"Rules" of Action

Yesterday a friend said, "Thank you for reminding me that I make up the rules!" I laughed as I recognized I'm not a big fan of rules, and that my favorite thing to do is break them. But I can also get on board with each of us making our own up. That feels right.

Which may be why I get so riled up when I hear LOA experts telling us what the rules are.

I've got some nerve to question one of the country's strongest LOA authorities on how to best practice deliberate creation. But honestly, if I hear one more person say my furniture will get repo'd because I sat on my butt instead of taking action, I'm going to lose my cool.

This is ridiculous!!

Back to the beginning: Blogger Mark says he's having his first experience with LOA. Good for him! John Assaraf, one of my favorite guys in the Secret, posts a comment encouraging him to visualize a clear outcome and reminds him that action is of course also required.

I was crushed! Not John, too!

Here's the deal, or at least the way I see it. (And I'm willing to be wrong on this.) But my opinion is that action isn't what creates our success. We don't create with our hands. We didn't come here for the action journey! We are Visionaries, not Actionaries. (I'm basing that on info from Abe, which feels true to me.)

I mean, how many times has something finally gone your way when you gave up the action? It's happened a LOT for me. Some of my favorite miracles came after I stopped the action. And the success, when it finally revealed itself, often didn't have anything to do with the prior actions I'd taken to make it happen!

I could fill this post with examples.

Action serves us best if it helps get our vibration lined up with what we want.

And that's about it.

"Success won't come knocking on your door if all you do is sit home thinking about it." Oh yeah? Says WHO? I've got this Universal Manager working for me. It does everything. I just do what feels good. And sometimes that's sitting on my butt.

My girlfriend experienced Mr. Right knocking on her door. She didn't do anything. Other than schedule an in-home massage one day. Everyone (besides me) had told her, "You gotta get out. You gotta put yourself out there. You have to start dating. Get on Match. You've got to make some effort!"

Well, she'd done all that and more, and it was a big fat bust. For over a YEAR! (And this girl was HOT - with all capital letters. No reason she shouldn't have been an active dater.)

She finally gave up thinking that anything good would happen for her in Utah.

And she scheduled a massage.

He came knocking on her door. The guy who swept her off her feet and had her thinking twice about what Utah had to offer after all.

I hear some of you guys ... "Well that was her action, Jeannette. Scheduling a massage."

That's my point! That WAS her action! A glorified "sit on your butt" action!

Taking a nap! Or a shower! Going to the movie; going for a walk; playing with the kitties!

THESE are strong actions. These are the types of things that get us into allowing. That get us to open our door to the Universe, so all the magic and miracles that Universe has lined up for us can come in.

I don't often find myself touting Michael Losier's work, but I have to say after typing up this post last night, and reading his article on the topic of action today, I was proud of how he addressed it. Much more on target than we hear from many others, whom I refuse to name because I'm in love with at least one of them.

You know how I could get a sale to close back in the corporate world that I was having trouble with? By going for a bus ride in the middle of the day. Or sneaking out for a matinee. That's when good things happened. When I RELAXED. When I gave up my stupid action journey of follow up calls to decision makers, and overcoming objections, and coming up with new incentives, etc. etc.

When we're so busy doing this and that, we're often not in a vibrational place to let the good stuff in.

Let's get clear about what action can and cannot do for us.

My success doesn't happen because of the action I took. It happens because of the energy I flow.

And MAYBE the energy I flow happens because of the action I took - but don't mistake that action for being the "cause" of the success! It was my ENERGY. My VIBRATION.

And I don't have to have BOTH. I get the energy right, and I'm golden. I've proven it, and my clients have proven it, too many times to doubt it.

I'm not saying everyone sit home and never do anything again.

I AM saying don't think that action is required for you to get what you want. It simply isn't.

UNLESS, you think it is. And then that's when action serves you.

I hope I'm making sense. This is a big topic, so I'm sure I'll be addressing it again. Your thoughts, comments and questions are invited (and appreciated).

Law of Attraction & the 4th of July

I recently wrote about how the 4th of July annual celebration reminds us not to take our freedom for granted. That it prompts us to consciously acknowledge and appreciate our national independence, and to support our government’s continuing efforts to maintain our citizen rights.

But true freedom isn’t dependent on outside conditions; it doesn’t require particular circumstances be in place for us to feel peace. In fact, if we require certain situations to exist before we acknowledge freedom, we are anything but free.

True freedom lies within. Until we tap into that truth we’re at the mercy of the world around us for our peace of mind, joy and any other emotions we attach to liberty.

If you're interested in reading more on the topic of personal freedom, check out the full article here.

How Easy Are You?

A lovely woman from area code 503 phoned me last week inquiring about coaching services. I told her I anticipated two open slots for June, but couldn't promise how long they'd last. (Since filled, fyi.)
She was committed to working together although she didn't have the extra money on hand right in that red hot moment. She took one of the open slots.

I knew from her commitment that it wouldn't be long before she did have money in hand. And she had exactly the type of energy I love to spend time with - open, trusting, and delightful.

I emailed her a Welcome Kit and some quick money manifesting exercises late Wednesday night. Thursday she read through the material and returned her completed workbook to me. Commitment! Universe likes that.

Friday she noticed an extra $0.07 coming into her world. She tallied it up, appreciated it and emailed me her success. Yay!

Saturday she got an unexpected $50. Sunday she ran across an extra $1. And counted it! Yay, my friend!! Thank you for not letting "small" discourage you! Thank you for using it as another reason to flow gratitude and excitement and anticipate more abundance!

Monday's mail brought her an unexpected check for over six thousand dollars. (And we haven't even had our first official session together.) She was so excited she screamed. Who wouldn't?!

That's exactly how this works when we let it be EASY.

How easy are YOU letting it be? Are you making it harder than it is? Remember that easy is waiting for you whenever you're ready for it.

And if you don't remember what easy feels like ... it's time to remember. Start looking and feeling for easy, and it'll come back to you. It was our natural state, once upon a sweet time. And it can be again. ; )

What Would You Do?

If you knew how to make life sail so smoothly you would never again want for anything, could you do it?

Would you embrace it as a way of living? Letting all the good stuff in? Or would you feel guilty about living a charmed life while friends and family remained stuck in a world of lack and scarcity?

Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Holding ourselves out from life's rewards just because everyone else isn't in on it, too. But you might be surprised at your reaction when things start to get really good.

I was tested on this recently when I dreamed my name was called out as a third place raffle winner. As the audience clapped, I thought, "Cool!" Then my name was called again as the second place winner. Hmm. Less enthusiastic applause that time, as people became suspicious. When my name was announced a third time as the grand prize winner, the audience began booing. I was not only embarrassed, I felt like a total outcast!

In my dream, by the time I snuck my way to the officials box to claim my three prizes, hiding from the disgusted audience along the way, officials had given the prizes to someone more grateful and open to receiving. (And my bag was stolen in the meantime!)

A fellow LOA coach told me her real life similar story. She deliberately intended herself as a winner, but when her name was called out not once, but three times as a prize winner (winning an expensive trip among other cool things), she was so embarrassed she wanted to hide under the table.

How good are we willing to let it be? Are we really willing to live the life of our dreams, in the midst of a world that (some would argue) isn't? Can you enjoy the deliciousness of life while others struggle with debt, disease and depression?

Knowing you're worthy of the good stuff is crucial to letting it in. Not letting others' negative reactions to your good fortune shut you down is also important to stay aligned with success.

I thought I had this one nailed, but realized my dream reflected subconscious guilt over having a thriving coach practice (just what I manifested!) while many others struggle. Over having a body that - let's face it, rocks! (hey, just what I asked for!) - while others are embroiled in diet and exercise traps. In hearing girlfriends complain about men trouble, and feeling like the lucky one who always gets what she wants (yeah, I manifested that too). How did I deserve all this?

When we get our vibe cleaned up and attention focused on what we want, the good stuff comes. Be prepared to deal with it! Could you step up to claim three prizes in a row? In front of a booing audience? If we don't feel worthy of it, we could sabotage it right out of our lives.

Struggling With a Naysayer?

Clients often ask, now that they're turned on to the law of attraction, how to get a spouse or close friend to embrace deliberate creation too. After all, it's easier to practice when those close to us are on board with what we're up to, right?

Yeah, probably. But live and let live, huh? I usually suggest they not push it on anyone, live the example, others will figure it out eventually, etc. Easy words to preach until my boyfriend joined the ranks of naysayers last week.

My boyfriend! The guy I spend most of my free time with! Doesn't believe in the law of attraction?! I could hardly believe my ears. He maintains I heard him wrong, but I distinctly recall hearing "thought alone cannot result in physical manifestation."

Come again??

He repeated it for me. "You cannot sit in that chair and create a million dollars just by thinking about it." He was hot (not in a sexy boyfriend way) and vehemently adamant.

"Oh yeah? You wanna watch me??" That's what I thought, but I didn't say it because I was in shock to realize I was sleeping with a non-believer.

I mean, it's fine for my clients to be married to someone who thinks they're up in the night to believe thoughts are things - but not me! My entire LIFE is built on the principles of law of attraction. How could I share it with someone who thought I was high? How could my partner not believe in what my entire life was founded on? And how was I just learning this after eight months together?

The things is, now that the Secret's not a secret, plenty of deliberate creators are experiencing backlash from those who aren't on board. Joe Vitale wrote about this in a recent blog. The Manifest Life people, just for the humor factor, forwarded an angry letter from a non-believer who attacked Oprah for spreading evil (because she believes and shares the Secret).

Well, hey, Galileo was imprisoned for suggesting earth was not the center of the Universe and Louis Pasteur was ridiculed for believing in germs. So it's not unusual we would take heat for an idea that scrambles people's understanding of reality. Part of the package in walking the leading edge, I guess.

So what to do when the one you love thinks you're off your rocker? I don't have all the answers, but here's what worked for me:

• Don't get defensive. They're not attacking you, although it might sound that way. They're just taking a while longer to get used to the idea of a round planet. Cut 'em some slack. We were in the dark once upon a time, too. ; )
• Find your common ground. Instead of focusing on the problem, look at what you agree on. For example, my guy (thinks he) understands the power of right thought. And I was quick to agree that inspired action is a critical part of successful manifesting. Common ground is good.
• Live and let live. Everyone gets to choose for themselves what to believe. Resisting your partners' beliefs just makes them that more stuck. You say tomato, I say tomatoe - we can still get along.
• My favorite way for someone to see the light about the power of thought is to simply invite them to pay attention. Especially if I have no attachment to their realization, people usually see quite readily how their thoughts, expectations and beliefs come to fruition.

Last, a word about the power of thought and the role of action in creating what we want. Could I manifest a million dollars just by sitting in my chair thinking about it? The answer is if I can imagine it, it can happen. But it's more likely I'd get tired of sitting in the chair after an hour or so, and go do something I enjoyed. Which is what would lead to my million if I maintained that desire. My boyfriend would point to the "feel good" action as the reason I made a million bucks. I'd point to the thought (just to prove my point), and we'd both be right. Bottom line is they're a powerful combination: right thought and inspired action. Just like me and my guy. ; )

Are You Letting Money In?

How's your relationship with money these days? If money could talk, what would it say about you? Have you told it lately you love it? Is it good to you? Or do you take each other for granted, have a love/hate relationship, or maybe pretend to ignore each other?

If you want to change the way money shows up in your life, change your relationship with it. Let's make friends with money once and for all.

What is money, anyway? You know this one - it's the same thing everything is: energy. That's it. Period. Nothing tricky, good, bad, right or wrong. It's just energy.

But that's not what we've made up about it, is it? We inherited stories about money that make it out to be some big hairy deal. We think it's hard to come by, we gotta be careful with it, it's the root of all evil, etc. Listen, money isn't any different than everything else in the world. When we relax about money, it comes to us as easily as everything else we don't have a charge on.

For example, I like dogs. They show up for me in abundance (to my absolute delight). In fact, just today an ex-fiance asked me to take his 8 month old golden lab. You know why this happens? Because I love dogs, they love me, Universe feels me on that and delivers.

Can you imagine your ex stopping by to unload some cash on you? Can you visualize him telling you he's got this extra money he hasn't been able to manage, the neighbors are complaining, and it would be really helpful and he'd be big time grateful if you'd just take this money off his hands?

If you had an easy, abundant story about money, trust me - it would happen.

What do you have a nice easy story about? Friends? Shoes? Bottled water? Can you imagine feeling that same way about money? See if you can spot the difference in how you feel about something abundant in your life versus money. Is there a difference? If not, you're probably rolling in the green stuff. If there is a difference, this is your wake-up call to change your money vibe.

Money flows easily when we change our thinking about it. I think about money the way I do dogs. I love it. It's all good. There's lots of it. In fact, lots of folks don't know how to handle it properly, and it naturally finds its way to me. I love taking care of it. I never have too much of it. You don't know what to do with it? Call me. I've got a system; I'm connected; I can help.

Can you feel the vibe I'm running about money? It's as easy as dogs.

Now for those of you who flinched in reading that prior paragraph because it felt greedy, immoral or uncomfortable, you might want to check in on your money vibe. There's nothing wrong with money. Life works well when we have it. Would you blame someone for amassing more than "their share" of postcards? Probably not, huh? Take the charge off money. It's just energy. There's plenty of it for all of us. All we gotta do is let it in.

What do you have an abundance of? What comes easily to you? Translate that feeling to how you feel about money and it'll show up in droves. Change the way you feel about money, and money has to change the way it treats you.

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Do you tend to make things harder than they are? With your manifesting, too? If so, you have good company.

But just because lots of us do it, doesn't mean you want to keep it up. How cool would it be if you approached deliberate creation with the simplicity and ease of, say - eating a bowl of cereal? Or playing with the dog?

I remembered how easily we can complicate life when my sweetie took me bowling last weekend. He's a good bowler, competing with the best in the state, while I'm happy to break 100. He offered to improve my game with a little coaching. No one better to learn from, right?

But before we were even three frames into the game he told me several things I needed to change. "Shake hands with the ceiling when you release, get 'behind it' (?), stand on the second dot and shoot for the third arrow (which side do I count from again?), don't look at the pins (don't look at the pins? really??), watch the ball after release, and follow through with your arm (what?). I was also supposed to have some sort of "hook" action going on with this new custom ball he'd given me for Christmas.

All right, I was quickly understanding why bowling and beer go hand in hand. In fact, I sent my coach for a drink, and immediately appreciated his absence. How had I bowled all those years doing so many things wrong? I used to think this was fun? Bowling was hard stuff!

I knew I was in trouble when my third gutter ball inspired a bad word right in front of the 7 year old girls in the neighboring lane. (It's a good thing those alleys are noisy.)

Wait a minute! Swearing in front of little girls? Getting anxious about my score? This was not me. As I looked at what led to the erosion of my good time at the bowling alley, I wondered if I did the same thing with LOA. Was I critical and overwhelming? Did I have a talent for turning the simple and straightforward into an insurmountable challenge? Did I eliminate the fun by focusing on perfecting the technique?

Luckily my coach/sweetie is a good read of my mood, and after lip-reading my four letter word, quickly gave me new instruction: "Forget everything I said, and just have fun."

"Forget everything?" I questioned. "What about shaking hands and standing on the right arrow and ... ?" "Relax and have fun," he repeated. Okay, he's the coach.

I gave up all prior instruction, approached the pins with the new command to "have fun," and finished the game with a couple of decent balls. It was still one of my lowest scores ever (at least I think so - I didn't really used to keep track of scores, but it seems like it's been a while since I bowled 63). And I reflected on how easy it is to get caught up in "doing it right." In improving and proving ourselves, in wanting to impress others, and win the affection and acceptance of those we love. And in leaving the whole purpose of life (having fun!) out of the lives we live.

So my question to you is, "Are you having a good time?" Are you taking the enjoyment out of life by trying to "do it right?" Remember to relax and enjoy the process of life and of deliberate creation. This isn't as hard as we sometimes make it out to be.

It's just like in skydiving: when you're tense, you tumble. When you relax, you naturally arch and freefall becomes graceful, easy and enjoyable. Our default is set to success, so when we stop twiddling with the details that take the "feel good" out of life, we naturally accomplish our goals and live our dreams.

How do you know when you're on the right track? When you can smile with your 7 year neighbor about another perfectly executed gutter ball. (Expletives excluded.)

Vibe-Transforming Thought

Holidays are supposed to be a time of festivities and love, right? Which is why when we don't feel the joy, it can hit us particularly hard.

What to do when you’re struggling to find your way out of a bad vibe? Here’s what I do when nothing else works: I embrace a thought that reminds me everything is unfolding perfectly, even if I can’t see it. And for good measure I'll remember a couple of times it was proven out.

My Rottweiler foster dog, Roxxie, recently howled in pain after landing on her broken leg chasing a stuffed animal I'd tossed. (I know! Don't ask me what I was thinking!) She'd had surgery on a broken femur two weeks prior, and was due to be delivered to her new family in less than a half hour!

My thoughts were immediately full of "don't wants": “She’s broken her leg again. It's all my fault. She’ll need another surgery. The rescue group can't afford this. Her new owners won’t want her with a re-broken leg. What if it can't be fixed? No one will want a three legged rottie. I crippled this dog for life. I’ve probably ruined her life!”

Not the kind of vibe that helps, huh? So I did what I do in every emergency; I called my ex. He tried to talk me down but it didn't help. I insisted he take her in for x-rays immediately.

After Verrall left with poor limping Roxxie, I tried to imagine "happy healthy Rox." She's bouncing around on four legs at her new home loving life. Couldn't get there. The memory of her painful howling and wobbly leg drowned everything else out.

So I used my fall back thought, the one that works every time: "The Universe always has my best interests at heart and delivers me perfection every single time. Always. Perfection."

I had to repeat it nearly a dozen times before I could feel the peace creeping back in. Which is when I called to checkup on her. "This is hopeless," I overheard the vet say to Verrall. Jeez loueez! This was becoming a real test!

Back to the drawing board: "The Universe always has our best interests at heart and delivers perfection every single time. Always. Perfection." A couple repeats for good measure, then I released my attachment to the outcome.

Fifteen minutes later Verrall phoned to say they were singing my praises at the vet's office. "Thank God you insisted on x-rays," he said. It turns out Roxxie's original surgery was flawed - her leg would never healed. Had this not been caught, she could have lost it altogether.

Woo hoo! How brilliant of me to throw a stuffed animal for a broken-leg dog!! What kind of genius am I? To top it off, the vet offered a 50% discount on her surgery which her new owners happily paid as they collected her from the vet's office that day.

How about that? The Universe really does have our best interests at heart, and delivers perfection every single time – even when we can’t see it right away. Next time you’re in a pinch – try that thought on for size and let it transform your tough situation.

What's Your Commitment?

Have you ever been in conversation with someone who was griping about a problem, and no matter what solution you mentioned they had a reason it wouldn’t work? Although you could see the way out for them, they were focused on being stuck.

Well, they’re not the only ones who do that. You and I do it, too.

I realized this during a heated discussion with my beau about an issue that recently came up. He’s a dog-lover, not so much a cat-lover (whereas I go both ways). Four foster kittens tested his patience one night as he tried to eat pumpkin pie with ill- behaved felines each determined to share it with him.

After he left in frustration, I sat home pondering what had gone wrong. By the time we spoke the next day, I’d convinced myself there was no hope of integrating our lives. Whereas he approached the call with the intention of finding middle ground, I’d already done us in.

With each solution he suggested, I was johnny-on- the-spot with a reason it wouldn't work. “Keep them in the pen? Are you kidding? They need to be socialized.” “Get a bigger place together where there’s more room for everyone? I’m not moving in with a cat-hater.” “You might get used to them? Highly unlikely.” My dedication to the problem was obvious to everyone but me, I wager.

Luckily he didn’t throw in the towel when most would. I got a chance the rest of that week to reexamine what I was committed to. Did I really want a solution? Or did I want to prove no one could hang with me; that I’m destined to short term romances? Did I mean it when I said I wanted a long- lasting relationship of substance? Or was it just lip service?

I offer this example to prompt you to look at where you’re open to solution, and where you’re committed to proving your problem. If you can’t see a problem you’re committed to, look harder. What have you come to accept as impossible to change? What do you think you have to live with? What have you given up hope on?

When you release your grip on the problem, and become open to possibility of solution, life will deliver miracles. Count on it.

Power of Not Knowing How

Last weekend I visited a part of my state for the first time for a golf tournament. Since golf isn’t my thing (it's my boyfriend's gig), I wisely set an intention to have an unusually fabulous time, since it didn’t seem likely under the circumstances. Sharing a 3 bed 2 bathroom condo with 7 men I didn’t know, and dogs left at home. Hmm - could be interesting.

When it came time for the tournament, I recognized a “feel good” that was more in line with hiking, not so much watching golf. Although I was in a strange town with no gear, no familiarity with the terrain, no hiking buddies and no car, I announced I was skipping the tournament and going hiking instead. (Following my “feel good!”)

I borrowed a car to look for the perfect trail, which I didn’t find right away. I bought water, but found no sign of a hike or even a decent walking path. This desert town looked like I might have been dreaming to think I would find any such thing!

But I didn’t give up (perseverance). I passed the Visitors Center, and although it’s not my style to ask for help, it seemed like the thing to do. (Stepping out of my comfort zone.)

Turns out I didn’t have to ask for help after all, as the Center had a free brochure on local hikes. I picked one advertising "steep switchbacks" (woo hoo!) and easily found the trailhead to begin a three hour adventure with an open mind (allowing).

And boy, was it an adventure! I'm often moved by nature, but this was amazing! Stunning, awesome, inspiring, humbling, unbelievably beautiful –one of the most unique hikes ever! (Can you feel my Appreciation?!) From the trailhead, it looked like I was climbing directly up a cliff canyon wall – it didn’t even look possible!

As if that weren't enough, at the top of the wall it opened onto a beautiful green hidden meadow. Right there in the desert!! It was so amazing it literally stopped me in my tracks. I eventually continued through the meadow, where two locals tipped me off to a little known area of unprotected 2,000 year old petroglyphs. Which were also unbelievable. It was like entering a time warp!

I returned (speechless) in time to pick up my guy from the golf course, and pointed out the canyon wall I’d just scaled. He couldn’t believe it; and truth be told, I couldn’t either. In fact, I extended my stay and hiked it again to prove it to myself. It was just as miraculous the second time!

It also turned out my condo-mates were a ton of fun to get to know and even share bathrooms with.
So yeah, “unusually fabulous time” – the Universe delivered! It was a lesson in not getting wrapped up in how a miracle unfolds. I set an intention, respected my “feel good,” followed intuition, trusted, persevered, did something different, appreciated and allowed a miracle to unfold.

This miracle-making stuff isn’t so tricky after all, when we give up knowing how they happen! How are you harnessing your power of not knowing?

Shepherd Your Thoughts

Have you ever watched sheepdog trials? What an amazing display of energy work! Last weekend I had the pleasure of watching the Sheep Dog Championship competition not too far from my home.
These amazing dogs herd 16 sheep over a mountainside through various gates; grouping, splitting and regrouping them; working them into pens; with just their handler’s whistles to guide them through the course.

Bill Berhow’s stunning border collie, Pete, moved me to tears with his sheep-management finesse. (Seriously, my eyes welled up!) He applied the perfect amount of “pressure” – running this way to push sheep there, easing off to let them relax, approaching in a crouch to shift their direction, with no contact or barking. What a Master of energy work! While watching, I realized our thoughts are like these sheep.

They’ll run rampant all over the mountain if left to their own devices. But get a good dog in there and you can guide them anywhere. It’s not a matter of manhandling them into submission, but rather working with them instead of against.

Watching dogs and handlers trying to accurately direct wayward sheep is frustrating. Their patience must be enormous! I'm sure I would resort to shouting and physical prodding, but Pete expertly herds without upset. Too much pressure and they run outside course boundaries. Not enough and they won't move at all.

Our thought process is similar: some of us try to rein in our thoughts with an iron grip, intent on thinking only positive things, beating ourselves up each time we fail. Others apply no effort whatsoever in guiding their thoughts, which run willy nilly throughout the day wherever they happen to land; listening to this co-worker’s problems, that client’s complaints, frustrated with afternoon traffic, then watching discouraging news.

And what have you manifested? More of the same. Directing our thoughts is crucial work as deliberate creators – otherwise we’re just mindlessly subject to whatever we happen to observe in our reality. Which is what we create more of.

At the same time, we don't want to create waves of resistance by trying to force ourselves to go somewhere our minds aren't ready to. A gentle guiding is much more effective.

How can we become masters of energy like Pete? Wouldn’t it be cool to steer our thoughts in the direction of what we want as easily as these sheepdogs herd sheep? Well, we can. The same way they did: with training, discipline, and direction.

Who's Whispering in Your Ear?

Who’s whispering in your ear lately? I’m not talking about the secrets your four year old shares at bedtime or the comments colleagues mutter during staff meeting. I’m talking about the voices you hear inside: those of your Gremlins and Guides.

Most of us get input from both, and we tend to hear one better than the other. Who’s whispering to you lately, and which promptings do you follow?

Last weekend on a dog hike I passed a healthy young man and his Corgi dog on the trail, and intuitively knew he'd need a ride back to his car. My immediate thought was “I’m not giving a ride to a stranger!” Gremlin or Guide?

I didn’t have to think about it until an hour later I'd reached the other end of the trail where my car was parked, when once again I came upon the hiker and his Corgi. Sure enough, as I passed he mentioned needing a ride to his car. (I knew it!)

I’m not in the habit of picking up hitchhikers and don’t usually invite strange men into my car. But a whisper in my ear said “Give him a ride.” Gremlin or Guide?

Could have been Gremlin wanting me to conform with what others expect – doing the “right” or “polite" thing. Or was it a Guide letting me know it's okay to give little Corgi and his human companion a lift?

How do we ever know who’s talking to us? Clients ask me this often – how to interpret the little whispers inside that are often at odds with each other. If you don’t already know how to distinguish Gremlin thoughts from True Guidance, read further to learn a fail safe method in choosing which whispers to embrace and which to dismiss.

Manifesting Formula Add Up?

Manifesting what we want is a balance of two parts: action and thought. Inspired action and right thought are powerful ingredients to making the impossible happen.

My experience with clients is that many of us tend to rely on one over the other in manifesting our desires. I tend to be an action girl, while roughly a third of my clients are thought people, and two-thirds incline toward action. No matter which way you lean, if you’re out of balance with one or the other your manifesting efforts are handicapped.

What’s inspired action? Simply put, it’s action that feels good.

What’s right thought? Thoughts that are in alignment with what you want.

How do you know if you’ve got the right balance? When you’re there you’ll know. Things happen. Evidence appears that you’re moving towards your goal. If you’re not making the progress you’d like, look at the two ingredients to the manifesting formula to see where you come up short.

Creating a good balance of right thought with inspired action will catapult you on your path to success!

The Secret You Haven't Heard

Did you learn about the law of attraction, start visualizing, affirming, “acting as if,” etc. only to get frustrated that nothing happened?

If so, you're not alone. I've also experienced the discouragement of running into dead ends after getting excited about the promise of creating my own reality.

My personal experience as well as noticing the difference between clients who create their dreams easily vs. those who don’t, tells me there’s often one crucial missing ingredient. This is the secret that may be holding you back from getting what you want.

Successful manifesting isn't so much learning how to make miracles happen, but learning how to stop them from not happening. Miracles are our natural state; we've just clouded our lives with "anti- miracles" and don't realize the toll they take on our creative abilities.

Here's what may trip you up, which when handled, frees you for easy manifestation of whatever you dare dream: tolerations (aka "feel bads" and "anti- miracles"). If you’ve got a big toleration in life, you may find no matter how much time you spend visualizing or taking inspired action, things just don’t change.

Usually these big tolerations fall in categories we think we can’t do anything about, won’t address, or have gotten so used to we don’t even realize exist. Common culprits are unfulfilling work, empty relationships, and neglecting to love, accept and appreciate ourselves (low self-worth).

Anything come to mind for you? If so, you’re lucky! At least you’re aware of it, which is the first step. Many don’t even realize what’s dragging their vibration down and handicapping their manifesting efforts.

As long as these negative elements are present in your life, making your dreams come true can be tricky.

Only Definition That Matters

Have you ever chased something before (or someone) only to discover after you got it that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be? I suspect most of us have experienced this at some point in our lives.

What's up with us? Are we destined to be perpetually unsatisfied? Is it human nature to continually reach for something new? Does the cycle of wanting, achieving, and then just wanting more continue our entire lives?

Probably. But it’s also worth checking out whether you’re trying to fulfill someone else’s definition of success.

I don’t fall for this one often these days, but years ago my marriage, career, and even my car reflected someone else’s idea of success. After spending too much time with an unlucky husband, a puzzled employer, and a sports car that my dogs couldn't sit in, I realized this wasn’t my gig.

I eventually had another go at it, this time without giving a rip what others thought. As a result, I painted a much different picture than before; one that is more fulfilling than I ever dreamed. Who'da thought I'd be happier scooping litter boxes at the animal shelter than graduating cumma sum laude in three years?

You may be surprised to realize where your “feel goods” come from, but it’s crucial to get in touch with. What’s the point of becoming Master Manifestors if we create things that don’t bring us real joy?

Take the King of Bhutan, for example, who declared his country’s measure of prosperity to be GNH (Gross National Happiness) rather than the traditional GDP. He uses well-being instead of consumption as the measure for success. How cool is that?!

Check-in on your current intentions and manifestation projects. Are they genuinely yours? Or are they someone else’s idea of what yours should be? Read further for help getting clear on what your definition of success is. As a wise person once said: “There is only one definition of success that matters. Yours.”

Who's Up for a Miracle?

Last week I heard an experienced coach express his belief that planetary peace was our destiny, and that coaching was the most powerful way to usher it in. Someone ridiculed him by asking if he'd watched the news lately and curtly added "world peace would be a miracle."
The coach paused before earnestly responding: "Well, I'm up for a miracle."
That's exactly how it's done, isn't it? Someone believes in the impossible. Someone dares to hold the possibility for what they want. It starts with someone daring the idea and making room for it to happen.

So are you up for a miracle?

“Who isn't, Jeannette?” you might be thinking. Don't we all want dreams come true with miracles of change happening all around us? Getting the bodies, bank accounts and relationships we've always fantasized about? Well, it's one thing to say it; it's another to do it.

Here’s the deal: in order to really be ready for a miracle, you have to give up your old stance. You have to give up pigeon-holing others, give up your unconscious payoffs to current reality and your old “stories.” You must open to new experiences and possibilities - for yourself and others.

I'll be the first to agree it takes strength, courage, and maybe even a little naiveté. Yes, it might be scary, and yes we risk failure. But what happens if we don't?

So if you’re up for a miracle, there is no better time for it. Join leading edge players in embracing our potential to create whatever we want; leaving all excuses and reasons behind. People are already proving there isn't anything we can't have or be or do! It's time to get in the game!

Giving Up To Get Ahead

You want it badly. You’ve had your eye on it for some time. You dream about it, talk about it, and plot about it. Time passes. Still it doesn’t come.

Now you’re frustrated. You want it more than ever and are feeling resentful. Even in your dreams it eludes you, and people are sick of hearing you talk about it. Eventually you give up.

And what happens next? Don't be surprised if that’s exactly when it arrives. Right after you throw in
the towel!

What’s going on? It’s not a mystery or twisted conspiracy to drive you insane. Rather, it’s the effect of releasing resistance; of “allowing” what you want.

When you experience desire, your order is in with the Big U. The Universe delivers it as soon as you allow it. But many of us don’t “allow” naturally. We often bring resistance right along with our wants. Until we release resistance, whether it's in the form of doubt, fear, disbelief, attachment, etc., our desire will not manifest.

Which is why giving up is often transformational - because we're releasing resistance in the process. Obviously, a better plan is to entertain desires without resistance in the first place. If you're struggling with getting what you want, read further for help with allowing.

Lose Your Grip On Reality

This week a friend phoned for advice. She's thinking about selling her house and everything in it, quitting her job and starting her own business. She knew I left a pinnacling career to build a thriving practice in record time, and asked how I did it.

As my mind reflected on writing the business plan, completing training and hiring expert coaches, I realized all that helped, but what really made the difference was something else. The bottom line to my success was that I thought I could and I decided to.

For the three years prior I had wanted it, but didn’t believe it could happen. I wasn’t committed, and let others discourage my outrageous fantasy.

So I retreated to my own little world with this hidden dream. Which is where I lost my grip on reality. (Finally!) I stopped believing most coaches go broke; that it takes nearly two years to build a full time practice; that I’d have to work a side job to make ends meet.

I quit thinking it was crazy to abandon a successful career; that I’d quickly burn through savings. Instead I started listening to the voice that said I could do what I wanted. And began listening for other voices that supported it.

So, my friend, what do you think you can? What do you imagine is possible? What are you committed to? Can you feel the difference between wanting something you don’t believe, vs. wanting something you know is possible? That difference is where your creative power lies.

For example, one of my clients wants a group of new, like-minded, supportive and positive friends. She knows they’re out there, and knows they’ll soon make their appearance in her real world. In the meantime, they’re imaginary friends.

Another person I know wants a new location for his business. He’s fed up with his current place, and has a long list of reasons why he hasn’t been able to - and won’t - find the right new location. He’s stuck in reality.

My advice is to loosen your grip on "reality" and dwell in what’s possible. Revel in the imaginary world of dreams come true. (Keep it to yourself for a while if you have to.) Losing your grip on reality can be the crucial shift to getting what you want!

Spring Clean Boost

Spring has arrived! What a rejuvenating time of year - the word itself calls for action! This season of growth is an excellent time to give your manifesting efforts an extra boost.

Instead of just spring cleaning the house, yard or colon, clean up your vibration as well. Get to the heart of what’s clogging your energy flow – the gunk that’s keeping you from reaching your best, biggest and brightest desires.

What might that be, you wonder? Ha! Don’t play innocent with me! You know what’s kinking your vibe; what keeps you from higher levels of passion, peace and joy. It might be tough to admit, but deep down, you know what needs cleaning up in your life.

Maybe it’s subjecting yourself to disapproving calls from mom that brings you down; maybe it’s the job you’ve hated for years; maybe it’s your two martini habit or the body you’ve been hiding under winter clothes.

Whatever it might be, spring is a great time to take the blinders off and address what's not serving you. Cleaning up vibes to allow for dreams come true is my specialty all year long, but spring time calls even more strongly for us to come back into alignment!

How Does Your Movie End?

Everyone who works with me eventually hears these words: "Tell me, again, how your movie ends?"

As the script-writers of our lives, we often forget we're in charge, especially when the stakes are high. We forget that we choose what happens, when and with whom. We get caught up in the daily drama and lose sight of the fact that we're creating all this.

Which is why I stop clients in mid-complaint to ask them how their movie ends. It's a trigger to remember to focus on what you want, not on what is or what you’re worried about.

We don't need to wait to see how this movie ends - we choose it! And knowing that makes it easier to get through the difficult scenes.

I'm in true love with Bruce Willis and saw "16 Blocks" Friday night. Great show - not just because of sexy Bruce, but also because it landed a few surprises, nice message and fabulous ending. In fact, I liked it so much I watched it again Sunday.

And I enjoyed it even more the second time, because this time I knew how it ended. I smiled and laughed through the grim scenes, because I didn't get caught up in worry; I knew how it ended.

My Sunday movie partners weren't enjoying it nearly as much, though. In looking at their grimaces and frowns, I wondered why weren't they smiling? Then I realized they were worried it might end badly! Silly bees. (Of course, I was one of those silly bees just two nights prior.)

Our lives are just like this. It's easy to get caught up in the dark scenes, but if you remember how your movie ends, you can enjoy the darkest of dark scenes. It's okay - you're writing the script! You choose the ending. It's all up to you!

When it gets ugly, remember how your movie ends (and that you’re making it up). And enjoy the occasional drama we write in for fun and excitement. It makes the ending that much better.