Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Throw modest away!

from Christine Harvey

Modesty can be fatal. It’s keeping you from finding your primary purpose. And it’s your primary purpose that drives you. It keeps you going day to day. It brings you joy. It lets you identify and use your unique abilities.

When you let modest get in the way, you can’t even identify your unique abilities, let alone use them! When we work with groups around the world, especially groups of women, we share with them an easy way to drop the modesty that blinds them. It’s this simple. Just start thinking of your abilities as God given. Why do you have those abilities? Perhaps they were purposely given to you to use them, to nurture and grow them, to help the world with them.

We each have unique abilities, different from one another. Isn’t there a chance the world was designed that way? So if you are hiding your talents under a bushel, how does that serve the world – or you?

So as you read this now, ask yourself where you are being too modest. Then set about dropping it. Open your door of opportunity, right now, to see your talents clearly. Then your primary purpose will reveal itself. Do it now. The world needs you, and it needs you to be all you can be.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

How to Identify Your Unique Talents

from Christine Harvey

First, WHY would you want to identify your unique talents?

For me the answer is that when you know your unique talents, you can use them more effectively. For example, what if you discover that you are a good verbal communicator? Then you discover that most people have a fear of speaking out in groups. Then, the next time you are in a room full of people, but only a few are speaking on one side of the issue, you’ll be more likely to bring the other side of the issue forward. Why – because you know that your unique skill is verbal communication. Your skill could make or break an issue. Your skill could be completely different, but by knowing what it is, you’ll have the courage and conviction to use is more often. This leads you to your dreams and your purpose in life.

Second, HOW do you discover your unique talents?

The answer is easy. Just go back to something really special in your life. Maybe an accomplishment. Now ask yourself, “What was the skill or talent I used?” I’ll give you an example from my own life. As you read ahead, think of an accomplishment that gave you great satisfaction, and apply the same principles to get to your unique talent.

Here’s my example. In 1990, when the Communist Wall went down, I went to Czechoslovakia and started a Management Training Institute. I knew no one there when I went. Over a 4 year period, I started the company, hired the people and the translators, worked out the double tax agreements, set up a structure to train 210 trainers, had an advisory board, appointed a joint venture Czech partner to run the Institute, and trained 40,000 people in management, sales, marketing, public speaking and motivation.

Now to get to my unique talent, I have to tap into the real buzz for me, not the grueling parts that I didn’t like. For example, I didn’t like having to keep tabs on quality control. Whenever I told them to print a flyer in black and white, it seemed to come out in pink and green. That was frustrating. So what did I like? What gave me the real thrill? Well, I remember once taking all our trainers to Monte Carlo as a bonus for superior performance. I remember preparing my speeches to acknowledge them and motivate them. That gave me a huge buzz. So from that I can conclude that a unique talent for me is the ability to motivate groups, particularly my groups.

What else did I love about that aspect of my life? Well, I remember often going on a planning retreat with my Institute joint venture partner Eva, and having green light planning sessions. We would talk for hours on ideas and plans, write them down, and then set an implementation schedule. One time we met for the weekend in a gorgeous forest setting, and I remember settling into a corner in the lounge over a glass of wine as our ideas flowed. Another time in a European café overlooking a precious setting. So what does that tell me about a unique talent? It tells me that I have a unique talent for results through collaboration. And, that my mind is best stimulated in beautiful environments.

Ok, now what comes to your mind? Think back to your most exciting times in life. What happened? Maybe it was an accomplishment, maybe an award, maybe a fantastic trip with friends, maybe something back in your school days, maybe a job or a promotion. Maybe an acknowledgment. Don’t get blocked by feeling you have to have the RIGHT thing. Anything you choose will help you tap into your unique talents. Get that accomplishment or event in mind, then tap into the feeling of satisfaction. What was it? What unique talent does that lead you to? Jot it down, and glance at it throughout the day. Take the next 48 hours to use it as often as you can – perhaps in each new setting or meeting you encounter. See how that feels and how it impacts your life and the lives of others.

One thing I’ll guarantee, is that as you start to use your unique abilities consciously, the world around you will shift. You’ll see miracles happen for yourself and others!

We’ll be doing more of this on our May 30th member call at 3 Pacific/ 6 Eastern, so if you know someone who should join, invite them to go to www.WomenforWealth.com

Monday, May 14, 2007

The Power of Emotional States

from Christine Harvey

Do you want to have a life changing experience?

If so, read the piece below, and then join us on the member call on Wednesday – see details at end of email in bold. If you can’t join us, here are the application areas – practice these today and during this week. See what changes it makes. Then incorporate the technique on a daily basis.

Here we go…

EMOTIONAL STATES –

1. How does your emotional state affect your income?

2. How does your emotional state affect your relationships?

3. How does your emotional state affect your health and joy?

Emotions can be wonderful, emotions can be debilitating!

Do you know the hierarchy of emotional states? OR… how to move your self up from one to the other?

Would it help you to have this information? For me, it’s been a life changing experience. For years, I’ve wondered how I could feel bliss one minute and the opposite the next. I wondered if I was unique or if everyone experienced it. More importantly, I knew that I could only create while in a positive state. Time after time, I saw that while in a negative state, nothing useful happened, and that I was blocked from creativity and joy.

Recently in the book ‘Ask and It Is Given,’ by Esther and Jerry Hicks, I discovered a ladder of human emotions. I want to share it with you because it can make a powerful difference in creating your life as you want it – joy, wealth, happiness.

As you read them, think about how you might make a conscious effort to identify which rung of the ladder you are on now, and how you might continue to identify your state throughout the day.

Here is the list in order from high to low:

Joy/Love/Freedom/Appreciation
Positive Expectation
Optimism
Hopefulness
________
Pessimism
Irritation
Feeling Overwhelmed
Blame
Anger
Revenge
Rage
Depression/Fear/Despair/Powerlessness/Grief

So, if emotions can be wonderful or debilitating, how do you move from one to another? According to Hicks, here’s the secret. Just pull yourself up the ladder a few rungs at a time. While it might be hard to jump from depression to joy in one fell swoop, it’s relatively easy to go from one to the next. Imagine being depressed. It’s not too hard to go from depression to anger. And it’s certainly not hard to go from anger to blame – not that we should stay there long!!! But the point is, that if we know the human emotional rungs, we can force ourselves up the ladder one step or two at a time. And each step might only take seconds to ascend. As Hicks puts it, “Rage gives you relief from depression… and hopefulness gives you relief from pessimism… and joy gives relief from positive expectation”

APPLICATION AREAS:

Prosperity & Income – Hicks also says that the habit of resistant thought is the only thing that keeps up from allowing what we desire. Therefore if we move ourselves up and out of resistant thought (anything on the ladder below hopefulness,) we will allow that which we desire to enter our lives.

Relationships – What do you really want in relationships? When I learned this process, all the tension went out of relationships. All I had to do was identify the state I was in at that moment, AND the state of the person I was with. If either were negative, I knew we were not in a position to discuss anything. By teaching this to the people who matter to me, we were each able to identify our states, move up the ladder to a positive state and then move on with joy. It’s magic, believe me. The trick here – and it’s easy – is to discipline yourself to identify your state. You may feel some inner resistance, because while in the negative states like anger or blame can be griping. But knowing your purpose will pull you through.

Health and joy – The negative states carry a negative vibration which affects your health and welfare. Your mind can’t work to solve problems or think logically. You’re not at your full capacity. Positive states carry positive vibrations, leading to creativity and joy. Every move up the ladder of emotions will bring you closer and closer to the top rung of joy. Choose to be there, identify where you are on the ladder moment by moment, and soon you will develop the expertise to work your way to the top. The more you practice, the faster you’ll progress. Why not start now!