Advanced leadership skill: how to feel things fully

 I am just back from a week delivering a leadership program with rural primary producers. It was an amazing program with some seriously hard working farmers and industry leaders. They were a keen and engaged group, ready for anything - and we threw some tough challenges at them.

One of the most challenging aspects of the program that proved to have the most impact was the 'tell your story' session. Each participant shared the highlights - and lowlights - of their life journey so far.

It opened the flood gates.

Many shared the impact of the long, seemingly endless drought; year after year of no crops, no income, rising debt, and no end in sight. Some slipped unwittingly into depression; a deep dark haze that settles in like a damp fog that clings to you - erasing boundaries, blurring lines of self esteem, and slowly dragging your worldview into darkness.

And now, on the upswing of a few years of rain and good crops, optimism is re-surging.

And yet, the black, damp fog feels like it has just receded, and not gone.

Some were rattled by the mere thought of a possible return to the black foggy days - fearful of the darkness, the helplessness.

I had a few one-on-one chats with folks about what to do to manage these fears, and the black fog itself.

Here are my suggestions. They are advanced leadership skills, whether you face drought, depression, despair - or simply overwhelm in your day to day life.

1. Cough up the story to the bright light of day. By talking about your story, your experiences, and your feelings, you expose them to air and sunlight, and thereby dry them up. It takes the experience outside of our bodies and gives it some objective perspective. Even subjective perspective of others as you tell the story diffuses the edge and charge of the story.

2. Feel your feelings fully. Most want to avoid telling their story as they are afraid the emotion will well up and swamp them again. We think, "I don't want to feel bad, so if I just don't talk about, try not to think about it, then hopefully it will go away." This is the recipe of, 'what we resist, persists.' When you try and AVOID feelings, they only build and grow - like festering bacteria being swept into dark corners; it only grows more foul.

The only way to purge the overwhelm of bad feelings is to FEEL them fully - go ahead and delve right in.

You do this by paying detailed attention to:

• Where is the feeling in your body - tune in to the exact location of the most intense part of the emotion.
• What colour does the feeling have?
• If you could touch it, what it the texture? The temperature? The shape?
• Focus your inner eye on this feeling shape/colour, and just breathe into it, observing. Pretend you can pierce in to the most intense part of it. Take your imagination into the epicentre of that feeling and just sit in it, and breathe.

You may cry - that's great. According to my colleague's four year old nephew, "crying is when my feelings get too big for my body".  Perfect, right? Crying helps to release the energy of the feeling; when you hold back your tears, you are hanging on to surplus lower vibration energy until it boils over (usually at a very a convenient time).

Simply paying attention to where your feelings are in your body will help release the energy in your body.

3. Change the past. You can change your experience of past events by changing your story. If you take any negative event in your life - ANY negative event - you can change your chronic feelings responses to that event by changing your interpretation of that event. Try this by seeking to find something GOOD that happened as a result of that negative experience. This is the start of changing the past - looking at past events as the springboard to better outcomes for you.

4. Move beyond your thoughts. When you become aware that you have thoughts, that you are not your thoughts, that you are not even the thinker - that you are in fact beyond thought and thinker at your true essence - that you are essentially awareness, then you have  transcended the oscillations of mind and feelings. 

You can start to observe your thoughts and feelings without making them wrong or good, but simply acknowledging them. In this way, feelings and thoughts pass quickly - like clouds on drifting on a breeze. You become aware instead of your eternal self, the part of you that existed before you were born and will continue after you drop your physical casing; tis is the part of you that remains essentially unchanged from when you were an infant through to the adult you now. Your body's cells grow, reproduce, and die, but your essential self remains continuous. When you see the world through THAT prerpective, you can rise above the natural fluctuations of emotions, rather than trying to avoid or resist them.

5. Immerse yourself in nature. Sit under a tree, watch an ant, listen to the birds. Let your mind contemplate the abundance and chaos of the natural world and you will come close to knowing the Divine - the flow of life force that is beyond human contemplation, part of a greater expansion of which we play a role - small and enormous all at once. Let nature take you into the wonder.

That's a start! 

What are your key tips in dealing with overwhelming feelings? 

I would love to hear your suggestions - please share :)

Zoe

p.s. If you would like to develop more of these advanced leadership skills, please join me at my upcoming Deep Wisdom workshop in Canberra. 

Putting FUN on your task list

Richard Branson has always espoused that fun was an integral, if not fundamental, aspect of any business undertaking.

Not fun as in be silly, or reckless, but fun as in completely absorbed, exhilarated with what you're doing, feeling in the flow and high vibing it through your day.

This is from the man who once wore nothing but a plastic mobile phone covering his dignity to launch Virgin Mobile.

Silly or fun? Hmm, maybe both.

More fun sounds good to me! But if you could have more of just one the following, what would YOU choose?

• More money
• More adventure
• More freedom
• More sex
• More fun

A recent survey of my clients indicated that the one thing they would like more of - more than money, freedom, sex, adventure - was FUN.

Well blow me down with a feather. I was hedging bets on 'adventure', 'freedom' and a sure thing on 'money'. But no, it was fun that won out.

Seems we are a community sadly lacking in engagement, exhilaration and laughs.

How did we start taking ourselves so seriously?

C'mon people, life is for LIVING - not wiling away the hours until we can collapse on the weekend.

I hereby declare a mandate for Fun being listed as the top priority on your task list.

But you don't DO fun, you HAVE fun.

And incredibly, some people struggle to define how to have fun.

So let's get the ball rolling. What is your idea of fun?

Here are a few to get us started: swimming in the ocean, Friday night pizza and beers, a walk in the morning when the sun comes up, laughing uncontrollably (check out Damn You Auto Correct for help on this one), dancing in the supermarket aisles (especially if it embarrasses your partner), in fact, dancing wildly at any inopportune moments fits the bill nicely, reading in bed, a good tickle fight, chasing chickens, taking photos, playing with dogs, eating way too much chocolate, that first sip of beer on a warm summer's day.

I could go on, but I want YOUR inspiration! List your top three ways to have fun!

Four States of Flow, and Potatoes

Everything is energy. Y'all know that already. But are you paying attention to the state of your flow of that energy?

Here's some cool things to note:
There are four states of flow, when it comes to money, energy, and pretty much everything (like love, happiness, joy, and potatoes).

Flow State 1 - FLOW: More potatoes coming in than out. Yippee! This means we've got more potatoes to play with.

Flow State 2 - EBB: Less potatoes coming in than going out. Wahhhh!!! This is where it get stressful - our pile of potatoes seems to diminish.

Flow State 3 - STATIC: Same amount of potatoes coming in as going out. Static. No change. Boring.

Flow State 4 - STUCK: No potatoes coming in and no potatoes going out. Stagnant and yucko. Possibly stinky.

So we all know what state we want to be in - FLOW, right? More potatoes in than out - gimme 'taters!

Here's the reality:
Potatoes (and money, and energy, and turtles) all have cycles. There is always ebb and flow. Energy fluctuates and moves about. It's dynamic.

It's groovy to know also that energy cannot be created or destroyed - it just changes form. Like potatoes come from dirt and turn to French Fries. All energy - just changing form.

So here's how to be more in flow than ebb, static or stuck.
If you're in FLOW - savour it, milk it, relish it, and suck the juiciness out of it. This will keep the vibe amping in the right direction.

If you're in EBB, just know that all things move in cycles and take this time to take stock, renew your energy through rest and relaxation, reflection. Then start the energy cycle going with some gratitude and appreciation, and doing something for someone else, just because.

If you're in STATIC or STUCK, you've got some stuckness that needs shifting. Start with your physical self - get a massage, some acupressure. Then do some de-cluttering. Create a vacuum in your space so there is room for more. Clear your calendar. Experience doing nothing for a while. Then go for a jog. Shake it up baby! You need ti be dangled by the feet and spanked to feel more alive! Get some more of that CHI goodness whipping through you. Soon you'll be flowing again.

Got some wisdom on moving into FLOW? I would love to hear it!

Results! Three Pillars delivers

Hi there gang

Just wanted to share the incredible success of Niki, one of my private coaching clients in the Three Pillars program. In her words...

"Hi Zoe

Wow I am so happy -money has started flowing and opportunities too!

The Storque a part of Etsy is now following me on Twitter, which means I could one day be featured woohoo!!!

Two of my articles are being published on a primitive crafting website, they date back to 2006 how cool is that!

I just got some unexpected work from a lovely client I did VA work for last year (I do blog design, graphics and websites, I hadn't been looking for work but this is cool that is came up.)

I just got the first bid for my silent auction yay! I'm trying out this way of selling my originals to see how it works out. It seems to go very well for some other known artists who are making a living from just their art.

So I'm feeling pretty pumped now!

I've just started filming for my first art diary video - cool.

I'm taking action now and I am sure that is fueling this sudden surge of flowing money and my new thinking :D This is very cool!

You are so right, when I chill and don't get uptight about sales and what I'm doing, it all flows, I just need to remember to stay in that mode.

Onwards and upwards!

Niki"

Niki - you absolute groover!

You and I know this hasn't been easy - there were times in the beginning that felt slow and hard like wading through molasses, but then you slipped in to a new gear...and poof! You are rockin' on girl!

Congratulations on your results, and your awesome journey.

Zoe
p.s. Want to see Niki's beautiful art? Check it out here: http://www.vintageartist.co.uk

Busting Beliefs with Booty Bootcamp: Back on - Weeks 3 & 4

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How to deal with setbacks

Well my friends, last week I spent dealing with a dripping nose and what felt like a box squeezing my brain.

The change of season lurgy hit me hard.

All my grand plans for getting another video out to you and dazzling myself with my ever shrinking and firming butt came to nought.

It was such a great reminder that things don't always happen according to your time table. Manifestation has its own magical agenda.

The trick of course as a powerful creator is to steer away from the 'woe is me, now I am way behind' vibe that comes up when you face such a setback.

And boy was this hard to do last week! It is incredibly difficult to shift a negative vibe when you are feeling so worn out, heavy-headed and uncomfortable.

But what we resist, persists, right? So I knew I had to find some way of shifting my focus away from "I don't want to be sick" thoughts.

I tried appreciation. What could I appreciate about the situation? Nothing, was my brain's answer.

If I might find something to appreciate about the situation, what would it be? Nothing.

Hmmm...not working. How about, what am I grateful for?

And then the trickle started:
I am grateful for the fact that I can actually still work a little.
I am grateful that I LOVE my work.
I am grateful that my clients are so awesome.
I am grateful that my on-line business ticks over even when I am sick.
I am grateful for the fact that I no longer have cancer.
I am grateful for the fact that this is the only time in 12 months that I have been sick - that shows my immune system is getting stronger!

The gratitude rant gave me an opening - and my good vibes started to flow again - I felt more in the flow.

Next I imagined what it was like to be fit and healthy again - running through the bush trails and feeling alive and vibrant. And for a nano-second, my head did not hurt at all.

I'd opened up the flow and got some relief.

And now this week with just a few lingering traces of my cold, I am so grateful for my return to health, my return to the gym, and the launch of my new Inner Circle program.

What seemed like an eternity of setbacks and delays now just seems like a blip. Not even.

Just goes to show how even the smallest of shifts, in the toughest of circumstances, can keep you flowing in the right direction.

As far as Booty Bootcamp goes, it's back on!

This week's focus is on 'acting as if'. Acting as if I'd already achieved my awesome posterior. What would I be thinking? What would I be saying? What might others say to me? What do I do to maintain my Charlie's Angels figure? What does a Charlie's Angel eat to honour her tush? What does she do for exercise? I'm doing it all dudes!

And here is a photo of me in my ever-fashionable wetsuit that I wore the weekend before I got sick (possibly one of the reasons I got sick in the first place - two days of surfing in cold water).


This photo reminds me that I am ever so grateful that I have a body I can take surfing :)

Have a wickedly wonderful week folks!

Zoe

Abraham-Hicks shake their collective booty

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Booty Bootcamp Week 2 - letting go

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Fast tips to overhaul your environments

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Environments for healthy living

Ahhh...beautiful Byron Bay.

Every morning I woke and people were jogging up and down the beach, or up the boardwalk to the lighthouse for the panaromic view from Australia's most easterly point.

The water's warm, the temperature is embracing, and you just feel good.

People often remark on the vibe of the place. You are just drawn to good health: everywhere there are people being active, in the water and on the beach. You eat better, you sleep better, and you find yourself slipping on the runners for a jog too.

Back in Canberra with the autumn leaves falling and the heater turned on for the first time this year, it's a whole new story.

You really have to work hard to beat the environment. It's an effort to get out of bed in the dark. When the temperature drops, all I feel like is comfort food like toasted cheese
sandwiches. I shiver at the thought of a salad.

An environment like Byron Bay is definitely conducive to healthy living. But how do you achieve the same thing when you live in a land-locked city with frosty mornings?

The easiest solution is of course to move to the beach. However this is not always practical. (though Rob and I are working on that pan!)

In absence of a coastal move, it's all about making the environment as effective as possible in supporting your goals.

With my health goals, this means hiring a personal trainer, not having temptation foods in the house, and having a routine that makes it easy to pull on clothes and head out the door, even in the dark: clothes are laid out and ready to go the night before. I set my intention firmly with Rob the night before: I'm going running tomorrow at 6am - are you in? My enthusiasm often spurs him on. And when it doesn't, my momentum carries me out the door anyway.

Designing environments is one of the most powerful ways to draw yourself easily towards your goals.

It's about creating an easy path, rather than overcoming hurdles.

It's definitely a fun way to evolve.

Ok thats it for today - I'm back to editing the Three Pillars of Personal Power program.

I think I'll add 'move to the beach' as one of the 52 environmental design tips!

Zoe

bright lights, big city

It's been a little quiet here on the blog this past week as I've been in the Big Smoke of Sydney.

There's no doubt that Sydney's harbour is one of the most spectacular settings for a city.

The Harbour bridge and the unique architecture of the Opera House alone are enough to spark gob-smacked oohs and ahhs from visitors.

But I really felt like the country girl in the big city: Sydney is ten times the size of Canberra at 3 million people compared with our 300 000. With that many bodies, and all the infrastructure of housing, buses, restaurants, taxis, trucks, businesses, shops, the city has a real buzz.

It's more like a roar. A loud, grating, grinding screech.

Taking the train in to the city centre, I was funneled forward with the surge of the crowd. Greeted by buskers, hawkers, and city dwellers speed walking to work, it was senses overload.

Add to that the heavy cloud of cigarette smoke from the addicted now relegated outside to satisfy cravings, the whole city experience becomes one of overwhelm.

There were moments of reprieve. The Botanic gardens are lovely, and the green space is a true sanctuary nestled between the highrises.

The ferry to Manly beach offers the chance to sink in to blissful contemplation, as sailboats fly by, and the ocean opens up at the headlands.

It's amazing how water calms everything.
Through all this I grew a new appreciation for how difficult it is to craft your own environment in the throng of a busy city. It takes grit and determination to create space for peace and calm.

And yet, all it takes is a shift of focus - to see the beauty rather than the grime, to feel the air rather than smell the smoke. To choose peace rather than conflict.

Sydney offers it all: bright lights, big city, peace and the beach.

What are you hooked on?

My friend who is a fertility specialist said to me, "Some people have challenges in their education, or in their career, or in their health. You have challenges with fertility. We all have challenges, and it's sad that so many people have fertility issues, but hey - that's how I make a living!"

That's one way to find a positive spin on fertility issues: I am keeping doctors in business.

Not that I think doctors really want people to get sick, but they need folks to get sick so they can do their thing - provide their service, and feel good about doing something good. They need sick people so they can feel good. Hmmm... it's a strange energetic connection, don't you think?

I have a friend in Melbourne who is an ambulance attendant. He told me about a busy day recently when there were several major car accidents in a tunnel. My response as one of concern that this might be overwhelming for him, and he said, "No way! it's exciting! Those days are fun!"

Car accidents=fun.

Hmmm...

I don't think doctors or ambulance attendants really wish illness or accidents on people just so they can earn a buck and get a thrill. In fact, I think they just expect these things will happen, and therefore they have a role to play in the unfolding of events. They do not need to wish these events to happen because they just know they will.

I wonder what would happen if we started to expect health? Expect driving safely? Just knew we would get home safely each day? Would there be no more doctors? No more ambulances? No more drama?

In my coaching work, I used to work with people who were overwhelmed, swamped and struggling. I needed people who were struggling to fill my business. I got a thrill out of helping them, and they payed my bills.

But then the energy of needing people who were overwhelmed really got to me. I found it draining. So I changed my focus. Now the clients I work with are funky, fun-loving, love to learn, love to grow and expand and achieve, and are looking for fast, amazing breakthroughs so they can create even more amazing things in their lives. The energy is so different to dealing with overwhelm. I expect great results for them, and they do too. We are a 'problem-free' zone and by goodness that is a fun way to work!

And I wonder what would happen if doctors started focusing on how to build healthy individuals with amazing bodies, instead of getting excited over diseases and rare conditions? Or if ambulance attendants were there to help people boost their energy levels instead of rescuing them from failing ones? Or if lawyers were there to make laws that rewarded good behaviour instead of punishing poor choices?

I wonder...

All it takes is one person to shift their focus.

Got any other focus-makeovers? I'd love to hear them!

2008 - is that the sound of a drum roll?

A drum roll, trumpets, a flourish - this is what I've come to expect of the New Year.

Not this year.

Nope, nada, nothing, not a thing. There was a distinct lack of heralding and harking.

Usually I start the year with grand plans, glorious declarations, and energy busting at the seams. Like a a mountaineer in new leiderhosen, I am usually polishing the boots and hoisting the pack for another grand year of summits to to ascend, obstacles to overcome, and challenges to embrace. Like running another marathon, or writing another product, or meeting new business targets.

Not this year.

Instead the New Year brought with it a glorious sense of peace, calm, and tranquility. There are no grand plans. There are no declarations of things to change, or new beginnings to embrace. Quite simply, I am already flowing. I am already in the flow - the flow of wellness, of abundance, of happiness. 2007 was a wonderful year, an I expect 2008 to be just as, if not more wonderful.

But I don't need to prove anything anymore. I don't need rack up any more accomplishments, like a row of dusty trophies on the mantle.

Don't get me wrong - I do have plans for what I want to experience and create this year. But the energy is completely different: my choices are based on what feels good, what feels fun, and what makes my body zing with excitement.

In noticing the difference in me this year I have come to realise what intellectually I have known to be true, but have not embraced in my 'knowing' until now - life is for living in a way that feels good, not in a way that we think it should be lived, according to beliefs, ego, or expectations.

It's a subtle distinction. Now I can tell if it's my ego talking, or whether it's my spirit calling with this simple assessment: if it feels like hard work, then it's the ego having a go; if it feels exciting and fun, then my spirit is leading the way.

This simple distinction has taken a lot of clearing to get to. Old beliefs, emotional energy patterns, issues around deserving and prosperity were all cleared away to get here. I have done a lot of self-development, coaching, reading, and exploring of various techniques and concepts, and applied what I learned.

And still there is more!

But it all feels good and grand.

Here's to 2008 and the glorious adventures ahead.

The Dalai Lama and another groover - Steve Fletcher

It seems the Dalai Lama really gets around! Here he is with my buddy Steve.

Obviously, it's true that like attracts like. I first met Steve in the summer of 1990 I think it was. He was a totally gun canoeist and he was teaching us advanced canoeing skills. He was very gung-ho with early mornings and late nights. Also a marathon paddler, we were dumbfounded by his boundless energy.

Later that year he was in a car accident on a lonely road in northern Manitoba in the middle of winter. He hit a moose and was unconscious for a long time.

Steve survived, minus the use of his limbs.

How do you go from a life of intense sporting activity to one of physical paralysis?

We were all devastated for Steve.

When I went to see him in hospital, I was dumbfounded yet again. Here was a man who was never going to paddle again, his lifelong passion, and yet already he had a philosophical attitude about it all. He was even watching the videos from that summer - of himself dancing around and pulling off some crazy canoe stunts.

Above all, Steve said he was grateful - grateful for being alive.

And this is what distinguishes Steve from many: he had a choice to focus on what he'd lost, or focus on what he had in front of him. One felt terrible, the other was a blissed out space of gratitude.

I can't imagine for one second it was easy, or that it has been all beer and skittles for him. Steve however was not one to wallow in self-pity. This is his official bi-line from his Facebook page:

"Steven Fletcher was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and re-elected in 2006. He served as the Official Opposition Critic for Health and was a member of the Standing Committee on Health. Prior to his election, Mr. Fletcher worked as an engineer in the Mining Industry until an automobile collision with a moose, left him a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down. He returned to University where he obtained a Master's in Business Administration (MBA). He was elected for two terms as the president of the student body at the University of Manitoba (UMSU). He also served two terms on the University of Manitoba Board of Governors and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA). Mr. Fletcher was twice elected the President of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba and has played a leading role in many community organizations."

Did Steve 'attract' his accident? What were his thoughts prior to the event? How do you explain something like that?

What's more important for me, from a Law of Attraction perspective, is the energy Steve has radiated since. He inspires. He lives a full and engaging life. He has a sharp wit and a massive heart. He is peaceful and loving. He focuses on his intentions, not his past. He celebrates life and living.

Just like the good ole Dalai Lama.

Good on ya Steve. And the Dalai Lama too.

Halibut moments

Last week was a bit of a shocker. Everything was 'new': new shopping cart, new computer, and therefore new hassles that needed sorting. Aargh! It seems I have an old lingering belief about computers being hard to work with and difficult to solve problems. Computers = angst.

And mucho angst was filling my days. I was short on the phone to friends, I was snappy to Rob, and I felt awful. Knot-in-stomach kind of awful. I was in full worry/resistance mode.

Then Rob and I were out shopping and, noticing the grim grey cloud hovering over me, he asked if I was ok. I replied, "No I'm not. First of all, there's a glitch my newsletter list, then there's shopping cart issues, and then - ". He interrupted me with, "That's right, why don't you list absolutely everything that went wrong this week. That will surely help. Go on. Let's have a big whinge."

Now I usually don't abide well with sarcasm. But this time his words hit me like a wet dead halibut straight in the chops.

Of course. I was on a negative rant. This was not going to help anyone, least of all me, my mood, and my relationship with my lovely hubby. Not to mention attracting more of the heebie jeebies I was trying to shirk.

So I dropped it. No litany of woes came forth. Instead, I focussed on how much I appreciated what WAS working in my life.

Next, I did one of my favourite Abraham-Hicks process - the place mat. I divided a piece of paper in two, with the left listing 'things I will take care of today', and the other side, 'things I will allow the Universe to take care of'.

Ahhh...the rush of relief. Like flipping a switch.

And the computer problems? I've worked through them all without any of the knot-in-stomach angst.

When I reported this to Rob, he said, "That's good. You should practice what you teach others more often."

Now if I'd had a dead halibut I might have whacked him on the noggin for that cheeky remark! But he's right. We teach others what we most need to know.

Onwards.

I burned my diaries

I've kept a diary since I was 13. That's 24 years of secrets, woe, worry, disaster, and angst. At least that's what it felt like reading them again a few months ago.

The Grade 9 diary was the first (and last one) I tackled. Apparently I had a mad crush on this guy 'Kelly' who was in Grade 11. He featured on many a dreamy page. His name was doodled everywhere. I was very diligent in recording every scrap of information about him. I even noted the rumor that Kelly had told his buddies he thought that the 'crazy girl in Grade 9' was stalking him. My diary rebuffs this with great indignation. (But it was probably true - 15 year old girl with romantic delusions - sounds like obsession to me).

Anyway it turns out Kelly developed a drinking problem while trying to be 'cool' around the 'in' kids. I met up with him a few years later in a bar when we were both adults and much more mature. Except he was still drinking and I thought he was a complete tosser. So long Kelly.

By the time I finished reading the diary I was sad, perplexed, bemused, and had relived all that terrible emotional roller coaster of teenage life. Who needs to be a teenager more than once?!

I put the box of diaries back in my closet. For the next few months I waited for some inspiration to go back and read the rest of them. I had kept them all this time thinking they would be a good source of material for future writing. A memoir perhaps for my grandchildren.

Inspiration never came. The box just sat there looking heavy.

The past, as captured in those diaries, was heavy. Those notebooks kept me anchored there, back in all those yucky emotions. (Why didn't I ever write about the good stuff?!) Besides, if I was going to write a memoir, it was going to be a memory. And memories are just that - whatever you imagine them to be.

Pulling out the first few pages felt strange. I had a queasy stomach. After that it got easier and pretty soon the fire was roaring. I hesitated over two old love letters. I couldn't quite get rid of them. I sat there and did nothing but relive the old relationship and wonder 'what if' and 'if only'. Nostalgia? Regret? Whatever it was, it felt pretty terrible.

But the past and future are just fantasies after all. Why not create them in a way that feels good?

The diaries had to go. The love letters had to go.

And you know what? It felt really good to let that old love rest in peace. Now I can remember it just the way I want - a happy ending for everyone.

Don't hit the panic button

I had a gentle reminder this morning that I have not been posting as often as usual. Truth is I have been immersed in my Law of Attraction for Coaches project. I just completed the last interview yesterday and am in the middle of compiling all the resources. Launch date is November 16th. Yahoo!

I have learned heaps in these interviews. Each of the coaches is an ocean of experience and wisdom, with fantastic energy.

This week's interview with Vicky White has sent me reeling. She is a feng shui expert and LOA coach. She explained how everything in our environment 'talks to us'. Boy does it ever! I told her about our house alarm. When I first moved in I forgot the code and the alarm went off. It is one of the most horrendous screech and would scare the pants off Dracula. On the code pad it has a button that says 'panic'. Believe me, that alarm had me in a panic! If I'd hit the button however it would have sent a bevy of cops straight to my door. How embarrassing - groceries sprawled in the hall, me flapping and red-faced. I had to calm myself down and focus through the panic to re-enter the correct code.


Just like the button on the code pad, everything in our environment has a message. If we are not conscious about what we have around us, we can be bombarded with all sorts of unwanted messages.

I had a good look in my bedroom and I noticed that the poster on the wall facing the bed was of a Moulin Rouge dancer with the profile of a disapproving gentleman giving a 'talk to the hand' gesture to the lass. Hmmm... Not exactly what I want in my bedroom - disdain and disapproval of abandonment, sexuality, and fun. It's gotta go.

I've made a date to trawl through the house looking for objects that invoke old yucky memories, keep me stuck in the past, or have some other messages that do not fit with my desired intentions. Nothing stays but the things that pass the "I love it, I use it, I cherish it" test.

One of the big things I know I need to do is to tackle the box full of diaries in my bedroom closet (in Feng Shui this is the place for secrets). Time to oust old ghosts and teenage angst.

Stay tuned for major shifts in energy, and of course cool manifestations.

P.S. Funny thing happened after that talk with Vicky. I mentioned an old suit that I have been hanging on to for years, which does not fit and looks terrible but that cost a fortune. As soon as I declared it was on its way out, I got a text 2 hours later from a woman who is holding a clothing exchange party. That Universe Guy loves speed!

Burning down the house

"Isn't it funny," said John, "how when you stop needing money, that's when it just falls in your lap?"

Yes, it is amazing how the universe responds when you let go of your desires - when you stop needing them, with that awful desperate energy.

But how on earth do you get to that point of letting go, of not needing anymore, especially around money - that old bugaboo?

For John, it took his house to burn down in the 2003 Canberra fires for him to realise what was truly important: being alive, with the people he loves, and his trusty Labrador pooch. Everything else was replaceable, or unnecessary.

John has rebuilt his house and it now has a zen-like feel to it. There are no knick-knacks, no clutter, nothing but the essentials. And he's delighted with it - he is peaceful in his home.

And his business brings in a cool million dollars per annum. Effortlessly.

So aside from burning down your house, how do you get to that point of letting go of needing something (especially moolah)?

For me, it's about awareness, the now, and gratitude. That's how I've turned the tap on for my own prosperity.

I used to be really hungry for coaching clients, always checking the numbers (bank account, number of subscribers, hits to the website, number of coaching hours completed). As if some mysterious symbol plucked off the keyboard would suddenly make it all ok.

When I turned my awareness to this behaviour I realised how awful it really felt: worry, guilt, desperation. Not exactly attractive! And people can smell this kind of yuckiness a mile away.

I know you 'get' this. You know people who have that 'desperate' vibe flashing on their forehead, and you just want to run a mile. I'm sure you've heard people talk about the experience of, "when you stop looking for Mr/ Mrs Right, that's when they turn up."

I 'got' it too, but never figured out how to really step in to it to that knowing. There's a big difference between 'understanding' and 'knowing'. Understanding is intellectual and knowing oozes from every pore in your body.

Eventually I decided that worrying about money, or worrying about coaching clients, was no way to live. Constant stress? No thanks. Nothing was worth that. I had my cancer experience to remind me of why I didn't want to go back there.

So where did this leave me? It left me now. It left me the present moment to enjoy and savour. If a yucko vibe creeps in, I can release it by changing my focus, breathing the energy out, or using EFT to purge the belief system feeding the negative thoughts and feelings. I always come back to my true intentions: to feel peaceful and happy. Nothing else really matters.

"But what about the results?" I hear you saying. "What about the money?"

Once I started feeling genuine gratitude for everything in my life, and in particular the clients I coach, that's when things shifted. Feeling grateful is such a fantastic feeling - a true elixir. I got hooked on gratitude.

And surprise, I started to attract all sorts of cool people and experiences. Just last week I signed up three new clients, and this morning I've had one referral and another inquiry. I have a dozen coaches wanting to partner with me on my LOA for Coaches project, and I've booked in a lucrative training contract. Things are flowing. Scratch that - things are flooding my experience.

And it's not about the money; it's about the vibe. The vibe of flow, focused intention, peace and gratitude.

Got it?

All the good stuff to you,

Zoe

Law of Attraction in Action: synergy and symbiotics