"Yikes! I See My Opportunity. Now What?"

In my post from May 26, 2013, I discussed how to prepare for an opportunity,even when you don't know what it is yet...or where it is...or when it's coming.  That's a pretty tall order, but it's worth your investment of time.

So, this post is the answer the next question: "I found it!  Now what do I do? First, I congratulate you on your preparations and your ability to observe! 

"Opportunity is often difficult to recognize; we usually expect it to beckon us with beepers and billboards."  ~~William Arthur Ward

Well, Mr. Ward was right; there are no beepers and billboards.  We just have to believe it's there somewhere, in some form. In the post from 5/26/13, I gave you suggestions for growing your roots in preparation for your success when it's time to spread your wings!

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/schuddel 

Turn your awareness level up to "high," because opportunities are waiting quietly in lots of different places.  The best one for you could be surrounded by other opportunities....

          Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/hidesy 

Or you may find your opportunity lurking under a problem....

Photo (c) iStockphotos.com/nobiggie       

Your opportunity may be in broad terms, and you'll need to narrow it down....

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/zimmytws

Or maybe it'll show up in a dream....

              Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/frentusha 

You may be confused; "O.K., now how do I know the opportunity I'm going with is the real deal?"  

There are two keys that need to be present together, and together they usually indicate that you have chosen well.  They are:

excitement and fear.

                                                                             

   Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/AlexKalina      

To say that's a bit unnerving is an understatement, I know.  But I think Anais Nin was right when she said, "It's less painful to bloom than to try to stay in a bud." 

Now, if I may mix in one more metaphor, I will quote the songwriters, Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers:

"Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance...."

I hope you will, too....

Susan

The Great-Life Advocate (TM)

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/marekuliasz 


Would you like to explore coaching with me in a complimentary session?

Being coached is a "real time," personalized experience!

Please email me to set up your tele-session where we can decide if we'd work well together.

No string attached...no pressure.  That's just not the way I do things!

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Curious Minds Want to Know....

We all love finding creative answers to our questions, but if you've been mulling over the same issues for a long time, here's something to try!

Coach Dave Buck, CEO of CoachVille (which is where I turn for professional development), has a simple formula to help you with these.  He says to ask yourself, "What would be a better question?"

If you give it a try, you'll see how it gives you a whole new perspective on the issue when you ask the new question. And I think it's fun!

Please play with this idea, and post a comment about your experience with it.

We can all learn so much from each other as a more interactive community here at creative4life. Thank you, dear readers!

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Here are Two Opportunities to Watch Me in Action on the "Crazy Coaching Friday" Show!

This show, which is produced by CoachVille, via Google+ Hangout, features a panel of coaches.  It's live and unscripted, fun, and provocative!
And you don't have to be a coach to enjoy it and learn from it.

Here's the link for You Tube from the first time I was on the show...Episode #013 on June 7, 2013:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvyo7UNU_s0&feature=c4-feed-u 


On this Friday, August 2, I'll be on the panel again, and you'll be able to find it on the same You Tube channel.

If you'd like to watch it live or recorded later on CoachVille, please see the time and instructions on my previous post from 6/6/13.

Come laugh and learn with us!

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**All of Susan's creative4life posts are (c) Susan Cleaver.**

**Member of the TriCounty Community Network, at www.tcnetwork.org**

Crazy Coaching Friday, Live and Unscripted, Just like Life!

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/CGinspiration

Greetings, Readers!

Have you ever wondered if I'm as quirky in person as I am on this blog?  You can find out tomorrow!  I'll be on a Google+ Hangout with 5 other coaches.

Crazy Coaching Friday

via Google+

Produced by www.CoachVille.com 

1:00 until 2:30 pm  Eastern Time

Friday, June 7, 2013

The show is live and unscripted.

Lots of fun, with a little craziness, 

and too many nuggets of wisdom to count!

The show is complimentary, and you don't have to be a CoachVille member to watch live or recorded on www.CoachVille.com (Just click the blue/green button to the far right on the home page.)

When you arrive around 1:00, you'll see a video box from last week's show.  The new show will start there, usually within a few minutes.  Refresh your screen every few minutes until the show begins.

The recording will also be on You Tube.  

If you're watching live, you can make comments right there on the same page at www.Coachville.com, and they will be weaved into the show!  (Via Face Book or CoachVille.)

You don't need to be a coach to benefit from the show. 

Join us; it's fun!  

You can email questions or comments to me anytime after the show.  Let me know if you're writing just to me, or if you want me to pass something along to www.CoachVille.com.  

Another option is to leave a comment below, here on creative4life.

Thanks!

Susan

Opportunity: Suit up and Show up...at Your Best

"Dig the well before you are thirsty."

~~Chinese proverb~~

My post called "When Opportunity Knocks..." (April 2008), has been one of my most popular posts.  I'd like to expand that idea in this post with tips on what to do while you're waiting for an opportunity to turn up. 

In the next post, I'll talk about what to do after the opportunity has arrived. 

Photo (c) iStockphoto/Marek Uliasz

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."

~~Martin Luther King, Jr.~~ 

So, let's take a look at what we can do to prepare for an opportunity, even when we don't know what it looks like or when it'll show up!  First, we have to accept the facts that we don't know what or when or how..  We need to go with the flow; if we're too precise, we'll interfere with the process. 

On the other hand, we don't want to run after every shiny object.  We each need to ask ourselves this question:

Am I looking for an opportunity in areas that support 

my over-arching goals?

If you're still fuzzy about this, try author Mike Dooley's idea:

"If you don't know what it is you want to do,

keep doing what you're doing, but do it better."

Some of you may pull away from Dooley's idea. you may think, "Why would I do that?  This is the situation I want to get out of!"

Yes, I understand.  But the Universe is looking for someone worthy of the opportunity and appreciative of what he or she already has. 

Also it keeps you out and about where opportunities abound!  I've never heard of anyone jumping up and shouting, "There it is!  Now I know what my opportunity is!"  while watching a television commercial about a new brand of disposable baby diapers. 

Take this waiting time to keep your skills up to date, so you can easily leverage them at a moment's notice.  Continue with your life-long learning in areas that interest you...a new craft, a new sport, or a new language, or another favorite.

Here's a great real-life example of how this works: Many years ago, before Apple, Steve Jobs took a calligraphy class just because he found it to be fascinating.  Years later, he used that experience to make Apple the first company to offer a selection of various fonts on a home computer!  

Remember to keep your soft skills active, also...people skills, intuition, and a great sense of humor, just to mention a few.

Photo (c) iStockphoto/Janne Ahvo

Gather up all the patience you can muster.  Waiting for your opportunity may take longer than you expect.  We don't have the ability to see the opportunity as it's developing, so we must trust the flow of life. 

How you interact with others is another important area to shape up in while you're waiting for the opportunity that has your name on it.  Let others around you know that you're going to be upgrading many aspects of your life in preparation for an opportunity to make an even larger change.  

You may want to consider doing some volunteer work in one or two areas of interest to you.  While you're helping others, you're also meeting new people, and maintaining great people skills.

Photo (c) iStockphoto/Brian Jackson

Networking has similar advantages.  Let your fellow networkers know what your interests are, so they can spread the word for you, and you can be on the look-out for ways you can help them.

Photo (c) iStockphoto/Jacob Wackerhausen

Readers, please weigh in on this one!  If you have suggestions, questions, or experiences, we'd all love to hear them.  If you don't like to write on-line, you can email me privately here.  I'll use your address only to respond to your comments.  I do not share my readers' email addresses.

Remember, next time I'll be writing about what happens after your opportunity shows up.  Your comments to this post will help me direct the next one more specifically to what you want to know!

Thanks,

Susan

The Great-Life Advocate (TM)

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~~Odds and Ends~~

Photo (c) iStockphoto/Denise Kappa

Would you like to set up a complimentary exploratory interview with me?

Being coached is a "real time," customized experience!

Please email me to set up a tele-session where we can decide if we'd work well together in a coaching partnership!

No strings attached...no pressure.  That's just not my style!

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Which of these three words is most provocative to you?

Courage         Creativity        Gratitude

You're welcome to share why in the comments section; just click below!

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*** All of Susan's creative4life posts are (c) Susan Cleaver. ***

*** Member of the TriCounty Community Network, at www.tcnetwork.org *** 

Bring Your Own Bliss (BYOB), Part Two

(Note: A sincere thanks to those of you who have already read Part One of BYOB!  For those who haven't seen it yet, it's right next door, at the post dated March 28, 2013.)

 Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Steven Robertson

"Keep knocking, and the joy inside will eventually open a window and look out to see who's there." ~~Rumi

In Part One of BYOB (3/28/13), I talked about the "be, do, have" cycle of manifestation.  We looked at one distortion that blocks results, and that's the bulldozer method: "do, do, do, have, be."  Exhausting!  There's no room for bliss and gratitude in that model!

Let's look at another ineffective twist: "have, do, be."  The user of this model also forgets to bring her own bliss.  She thinks it'll be there at the end...if only....  "If only I had what I want, then I could do what I want, and I'd be blissful and full of gratitude." 

Well, if she left her bliss and gratitude at the bottom of her sock drawer, how could she expect it to be anywhere in this model?  BYOB!

The truth is, bliss and gratitude fuel us throughout the cycle of manifesting!  We need to find those first, and put them in our spiritual backpacks!  If we don't take bliss and gratitude, we won't need backpacks, because we won't be going anywhere!

That's why the only way the model will work is "be, do, have."  So, to align with the Law of Attraction, we must be blissful and grateful for what we have already.

Then, we need to do the inspired actions that come to us from the Universe in  forms such as intuition and synchronicity.  Only then can we have the manifestation we're looking for!  

BYOB!

 Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Rebecca Grabill

With bliss and gratitude for you,

Susan

The Great-Life Advocate (TM)

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~~Odds and Ends~~

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Denise Kappa

How I Can Help...

One of the trickiest parts of the "be, do, have" manifestation cycle is learning to watch, feel, and listen for the messages of "inspired action."  And what do we do while we're waiting these messages?

As your coach, I can help you navigate this terrain, using your own day-to-day life as our experimental playground!  Being coached is a "real time,"  customized experience!  

Just email me here to set up a complimentary session so we can see if we're a good match for a coaching partnership...or to ask any questions you may have about tele-coaching with me!   

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Personal Note

Next week, I'm starting as a student in a nine-week comedy improv class.  I've never done this before, but I think it's going to be fun!  Does anyone out there have experience in this area who would be willing to leave a few tips for me in the comments section?

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Getting Your Ego and Intuition to "Play Nice"

The blog post above is on my top ten list according to my Blogger stats!  If you missed it, please check it out.  It's in the archives and dated 1/15/09.  Thanks!

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***All of Susan's posts are (c) Susan Cleaver.***

***Member of the TriCounty Community Network, at www.tcnetwork.org*** 

Bring Your Own Bliss (BYOB), Part One

(Note:  I'd like to acknowledge and thank my community members, shown at the right!)

On your travels through life, I'd like to encourage you to consider a new twist on the old acronym, "BYOB."  For this post, instead of "Bring your own bottle,"  try this one: "Bring your own bliss!"  

OK, OK...if you insist on a mixed drink, you can stir in some gratitude with the bliss!  (Sliced fruit and a paper umbrella are optional.)  

Photo (c) iStockphoto/THEPALMER

.
I want to show you another way to look at the Law of Attraction (like attracts like), by using the popular "be, do, have" model.  Bliss and gratitude are major catalysts in this process, so bring them with you!

Many people get the order of "be, do, have" mixed up, and it makes them feel frustrated.  A common mix-up, especially for those with "Type A" personalities, is "Do, do, do, have, be." 

As you might guess, this model is a major cause of burn-out, and it has a  feeling of striving.  Striving will send the Law of Attraction away from alignment with these folks.  It's as if they are saying, "I have to do it all myself, and how can I take bliss along if I don't have it yet?"

Well, of course they won't feel blissful while working fifty hours a week or more!  They need to slow down, watch for help from the Universe, and dig deep in their mental pockets for their bliss. Gratitude can help them remember where they put it.

"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn."  ~~Charlie Parker

Photo (c) iStockphoto/Svermir

'More on this topic next time...BYOB!

With a double shot of gratitude for you,
Susan

The Great-Life Advocate (TM)

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~~Odds and Ends~~

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Denise Kappa



What I Bring to Our Coaching Relationship, Part 4

Parts 1, 2, and 3 are with my posts dated 11/17/12, 12/22/12, and 1/27/13.

Today's topic: I assist you in creating action plans that will carry you forward between our coaching sessions.

*I provide structure. 

*We brainstorm together for options.

*We put together a list of resources related to your goal.

*I assist you in developing effective strategies and results.


Who do you want to become?

If you're looking for support from someone who's not afraid to say, "I dare ya!", then let's talk!  Email me here to set up a complimentary exploratory session by phone or in person. 

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A Word to the Wise

My post, "Dr. Amen's ANT's," has been on my top-ten most popular posts list for well over a year, according to my Blogger stats!  Check it out by going to 11/17/08 in the creative4life archives.  

Dr. Daniel Amen has at least four books published, and he's been featured on special programs for PBS.  Dr. Amen is a respected expert on the relationship between the brain and behavior.

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***All of Susan's creative4life posts are (c) Susan Cleaver.***


***Member of the TriCounty Community Network, at www.tcnetwork.org.***

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The Hero's Journey, Part 3

In this post, we'll follow our hero-to-be (or heroine) as he moves through the "action" and "resolution" parts of his Quest.  To see the inner process he went through to get to this point of initiating action, please check out Part 2 of this series at my 12/22/12 post. You'll find an introduction to the topic in Part One, which is dated 11/17/12.

Step 5: Our hero steps into the unknown, along with his fears and self-doubt.  The unknown can be representing  one of many possible experiences, whether the Quest is fictional or one you may have experienced last year. Here are a few examples: dealing with illness or an injury, instead of trying to ignore it and hoping it'll go away, or maybe losing a job, and pounding the pavement every day to find a new one.

Photo (c) iStockphoto/frender

Step 6: The hero-to-be interacts with others during the Journey.  He often meets new people along the way, and they sometimes tend to be the kind of people who at first, seem like unlikely pals, or even enemies.  This is all part of the uncertainty he endures.

The friends usually play a part in helping the hero through the crises that he faces during the Quest.  As we'll see later, the hero faces the big, looming, ultimate challenge on his own.

Photo (c) iStockphoto/Stefanie Timmermann

Step 7: He's faced with a series of inner and outer obstacles along the way.  While still dealing with inner conflicts, such as fear and resistance, our hero's integrity helps him find the courage to continue confronting the outer challenges.

For example, think of a father who confronts obstacles that he never thought he could, until it comes to the welfare of his child.

"There are some things you learn best in calm,

 and some in storm." ~~Willa Cather

Step 8: The most crucial part of the mission must be faced by the hero alone.  I believe this is because Universal Wisdom wants it to be very clear that, whatever the outcome, it is the actions of the hero that have brought him to the end of his Journey.  He now feels things inside him that he did not know were there.

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Daniel Halvorson


"A change of feeling is a change of destiny."  ~~Neville Goddard

Step 9: The successful hero returns home with a new perspective of others, himself, and of life.  The hero may not have been successful at what he thought he was supposed to do.  However, a different kind of success can emerge from the parts of the Journey where he feels he didn't do well.

I have experienced this several times!  For me, it often seems that I've wasted a lot of time and effort on something, only to find later that it was preparing me for a new, exciting part of my life. Remember this when you experience and unwanted "nub" in the tapestry of your life!

"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely."  

~~Auguste Rodin

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/creativeye99 

Thanks for reading!

Susan   
                            

The Great-Life Advocate (TM)

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Photo (c) iStockphoto/Denise Kappa

~~Odds and Ends~~

What I Bring to Our Coaching Relationship, Part 3

You can find Parts 1 and 2 at my posts dated 11/17/12 and 12/22/12.

Today's Topic: I'm a catalyst for positive changes in you, so you can become the person you need to be to reach your goals, by providing...

*Challenge
*Accountability
*Feedback

In my next post, I'll explain how we work together to create your action plans.

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My post from 6 /21 /12, called "Enlightenment, the Sequel" is currently on my top-ten list of posts, according to my Blogger stats.  Please check it out!  

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Attention, Locals....  Save the Dates!  

Boyertown Wellness Fair, Saturday, March 23, 2013; complimentary Reiki samples at my exhibit table! 

Boyertown Continuing Education Program; Wednesday nights in April, I'll be teaching "Audacious Self-Care"!

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***All of my posts are (c) Susan Cleaver.***

**Member of the TriCounty Community Network, at www.tcnetwork.org**   

Hero's Journey, Part 2: Resisting Change

In the previous post from 11/17/12, I wrote an overview of the "Hero's Journey" cycle  of growth and how it affects all of us.  Of the nine parts I listed there, I want to take a closer look at the first four parts today.

Step 1: What happens to the hero or heroine shortly before the Journey begins?  You'll probably notice the structure from books you've read, movies you've seen, and, well,...life!  The cycle begins at the status quo.  The hero-to-be is entrenched in his current comfort zone, although he doesn't know that yet.  

Step 2: As a new Quest begins to tap him on the shoulder, the potential hero's comfort zone begins to feel like a tight pair of shoes.  The comfort zone may even show signs of crumbling altogether, causing him confusion and fear.  

Step 3: He begins to resist the changes.  At this point, he has self-doubt that he could be of any help on an important Quest...he feels like his own life is falling apart.  This stage is sometimes called Divine Discontent,  but the hero-to-be sees nothing divine about it yet!

Have you experienced Divine Discontent?  I know I have.  If you're willing to share the experience with my other readers and me, please add your comments at the bottom of this post.  You may be amazed by how you can help someone else just by sharing your story!  It's very powerful. 

Photo (c) iStockphoto/DNY59

Step 4: The Call gets too loud to ignore.  Something or someone dear to the prospective hero is at risk.  His confusion and fear escalate to very uncomfortable levels.  Of course he has free will, but the Call is so compelling now, he must make a decision that's in line with his values.

Photo (c) iStockphoto/Marek Uliasz

Still shaking in his boots, the hero-to-be feels a heavy mantle of responsibility and stewardship.  He also continues to carry the self-doubt.  Quests arrive without instructions, much like babies do.  Yikes!

Photo (c) iStockphoto/lionvision

In my next post, we'll look at the possibilities for our hero-to-be's experiences as he takes his next shaky steps.

Until then, please leave your comments and questions below!

Thanks,

Susan 

P.S. What I Bring to Our Coaching Relationship, Part 2 

In my 11/17/12 post, I shared the main points with you on this topic.  Today, I want to elaborate on the first topic, I enrich your "thinking environment."  Below are four of the services I deliver in this area:

• I listen deeply with trained ears.
• Our high-energy sessions are fun!
• You feel emotionally supported through sincere validation and caring.
• I provide prospective.

In my next post, I'll discuss how I'm a catalyst for positive change.

P.P.S. My post from 2/22/12, "Stewardship, Self-Care, and...Multi-Tasking?" is one of my current top-ten posts, according to my Blogger stats.  It begins with this relaxing photo.  I hope you'll check it out. And it's never too late to comment or ask a question!

Photo (c) iStockphoto/ooyoo

***All of Susan's creative4life posts are (c) Susan Cleaver.***

***Member of the TriCounty Community Network at www.tcnetwork.org.***