Master Your Time: 5 Practices to Create More Time In Your Schedule

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Do you think it’s really possible to create more time?

It’s a question I get asked by clients ALL THE TIME.

I’m sure we all agree that we have the same amount of hours in a day, days in a week, weeks in a year… And as we age we often feel that time speeds up without our control.

Ever hear yourself saying, “There’s just not enough time to do, be, have, experience, (you fill in the blank..)  I know I have caught myself with these words flowing out of my mouth quite a few times. ?

As busy leaders juggling careers, running businesses, parenting, relationships, and free time, many of us have a million things on the proverbial “To Do List” that may not ever get accomplished. Can you relate?

I’m going to share with you some big secrets and a fun rhyme to reprogram any limiting thought patterns you may have around time.

Why? Because I’m a firm believer that ​“You Can Create more time by Managing the Mind”.

Now to add to my rhyme, here are some quick mindful thought practices you can start to implement right away to live a more peaceful life while still getting things accomplished.

  1. Empowering Mantras to Reset Your Energy

The above phrase/rhyme is something you can start saying daily to reinforce a new thought pattern about your perception of time. Go ahead and replace the You with I and the statement reads “I WILL create more time by managing my mind.” Rhymes help our brains easily remembers things. That’s why (if you’re anything like me) you probably still remember some of your childhood nursery rhymes or jingles you hear on commercials.

Now add some more empowering statements along side that one,  “I have all the time I need to do the things I want in my life. And, I can change directions anytime something doesn’t feel aligned.”  It may not feel true in this very moment, but when you have self-defeating thoughts or something happens that doesn’t feel good, you always have a choice to redirect your thoughts and energy to something that brings joy.

  1. Pay Extra Attention to Your Thoughts When You’re Alone  

  It can be easy to notice our thoughts when we are speaking to someone and thinking about how we want to respond.

Yet, it can be difficult to stop and acknowledge the thoughts we have when we are alone. And when no one is around, it’s a lot easier to let our thoughts run wild. We produce up to 50,000 thoughts a day and 70% to 80% of those are negative. This translates to 40,000 negative thoughts a day that need managing and filtering – which is no small task! How much more can you practice remaining mindful of your thoughts, (especially when you’re alone), so you can begin to filter these thoughts on an hourly basis and see more time flow back into your schedule.

  1. Steer Clear of Past or Future Stinkin’ Thinkin’

Most people live in the past or future meaning; we spend too much time thinking about things that have already happened or were think about what were going to do. Seldom are we in the NOW or present moment. Have you ever driven somewhere and suddenly realized you hardly know how you got there?  I know, me too. While driving you weren’t in the present moment because you were in your head thinking about other things. Play a game with yourself and count how many times you are actually present throughout your day. Heck, start with an hour.  I guarantee if you practice thinking and living in the present NOW moments, it will be much easier to manage your time and create spaces for the things truly important in the day.

  1. Quit Looking at All Possible Outcomes

Are you someone that writes out that pro’s and con’s list? Or, do you feel stressed thinking about what might not happen or what might actually happen? Or, do you spend time playing the
“What if “ game? What if….  (you fill in the blank.)

Here’s the deal… spending your precious brain power thinking and re-thinking will often keep you stuck and not accomplishing anything. There are many reasons people tend to get stuck decision-making. Sometimes it’s a delay tactic because of fear or failure or success, other times people don’t want to lose control or perfectionism comes into play. What you can do now is make a decision based on your gut instinct because indecision robs you of time and power. And, the more you can trust that all will get accomplished and happen for your highest good, the easier instant decision making becomes. You will never know if something is or isn’t going to work out. But you can make the best possible decision that feels aligned in that moment and move forward. If things don’t unfold according to plan, then you get to realign and redirect your energy to something that does. It’s that simple. Make a decision and stop wasting time.

5.  Manage Your Own Energy

Do you wake up energized every morning or do you get energized around lunch or later in the evening?

If you gain a deeper understanding of your energy peaks, you can create more time in your schedule. If you aren’t a morning person but continue to force yourself to do a certain type of work in the morning that annoys you, you actually end up wasting energy because it will take you longer to accomplish. And even if it doesn’t take you longer, you may feel drained because in that moment, you pushed yourself to do something that didn’t align with your energy. Notice when it’s easier to accomplish a specific task during the day. If you want to take on something outside of your comfort zone or you know that making calls or presenting takes a great deal of brain power and energy, make time to do these things when you feel relaxed and energized. When you become more aware of your body cycles, you can plan your day accordingly and it will be energizing and add time to your schedule.

Now it’s up to you! It’s great to know these things, but will you put them into practice?
If you do – Keep me posted and comment with your results below!

5 Surprising Benefits to Becoming More Vulnerable

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Recently I spoke at a couple of different conferences and one of the biggest takeaways I heard from people that attended was that they enjoyed speakers who were authentic and vulnerable. Some of us were taught that being vulnerable makes you look weak. Or, that if you become more vulnerable and share more of yourself […]

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Conceive, Believe, and Receive Anything You Want

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I used to think that things just happened. As I aged I started to expand my consciousness and became more aware of my role and responsibility in designing my reality. I learned that my thoughts, feelings, emotions, words and actions played a much bigger part in designing my reality than I realized.

And now I get to teach business owners and entrepreneurs how to do this as well. How do I qualify? Because I created a reality for myself in which I’m open to receiving all the clients, money, relationships, health, and everything that I have ever wanted. And when it’s not showing up, I know that I’m out of alignment in some area and it’s time to course correct.

What I’ve found is that there are 7 powerful steps you can practice to begin to receive anything and everything you have ever wanted.

1. Take Ownership of your Current Reality

Take the time to notice if you are content in every area of your life. Is everything currently the way you would like it to be?
Is there anything you want to change?

It’s so easy to often push things under the rug because we don’t want to look at them. The key is to first be willing to look at yourself and take responsibility for what you have created thus far. Especially in business, results speak volumes.


2. Acknowledge Your Limiting Thought Patterns

If I do this or have this, then my life will be complete and I will be happy.

The truth is, you don’t need ANYTHING to be happy.

It’s actually your birthright. You were born that way.

Once you let go of thinking you need anything outside of yourself to be happy, you have the opportunity to find it from within.


3. Find the Lessons In What’s Taking Place Now

We can’t ask for more, and expect it to show up until we acknowledge and see the lessons we are learning in the present.

Ask yourself, what have I learned as I’m going through this challenge, struggle or obstacle?

In order to receive more of what you want, you must take ownership of what’s not working and how you could do things differently next time.

If you don’t find the lessons in the current situation, it will resurface in another form for you to move through it again and experience more growth.

For example, I used to attract the same man over and over again. He may have looked different and was a different person, but he had the same characteristics, the same hang up’s, and treated me the same. I didn’t attract the love of my life until I decided what type of relationship I really wanted, and believed I was worthy of receiving that type of loving relationship.


4. Feel Gratitude for Current Reality

Gratitude can move you from fear to love in a nanosecond.
We can’t be in fear and gratitude at the same time.

The more you practice finding the blessings in what’s in front of you right now and feeling grateful for what you DO have, you will start to feel better in the present.

As you feel better, you will move yourself into a higher vibration that will start to attract more of what you want.


5. Set Boundaries

Say NO to things that don’t feel like they are for your highest good.

How will you know when this is the case? They won’t feel good.

Tap into your feelings when making decisions. The body never lies.

When you say NO to things that don’t feel in alignment with you, you make room for others opportunities to come in that are.


6. Remain Open to Opportunities and Abundance from Unexpected Places.

What if I told you your neighbor said they were bringing you $500 dollars tonight because they appreciate who you are and what you do in the world.

Your immediate reaction might be, “Yeah right, that would never happen.” But what it could? Would you be open enough to take the money with appreciation?

You see, we don’t always know where opportunities are going to show up or where money will come from, but it is your job to remain open to receiving from anyone and every place you go.

One question I always like to ask myself, “What else is possible?”


7. Open Your Body & Heart to Receive

Give, give, give without the expectation of anything in return.

Giving to others feels good. When you “feel good” you remain open to attracting more of what feels good to you.

Giving also keeps the positive energy flowing, and keeps you in action to receive.

 

As you practice these steps, comment below and let me know what results you begin to see in your life and business. I know BIG things will begin to change, if you allow them to.

What Does Self-Compassion Have to do With Sales?

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If you ask, most people say, “Sure, I’m a compassionate person. I’m full of compassion for others. I take care of all of these people and I really love people and my clients.”

Personally, I love when people share that they have a desire to take care of others.

What I’m often seeing lacking though, is the way in which they take care of themselves.

You see, compassion is a two way street, that starts with you, FIRST.

This week I found myself pushing to get things accomplished.   I have a Masterclass coming out soon on client attraction, but I realized that between last week and this week, I hadn’t taken much of a break in my work schedule.

As an entrepreneur that loves what I do, it’s easy to get caught up in the creation piece of my business and trudging forward without a cause for pause because I enjoy it.

However, our minds and our bodies NEED downtime.

The more we push, push, push to get things done and accomplished, the more downtime we will need because the more energy we are exerting. They go hand in hand.

Before I knew it, my body reacted and I was forced to relax.

When you allow yourself time and give compassion to yourself, you will then have MORE energy to help others.

Everything improves, including your sales.

You see, your energy is constantly attracting what you are vibrating to the world, then you are manifesting that to your physical self.

If you are always in give mode, whether it be free sessions to potential clients, helping your family, taking care of your kids, volunteering, making yourself always available for friends; AND you aren’t listening to your body, you won’t remain in a receptive place to attract more sales to your business.

The more you are open to RECEIVE, the more clients you will attract.

Your body and your feelings NEVER LIE!

If you do attract from a place where you are feeling depleted, the potential client won’t feel aligned, because YOU aren’t aligned with your own energy of needing to have self-compassion and take care of yourself.

They will feel your desire to help them, is really a desire to help yourself. It’s all energy and the universe doesn’t know the difference.

There are steps you can take to honor yourself and give yourself the self-compassion to attract more of what you want, including more sales.

Here’s a list that you can use right away to improve your sales!

Give Compassion to Self First:
1. Notice your emotions… when you are feeling depleted, tired, anxious, overwhelmed, or angry.
2. Take a moment to acknowledge those feelings.
3. Feel the feelings.
4. Let go of any judgment that may arise…making yourself right/wrong, good/bad for having them.
5. Ask yourself, what do I need in this moment:

Am I tired?

Am I hungry?

Am I overwhelmed?

Am I angry?

6. What is the next best move to honor myself right now?
7.  Maybe you need a snacks?
8.  Perhaps it’s a 20 minute nap
9.  A walk around the block
10. Watch a funny video on YouTube
11. Move your body through dance or stretches to get the blood flowing and the energy moving
12. Write a poem, create art, read for pleasure
13. Play a game with someone or your child
14. CRY if you feel stuck emotions – let them fly.  The key is to choose something in the moment that FEELS good or RELEASES what’s stuck in the present moment.

And if you are a sensitive being like myself, you may even need to take more than one day for downtime to honor your body and emotions. AND THAT’S ALL OK.

There is no one right way to do anything, but there is a way to identify what works best for you.

Practice one or more of what I listed above and tune into how differently your energy feels when you are communicating with potential clients, networking, or having those sales conversations.

You will be clear, open, receptive, and coming from a place of service.

And from this energetic place, a potential client will NOW quickly become your ideal client~

Would love to hear your thoughts on this topic below. And/Or, let me know what happens when you start implementing more self-compassion into your daily schedule.

Set Intentions to Create Abundance

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I often get asked… Why are setting intentions as important as setting goals?

Simple – when your intentions are aligned to what you want subconsciously, you are 100% more likely to accomplish those goals.

An Intention is the mental that represents a commitment to carrying out an action or actions in the future. Intention involves mental activities such as planning and forethought.

Studies from as far back as the seventies show that our brains begin to prepare for action just over a third of a second before we consciously decide to act. In other words, even when we ‘think’ we are conscious, it is our unconscious mind that is actually making our decisions for us.

And it seems the unconscious mind is running us on its automatic pilot mode, 95% of the time!

Crazy huh?

Last Sunday, a group of us drove to Los Angeles to visit Agape Spiritual Center to see Michael Beckwith. He created the Agape Spiritual Center, has written numerous books, and has appeared on his own PBS special, and has been a guest on Oprah, Oprah, Larry King, and in the Secret.

I was very excited and made an intention to meet and connect with Michael as he’s one of my favorite living spiritual teachers.

I said what I intended…then I trusted that it would be for my highest good if it happened.

Well, we got there early and I went to stand under a tree for shade and as I looked to my right, he happened to be standing right next to me as he had just gotten out of his previous service.

He normally doesn’t do many photos and he was already surrounded with people begging for his attention.

I waited patiently with a smile on my face, and stayed close.

Then everything lined up for him to turn my way… We talked for a bit, and a women took my camera and took at picture.

It was effortless… easy.   I was in the flow.

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Below are some simple steps to Set Intentions & Create Abundance

 

  1. Get clear on what you want (if you’re not clear it won’t happen)
  2. Affirm Them to the Universe (command to the universe for them to show up. I command…
  3. Trust & Believe they all will unfold for your highest good
    (This means, stop thinking about them over them again and again. That will place too much energy on them and repel them away from you.)
  4. Let go (surrender to however they will unfold)
    (let go of the expectation of how they will happen & in what time frame) We can be clear on what they are and then surrender to how things will show up for us.
  5. Take Action In That Direction
    Had I not shown up for the service, I would have never met him. Take one small step forward with unwavering belief in yourself and the universe

Clarity + Affirm + Trust/Believe + Surrender + Action = Results

Now it’s your turn.

What are your intentions for this month in your business?

Share them with me…

Join me in my facebook group as we set Intentions every Monday and watch them unfold every week.

The SoulPreneur Collective

To abundance flowing effortlessly~

 

 

 

5 Fatal Flaws That Are Killing Your Sales (& How to Fix Them)

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As an entrepreneur, sales are the lifeblood of your business. Sales put money in your pocket, food on your table and fuel in your (literal and figurative) engine. (Oh, and sales also show you’re making the impact you’re meant to make in this world, which is no small thing.)

Unfortunately, sales is also one of the hardest entrepreneurial skills to master. Trust me when I say I’ve coached hundreds of entrepreneurs and one of the trickiest hurdles is creating consistent sales, month after month, year after year.

So if you’re struggling to bring in a steady cash flow and keep yourself in the black, I want you to know you’re not alone.

I also want you to know what you’re doing wrong so you take some different actions, fast.

If you’re ready to pull yourself out of your sales rut, read on and let’s see if you’re practicing any of the five fatal sales flaws that are killing your income.

1. You Aren’t Aligned to Your Ideal Clients

What do I mean by aligned? Aligned is when you are totally “in your element” in your business. I mean that you’re grounded in who you are and what you offer. And I mean that you have confidence you can bring your ideal clients the transformation they deserve.

When you’re aligned, ideal clients can literally feel it through everything you do, post, create or sell.

But if you’re not aligned? If you’re trying to force it, fake it or white knuckle your way through it? Well, it shows. How so? For one thing, your iPhone is silent. Your inbox? A ghost town. When you show up to networking events, people seem to avoid you like Ebola.

And worst of all? When you do connect with a prospect, everybody has a new (and usually very creative) excuse not to work with you: they’re not ready, they’re in overdraft or they simply aren’t interested.

This leads to you feeling overwhelmed, stuck, confused or just plain frustrated. And the cherry on top: broke.

2. Yuck, You’re Stuck in Mental Muck

Let’s be honest: we ALL experience mental muck at some point or another.

What’s mental muck?
It’s ANY dark, heavy, sad or taxing feeling that shows up when something crappy happens in ANY area of your life.

Maybe a pet unexpectedly passes away. Maybe you have a less-than-awesome coffee date with a relative. You name it, if it upsets you or negatively rocks the status quo, it can create mental muck.

We all know that when things go haywire in your life, it can bring up major self doubt and kill our business mojo. But even if your “stuff” isn’t business-related, your mental muck can (and usually will) spill over into your empire.

The way you do one thing is the way you do everything, so if one area of your life is in a funk, your business will likely end up right there with it, too.


3. Overwhelmed with Marketing Mayhem

Have you ever heard yourself saying, “I don’t know where to market my business! There are so many options!” or, “How in the world am I going to master all these social media platforms when a new one crops up every day?”

Yup. I bet you have. And that’s completely normal.

But it could also be hurting your sales.

I know. It feels like you’re doing the right thing by running around trying every latest tech tool to manage your biz, but in reality it’s just stressing you out, lowering your vibration and repelling clients.

The truth is it’s better to do a few things amazingly well, than a million things, well, not-so-great.

You do NOT need to have a million things in place to start making more sales like, yesterday. You do NOT need the upgraded tech or the next big system. (I’ve spoken to a couple of millionaires who didn’t even have a website. True story!)

Focus on 1-3 systems/marketing channels and rock them if you want to create consistent leads without going crazy.

4. You Don’t Know How to ‘Warm Up’ Your Prospects

Do you feel like selling just “isn’t your thing” or you’re “not a salesperson”?

If you find yourself thinking, “I don’t even know what to say to people to get them to say yes,” then you are literally creating your reality with those words.

Systematizing your lead generation (see above) is a must, but knowing what to say to someone when you connect with them is even more important.

You should be able to walk into a room, chat someone up and have them walk away feeling like your BFF (and a million bucks) OR, get someone on the phone and move them from not-sure to -ready-to-roll before they have time to finish their morning latte.

The good news is that if you weren’t born insanely charismatic, you CAN learn how to build rapport easily and quickly.

5. You’re (Too) Focused On Yourself

Remember that famous Carly Simon song, “You’re so vain, I bet you think this song is about you?” (Yes? No? Maybe? I’m a Gen X’er and my parents used to listen to that one on repeat as a kid, but anyway…)

The one thing you DO NOT want to do when putting your feelers out for more fabulous clients is turn the focus inward on what you can get out of the conversation (read: a sale).

I get it. It’s SO easy to get caught up in whether your prospect is gonna say yes that you totally forget about being present for them.

If you’ve ever found yourself wanting to fast forward through a sales consult or tuning out during calls and dreaming up things to say to “convince” them to work with you, you can bet you’re engaging in “vain” thought patterns that will ultimately send your prospect running (and you beating your head against the wall wondering, “What did I do wrong this time?”)

Staying present and listening with your ears and your intuition is imperative in sales. Take the focus (and pressure!) off trying to impress or rush your prospect toward that heck yes and just relax into your center. You’ll be amazed at how ease-y (and sometimes even fun!) sales can become.

So there they are, the five fatal sales flaws! Are you guilty of committing any of them?
If so, don’t fret. We all make mistakes. It’s when we become aware of our flaws that we can actually take the time to create change. Now’s your chance!



Follow-up with Ease: 7 Secrets to Sales Follow-up Mastery

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Picture this: You meet someone, connect with them quickly and enjoy the conversation.

You’re (hopefully, both) actively listening and sharing knowledge. Congratulations! You’ve just had a meaningful exchange with a stranger.

So, right before you walk off, you remember to ask for their business card.

You slip it in your purse or jean pocket, and walk away feeling rather proud of yourself.

Cut to: Two weeks later. The business card is nowhere to be found. And if even you had wanted to follow-up, well, what can you say? You got busy. The kids got the flu. You decided to take on an extra project for a rush fee. Whatever.

The point is: You never followed up.

Now, unless you grew up under a rock, you have consciously heard (and sometimes even been trained) to follow-up with people.

You probably even heard 5 different reasons why follow-up is so important, like:
80% of new clients come from the follow-up.
The fortune is in the follow-up.
Success equates to how much you follow-up.

So why – especially knowing the many advantages – did it “slip your mind” to actually follow-up?

Well, I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess it didn’t actually slip your mind.

What do you think happens between the time you get someone’s information and then actually picking up the phone to call them?

I’ll tell you. It’s a word that starts with F, and it’s not forgetfulness.
It’s FEAR.

Yep. The number one reason people don’t follow up with connections isn’t because they forgot or got busy – it’s because they were SCARED.

Tell me, have you ever gone to follow up with someone, but thought something like…
What do I say on the phone?
What if they don’t remember me?
I don’t want to feel like I’m bugging them.

I thought you might say yes.

It’s actually quite common, and happens a lot.

Below, I’ve put together a list of ways you can set yourself up for success and remember to follow up with more ease:

1. Before the meeting (if you know you might potentially meet someone)
Before any event where you know you’ll be meeting someone, pre-schedule a block of time in your calendar after the event to follow-up. Seriously! For most busy entrepreneurs, if it’s not scheduled, it’s not real. Don’t go to the event until you have this special “follow up time” on your calendar.

2. During the actual meeting
Tell your new contact you’re going to follow-up for a specific reason.

No matter where you meet this someone – on the street, at an event, at the pizza restaurant – if you have an connection or amazing conversation, make it a point to not only get their contact information, but also follow up for a specific reason. This little trick works wonders for me!

Most of the time we are more apt to get back in touch with someone if there is a good reason. So give yourself one!

For example, tell them you’ll get in touch about something they would like, are interested in or have been looking for. This might have something to do with your business, or it could be as simple as the name of your fave local dentist. (Check out my ebook on my homepage of the site “Turn Conversations to CA$H” to really perfect this piece.)

3. Move through the fear of speaking to a stranger
Warm yourself up! In order to get through any fears around actually picking up the phone or writing someone new, you can practice calling or writing someone you know first. This will “warm you up” for future interactions with the unfamiliar person.

4. Practice the Sales Call
Did you connect with a potential new client or someone you think might become a new client?

This adds pressure, I know. One way to take the edge off following up with them is to actually practice having the sales call. You can even “role play” with yourself by holding space (and staying centered and grounded) as you imagine any objections they might have what you introduce your services.

5. Feel the fear and do it anyway!
Here’s the deal: People love when you take the time to pick up the phone and call them! In todays age of technology, no one does this anymore!

Sure, you can always send a quick email, but you will stand out big time if you pick up the phone to reconnect. They may feel surprised and special that you remember and actually took the extra time to call. Remind yourself of this when you’re feeling scared, and just take the leap!

6. Nix the excuses!
Know when you hear yourself saying, “I don’t have enough time.” That is just an excuse. Sit with that feeling around what else could be blocking you from actually doing it.

Remember your integrity is at stake. Since I’m assuming you told this person to expect to hear from you, your integrity is now on the line to do something you promised. Your reputation in business is everything. Think about following-up as a way to maintain your integrity and prove you’re a trustworthy person.  This alone has helped many of my clients follow-up with ease.

7. Have systems in place to remind you to actually follow-up.
If you really are prone to forgetting things, this is a lifesaver!

I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt here, because sometimes even with the best intentions we fall short. So set up some systems that make it almost possible for you to fail! You can use a professional CRM (customer relationship management) system OR simply set a reminder on your calendar. All that matters is that it helps you get the job done!

So there you have it!

Now that there’s nothing standing in your way of remembering and making the time to follow-up, the next question is: What exactly do you say when you do?

I’ve got your back.