Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Reframe What Success Means to You

Hi All,

I love this quote, rumored to be on a sign in Einstein's office: "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." To me this means that the "bottom line" isn't always the "bottom line." And it's particularly true for creative endeavors!

Then there is the wonderful ending to Emerson's famous poem entitled "Success": "...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success." Money represents an exchange of energy, but there are many other ways to offer or exchange energy in our world.

Dr. Wayne Dyer says, "Do what your heart tells you will bring you joy, rather than determining whether it will be cost-effective."

Now you may be saying, "That's very nice, but I have to support myself, either through my art, another job, or both!" I have a few suggestions for that dilemma:

*SIMPLIFY, downsize, or whatever you need to do to keep your expenses down in your personal life and your business if you have one. Lessening your need for money can be as liberating as earning more of it! Check out the great book, "Simplify Your Life," by Elaine St. James. She walks her talk!

*REDEFINE your relationship with money. See money as what enables you to experience the joy of creating, rather than seeing creating as the means to get more money. Check out two great books by Marsha Sinetar: "Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow" and "To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love."

Christopher Morley, an author, says, "There is only one success...to be able to spend your life in your own way...."

But here's the quote (author unknown) that really touches me deeply: "No matter what our attempts to inform, it is our ability to inspire that will turn the tides." Wow! If I can do that, I'll be thrilled with my "bottom line"!

Be well,
Susan

P.S. Please see last week's post for details about my complimentary DIG-IN DAY on Feb. 28!

Also, take advantage of my complimentary COACHING HOTLINE on Thursday, March 1, from 4:00pm to 9:00pm Eastern time. Sessions will run about 30 minutes each; first-call, first-served. The HOTLINE NUMBER is (610) 385-3766. All coaching topics are welcome, and there are no strings attached!

Monday, February 12, 2007

Patience is Power!

Greetings!

Those of you who are Stephen Covey fans have no doubt heard him talk about "The Law of the Harvest." He points out that waiting until August to start planting will leave you pretty hungry! Farming, he says, requires much more planning, patience, and faith than the earlier method of hunting and gathering, but what a leap for those who were willing to take that long-range view! We can apply this to our creative projects as well.

What about your creative projects? What are they asking of you? Here's what mine are asking:

*"Let us grow organically."
* "Keep the big picture in mind."
* "Plant lots of seeds, and don't dig them back up to see if they're doing anything! Instead, go out and plant some more."

The potential of your idea is staggering! Otherwise, it wouldn't keep nudging at you. Patience will give you the power to see it through. Happy planting!

News to Use

Check out Dorian Abel's new yoga website at www.healingyogapa.com!

Check out www.opendoorfitness.com for info on a day of music, movement, and meditation with Betsy Chapman and Kathy Gracenin on Sat., Feb. 24, at The Open Door!

February Dig-In Days! Please email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for more info or to register for this fun way to support each other on our projects via teleconference technology. The calls are short; the time in between is independent work time in your office, home, or studio! I have two sessions scheduled: Wed., Feb. 21 and Wed., Feb. 28. Each will run from 1:00 pm Eastern until 3:10 pm Eastern. You may join either one or both with my compliments; your only expense is your long-distance charges for the three brief check-in calls to the teleconferencing service. Please register by noon the day BEFORE your chosen session or sessions.

This method of supporting each other in our work has been wildly successful in the coaching community, but why should coaches have all the fun? Here's what one of my non-coach participants, Mary Beth Krawchuk, had to say about her first Dig-In hour: "I got more done in the first hour than I've done on this project in the past month!" Please join us!

The price has dropped on my 50-page guided journals, "The Whispering Heart"! They are now
available for $10. Please email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for shipping and tax details that will depend on where you live. You may also request five sample pages free of charge!

Blessings,
Susan