May 13th, Monday Minute

Last week we posed some questions to ourselves to understand where we’re unconsciously limiting our greatness. I gained some good insight about myself and I hope you did too.

My family and I had the great pleasure of visiting a baptist church in North Carolina when we were visiting for a family wedding. Not only did the entire church community welcome us with open arms and kind words, but the music and the message was deeply moving and inspiring for each of us. 

We left that church feeling great!

One of the messages the Pastor relayed was that we often limit what we think is possible by the evidence we see in our lives. We only think that more of what we have already created is possible, nothing bigger or better. We often don’t think it’s possible to earn more, have a job we enjoy more, double our business profits, live in a better apartment or house, or travel the world.

Look beyond the evidence around you.

We don’t know how it’s possible to have what isn’t already there.

The Pastor told us this is very limiting. This is how we stay stuck and in our current situation. He urged us to see a bigger opportunity for ourselves. To dream big and work toward achieving those dreams.

Of course, during moments of frustration, it is hard to see beyond what is currently in evidence around us. It’s during these moments that we need to catch ourselves and raise our eyes toward bigger goals.

My Personal Example

For quite a few years I dreamed of being an author. I attempted to write a book a few times without success. In each of those attempts I would give up because I didn’t think it was possible.

I did end up writing and self publishing two books. In both of those cases, I looked beyond the fact that I hadn’t been successful to that point. I chose to focus on being successful in writing them instead. Once I focused on it being possible, the writing came easy. It felt natural and a certainty. I stopped focusing on the evidence that I hadn’t written a book to date and lifted my mind to the possibility.

Try This

This week, let’s answer a few questions to life our sights:

• What’s possible for me?
• What have I had blinders on?
• If there were no limitations what would I like to do?
• What evidence around me doesn’t seem congruent with what I know I’m capable of achieving?

If you want help with the process of releasing limitations and embracing your unlimited self, feel free to attend one of my local events below or contact me for a Get Unstuck Consultation. 

Local Events in the MetroWest Boston Area

I hope you’ll attend my low cost or free local events:

Get Re-Energized! Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time

Looking for some inspiration? Come to The Boston Club event at 7:30am on May 21st at the Westin in Waltham to hear how to get re-energized. We’ll practice some techniques together and you’ll leave inspired to take action. You don’t have to be a member to attend. Learn more and register here.

R & R Yoga Class – Laughing Dog Yoga, Wellesley – Sundays 5-6:15pm 

Join me for my weekly class which offers an opportunity to relax and get rid of deep stress. It combines relaxing restorative and yin yoga postures, meditation and some journaling to promote wellbeing, calm your nervous system, deepen your breath, connect to your higher Self and promote better sleep. It’s a great way to end your weekend and prepare for a less stressful week ahead. Learn more and register here.

SATSANG: A Community Gathering for Spiritual Practice

Join me for a monthly gathering to nourish your soul. The Satsangs (in the style of Mirabai Devi) are free and include a centering breathing practice, guided meditation, mantra chanting (for negative energy removal, healing and protection), and powerful/life transforming forgiveness prayers.

May’s Satsang is Wednesday, May 15th at The Eliot Church in South Natick on the corner of Rte 16 and Union Street from 7-8:30pm. All are welcome! For more information about Mirabai Devi, go to http://mirabaidevi.org. For general information, contact me.

Business Referral Network   

Interested in growing your business using the easiest and most cost-effective way—referrals? If so, contact me to find out about Commerce Connection, the amazing business referral group of which I’m proud to say I’m a member. See a video here.

 I hope to see you at an event or hear from you soon!

All my best to you,

Jacqueline

Greetings, 

I’ve had the opportunity to hear some terrific speakers over the past month. All of them had a similar message. They said we inadvertently limit ourselves all the time. As I listened I realized I limit myself in many ways.

For instance, fear of not seeming credible limited me to writing very logical Monday Minutes without my heart (hopefully you noticed more heart beginning with last week’s Monday Minute).

Fear of seeming too “out there” caused me to not include information about the yoga class I teach or the Satsang I lead (you’ll now see information about them below).

I’m sure fear has limited me in countless ways. How do you think it has it limited you? How are you holding YOU back?

Fear is the greatest limitation of all.   

Fear causes us to play it safe, not make waves and not play as big as we can and should. Our families, our communities, our businesses, our organizations and the world benefits greatly from us embracing what we’re really capable of being and acting from this greatness rather than our limited, fearful selves.

This month I’ll share some techniques I’ve used (and am still using) to remove limitations in my life.

This week, let’s take a moment to asesss how we are holding ourselves back and what role fear plays in that process. Take a moment to answer these questions:

• How am I holding myself back?
• What am I most fearful of?
• If I wasn’t afraid, what would I do?
• What greatness do I have inside that I’m hiding?

If you want help with the process of releasing limitations and embracing your unlimited self, feel free to attend one of my local events below or contact me for a Get Unstuck Consultation. 

Local Events in the MetroWest Boston Area

I hope you’ll attend my low cost or free local events:

Get Re-Energized! Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time

Looking for some inspiration? Come to The Boston Club event at 7:30am on May 21st at the Westin in Waltham to hear how to get re-energized. We’ll practice some techniques together and you’ll leave inspired to take action. You don’t have to be a member to attend. Learn more and register here.

R & R Yoga Class – Laughing Dog Yoga, Wellesley – Sundays 5-6:15pm 

Join me for my weekly class which offers an opportunity to relax and get rid of deep stress. It combines relaxing restorative and yin yoga postures, meditation and some journaling to promote wellbeing, calm your nervous system, deepen your breath, connect to your higher Self and promote better sleep. It’s a great way to end your weekend and prepare for a less stressful week ahead. Learn more and register here.

SATSANG: A Community Gathering for Spiritual Practice

Join me for a monthly gathering to nourish your soul. The Satsangs (in the style of Mirabai Devi) are free and include a centering breathing practice, guided meditation, mantra chanting (for negative energy removal, healing and protection), and powerful/life transforming forgiveness prayers.

May’s Satsang is Wednesday, May 15th at The Eliot Church in South Natick on the corner of Rte 16 and Union Street from 7-8:30pm. All are welcome! For more information about Mirabai Devi, go to http://mirabaidevi.org. For general information, contact me.

Business Referral Network   

Interested in growing your business using the easiest and most cost-effective way—referrals? If so, contact me to find out about Commerce Connection, the amazing business referral group of which I’m proud to say I’m a member. See a video here.

I hope to see you at an event or hear from you soon!

All my best to you,

Jacqueline

The past three weeks we've talked about purging three powerful energy saboteurs: thoughts, feelings and clutter. You should feel lighter and more energized from these exercises. You can read previous editions here.

This week and next you're going to increase your energy so you feel renewed and ready to move forward in your life.

Bring In New Energy

One of the easiest ways to usher in new energy is to do things differently and try new things. Too often you get into routines. These routines, while comfortable, become boring and leave you uninspired. 

Alternatively, when you try new things and change up your routine, your brain wakes up and you become more engaged in life—giving you more energy.

Try these ideas:

1. Drive a different way to work or take a different type of transportation
2. Exercise using a new routine, new type of weight or new machine
3. When you go out for a walk, choose a new area or path
4. Try a new sport
5. Take a class about something that interests you
6. Try a new hobby

One good friend is taking a landscape design class and is really enjoying it. She's excited to learn more about landscaping (a fun hobby for her) and she feels new inspiration. My son inspired me to try the pull up machine at the gym. I'm now feeling stronger and excited each time to see whether I can cut down on the assistance it's giving me.  

Result

Your brain gets bored. You get bored with life. This week try some new things to spice up your week. By using your brain in a new way, you'll automatically feel renewed and have more energy toward achieving your dreams. 

Get Re-Energized! Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time

Looking for some inspiration? Come to The Boston Club event on May 21st to hear me speak about this topic. You don't have to be a member to attend. Learn more and register here.

All my best to you,

Jacqueline

A big thank you to those of you who wrote to me saying last week's tip was particularly helpful to you!

The first two weeks of this month we talked about purging two powerful saboteurs—thoughts and feelings. Now that you've cleaned out some internal energy blockages, the next step is to clean out the space around you. 

Look around your work space, do you have piles of important papers that don't have a home, multiple half finished projects and a cluttered drawer that sometimes doesn't even close?

These things are more than an eye sore, they are draining your energy. 

Do A Clutter Purge

Each day this week, when you have 10 minutes before your next meeting or when you are trying to a solve a problem that's tricky, pick one pile or one drawar to tackle. Taking your mind off the problem to tackle the clutter frees your mind—often the solution pops right in.

When purging clutter, make 4 piles:

1. Throw away or recycle (put these things directly in the trash or recycling bin)
2. Important to act upon (place these in a file on your desk)
3. "Idea" file—create your idea file and put it in your filing cabinet. You can easily open this file when you know you need a new idea or when you want to read something you've put in this file 
4. Things to file

In doing this, you'll notice you've automatically put away items that fall into the first 3 categories. When you find you have a couple minutes before your next meeting or call, put the items in category 4 into the appropriate files. 

Done. Wasn't that easy?

Use this same process for any new papers you acquire, so you don't accumulate those overwhelming piles again. 

Result

The cleaner your desk and drawers, the clearer your mind. You have more energy and are able to accomplish more. Enjoy…

Get Re-Energized! Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time

I'm speaking to The Boston Club in May on this very important topic. You don't have to be a member to attend. Learn more and register here.

All my best to you,

Jacqueline

Last week we talked about purging thoughts. This week we’re going to focus on purging feelings. 

Feelings are also powerful saboteurs. You get ready to take the next best move and your heart begins racing, hands get sweaty, you feel nervous… That’s enough to stop yourself from reaching your goals. 

Let’s differentiate these limiting feelings from trusted gut feeling or intuition.

Fear is negative. “You can’t do that!”, “Don’t even think about it.” and “No one wants to hear about that.” are the common thoughts that accompany feelings of fear.

A trusted gut feeling is usually a simple “Yes” or “No”.

To tell the difference, sit with the feeling for a second, close your eyes and ask what it’s telling you. If you get a negative phrase, you know this is a negative feeling. If you get a simple “Yes” or “No”, you can be sure it is your intuition.

Purge Old Unhelpful Feelings

Use this simple exercise (same as last week) each time a limiting feeling creeps into your body this week:

1. Notice the feeling and give it a label (e.g., fear, sadness, not capable etc.).
2. Drop your chin toward your chest (to get you out of your head).
3. Notice where the feeling is located in your body (e.g., stomach, chest). Don’t worry whether you have it right, just pick a spot that seems right.
4. Imagine a door opening at that place and see the feeling exit through the door.
5. Take a few deep breaths as you continue to visualize the feeling leave through the door.
6. Lift your head and notice how you feel without that feeling.

Result

When you differentiate between limiting feelings and intuition, you know how to proceed. When you notice and follow your intuition, you are more powerful. Here’s to your strength! 

All my best to you,

Jacqueline

Last week you learned the proven 5-step process for getting unstuck. Here’s the link to the Monday Minute in case you missed it. This week I’ll share the second half of the process my coaching clients utilize to launch themselves toward quickly attaining their goals and vision.

How To Launch Yourself Toward Your Vision and Goals

A proven 4-step process to quickly attain your vision is called the Motivation Factor® Method. Helle Bundgaard, founder of Motivation Factor Aps, developed this method over a 4-year period of intensive research on the brain’s reaction and response patterns, combined with known psychological and motivational theories.

Not only is it effective in helping individuals meet their goals, it has been used my many large companies around the world to help them bring groups of people together to meet common objectives.

Here’s the process:

1. Identify your energy drainers and determine action steps
2. Identify and address your needs*
3. Learn how your talents* contribute to meeting your vision and goal
4. Identify your purpose toward meeting your vision

Result

The first two steps of the process remove the parking brake that prevents forward motion: 1. identify what drains your energy and take actions on what you want instead, and 2. understand your needs and make sure your needs are met.

Without the parking brake engaged, forward motion becomes possible. Your talents and purpose for meeting your vision are the fuel for quick change and growth in achieving your goal.

*The Motivation Factor® Indicator is used to determine needs and talents. 

Get Unstuck Consultation

If you’re interested in a helping hand in getting unstuck, click here to answer a few questions and apply for a complimentary 30-minute Get Unstuck Consultation.

All my best to you,

Jacqueline

Last week we looked at how you may be causing yourself to get stuck without realizing it. As a review, you know you're stuck when:

1. You feel others have control over you
2. You start to accept the status quo
3. You allow stress to build and don't do anything about it

From time to time just about everyone gets stuck. However, you can free yourself. Never settle for being in a rut!

How To Get Unstuck

Here is my proven 5-step process for getting unstuck: 

1. Harness the power of your mind
2. Identify and dissolve limiting thought patterns
3. Learn how to handle difficult situations effectively
4. Make some important life changes
5. Incorporate the 7 habits of conscious success into your life

I can't go into each one in detail here—no way to do that in a minute. You can get the details in my virtual course and book. However, I'd like to  explain the first step in more detail here.

Harness The Power Of Your Mind 

Your mind controls your experience. Your reality is wherever your mind is. If you're sitting at your desk right now and thinking about something you did this weekend, you're reliving the experience from the weekend. You feel good if it was a nice experience and you feel crummy if it was a bad experience (even if today has been a great day so far). 

Therefore, it matters much more what your mind is focused on than where your body is in determining whether you feel good or bad. The three conditions for being in a rut are largely controlled by your mind. Your mind runs the show.

Well no longer…

That's why the first step to get out of a rut is to harness the power of your mind. Now YOU run the show (and your experience) rather than your mind.

The way to do this is to notice when you are lost in thought and bring your focus back to the present moment. Do this all day long and eventually you'll find yourself lost in thought less often. 

Result

When you take control of your mind you are more effective in your work and  your relationships and your stress levels will be lower. Rather than going through your day hijacked by your to do list, you'll enjoy life because you'll notice the little moments (a pretty view, a smile, a moment with a loved one) that bring joy and richness to life. 

All my best to you,

Jacqueline

 http://www.success.com/articles/2145-working-from-the-inside-out