Hi Creators and Big Thinkers!

I wanted to take some time today to say thank you for letting me come into your inboxes in 2009!

And more importantly, I hope I was able to come into your heart and that I made you feel more inspired and empowered this year.  That was my goal.

As you and I move through the amazing journey of life each day, I am in awe of the power we each have to create positive change in the world. We have the power to create positive change in our communities, in our families, and in ourselves.

I know we do, because over the last 10 years I have been experiencing it first hand through my work online and offline as a mompreneur, writer, and “coachsultant” to many of you!  And it fills my heart to see so many of you out there doing the same powerful work.

You are helping other people live their passions and create beautiful and wonderfully magical lives for themselves.  And yes, many of you, my clients did this in a very “wonky” economy as if you were given a “lucky pass”.

I knew why some of you were having an amazing 2009 when many weren’t…  and there was no luck involved.  You were thinking big and most importantly taking scary, bold action.

As a gift of sorts to you today, I offer some of the most important and life-altering mindsets I taught (and lived!) this year and I hope they resonate with you as you gracefully move into 2010.

• You need a group of “invested” like minded souls to hold you accountable.
• Being successful takes recommitment over and over again along the journey.
• Surround yourself with people that will expand your mindsets. You can only grow proportionally to the people you surround yourself with.
• Sometimes to move forward you must trust your intuition and just take the leap.
• The growth is almost always proportional to the investment.
• Growth does not come without discomfort.
• People are open to you leading them because of what they experienced with the 2009 economy. They have let go of their expectations and are ready to finally learn.
• When your message is your marketing, there is no selling involved.

These are just a few of the mindsets that moved my clients and myself forward at lightning speed this year.  I look forward to continuing our journey together in 2010 and learning completely new lessons!

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your trust and love.

Enjoy your holidays!

Sheri McConnell
CEO of the Global Institute of Associations

http://www.smartwomenprograms.com

Watch Your Language: 7 Tips for Big Results
by Christine Kane

A few years ago, I was in a car with the promoter of one of my performances. He had picked me up at the airport and was driving me to my hotel. On the way, we talked guitars. We got onto the subject of Olson Guitars, arguably the best guitar in the whole world. At one point, the promoter said, “Yea, well, in my entire life I’ll never own an Olson guitar.”

There was a time when I’d let a remark like this slide on by, even adding my own “me either” to the mix.

Now, I can’t. Yoda steps into my head and says, (in his Yoda voice) “So certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done.”

So, I turned to the promoter and said, “You are NOT allowed to say that!”

This is because I know the power of language. When you know that words become things, it’s hard to let language slide.

I can’t help it. I have a rule:
Friends don’t let friends speak crappily.

Language is powerful. Words can create reality. Even if my promoter friend doesn’t know how on earth he’d ever get his guitar, it doesn’t mean he should cut off the possibility with his own words.

If you’re wondering how to begin watching your words, here are 7 practical language principles for becoming a better creator of your life.

1 – Eliminate “never” and “always.”
Never and always are words of hysteria. “I always mess everything up!” “I’ll never figure this out!” “I’ll never get an Olson Guitar.”

First off, it’s not true. If you always messed everything up, you wouldn’t have made it out of the womb.

And second off, extreme words are designed to hook you. It’s just your emotions taking a joyride. You’re more powerful than that.

2 – Use AND instead of BUT.
“But” dismisses the statement before it. “And” includes it. For instance, “That’s a good article, but it needs some editing” isn’t nearly as encouraging as “That’s a good article, AND it needs some editing.”

“I love you, but…” is another great example of the dismissive power of “but.”

3 – Avoid “Should.”
Should is a heinous word for many reasons. It is victim-speak. It disempowers its object. It negates desires, thereby making it harder to make choices. It adds a nebulous energy to the decision making process. Use empowered language instead: “I could…” “I would…” “I am choosing to,” “I would like to,” “I don’t want to,” or “You might consider…”

4 – Stop calling yourself depressed.
Also stop allowing anyone to tell you that you are depressed. When you call yourself “depressed” or “obsessive compulsive” or “ADHD” or whatever – you’re claiming this thing. You’re calling it forth with the most powerful two words in our language: “I am.” That creates very little option for the transformation of this condition.

5 – Delete the word “hate” from your vocabulary.
“Hate” has lots of energy. When you use it, you send lots of energy out into the very thing you “hate.” Even if it’s negative energy, it’s still a powerful force, adding its charge to that thing. You’re also depleting this energy from your own spirit as you say it.

6 – Be “great.” Or “wonderful.”
A disease of the creative temperament is a belief that we must be authentic at all costs. So we can’t answer a simple “How are you?” without delving into an in-depth scan of our emotional temperature.

Try this instead: When people ask you how you’re doing, just say, “I’m great!”

I used to think if I said this, then I better have a good reason for saying it, like I just won the lottery or something. I thought it would make me look suspicious, and people would start to wonder if something was wrong with me. But then I did it. And you know what? Most people don’t care why you’re great. You’re saying it for you.

7 – Pay attention to the music of your speech.
You know how some people? They talk in question marks? And you have no idea why? But it makes you think you shouldn’t really rely on them? And it makes you not want to hire them?
The music of your language says a lot about you. If you let your sentences droop like Eeyore, (”Thanks for noticing me.”) or if you do the uncertain question mark language, take note of what attitudes are causing this. These patterns are created for a reason. Even if it feels like faking it at first, generate confidence as you speak.

About the Author:
Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 8,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

Making Work-at-Home Work for You: Secrets for Raising a Happy, Healthy, Wealthy Writing Business

• Are you frustrated with trying to manage your writing business at home and still enjoy time with your family?
• Wasn’t having more time with your family one of the reasons you decided to work from home?
• Are you struggling to get things done and make money?
• Are you overwhelmed by all the information and advice about how to build our business, and you don’t know what to do next?
• Do you feel like you’ve just traded in the frustration of a job for a frustrating business?
• Or, have you hesitated making the leap from a job to a home-based writing business because you’re not sure you can make a go of it?
• Are you wondering if it’s really possible to go from burned out working mother to happy career-at-home mom?

Debbie LaChusa began her work-at-home journey 20 years ago, well before serious career women worked from home and personal computers and cell phones were a commodity in everyone’s life. She’s been a corporate executive, a non-profit vice president, and a stressedout, burned-out working mother. Now she’s an author, speaker, coach and association owner. In her talks, she shares the totality of her life and business experience to help others avoid the very challenges she’s faced on her path from burnout to bliss.

On this NAWW Member TeleSeminar, you will learn:

Continue Reading »