inspiration

The X-Factor – Secretariat had it – Do you?

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u16T05o7JA[/youtube]

in 1973 Secretariat won the Triple Crown – The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness
and the Belmont Stakes.  That alone should have proved he had the X Factor, right?
Except the X Factor is more than that.  The X Factor means achieving celebrity
in a way that makes you stand out and be remembered.

And, he gave anyone who watched him race something to talk about.  In the Derby and
The Preakness he broke from the gate in last place, and he only started to challenge
the lead horse after the last turn.  He had to come from last place and pass every horse
on the track to win it.

He actually ran each 1/4 mile faster than the previous, he was speeding up as the
other horses were slowing down.

And, that was truly amazing to watch.  Secretariat didn’t take the lead until 3/4
of the way around the track and not only did he take the lead – he won by
almost 3 lengths.  And he was running on his own – no whip, the jockey
had both hands on the reins.

And, then with 2 of the Triple Crown races won – it was time for the Belmont.  The stakes
were unbelievably high.  This was his race to lose, and anything can happen in
horse racing.  In the Belmont, there were only 4 other horses even entered.
Secretariat didn’t break last as he usually did, he broke out in first and stayed
there until the first turn when he was overtaken by Sham for a couple of seconds.

Then Secretariat turned on the gas and he never lost the lead again.  He was ahead
by one length, then two, then four.   In the home stretch, the camera had to pull back
to show that he wasn’t running the race alone – he was almost 1/16th of a mile ahead
of the 4 other horses.  At that point, Secretariat wasn’t racing against the other
horses, he was racing into history, winning the 1 1/2 mile race in just 2 minutes 24 seconds.

Not only did Secretariat win the Triple Crown – but he shattered the track record and set his own for each race.

And, that is the X Factor at work.

What can you learn from this?  Use your natural talent to it’s best ability.
Stand out from the pack.  With each 1/4 mile, Secretariat pushed himself harder, he ran
faster, he was racing against himself to see how fast he could go.  Do the same.  Better your
best.

Run YOUR race, don’t look back, and don’t race against others.

 

 

 

the 30 day new thoughts-new you challenge

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Ok, not the coolest title for a challenge – in fact it’s pretty lame – but I don’t care. I can always change it – because it’s my challenge!!

The point is that 30 days from now – if you follow and play along – you may just change your destiny.

Why?

Because you’re tired of getting the same results you got from last year’s New Year resolution. In fact – did that resolution even make it past Valentines Day before you gave up on it?

Well – same for me. My book isn’t published. That was one of my 2009 goals.

So, I have drawn a line in the sand, burned my ships and made a decision.

2010 is the year it all changes.

Procrastination will give way to relentless energy, spinning my wheels – replaced with laser-focused action, lack of direction – that is so 2009 – 2010 will begin with a clear VISION.

Are you with me?

Do you want to create new habits that will help you achieve? Do you want to kick ok fear, doubt and worry in the ass and say – enough is enough you guys. And let FAITH in your vision replace those bad boys?

That’s what I’m doing. And, I’ll be posting action steps every day so you can play along. In fact, I’m even going to get brave enough to create some (GASP) videos of me. (one of the things I put off in 2009)

So, how do you change habits?

by replacing them with new ones.

But, you really do have to be really tired of your present reality.

If you are – then tonight and tomorrow – write out a clear vision of how you would like your life to be on december 31, 2010. What do you want to look like? Lose some weight, get more in shape? Who do you want to be with? What kind of house do you want to live in? Just be playful with this – what do you really want out of like and where do you want to be a year from now.

Be specific.

example: I’m sitting on my oh so comfortable chaise lounge on my lanai. It’s so quiet except for the sounds of the waves gently lapping at the shore. I sip my iced tea and look out at the horizon. My son is dangling his feet in the pool, as it’s a warm night for this time of year. Later, our friends will be arriving to celebrate New Years eve with us. I get up and walk into my office, gently running my hands over all the books on the shelves. I stop when I graze a copy of my book, take it off hte shelf and sit down to read a chapter. I’m so grateful to all those who shared their stories to make my book the success it’s been. An amazon best-seller – wow, I would never have thought that last year.

Ok, so you get the point.

So, get yours written with your goals for your new life and your dreams as well.

Have fun with it.

Happy New Year.

Your Body – Your Self

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Your Body Your Guru

I am only recently becoming aware of the connection between my mind, body and spirit. Which is why I’m thrilled that Mary Kay Morgan, @theinnermarykay (on Twitter) will be joining me on my Blog Talk Radio show.

I know that my body holds part of the key to success – but don’t really know why. But, Mary Kay does and she’s going to be sharing that with us on Tuesday, March 3rd. As Mary Kay says, “we already hold all the answers. No one else can define the “how’s” for you, the “what’s” or the “when’s” either – only you have the right and perfect answer for you. Only you hold the truth for your life’s questions. I’m going to reveal how you can begin discovering your own answers to your own questions right now, so that you finally get to physically experience your heart’s desires instead of only dreaming about them!”

She continues:
Have you ever had an experience so profoundly painful, so dismantling of everything you have built your life on, so completely devastating that you had no choice but to surrender and start over from scratch?
Ask any successful person their story and it will likely include “the moment/event/person that changed their life” as its climax. It may be a divorce, a chance meeting, bankruptcy, addiction, death, a mystical experience or something that to others appears minor, but because the “event” occurred, the Light of Truth was able to penetrate and real learning could begin. (Occasionally you might find a successful person that chose to learn from the painful experiences of others – so that is possible, less common, but possible.) For me, it was a relationship that occurred after my divorce that broke me into a zillion little pieces and left me to put myself back together. Thank goodness I didn’t have the directions for the original model! All my same pieces were there, but I had to re-construct from a new set of plans, a new consciousness.

From that place of pain came the trust and inner wisdom that now guides Mary Kay. She’s going to teach us how to get grounded in our bodies, the basics of our energetic foundation and exercises and nutrition that we can do to maintain our great foundation.

If you struggle at all with weight, self-image or self-worth issues – then you’re not going to want to miss this call.

Go here now and bookmark the page here and put 1:00 EST Tuesday March 3rd on your calendar. But, if you can’t make it live – the replay will be waiting for you.

Get with the program

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open door I had a visit from my dad last night.  The weird thing about that is  – he passed away eight years ago this month.  So, our visits now are confined to those mysterious occurrences that we call Dreams.  

 There he was in my dream, handsome and tall and I even heard that familiar deep voice that would have been so great on radio, but it was ok that it never was.  He told me he couldn’t stay long, but he had something to tell me.  

 I knew that he had passed away in the dream.  So, I asked him before he left would he tell me what being dead was like.  And he said…

 NO.  

He said – “I didn’t come to talk about that honey” (sometimes he called me honey – I liked that ).  ” I came to remind you what it’s like to be alive.  And, then he told me that to be alive meant really finding the joy in everything.  It meant living with passion – not going through the motions.  He said that if you are eating an ice cream cone – don’t feel guilty – ENJOY THE HELL OUT OF IT.  Savor each luscious spoonful – lick the bowl if you want.  And, when it’s gone – be thankful for what you just had.   

Don’t pussyfoot through life like you’re walking around broken glass – Run, jump, skip – let the wind blow through your hair and dance in the rain.  Awake each day with a fierce passion to enjoy every precious second.  When you laugh – laugh from deep in your belly – let it all out.  And – laugh often, “You can’t break your funny bone!!!”   (True)

And, remember what I told you when you were just a teenager – Be true to yourself.  Don’t fret about what others think of you, don’t let self-doubt take a hold of your heart and keep you from living.  You are beautiful just the way you are – remember that.

“And, honey, don’t forget LOVE.  Don’t shut the door on LOVE.  Love opens your heart and fills you up like nothing else on the planet.  If you close your heart to love – you slam the door shut to your soul – and that makes for a hollow, empty life.”  Yes, the more open you have your heart – the more chances are you may get hurt.  But, the pain of not loving is SO MUCH GREATER.

I was sitting next to him when he was talking and I could see his skin, smell him, feel his warmth.

And, then I woke up – and I was alone and felt tears running down my face.

Thanks, Dad. – for the visit – I miss you.

And, I heard what you said and I promise you that I’ll take your advice – You always did seem to know the right thing to say. 

Your loving daughter always,

Lee Ann

You need protection from negative thoughts

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protection from negative thoughts

Sometimes you just gotta have protection.

I mean for this post to be as blunt as I can be, so I chose condoms as a visual.

You need protection from negative thoughts.  Why?

Because negative thoughts, thoughts of why you can’t do things, why you’re not good enough – don’t drive your life forward they hold it back.

Negative thoughts of envy, greed, jealousy, hate – they don’t drive you forward they hold you back.

How’s this for a thought?  Your thoughts control your actions, and it’s the actions you take that determine the results you get and your results = the life you are living now.  That’s how important thoughts are.  Your thoughts control the destiny of your life.  Did you get that?  Your freakin’ destiny is controlled by your thoughts.

Are you in the relationship you want?

Do you have the money you want?

Are you in the shape you want to be in?

Does your life have fulfillment and meaning?

I’m assuming if you’re reading my blog then you answered no to at least one of those questions.

You need protection – you need to put a condom on those negative thoughts.

Try this for 31 days.  Everytime you think a negative thought, every time – I would like you to picture a condom.  Don’t judge yourself for thinking a negative thought – just catch it in a condom.  Now replace that negative thought with a thought that will be positive.  Any positive thought will do.   The first day you do this – you’ll be amazed at how many condoms you have to whip out.  By the end of 31 days you’ll find that you’ve put yourself in the habit of thinking positive thoughts.

I do this every day.  I’m human so I need to condomize those negative thoughts that creep in – so do you.  But, I do it far less often now.

Start today and have fun with this.  You can change the direction of your life –

one thought at a time.

Pulling back the curtain

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question-mark

 

 

 

Why should you trust what I say about motivation, inspiration, Law of Attraction?  I agree that you shouldn’t trust me unless I share why I’m qualified to talk about this stuff.  

That’s why I’m pulling back the curtain.  Come back with me to when I was 16 years old.   Remember when you were 15?  Life was good right?  There were after school parties, weekend parties, you got your drivers license and the world was fresh, fun and exciting.  

That was your reality – it wasn’t mine.  My parents had recently divorced and I had an emotional meltdown and became agoraphobic.  That big word means that I was scared to leave my house – terrified.  I would have a panic attack within ten minutes of going to school.  I was riddled with self-doubt and constant fear.  The worst thing was that I didn’t understand where the fear was coming from, so it seemed like I couldn’t ever move past it.  I felt hopeless.  At 16!!  

Just 3 short years later, not only was I able to leave my home – but I was on a plane headed to Israel – by myself!

What happened?

I changed what I was focusing on.  When I was trapped in my house, afraid I was going to have a panic attack – then would go to school – so focused on not having a panic attack – what happened?  I had a panic attack.  Of course, because what you focus on expands.

So, I had to learn to think that I was going to go to school and have a great day.   I had to focus on the fact that I had lived for 15 years without having panic attacks – so I had the ability to not have panic attacks.  I focused on my past experience of being in school and enjoying the experience.  And, then I had to do it.  I had to go to school, not think about panic attacks and it was a process.  I would go to school – be able to stay for one hour, then I might get scared and have to leave.  But, the next day, I would do it again – and be able to stay a bit longer.  It wasn’t long before I had build up enough confidence that I could go to school and not have to try to consciously think positive – it just came naturally.

And, what happened to the agoraphobia, what happened to those panic attacks?  When I taught myself that they had no power over me – they just vanished.   And, at the age of 19 I was boarding a plane – traveling alone – to spend six weeks in Israel.

I struggled with sharing this, but I realize that I’m not the only person on the planet who suffered from panic attacks.  And, if my sharing that can help just one person get over their panic attacks – it’s worth any discomfort I may feel.

BTW, I still feel fear – that’s natural.  It’s how I deal with it that’s very different.  

Remember that you can overcome any fear or panic – if I can do it – so can you.

Perfect is an illusion – get over it

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So what if I\'m different

I don’t post in over a week and when I do it’s with a picture of a tomato. What am I thinkin’?

Well, everything has a story and this is the story of the tomato. Nobody wanted this tomato from the stall at the farmstand. So what if it has a couple of spots and what appears to be an appendage? Does that make it any less of a tomato? Well, I guess most people thought so, but not me.

I took it home and snapped this picture before devouring it. And, it was delicious.

So what? Well, the tomato is an analogy, that’s what.

Read more

What will you do differently in 2009

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For the past couple of years I have been getting sucky results.  What I didn’t realize was that they were self-imposed.  I thought that my situation had to do with outside forces.  My decision to go into business, the subsequent fire, the choice to choose the wrong business partner, my business going bust, being sued.  

I was living in the world of self-limitation, because I blamed circumstances.  Sure, there were things like the fire that affected my business that were outside of my control.  But, truth be told, I was in complete control of how I handled it.  I was also in complete control of how I handled the demise of my business and subsequent lawsuits.

I caved.  I told myself that I couldn’t start another business until the lawsuits were over.  Nobody told me that.  I stopped myself from succeeding.  

Well, the lawsuits are not over.  And, I don’t know when people will stop suing me.  

But, I do know this.  I will not let that stop me anymore.  I am in control of my destiny, not lawyers, not business partners, not people who tell me it’s safer to just go get a job, not people who tell me that I failed so it’s best to not try another venture, not the voice in my head that tells me I can’t do it.  

I am learning not to use excuses like…

If I had been given a chance…

If other people didn’t “have it in for me”

If the economy were better…

If my family understood and supported me better… 

Now, I know that I have to think differently.  I have to believe I deserve all the best life has to offer, I have to believe in my abilities and that I have value to offer others.  And, I have to hold on to those beliefs no matter what or who kicks me in the butt.  And things will shake my tree again and again – it’s just life.

So, I’m going into 2009 with eyes wide open, head held high and with an unwavering belief that I can do, be or have anything and everything I desire.

And so it shall be….

Happy New Year.

 

 

I know – this blog is kinda ugly

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I get it.  There is no real branding, maybe it’s seemingly random, but it’s what I have.  The site will get prettier, but the message will still be the same because it’s coming from my heart to the page.  That is why I decided not to wait until it’s perfect and branded and looks like other cool blogs.

I don’t care about that so much right now.  What’s more important is that I touch you with my words.  That I give you inspiration and hope with my words. That something I write touches you, makes you think- more importantly – makes you act differently so that you get the results you want.  No, make that the results you deserve from life.

Because life can be beautiful or it can suck.  It’s not your circumstances that will define the suckiness – it’s your attitude.  More enlightened people than I have said that same message over and over.  It’s not the situation – it’s how you deal with it.

I could have let my financial situation drag me down – I chose not to let it.  It’s just money.  There are more important things in life.  Family, love, a warm Spring day, the beauty of a flower, the soft touch of your child’s kiss on your cheek.  The smell of bread baking, the laugh of a baby so pure and sweet.

Take time to notice how wonderful your life is.  I hate to sound so cliche’d as to say stop and smell the flowers, but I will anyway.  And, I’ll go one step further – don’t just smell the flower, let its beauty fill your soul with wonder.  It sprang from a tiny seed in the ground and will only be yours to enjoy but for a brief time.

So, enjoy it while it’s here.  And pas that feeling on to someone else today.  Smile at the harried mother at the supermarket, hold an elevator door open for someone.   Because something beautiful happens when you share happiness.

Try it and tell me how it feels.