How to Create Opportunities and Make Yourself Magnetic

When people meet you what signals do you send them?

This very issue is covered in a wonderful book I recently read called The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism. I also read a second book that blew my mind. It was called The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level. If you are someone seeking something–whether that be career opportunities, love or customers to your business these two books are absolutely amazing.

Have you recently met someone who seems down and out? Like nothing could lift their face into a smile or light their eyes up? Lately I’ve been more cognizant of energy–every time you meet someone it’s an opportunity to exchange energy. Your energy can actually change the molecules in a room–and you can lift up others’ energy as well.

Energy and happiness levels impact opportunities generated. However, opportunities will impact energy and happiness levels. It’s the chicken or the egg. A good head and heartspace generates opportunities, and opportunities lead to a happier head and heartspace.

So what does that mean? It means you need to get yourself into a positive place even when you don’t feel like you have plentiful opportunities at every turn. The truth appears to be that perseverance and pivoting are two incredibly important things in this world.

When you work for opportunity–no matter what that means for you personally–it takes time. If you are a small business owner lead-times can range from three months to one year or more. Small business owners need to check themselves on being positive, grateful and optimistic.

Earlier this year I gave myself my own gratitude boot camp–and it’s something I’m still working on.

The first book The Charisma Myth shows you how charisma can actually be learned. We live in a time where extrovert qualities are actually really important, so if you grew up with your nose in a book like many of us did–there is still hope for you no matter what your field is.

What’s always surprising to me is how some of the most charismatic glowing people in the world would describe themselves as incredibly shy.

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The secret about charisma is it’s something learned.

“Our body language expresses our mental state whether we like it or not. Our facial expressions, voice posture and all the other components of body language reflect our mental and emotional condition every second. Whatever is in our head will show up in our body language.”

Cabane adds that “What your mind believes your body manifests.”

Cabane teaches the reader how to prepare for a big opportunity–contrary to popular belief most of being charismatic has to do with internal tools–less about the car you drive or the label on your purse.

What surprised me about Cabane’s research is how every single detail in our body language is hugely important–most of our communication is not verbal whatsoever. From eye contact to the way you shake hands, to how much you pause while you speak–these are a few of hundreds of tools she gives you. For book worms like myself–who didn’t grow up cheer leading–it can be very helpful to learn better magnetism tools and tricks :-)

The second book I highly recommend is The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level.

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Have you ever known anyone who self-sabotoges? They get a big raise at work and then have a terrible accident or cheat on their partner….People who are very successful who tend to need some kind of drug to convince themselves they are worthy of the blessings received?

Basically this idea is on some level people feel like they don’t deserve their achievements–success, joy, love. They have an upper limit problem and it gets in the way of getting to their “Zone of Genius.”

Here’s how Gay Hendricks (yes that is his name) introduces the challenge. “The glass ceiling they were operating under is held in place by a single problem–a barrier they didn’t know they had. Once they saw the one problem–and how to solve–they were free to go beyond ordinary success to a new and extraordinary level of abundance, love and creativity.”

The book teaches you how to get past your blockages–and we all have them. In fact the more successful you are, the more you need to keep working on yourself.

You deserve love, you deserve meaning and you deserve the opportunity to make a better life for yourself. The bright flashing lights that are there telling you what is best for you can be misguiding. When you’re clear–in your head and your heart–you know exactly what needs to be done, and how.

If you are still with me, here is a “mantra” you can use for yourself.

“I expand in abundance, success, and love every day, as I inspire those around me to do the same.”

It’s a service oriented approach to life without losing yourself in the process. Let’s uncomplicate life to bring more meaning, joy, love and clarity into our lives.

 

Replenishing the well

I’ve been working on myself lately. I’m working on my attitude to come from a place of yes. I think this is something no one can ever stop working on. Gratitude is truly an every day thing. Every single day.

I’m starting to realize the less complicated our lives are, the less we need. The less we need, the easier it is to take risks–moving in the direction of our passions.

My dog Athena is my hero. This fifteen pound puppy doesn’t have an ego–no ego, no demands, no negativity. She’s utterly blissed out by the seemingly trivial opportunity to sniff another dog, sit in the sun, or get a bite of her mommy’s steak.

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There’s a difference between coming from a place of love, wealth and faith as opposed to fear, scarcity and anxiety.

But this is also an every day thing. I recently also saw an article that women wake up grumpier than men. It’s important for us ladies to replenish the well every day.

If you’re a soloist you might need to draw inspiration from other places–since you don’t necessarily have a coach or a boss who can give you a friendly, loving kick in the pants.

Here are five resources when you need a glass of inspiration:

1. Makers interview with Ursula Burns, CEO of XEROX, first African-American woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company. There’s something about Ursula–she’s so brilliant, and so cool.
2. Positively Positive. I love this magazine–they have inspiring quotes, articles and other great content. It’s a little crunchy, but some days we just need that.
3. The Best Brain Possible facebook page.  This is a great resource for inspirational photos, quotes, infographics and more. Debbie Hampton started the website Best Brain Possible. She has her own incredible journey I encourage to read about.
4.Marc and Angel hack life. This is a great post called 30 Things to Stop Doing Yourself. It went viral–for good reason. Everyone can relate to these everyday conundrums.
5. Ali Brown. Ali is one of the most influential thought leaders as it relates to women entrepreneurs. She has great nuggets of wisdom and will inspire you. She also started with nothing and it’s an inspiring tale.

 

Caring More Is A Good Thing

Any good stuff in my life happened because I cared more–I gave with my heart.

Caring more compelled me to raise my hand. It compelled me to write about stuff that you would never “monetize.”

I never just wanted a paycheck from my job. I also never just wanted a paycheck from life. I wanted to live big–make life memorable.

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The people I love the most in my life are not the ones that always seem “cool.” They often have big personalities. They love hard. They speak their heart. They make themselves vulnerable. Sometimes they look scared. I honestly find these people so refreshing. If this is you, I want to tell you your ship is coming. If you’ve set out to sail with your heart on your sleeve it’s a good thing. There isn’t enough heart in this world. When you put your heart into it everything you touch comes to life.

7 Tools to Set Yourself Free From Your Inner Critic

Many people, for whatever reason, have trouble turning off the critic. It runs its mouth all day never letting you get a moment of peace. From the moment you wake up in the morning until you close your eyes at night this critic sabotages your day.

Sometimes the root of this is childhood trauma, sometimes it’s chemical and other times it’s just how we’re used to living in the world–with someone hovering over us with a close eye. Eventually that someone becomes you. While you can’t always just decide to make the critic go back in its whole, there are some things you can do to calm down and relax your mind. I have a few of my own tools that I personally use, and I’d like to share them with you. I hope some of these tools bring you calm so you can live a happy life, and truly live life to the fullest.

1. Move. No matter what, I do something every day. If everyone in the world did Zumba, Latin or African dance every day–there would be no war in the world. I love these classes (offered by the YMCA) because in my interpretation these dance moves are a celebration of life–the movements accentuates the moves of a woman. You’re encouraged to shake and move your hips. You’re encouraged to embrace your femininity with “ladies styling” as they call it in latin dance class. With all the pressure to be thin, small and frail these classes encourage you to take up space and celebrate the womanly parts of yourself. While the weight room or the cardio machines are nice at times, it’s nice to get away from what can feel like an aggressive or testosterone driven environment. Go to those eccentric sounding dance classes at your gym–you won’t be sorry!

2. Learn to laugh. There’s nothing the critic likes less than when you learn to laugh in its face. Learn to laugh at what you’re judging about yourself. Make it light hearted. Say “so what.” Learn how to let it go. I’m X, honor it, embrace it, let it go. Learn to say so what, or “fuck it.”

3. When you look in the mirror, look at what you like most about yourself first.
With the insane pressure to look perfect, it’s easy to feel ashamed when you look in the mirror. See discussions on Project Enough here. Instead of looking in the mirror and seeing something you don’t like, learn to choose one thing you DO like about yourself and look at that first. Examples include, “I have nice eyes” or “I have a nice nose” or “I am so strong looking”…you get the idea.

4. Learn to breathe. Getting oxygen into your body is very critical when you’re feeling down. If possible take five deep breaths into your belly. If possible do some meditation with guided visual imagery–imagine a beautiful beach or imagine laying underneath a tree in a forest. If it’s bad, let yourself cry. Call a friend. If you’re crying (yes adults cry too)–breathe too! Get all those toxins out of your system. Breathing gives you strength and takes away strength from the critic.

5. Learn to walk away from your laptop. If you’re feeling vulnerable you’re not in a good state to be faking your way through work. Sometimes one bad day–where the critic has a hold over you–can sabotage months of good work. If you’re feeling vulnerable you’re not going to respond to people in the way you would when your head is clear. Sometimes it’s important to just take a break from working. If you don’t have this option and you work in an office go take a walk around the office or even go into the bathroom and take a few breaths. This can be the difference between a flare up in the office or taking a few moments for yourself. You don’t want your colleagues to see you getting overly emotional at work–take space if you can and when you come back you’ll fully rested and clear.

6. Learn to ask for help. I always say this but learning to ask for help is one of the most important factors determining your success. You can’t always do everything on your own. Don’t let the critic win by being too proud. Calling a friend, a loved one or even a coach or therapist can be the most critical factor in your resilience. Don’t try to be the brave cowboy who does everything alone. That’s a myth. Successful people get a lot of help and they know where to get it. Ask for help. People will love you more for opening up to them. They’ll be happy to help you.

7. Know this too shall pass. Being sensitive is a business advantage. It makes you intuitive and empathetic and all the characteristics that can make you a charismatic leader. At the same time you need to learn to manage yourself. This will wash over you like a wave. You will feel better tomorrow. Figure out how to get yourself what you need to help quiet the critic. That way when it passes you’re ready to get back on the horse.

 

How Self Confidence Helps Small Business Owners

There’s something about Mad Men’s Don Draper—while on the inside he might be an emotionally torn man with a dark past, you never see him sweat. His personal challenges never get in the way of his advertising meetings or a-list affairs. He exudes charm, charisma and competence.

His former secretary and now only female copy editor Peggy Olsen said it best:

“I want what you have, you seem to have everything.” What Don does have is confidence–a lot of it.

Confidence can be the chicken and the egg–when you need it most you feel the least confident, and when you need it least you feel the most confident. You can’t hide behind your computer–you must get out into the world and represent yourself and your business. In my tips below I give you some suggestions on how you can work on building your own confidence and watch your business grow as a result.

Here are my ten questions and answers for you. Tell me your own confidence building story in the comments section below.

1. Why is self-confidence important for a small business owner?

If you are not confident in yourself, would you expect others to have confidence in your abilities? As a small business owner you are the face of your company. You need to exude confidence so people get the feeling you are a capable person to do business with.

2. What are the attributes of a confident person?

A confident small business person makes eye contact. They do what they say they’re going to do. They give a strong handshake. They don’t say the filler works in their sentences “like,” “um,” “ah,” or “you know.” They take good care of themselves physically. They don’t apologize too much without reason. They have boundaries in their lives, and they don’t feel bad about notifying someone when they’ve crossed that boundary. They can take negative feedback without having it crumple them. They smile frequently and easily. They exude a glow when they talk about their company and services.

3. What are activities that can help improve confidence in small business owners?

Doing your homework can greatly improve your confidence. When you’re prepared for meetings, you will exude power because you know what you’re talking about. Challenging yourself with achievable tasks will improve your confidence in yourself, but piling on too many challenges too fast can be a confidence killer. Keep a network of supportive people around you–especially other small business owners. Having community and relationships will improve confidence. Having a coach to provide feedback is a confidence booster. Everyone needs someone unbiased to bounce ideas off of, to help them through hard times, and give encouragement when it’s needed. Continuing education and training can also help build confidence as you become more savvy in different areas of your business.

4. Is it possible to improve confidence by changing your thoughts?

“Thinking positive” is a powerful way to change your thinking. Tony Robbins says “change your state, change your life.” If we can learn to control our mind, we can completely change the landscape of ourselves and our lives.

5. Is there anything a small business owner can do to improve their impact on others?

By standing tall you will greatly improve your posture and how others see you. Body language is a hugely important factor with regard to how others perceive you. By improving your posture you will change this.

6. Do looks really matter that much for a small business owner?

If you dress nicely, you’ll feel good about yourself. You’ll feel successful and presentable and ready to tackle the world. By showing up groomed, you will feel more confident. Additionally you are an extension of your products and services. If you are not personally well put together, it’s possible your prospects will assume you don’t take care with your offering either.

7. Does gratitude help confidence?

This one is related to humility. By being grateful for what you have in life and what others have given to you you will change your entire outlook. It can improve your self-image and your overall mood. The universe rewards those who are thankful. “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
― Melody Beattie

8. Does exercise really improve confidence?

Exercise is very important for any small business owner. While sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day, exercise can improve mood. It also helps with focus and makes us more calm. Many of us get our best ideas when we are exercising. Not only are the mental and spiritual side effects important, but it will help you feel better physically, and you’ll look better too!

9. How do small business owners avoid feeling overwhelmed, insecure and anxious with all the tasks that are required to run the business?

Don’t forget to start small. You don’t want to stress yourself out by biting off more than you can chew. Learn to break off small chunks and work in short bursts. Small tasks that you succeed in will help your overall sense of happiness and confidence.

10. Does a cleaner business person feel more confident?

Keeping organized and clean will greatly impact the amount of clutter in your mind. When your environment is cleaner you’ll find you can think clearly. Clear your desk. If your desk gets messy the world can quickly turn to chaos. Having an organized desk will help maintain a calm environment so you can think clearly (and stay organized).

11. Will relaxation help my confidence? Should I be working instead of relaxing?

We all need scheduled white space in our calendars. That means a little “me-time” every day. This “me-time” is your opportunity to recalibrate so you can continue to be an amazing creator. Relaxing can include a 5 minute meditation, a massage, a bath or even a walk with some nice music.

12. Should I celebrate my own achievements?

Absolutely. Celebrating your small wins is a hugely important aspect of having your own business. If you don’t make time to enjoy your success, you might end up feeling burned out. Feel free to make a list of all that you’ve accomplished even on a daily basis. Since you’re your own boss, you’re your own coach. Make sure to pick yourself up frequently with pats on the back.

Do you feel like Don Draper yet? Let me know your own journey to a more confident you in the comments section below. There are no judgements on this blog.

Gravitas About Gratitude

Oh gratitude, it has taken me so long to understand how you work. And most days I do, and if I don’t I know how to get back to you, even if it takes all day.

When I left my life in New York City almost three years ago [after meeting Jacob to move back to California where I was from] I had no clue what I was getting into. All I had was a little intuition that the life I was leading needed to change.

Sometimes people ask me advice. They ask me what to do with their relationship. They ask me about self esteem. They ask me about career direction. They ask me about anxiety.

Through my own journey I’ve learned to respond to others with questions rather than answers. All the advice in the world can’t change someone. The metaphors about moving through the darkness before seeing the light are true–but when a person is in darkness it’s hard to contemplate light, let alone see it. In this society we do everything in our nature as humans to organize and control what feels like an unpredictable world. We are terrified of darkness and quiet.

Sometimes you have to fake yourself out to be able to see what I call “the light.” Eventually that story of light becomes your reality, but the journey to that point is terrifying. You can’t see what’s in front of you.

What I’ve learned is the big tests are not in any one moment. The tests are inl the moments leading up; the preparation, the habitual good choices, the optimism. The tests are the late nights spent hovering over work. It’s those nights you spend scrubbing that one last spot on XYZ. The tests are in the mornings where you wake up on the wrong side of the bed and the commitment to not act out of frustration–but take the time to change your state. The tests are in those moments where one decides to make great sacrifices of what’s comfortable in order to do what needs to be done. The tests are the two roads diverged in the wood, and you take the right one, not the easy one.

The Big Secret: the Answers Are ALL INSIDE

This year I got serious about looking inside. I got serious about being grateful for what’s in front of me rather than some moment in the future. This is the year that I spent thousands on getting better tools to communicate and show respect to people in my life. I spent countless resources and hours on self improvement. I made it my job.

I committed to going to long way to be a better person.

Today I give myself a very long leash. I don’t force myself to do things just because they’ve been ingrained in me. I’ve learned how to work myself out of a system I was not happy in. I’ve learned to accept and embrace that I am mostly separate from the dominant system we operate it. I have chosen to work outside of it because it makes me content.

Here’s my official 2012 gratitude list.

1. The choice to be positive.
2. The escape into my own mind and body during meditation
3. That I learned how to channel all the angst and pain I felt into something positive (see Project Enough).
4. My love and forever man Jacob who has been with me through really thick and and really thin.
5. My smiling puppy Athena who cuddles with me while watching Netflix when Jacob is out of town.
6. That I healed myself, and in doing so healed my relationships (family, friends and otherwise).
7. Gilfriend Suze Orman who has been my unofficial money mentor.
8. I’m grateful for my clients–all of whom I admire and respect–and give me the opportunity to work on things I love for people I care about.
9. I’m VERY grateful that I have dealt with the mishagas so that now I am a stronger person–and all of that was a result of being vulnerable and learning how to ask for help.
10. Grateful that I don’t feel the rush as I used to. I have learned how to slow down, read things twice, and think about consequences before I act.

The point of this post is no one can tell you what to do. You need to feel it in your bones that you need to change–whatever that journey is–and through that journey you will gain the understanding, and then the physical terrain of your life will change–in a big way–and when it finally does happen it will happen overnight.

More than anything I’m grateful for the life I have. Life is a precious and beautiful thing–and it should not be taken for granted.

If you’re interested I wrote a gratitude list with Jacob in 2010 and another one in 2011.

Being Curvy, Vulnerability & Success: 5 Truths This Week

I haven’t been writing much because I’ve been working, but I think about you. I think  of how I can translate what is going on in my head and share what I’m feeling and thinking. Some days I think in possible blog post ideas.

No I don’t think this is healthy or normal.

Here’s my attempt at unpacking what has been in my head and heart this week.

1. How you experience the world is a reflection of what is going on in your head. As Dr. Wayne Dyer said, “Loving people live in a loving world, hostile people live in a hostile world, same world.” I’ve realized awareness, breath and compassion are the answer to pretty much everything.

2. You cannot solve the world’s problems by obsessing over them. Whenever I drive the i5 I get sad. I get sad because I see stretches of cows and fields of animals–and I know somewhere along this stretch an animal is being hurt. I suppose this is the former vegetarian meat eater’s dilemma. Sometimes I get sad at the gym on the cardio equipment as I look up at screens to see bombs go off and overly done up anchors translating the human suffering in a specific tone and script. I find it disturbing to be on an elliptical machine at the gym while my eyes well up in tears seeing bombs going off. I see friend’s Facebook status’ that says their cousins might have to go off to war in the middle east. This breaks my heart. And then I have to continue on my day because I have responsibilities, clients and life to tend to. I don’t like war. Recently I heard a rabbi give a talk. He said women are life and birth. Men create wars. I don’t know if this is true, but I do wonder if the world was run by women if there would be so much war. I’m scared to bring little babies into a world where killing one another is normal and we see it on TV and in video games. On a related note, a baby boomer recently said to me that in 100 years when global warming will really will become a problem we will all be gone. Well I plan on having babies. Maybe a few of them. And I certainly don’t want to hand them over a shitty world with crappy air so they can’t enjoy soccer like I got to growing up.

This is what I tell myself to make myself feel better.

Just because the media and advertising attempts to plant fear and darkness into your mind doesn’t mean you need to water that seed. There is pain and suffering in the world, but thinking about all the pain and suffering in the world is not going to ease the pain and suffering in the world. It’s going to leave you feeling exhausted and joyless. Focus on what’s in front of you. Stay in the moment. Breathe. Make small miracles in your life and for those around you. You matter. And that matters!

3. There’s always another train coming. Life can feel like whatever is in front of us at the moment is the only thing we have to hold on to. The truth is the universe manifests opportunities for us when we aren’t looking–when we’re putting in our best effort in other parts of our life. Let go of whatever you have your nails dug in. It will still be there. If not another one’s comin soon!

4. See how it feels to let go. I’m currently reading Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love and Parent. In her book she talks about how when she’s feeling vulnerable, instead of leaning into the vulnerability and discomfort, her first impulse is to control. And many of us do that. We set out to control everything around us in order to maintain homeostasis. But as Suze Orman says (when referring to our inclination to accumulate things) see how it feels to LET GO. Let it go. You will feel a huge weight lifted off your shoulders.

5. Why do curvy girls go to the back of the class? I take a lot of classes at the gym. I’m in LA this month and everything in LA–as it relates to looks–feels extreme–a caricature of itself. At the gym in LA all the thin women go straight to the front of the aerobics classes. The curvy women stay in the back of the class. Why is that? I might be curvy but I know that I like to be able to see what I’m doing in the class so I don’t do things with bad form–even if I’m shaking things that Cosmo Magazine tells me are problem areas. Screw you Cosmo–I love my problem areas! I might not look like a model, but I sure don’t sit in the back and hide. I ask myself what are other venues where curvy women move to the back of the class so as not to be seen?

Dear women’s self-esteem revolution, I give you permission to start happening now. Sincerely, curvy aerobics going ruminator, Blake.

Designing Your Nontraditional Worklife Without Fear of Judgement

Breaking a habit is hard. Unlearning a lifetime of conditioning is harder.

Some of us tried the corporate thing and after too many closed doors and airtight containers decided to venture out on the unpaved path of self-employment. Many of us are working in creative fields like writing, art and I will add consulting in here. However many of us are not enjoying that dream of self-directed employment.

It took me a while to rid myself of non 9 to 5 er guilt. For a long time there was something to someone else always telling me where to be, what to do and that I was ok. Even the punishment (as a recent college grad) of those mistakes everyone makes in the first few years in the workplace made you feel alive.

But I knew it wasn’t for me, and I learned about self-employment and slowly fell in love.

I think many people find joy in predictability–but not me. I need some predictability and a constant stream of variation to keep me fresh and alive.

The fondness for predictability reminded me of the documentary I recently saw Jiro Dreams of Sushi. In the film an 86 year old Japanese chef with a three star michelin restaurant said, “happiness is doing the same thing every day.” He talked about how for sushi chefs predictability is bliss. This is a man who supported himself since he was seven years old (when he was pushed out on his own).

While I have great admiration for Jiro and people like him, it can be said that people who are stuck in what they feel is a dead end job will never get to higher ground if they don’t decide they want to (and want more than what is given to them).

When I started writing and podcasting as part of my corporate job, I relished the few days I worked from home (that was three times in five years). I didn’t understand why I had to dress up and make the work commute when I could create the content in the comfort of my own home. In fact I always found it more difficult to focus in an office environment where there were distractions all day every day.

Here are my thoughts on fear of being judged for a nontraditional worklife:

The truth is the only one “watching” us is us. If it’s the critical parent or “those people” we went to school with or past coworkers, no one really cares that much about what we’re doing except us. If we are happy and thriving (and able to pay our bills) then other people are happy for us. In fact, people only know and believe what you tell them. You’ll notice the criticism you get from others are the statements you’ve already made out loud (to them). If you tell people what you do with conviction, professionalism and self-respect, they will respect you. You are driving.

The point of this post is to remind you that the judgemental voice inside of you is not necessarily you. However, you are giving that voice prime real estate by listening to him/her. Acknowledge the voice, give it a seat at the table, and move on. Anyone who is needy doesn’t have their needs met. Meet your own needs. Give yourself permission to design and live your life the way you want to.

Weathering the Storm With Play

I am reading your posts today about watching bad television, board games, drinking liquor, running the stairs, eating canned pumpkin, sharing fake photos–and it looks like some of you are actually having fun.

While being desperate for a flashlight, or a broken crane on 57th street is no laughing matter, being “stuck” forces you to stop working. Sandy is a reminder that you can’t control the weather, you can only control how you personally manage through the storm.

But today I am not going to bore you with quotes and metaphors. I am only here to remind you to schedule time into your weeks as if you were hiding from a storm.


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Many of us are working in creative fields. How we have come to know our “knowledge work” is not that of an assembly line. Getting paid by the hour doesn’t make sense for most of us. We come with histories, intricate spider webs of networks, passion, an ability to make creative connections around problem solving. As knowledge workers when we work our minds too much without play and relaxation, we go into overdrive. It’s not pretty.

Research shows Americans are the hardest working, most unhappy, overweight group. While I actually like living in America–and I don’t want to bash being American–I do think we need to start incorporating more play into our lives–not just when there’s really bad weather.

[I mean no disrespect to those struggling through the storm--and I sincerely hope it passes without too much damage to my former home New York City and the surrounding areas].

Today reminded me of the New York City snow storms I experienced when I lived there. The weather was the only thing that stopped New Yorkers from rushing through the city. I remember if I would walk and stop on the sidewalk for any reason, someone behind me would run into me. It’s a constant flow of traffic. And for a while I loved the excitement. I was also always doing something, and would grab my running shoes and schlep to the gym in my snow boots. I hardly missed a day.

To this day I struggle with sitting still. I am always working, exercising, cooking, reading, taking care of my dog, cleaning up the house….you get the idea. I am always on the go. It takes a lot to tire me out. I wake up early and as soon as my feet hit the ground I’m running.

So this message if for me and for all of you work horses reading this.

*****

Some of you might read this tomorrow or the next day (when you have power back on in your house) whilst rolling your eyes at me and say “Blake, easy for you to say–you’re safe in SF where the only commotion is a World Series riot. Humor me by thinking about your days and how you can incorporate more time for reflection, relaxation and most importantly play.

*exercise that is dancey in nature can be labelled as “play”

What You Focus On Grows

In life when we want something different than what we have we must undergo a shift in our thinking and behavior to get there. It’s the chicken and the egg.

What comes first? Most of us have to start from the bottom. To get from the bottom to the top, we have to drench ourselves in stories about the top. We have to see ourselves at the top. We have to visualize what it feels like to be at the top.

The reason for this is the law of attraction. In other words, what we focus on grows.

If a person is broke, it is most likely they are telling themselves a constant narrative about being broke. They feel broke. They think about being broke. Feelings become thoughts which become things. This person will tell everyone what they can’t afford. They will attract other people and events in their lives that have an aura of “scarcity.”

If all a person talks about is being stressed, sick, broke, tired, and taken advantage of–that’s exactly what will happen. A person will attract things that make them stressed, sick, broke, tired and taken advantage of.

Did you know we are essentially a blend of the five people we spend the most time with? Think about that for a minute.

If we are feeling fat it’s most likely that we will continue to exhibit behaviors that reinforce that feeling. We will eat unhealthy food, won’t push ourselves when exercising, and we will continue to tell a story of fat.

Basically to achieve what we really want–underneath layers of ego and denial–we have to tell ourselves we’re already there.

If we are not wealthy, we must tell ourselves we’re wealthy to create an aura of plenty. If we are not at our goal weight, we must do things that make us feel sleek and beautiful even if we don’t necessarily feel that way all the time.

We must act “as if.”

After months of telling a new story the texture of life will begin to change.

A journey of change is never a straight shot. We make progress and fumble taking a few steps back. Then we get back up and continue in the direction of the dream.

If you want to change your life, you need to change that story. Start by being 5% more aware of what you say out loud. Look at the events and people in your life, and your reaction to those events and people. What is your state? Our friend Tony Robbins says if you want to change your life you must change your state.

He’s right.