Hey everyone. Thanks for the emails and words of kindness. Many of you were concerned about me because I haven’t been posting. The good thing about getting your emails is that it shows me that I post regularly enough that when I DON’T, or perhaps without a mention of why I am not posting, it alerts everyone that something may be wrong.

I am alive and well. No sickness here. I have just been really busy this week though I have many blog posts rolling around in my head.

I am finishing up my Ph.D. and starting my dissertation research, so I have been in that creative space and it is taking a lot of my creative energy and focus! Send your prayers, energy and love to me as I finish this up. My goal is to give this to myself for my birthday this year.

I was thinking about the last time I did this. I was 28 and a half and I had two years of school left to get my bachelor’s degree. I had been fiddle farting around for EIGHT years trying to figure out what I wanted to do. Before that, I had changed my major repeatedly…journalism, English, teaching, psychology. Well, the truth is that I knew what I wanted to do… I wanted to get my degree in social work and coach/counsel people, but all of the social work classes were during the day and I had a day job.

And, so I drifted. I focused on work, work, work working 60 to 80 hours per week.

Then, at around 28 and a half, I just woke up one day and thought, “I’m going to finish my degree before I turn 30!” I took action, signed myself up for as many classes as I could get. Figured out the money piece and went for it.

I took between 18 and 21 hours per semester every semester while working 60 to 80 hours per week so I could meet that goal. I didn’t think about it (thus I had no FEAR), I just did it. And, I hit the honors roll repeatedly, too. When I look back on that time, I don’t think of myself as being ‘great’ or ‘above average,’ I realize I just made an intention and followed through with it. Things happened to support me along the way, too.

For example, one semester I didn’t have the money to pay for my tuition. I was sitting in my office at work pouting about the situation, and admonishing myself for not saving more. I had taken a bunch of mini-vacations that left me short. I paid my way as I went, and I was short by about $1,500. Of course, I was MOST disappointed I would not meet my goal of graduating by my birthday. As I sat there, my boss at the time wandered in and asked me what I was doing and why I had not left to go register. At the time, the controller of the company and I were both finishing our degrees and she had already left to go register.

I told him the truth. I didn’t have the money, and so I wouldn’t be going that semester. He said, “What? Wait right here.” And then he left for a few minutes. I just sat there pouting. He came back and threw a check across the desk at me, “Here! Now get your ass over to that school and register!”

I moved as fast as I could to scramble and get over to the school in time. I never forgot that kindness, and, yes, I did hit my goal of graduating (with honors) by my 30th birthday.

A few months ago, I had the same thing happen. I was just talking to Mark and in the middle of it, something inside of me said, “It’s time to finish your degree.” I had completed most of the coursework but had not even sent it in! I realized I had great anxiety…as I shared in an earlier post, anxiety follows me when I get too far ahead of myself or when I am in a situation where I feel uncomfortable (usually because I don’t know how it works).

So, I got right up and went and put everything in order and I put down a schedule that would work and feel I can complete it (by working MANY hours per week) by my birthday. So far, so good! I feel energized by the coursework, which seems to be a blessing every day I go to it. I am realizing how much I have learned from Spirit and every day I get validations in my coursework that these tools are grounded in psychology and holistic practices that support people in being all they can be.

An intention has amazing energy tied to it. It can carry you along when you, yourself, don’t even know how you will make it. Whatever you desire, you can have it. Start today with an intention and watch how you will be guided, supported all the way to its creation!

Looking for a Dream Life:

• you will make it

Idol reminds us…It only takes one day to change the rest of our lives. One decision…one leap toward what is possible. Each day you have the chance to make a life changing choice. Will you say, “Yes!”?

We got a little late start on American Idol this year, but better late than never. First thing I noticed? Wow, the new judges panel delivers good vibes! And, I’m not talking about being ‘nice’ as opposed to Simon’s ‘not nice.’ I’m talking about chemistry, baby!

What a wonderful surprise!

One of the things I’ve always loved about Idol is the ‘dreams fulfilled’ part of the equation. I mean, seriously, where else can a paint department employee become a top recording star?

I love, love, love the new energy Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez have added to Idol. love how they get into it and add so much energy, compassion, verve to the mix. Plus, is it just the cutest to see the contestants awe-struck??? So MANY delicious bits and pieces to this season already…can’t wait for more!

Am TOTALLY excited about Jimmy Iovine being part of the crew, too. The magicians behind the curtain hold such a big piece of the puzzle…producers…music makers…can’t wait to see how Jimmy works his unique brand of magic.

And, what about Caleb Hawley? Wow, he had some happy “I love to sing” vibes, didn’t he? Reminded me of Taylor Hicks. Oh, and wasn’t that the sweeeetest that Jennifer remembered that one little girl (the one that almost gave up and then remembered she isn’t a quitter?) and it made her day?

So fun to watch the judges sing along…with heart and soul. Makes the ‘no’s go down so much easier…

Plus, can you believe the totally raw vocals by these babies? These 16 year olds who have been dreaming about Idol for 10 years, and it sounds like they’ve been practicing for a decade, too.

Good luck to all the contestants…and away we go!

P.S. Randy…always loved ya Dawg!

P.P.S. Ryan…you ROCK!

Hey everyone, thanks so much for your well wishes. I didn’t get a call back, though Ellany Cevan, did!! Send your well wishes her way…let’s share the love! Ellany, Brandon (her husband) and I went to the auditions at 4:45 am. We arrived just before 5 am. There were hardly any people there – maybe 100 or so. We were numbers 22, 23 and 24 in Line D. They took groups with 12 people each and we pitched ourselves and our show ideas to one person from the OWN crew. Ellany nailed it and totally deserves to be there! PLUS, she set an intention LAST YEAR (before the contest was even announced) that she was going to have a show on the OWN network. That’s what I call INTENTION, baby!

What I learned from going for it:

1. Going big with friends is better. If you don’t make it, then you still get to celebrate for your friends, and if you do, then they can celebrate with you!

2. Just going big feels amazing. As we stood in line, we patted ourselves on the back for just DOING IT. I am still feeling the expansiveness of possibility despite not getting a call back. “This or something better” for my highest good is my motto!

3. It’s not as scary as you think it’s going to be. In my mind, I thought it was going to be a much bigger deal than it was. It was really simple, really laid back and the people were awesome – those trying out and those working with OWN (of course).

4. When you put yourself into greater possibility, you want to stay there. Even as we were waiting in line, I was exclaiming, “THIS feels A-MAZING…what else can we experience?”

5. You always get a gift for yourself. For me, just filling out the application was a gift to see and consider things I haven’t thought about in years. Clarity came in the form of… yes, life is FULL of possibility!

6. I have so many people who love me. Your emails and well wishes touched my heart – thank you!! What a gift to enjoy those. Brandon and Ellany came to spend the night since the tryouts were just 10 minutes from our house (is that lucky or what?). We had so much fun the night before we stayed up all night!

7. Breaking barriers is fun. When I was in Junior High, I made it to the second round of cheerleader tryouts but felt I would not make the squad. Rather than ‘fail,’ I quit. The reason why was I didn’t want to be embarrassed by ‘losing.’ Today, nearly 30 years later, I’m realizing there is no embarrassment in losing something that was never yours to begin with! Isn’t that so funny? Leaving that behind was a huge gift.

8. Thinking you could do something someone else is doing as you are watching them is NOT the same as actually doing it. We’ve all watched people trying out and thought, “I could do that.” Well, I can tell you that LIVING your life and EXPERIENCING it is not nearly the same as watching others live their lives. GO FOR IT!! For years, I really thought I WAS living my life but what I was really doing was living it vicariously through watching others. My intuitive nature allowed me to do that. Boy, LIVING is so much better!

9. Only I can decide for myself. I decided I was going and I knew what I wanted was the feeling of I did it! I showed up! And, boy, did I get that feeling and then some. It was awesome!

10. If you don’t try, you’ll never get the chance. Mark’s mom said to me, “Well, if you don’t go, you know you won’t get a chance!” Mark says, “If you want to win the lottery, you’ve got to buy a ticket. I would add, “and you must claim it too!”

I’m so inspired by the experience, I’m wondering what else I can do with this energy!! Where can you ‘go for it?’ in your life? Do it today… jump in, the water’s fine!!

P.S. Mark is going to post some pics. The crew made jokes that they weren’t going to judge us on what we looked like in 100 degree weather. It wasn’t yet 100 degrees, but it was HUMID and my hair was frizzing to the max! LOL

I received many emails yesterday about the piece that ran about Robert Butler and his Volleyball Dream Business on NBC5i here in Dallas-Ft. Worth. I was interviewed as part of that piece and in it I talked about daring to push the limit of reality as you now know it.

More people seemed to cue into that part of the interview more than any other part. And, to me, this is the place I most love to play in with clients. It is so much fun to dissolve barriers and edges of reality.

Want to find your edges? Ask what you believe about whatever it is that you are creating. Yesterday, a client and I played with this and while $5,000 a month was not an issue, $5,000 a month for one client seemed different. All of a sudden, all of the borders or rules came out with this idea. Soon, she was dashing off one after another… and now her possibility threshold is just a bit larger and more infinite – just like she is!

Dare to push the edge of possibility… and don’t forget to have fun!!

How far did Barack have to push the edge to dream this big?

You all know I love to be part of people who ignite their passion to live their dreams. Robert Butler is a guy who has been dreaming of living his volleyball dreams for years. We are thrilled that he has taken the leap is flying high!

You see, what isn’t in this clip is that Robert (Bob as we call him) used to work with Mark before they both took corporate buyouts. For years, Mark would ask Bob… “What are you doing here? Go live your dream!”

This is a full circle moment for all of us!

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local-beat/Former_Champ_Serves_Up_Volleyball_Training_Center_Dallas-Fort_Worth.html

Hey y’all. How y’all doin’? I’ve been reading Paula Deen’s autobiography and it is so good. I love biographies – I can gobble them up like Chicklets. This one is sweet and honest. I appreciate her candor and there are so many good lessons she teaches. I’m amazed by her truthfulness. Wow.

One thing I learned in Miss Paula’s book is about having a vision. For Paula, she read a book called A Woman of Substance that gave her a vision to reach for. She kept saying she was going to be a Woman of Substance – even when her reality looked like anything but! She made a commitment to become a Woman of Substance, and I believe, y’all, she’s done that. Don’t you?

It reminds me of my own desire to leave a legacy. I didn’t know what that meant but I started thinking about it a couple of months ago. You all know I know I’m not perfect, but somehow I started thinking there might be something bigger I could be doing to be of service.

I came up with an idea, and from there, it has grown and grown over the last few weeks. That idea is the Rapid Success Experiment. And, I want to invite you all to join us to go BIG to end 2009 on a high note.

http://www.rapidsuccesspartners.com/services/the-rapid-success-experiment

Like Paula, I desire to be a Woman of Substance and live a legacy that I would be proud to leave.

Come join me to create your own vision! Join us and go big! PLUS, I just KNOW we are going to have to have a BIG OL’ PARTY at the end of the year or in the New Year to celebrate. Hitch your wagon to a star and let’s go!

Looking for a Dream Life:

• live your dream ~ the book a woman of substance

Quick note today about dreams.

I worked with two different clients this week and we talked about their dreams, and how those are manifesting in miraculous, magical ways.

We got to look at how ‘problems’ (which often are actually answers to questions) show up and spur them on.

All of this to say that when you see the problems as messengers for your greater good and your dream creation, you can relax about the messenger (the problem) itself.

When you do this, then it’s easier to roll with what comes KNOWING that your creation is well on its way. It also cuts down on RESISTING the so-called problems (see them as messengers).

This is not a head or mind exercise (although your mind can be mighty effective in looking at it!)… this is a heart KNOWING that you are on the path. Cue in to your heart and love it with all you have, then connect to your being and begin again!

Hugs to you!

Let’s break out the colors for summer kids. My favorite nail polishes are OPI and Essie. ESSIE has super yummy colors. One of my favs is Jam ‘n’ Jelly. OOOOh, it is so much fun. Essie has a NEON line for the summer, and I also remember a brand for a while back – Hard Candy. Remember them? This line introduced us to crazy colors like blue and green. It looks like they don’t have any nail polishes anymore, but OPI has a smokin’ hot blue (No Room for the Blues) in the BRIGHTS collection – whoa! I’ve always loved OPI’s polish names – I’m really not a waitress is a fun red color. How about Ladies & Magenta-men. Now that’s creative!

Summertime, tan time (spray tan is good for those who like to look tan without the skin damage) is a good time to break out the bright, beautiful colors. It reminds me of an article I wrote a while back, but thought it would be good to share again…got lots of emails on this. Enjoy…

I attended the eWomen Network Conference a few weeks ago. I love this group of people (yes, there are men who attend too!) for many reasons, but probably the primary reason is that they are genuinely kind people. It is an atmosphere that feels like a warm blanket – it pulls you in and asks you to ‘get close’ with others.

Why am I telling you this? Well, because this story may have only happened in such an environment!

I met a woman who represented 29000feet.com (for those who may not have heard, this is like a super-secure dating site that connects service providers to their clients and is backed by training super company, Delaporte). Of course, I was intrigued by the idea (I had not heard of them before that moment), but I was even more intrigued by the nail polish on her toes!

“It’s Jam N Jelly by Essie!” she exclaimed. All I knew was I had to have it! She told me where she purchased it, wrote down the name of the company on a business card and sent me on my way. I felt great – where else would this conversation have taken place? Now really?!

What does this have to do with you and your dreams? A lot. Stay with me.

I get to Ulta3 (this is like the Costco equivalent to beauty items) and I’m dazzled by all the new products and the colors and the fragrances. I bee-line over to Essie and am floored by the colors. Having been a loyal OPI wearer for a decade, I admit it, I haven’t ventured into new nail polish waters recently. And, come to think of it, I never buy polish – I just pick from the colors on the rack when I get a manicure or pedicure.

The Essie colors were amazing. I mean, I have never seen colors of nail polish in these shades. Come to think of it, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen these colors!

So what?

Well, it made me think… what made this Essie Chick think she had something ‘new’ to offer the already VERY CROWDED market of cosmetics? What made her believe she could do it? What was it that allowed her to go for it?

If you think about it… we have lots and lots and LOTS of choices for paint for the old daggers. BUT, I stood there marveling at how these were somehow different. The colors were just slightly off of the regular path. They had various clear equivalents that were slightly more opaque. They were, in a word, unique!

Again, what does this have to do with you?

Well, let me ask you.

Are you trapped in the “Why does the world need another…” illusion? Do you yearn to write a book, compose a song, tap dance your way across broadway, take a worldwide tour on foot and document it, visit countries that we probably don’t even know exist to help others? If the ‘reason’ why you are not doing it sounds like any of these…

“What can I say that hasn’t already been said before?”

“There are plenty of people who want to do this, why should I even try?”

“Doesn’t the world have enough __________ [insert your creation – diet books, cosmetics, coaches, savers of the third world?”

“I am not unique enough to stand out.”

If so, then you are probably looking through a cloudy lens. Your desire is enough of the reason why! You are unique. Your desires are unique because they are fulfilled by you and how you create them. We are all the same and yet we all are uniquely individual.

Now, may I ask you one question? What would have happened if Essie had thought… oh, there are plenty of nail polish companies out there. I don’t have anything special to bring. I wouldn’t be wearing my Jam N Jelly finger and toe nail polish right now! And, that would be a sad thing indeed!

Quick Action:

♪ Are there any places in your life where you are playing the “what do I have to offer” card?

♪ Take a moment, close your eyes, and ask… Where does this originate?

♪ Notice the first thought that comes to your mind.

♫ Make a choice. Will you keep this belief or release it? Why?

Quick Lyric

This is the beautiful melody that played in my head as I wrote this. Tracy Chapman sings this song about love, but I believe it applies to this idea:

If not now, then when?
If not today,
Then, why make your promises?
A love declared for days to come,
Is as good as none.
You can wait ’til morning comes.
You can wait for the new day.
You can wait and lose this heart.
You can wait and soon be sorry.

And, I’ll add this… if not you then who?

Here’s to you, and to another week to honor YOU and YOUR DREAMS!

Your dreams do matter – to you and to the world!

Looking for a Dream Life:

• opi ladies and magenta men

Yeeee, I might have told a tiny white lie (you know, about not mentioning CANTON anymore). But I PROMISE that this post isn’t about Canton Trade Days! Okay, so when Dusty Rose, Mark and I went to take in the lovely creations last week, we swung by Iron Willow for mom to get her ‘flying pig,’ and when we got there, she was SOOOO excited, you know, like I said… almost about to pee her pants for this thing she is totally salivating over, and … then… it HAPPENED!

The one that she wanted wasn’t there. The one she wanted was POLKED DOTTED (remember?). No polka dotted pig, so she started looking at the other ones. PLUS, she REALLY wanted the BIG size… $89. Not the smaller size…$59.

I could feel it, I could see it, I could almost even SMELL it… settling energy started coming in…starting flowing in… and I felt every part of my being come in… “Mom, DON’T SETTLE. GET WHAT YOU WANT. WAIT FOR WHAT YOU WANT if it isn’t here!”

I totally didn’t yell it… but I did URGE her very *STRONGLY* to really follow her HEART. She looked at me, looked at the others, smiled, and then said, “I really DON’T want those… I know EXACTLY what I want.”

Yippee! Great – “So what’s next?” I asked her.

“I think I’ll sketch what I remember from last month and place an order and will pick it up – in the size I REALLY want!”

Yeah! And YOU can have what you want (since you know you ARE the creator of EVERYTHING in your experience), and I get to have what I want… and, yes, Dusty Rose gets the flying, polka dotted pig she gets. AMEN!