Your #1 success factor

Who knew that your ability to conquer FEAR would be your single most important success factor?

My good friend Andrea Conway, a superb Law of Attraction Coach who works primarily with solopreneurs and small business owners, emphasized this in her newsletter yesterday.

She said that in his last book You Can Work Your Own Miracles Napoleon Hill asserts, "... the absence of fear, and not formal education or brilliance of mind, is the major cause of individual success."

Whoa! Did you get that? Your success is dependent NOT on how brilliant you are or how well educated you are, but on your willingness to step out of your fearful NoZone and get into downstream mode -- into the FlowZone.

Andrea says:

Not that it's easy to remove fear as a factor in your life. But how liberating to hear it's not the college you attended, not your IQ, not "who you know," not your heredity, not your astrological chart, and not how much money you start out with that ultimately determine your success.

We innately possess the ability to choose how we think, and with that innate ability comes the power to remove fear as a ruling emotion in our lives and businesses.

I highly recommend that you subscribe to Andrea's newsletter for her great wisdom on Law of Attraction, even if you don't think of yourself as a solopreneur or small business owner. You can learn how to tap into the strength of your Inner Being and release ancient patterns of resistance and struggle. Wouldn't that feel good?

I can testify that it does! You see, she's not only my friend, she's my coach. Andrea helps me immeasurably in my own quest to live more in the flow of life -- in downstream mode.

Dancing -- to help dodge the breast cancer bullet

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and as a breast cancer "victoria" myself, I'm happy to offer you a few ideas on how to stay healthy -- and dodge the breast cancer bullet if you can -- by making some joyful Life-in-the-FlowZone choices.

Like choosing to dance, for instance. There's plenty of serious research that points to exercise as an excellent lifestyle choice for establishing and maintaining good health, including good breast health.

Dancing, of course is good exercise.

The trouble with the serious research is, well... it's serious! The most important thing about dancing is that it's FUN! It feels good!

And feeling joyful pleasure in life supports good health like nothing else. Anybody can do it, too, even alone. Dance like no one's watching. Dance for the sheer joy of it all.

Need some inspiration? Just watch Matt Harding do his goofy, fun-loving, light-hearted dance, and I'll bet you won't be able to sit still. He's totally irresistible! You'll feel good just watching him.

Here's to YOUR health -- and fun in the flow of life!

Choosing to live in the FlowZone

Jerry Clark of Club Rhino fame, is one of my all time favorite motivational speakers. He's funny, he's smart, and he uses dynamic examples with staying power.

Many years ago I heard him speak about the four zones that people choose to live in -- and I knew I'd heard something profound.

He said that some people live in the NoZone. They won't hear anything new and they won't budge from their cast-in-concrete opinions and beliefs, even if it means vast improvements in their lives.

Some live in the SlowZone. They'll move slowly but persistently to improve their lives.

Some people live in the GoZone, taking lots of action and working diligently, maybe even passionately to achieve their goals -- and they will prosper!

And then there are those who live in the FlowZone, in the flow of life, where all things line up in their favor, the traffic moves in their direction, and they will find prosperity with seeming effortlessness, without struggle.

Jerry said that except for the NoZone slugs, we typically move around between the zones, and when we are willing to understand what's really going on, and how universal laws work, we will spend increasing amounts of time in the joyful state of the FlowZone.

The message clearly stuck with me. Recalling what Jerry said helps to remind me that ife doesn't have to be a struggle. No, life is meant to be lived joyfully in the FlowZone.

The Secret Pleasures of Menopause

Christiane Northrup has done it again! She's way out in front with a book on a topic that USED to be taboo -- but no longer! It's front and center for all women on the fabulocity path, in the flow of life.



And she's said all my magic words: pleasure, prosperity, fulfillment, joy, passion, abundance.... The best really IS yet to be!

Here's the overview:

Learn to Experience Pleasure, Prosperity, and Fulfillment Beyond Your Wildest Dreams!

"How wonderful the world would be if we all had the courage to go forth and live pleasurably and joyfully! I hope you'll join me and treat yourself to an adventure of self-discovery, passion, abundance, and pleasure."

When you look in the mirror, do you see an old, unattractive person who wonders why anyone would give them a second glance?or an incredibly sexy and desirable woman ready to be embraced by the world? Today's leading women's health and wellness expert Dr. Christiane Northrup has someone she wants you to meet?the NEW YOU! Start your engines and discover that at midlife... life has just begun!

In The Secret Pleasures of Menopause, Dr. Northrup delivers a breakthrough message that will help millions of perimenopausal and menopausal women throughout the world understand that menopause is not "the beginning of the end" but rather the start of the best and most pleasurable years of your life!

Sounds like a must read to me! Be sure to let me know your thoughts/feelings on what she's saying.

Reveille -- set the tone for your day

This morning I awoke to the sound of Reveille being played at nearby Fort Devens. Why I haven't noticed it before I can't say, except that Devens, as it is now called, is no longer primarily an Army base. In fact, about 10 years ago my daughter and I ran our business from a building overlooking the beautiful parade grounds when Fort Devens was being transitioned to civilian use. The Army still maintains a presence, however, and they must be training Army Reserve personnel.

Not being in the military myself, I probably wouldn't choose Reveille as my personal wake up call. For military personnel it may be just the way to start a perfectly orderly day.

We all know from experience that starting our day out well influences how the rest of the day goes. That is to say, getting into the flow of life is way easier than pushing against it. And our assumptions about the day, right from the beginning, whether they are positive or negative, conscious or unconscious, harden into fact because that's what we project out into the day. Always. It can't be otherwise.

So take time when you are falling asleep at night to affirm peaceful, restful sleep and a gentle awakening in the morning. And when you wake up, consciously choose the highest outcome for your day. Get up in plenty of time to allow time for a morning ritual that supports your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well being throughout the day. (And remember that if you get off track during the day you can choose at any moment to start your day over.)

I like this bit about "How to raise the odds that it's going to be a fantastic day." Very useful.

Oh, and by the way, back to Devens, if you're a golfer you'll be glad to know that the Red Tail Golf Course at Devens is #1 in Massachusetts according to GolfBoston Magazine. Set the intention to have some fun today!

The kissing booth

My friend June wowed the crowd that stopped by the kissing booth at the recent First Baptist Church, Littleton MA, rally day.

For just a dollar you could step up to the booth and ask for a kiss. June would draw back the curtain in the booth's window and give you her impish smile -- and a Hershey's kiss.

Her fun-loving ways are infectious, and believe me, she made many repeat sales. It was just so much fun to see her do the big reveal and reward a buyer with her playful delivery.

Notice how beautifully dressed she is. Nothing plain or stuffy here. June has a very high fabulocity factor.

One more terrific thing about June's approach to life: she says in her twinkling, sparkly way, "I always eat dessert."

The big takeaway? Live, love, laugh -- at every age! Thank you, June. You are a wonder-full inspiration.

The best is yet to be

Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in his hand
Who saith, ``A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!"

Robert Browning, "Rabbi Ben Ezra"

My assumption is that every age has its beauty. Life's adventure continues as long as we are breathing, so let's enjoy every stage and every phase.

I also assume that everything is here to bless me. It's all an opportunity to live, love, and laugh.

So when I had lunch with a friend the other day who lamented that her husband (aka "hub") isn't available to do things with her as much as she'd like him to, I thought, "Oh, she thinks he should spend more time with her and be her playmate." Isn't that interesting. She's waiting for him to do things with her instead of finding things that she could do to please herself. She's holding back on developing her own interests and using him as the excuse not to live, love, and laugh. She's limiting her possibilities for living joyfully because she thinks he should be part of the picture.

But the best is yet to be! There's another whole dimension she could explore with a simple shift in her assumptions: the opportunity to find happiness doing things by herself and/or with others.

Benefits for her: The joy and upliftment of being engaged in something she finds truly pleasing. The healthful release of resentment that hub isn't doing things according to her expectations. (I know for myself that the times I get into the biggest jams is when I think people should do things according to "Queen Christine.")

Benefit for him: He's sure to appreciate the release of pressure on him to change according to her plan. What a relief!

Added bonus: Who knows? He might just find her absolutely irresistible because of her energy and enthusiasm for a particular topic or focus. After all, there's something mighty attractive about people who are happy.