplished.  I think our culture exacerbates this experience and many find themselves not only disconnected from the present but, negating their triumphs by ignoring what has already been fulfilled. You might hear that it is important to live in the Now.  This is true, but it is also imperative to appreciate the past.  It is in the pausing, reflecting and appreciating that we replenish. This gives us the energy, passion and enthusiasm to continue moving forward.

Let 2014 be your best year yet! Clearly articulate and envision your dreams and goals. Plant seeds of clarity that when gently nurtured will blossom into a splendid life.  Move from a position of forcefully willing your goals to happen, which pushes your dreams farther away, to a place of graciously allowing the flow of natural rhythm to support you and your dreams.  Celebrate each small step as you gracefully flow in the life of your dreams.  These strategize will help you to accelerate the speed with which you manifest the goals you have set in motion for 2014.

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Happy Soaring!

XOXO

I hope you are enjoying this amazing season and the last days of 2013!  The New Year is the perfect time to take stock on what worked or fell short the previous year.  It is also a great time to determine what you wish to adjust to help you live your best life and decide how you can be the best version of you. Life is all about learning and growing.  As you move through each day you discover what makes you feel vibrant, healthy and blessed. These experiences teach you what to focus on so that you can attract more of those positive, uplifting and life-affirming moments into your life.

Today, take a moment to reflect on 2013.  Did you fulfill your hopes and dreams for this past year or did some of your aspirations fall short?  Often times we are striving to achieve the next big thing that we forget to look back and see how far we have come.  We may compare ourselves to someone else’s successes or our own new ambitions that we are striving to attain which leaves one feeling unfilled or defeated.  By looking back and noticing how far you have come this year can help to energize your spirit and invigorate you for the next big challenge.  Consciously take note of what you did to help you create an amazing year.  If you have unfilled goals for 2013 and haven’t arrived at the place you hoped to be, the New Year can be a perfect time to put a plan in place to make 2014 the best year yet for your home, body, mind & spirit!  Let’s look at a few simple ways to ensure that you live a happy, healthy and harmonious life.

1. Expansion Letter

Write a letter to yourself from your future self who is writing the letter on December 30, 2014.  That’s right, pretend you are you a year from now! Describe your amazing year and all of the fabulous things you did, the goals you accomplished and what you are currently doing to make you feel vibrant, healthy and happy.  Let loose and have fun with this (after all you are pretending), which is your license and creative freedom to imagine BIG!  This will give you a great guide to determine what your true hopes and dreams are for your amazing life.  This unlocks your unconscious to move you from a space of limited thinking to an expansive mode where all things are possible. And, as Albert Einstein once said “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”

2. Clarity

Look at your future-self-letter and pull out goals and aspirations you hope to achieve in the coming year.  Is it… a healthy body…  a calm mind…  harmony in your home… to find and live your passion and purpose?  Whatever it is write these goals on a piece of paper. When we become clear on our goals it is much easier to move towards achieving them.  Be as clear, concise and specific as possible.  “I want to be happy” is a great idea, but to live in a state of happiness you need to clearly articulate what that means to you.  What would you be doing that would help you live in a state of happiness.  What would you eliminate from your life.  Moving from a vague sense of what you are hoping to achieve to a well-defined vision will help your dreams become reality.  Use pictures, words and feelings in your descriptions.  The more concrete you are the easier it will be for you to live the life of your dreams.

3. Plan

Put a plan in place.  Now that you have specific goals that you hope to fulfill in 2014, it is time to pull out a calendar and determine what you can do and by when you plan to do it, to make your dreams a reality.  Break your goals down into manageable and achievable parts that you can systematically make happen.  When you create a system to achieve your goals by set times, you become unstoppable! Just make sure that you break down the steps into bite-size pieces that you can truly implement, otherwise you could become overwhelmed or exasperated with yourself, which could throw you off track.

In the moments of doubt (which we all feel at some point or another) look back at the letter your future self wrote to you… this is your inner guide or cheerleader letting you know that anything is possible!  You can do this! Cheers to making 2014 your best year yet!

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Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Recently I have been asked on a variety of occasions to share my insights on building a business, becoming an expert in my field and the explaining how the book publishing world works.  I was even approached to write a chapter in a book geared towards entrepreneurs that would help them find the passion and purpose in their life and relate it to their business endeavors. My observation is that successful people, whether in the personal or professional realm, have similar characteristics and behaviors that lead them along their path and help to catapult them to the next level.  In my experience these traits and attitudes make the difference between someone realizing their goals and dreams or not.  The article ahead will give you a few insights that can help you begin to walk along the path towards your ultimate life. These insights can be utilized both professionally and in your personal life.

There was a time, as I traveled my life’s path that it didn’t completely make sense to me and it seemed to meander in irrelevant directions.  What I came to realize as I look back at my route is that it was filled with light posts that illuminated the way.  It is my belief that these light posts illumine the synchronistic events in one’s life, and ultimately lead one along their course, guiding and revealing the infinite potential of possibilities. These light posts help guide you at pivotal moments to help create the life and business of your dreams. If we are tuned into the guideposts they light the way. I look back along my journey and see the string of beautiful glowing lamp posts that helped me to navigate the crossroads, listen to the whispers of inspired insight, be open to the possibilities, and take inspired action that allowed me to create each successful business that was realized and a dream life that was encouraged to unfold and grow.

The first time light posts begin to twinkle and draw me towards the world of entrepreneurship I almost ignored the whisper or nudge. It was a rainy, grey cold New England fall day when even the vibrant fall foliage seemed to be dreary. I was supposed to go golfing with a new friend, but as a fair weather golfer, looking outside, it didn’t look like my kind of golf day.  Something inside me nudged me to move from my warm, cozy bed in that early morning hour.

When we made it to the country club the caddies grabbed our bags, and we went inside to find some hot beverages to warm our fingers. As we began to make our way out to the golf carts we realized that our clubs had inadvertently been placed in different carts. The two of us, new found friends, were both disappointed because we were excited to play together and get to know each other better. The caddies had placed us in the same foursome so we decided to keep things as they were and stay with our respective partners so not to be rude.

I jumped in the cart beside a lovely older woman with silver hair, funky glasses and a dynamic demeanor who, I learned, was a successful business owner of an interior-furnishings boutique in one of the nearby bustling communities. She asked me to drive which was a small price to pay for what I later would realize was a wealth of knowledge she would imbue.   As we bounced along the cart path I curiously asked questions about her business, “What it was like being a business owner?” “How best to start a business?” and “How do you know it is the right business for you?”  For nearly five hours her enthusiastic words, seasoned perspective, and strong opinions made the wheels inside my head begin to spin.  Looking back, I see the golf cart adjustment as a divine interference.  It was a light post that twinkled and began to move me along my path on that wet, grey New England day.  The gift of this conversation inspired me to think outside my comfort zone, allowed me to imagine the infinite possibilities, investigate how to make it happen, and motivated me to take action.  I was so thankful that the whisper of my soul moved me out of bed in the wee hours of that cold morning.

Many successful people in a variety of situations hear a tiny voice inside their head that provides a suggestion, or hints at something that will move them along their path to success.  The majority of people ignore this call. Most rationalize it as a fanciful thought that could never be brought to fruition. The mark of a successful individual is that they hear the whisper and pay attention to the message.  It is as if a switch is turned on and the light post is able to illuminate the path ahead.  It is a person’s willingness to listen to the call and move through the illusion of self-doubt that will allow them to cast light on the shadows and reveal the clear passageway to fulfilling their ultimate purpose and destiny.

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Happy Soaring!

XOXO