Five Creativity Exercises to Find Your Passion

By Lisa Girard

Want to start a business, but not sure what to pursue? Here’s how to discover what you love.

Benjamin Disraeli, a 19th century British Prime Minister, once said, “Man is only great when he acts from passion.”

For today’s aspiring entrepreneur, exploring avenues of creativity to find your passion is likely the quickest route to increase your chances of launching a successful business. Where to start? Here, five exercises to help you uncover your passion.

Exercise 1 – Revisit your childhood. What did you love to do?
“It’s amazing how disconnected we become to the things that brought us the most joy in favor of what’s practical,” says Rob Levit, an Annapolis, Md.-based creativity expert, speaker and business consultant.

Levit suggests making a list of all the things you remember enjoying as a child. Would you enjoy that activity now? For example, Frank Lloyd Wright, America’s greatest architect, played with wooden blocks all through childhood and perhaps well past it.

“Research shows that there is much to be discovered in play, even as adults,” Levit says.

Revisit some of the positive activities, foods and events of childhood. Levit suggests asking yourself these questions to get started: What can be translated and added into your life now? How can those past experiences shape your career choices now?

Exercise 2 – Make a “creativity board.”
Start by taking a large poster board, put the words “New Business” in the center and create a collage of images, sayings, articles, poems and other inspirations, suggests Michael Michalko, a creativity expert based in Rochester, N.Y., and Naples, Fla., and author of creativity books and tools, including ThinkPak (Ten Speed Press, 2006).

“The idea behind this is that when you surround yourself with images of your intention — who you want to become or what you want to create — your awareness and passion will grow,” Michalko says.

As your board evolves and becomes more focused, you will begin to recognize what is missing and imagine ways to fill the blanks and realize your vision.

Exercise 3 – Make a list of people who are where you want to be.           
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Study people who have been successful in the area you want to pursue.

For example, during the recession, many people shied away from the real estate market because they thought it was a dead end. Levit believes that’s the perfect time to jump in — when most others are bailing out — because no matter the business, there are people who are successful in it. Study them, figure out how and why they are able to remain successful when everyone else is folding and then set up structures to emulate them.

“If you want to be creative, create a rigorous and formal plan,” Levit says. “It’s not the plan that is creative; it’s the process that you go through that opens up so many possibilities.”

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE..

About the Author

Lisa Girard is a freelance writer who covers topics as diverse as golf fashion, health and beauty, the hardware industry and small business interests. She also has been Senior Apparel Editor for PGA Magazine for more than a decade.

Oh..the power of the mind. It truly can take you places and help you accomplish your life’s goals. Sometimes you have to use your imagination..get creative and this article will help you do just that!

Own Your Power,

Simone

Let’s play a game.

Think about one of your life goals. Some common ones are dropping weight, finding a better job, and finding your soul mate.

It can be anything you want. Use your imagination.

Pretend that you’ve reached your goal. You’ve dropped 20 lbs. You have a fantastic job. You’re making wedding plans.

Think about how your life is different.

Do you feel happy? Motivated? Accomplished?

Now pretend you are this “new you” right now. I want you to walk, talk, and breathe like you’re the person you just envisioned.

I call this the Power of Pretending.

I played this “game” with my client Marcy. She wanted to drop 200 lbs, but for 15 years she could never stay motivated. So, during her workouts, she pretended she was the leader of an elliptical class. This helped her complete one hour of cardio 4 days a week. Something she had never been able to do.

She imagined that it was her job to keep the class moving. She was their leader. The class depended on her to finish strong. She couldn’t let them down.

This kept Marcy going. Now, she’s 65 lbs. lighter and having fun pretending while she’s getting awesome results. CONTINUE READING HERE:http://elleswan.com/the-power-of-pretending/

Have We Forgotten the Opportunity in Failure

By featured guest blogger,  Sheila Prakash

It seems to me the more I look around, the more I see how much we have forgotten the possible opportunities and lessons in failure. I feel we live in a world that is constantly advertising the benefits of succeeding and pushing people to do everything in their power not to fail. The worst part is when we do fail, which is inevitable because we are human, we end up feeling horrible and not good enough because everything around us is telling us how success equates to worth and value. If we look at it that way, it seems impossible to fail and still hold on to our self-esteem. But that just doesn’t seem right to me, especially if we all fail and it is a common way of life, how could our esteem be compromised when we experience such a normal event? Perhaps it’s because we have tied worth and failure inappropriately together, and in turn, forgotten the beauty and lessons in failure.

I remember a while ago how when I quit my advertising job and my life seemed completely upside down, I was trying to figure out how to get my feet back on the ground and what I wanted to do my life. During months of soul-searching, I came to the realization I wanted to go back to school to pursue my life-long dream of helping others. I was six years out of college and the idea of applying to grad school was daunting and intimidating for me. Through my fear, I hesitatingly pushed through and decided to test the waters by going to an information session for a psychological counseling program. I remember being fully prepared and going in with a positive attitude filled with joy and hope. After the session, I went up to one of the faculty members and shared my wish to join the program and proudly explained my background and deep desire to help. Almost immediately, she told me how I did not have the necessary prerequisites, I did not have the right experience, and there was very little chance I would be accepted due to the highly competitive pool of applicants. I walked out of the session feeling defeated, hopeless, rejected, and most of all, like a failure. I thought this was my dream, I thought this was my path – how could have I been rejected so quickly and failed before even starting? I focused on how I was clearly not good enough for this career, how could I have thought I would be able to get into a program that other kids were preparing for since high school, and how terrible it felt to be rejected and to fail.

Then something happened over the next few days. I began to think about how that woman could be wrong and maybe there was more to this failure than I had originally thought; maybe this failure was a test to see if I believed in how someone else saw me or if I believed in the way I saw myself. Was I going to allow someone else to dictate my worth, value, and limits in life? I realized how I had been doing that for most of life before that point. I looked to others to tell me how far I could reach and how far I could soar. I looked at my failures as ‘bad things’ that I shouldn’t share with others and part of myself I had to hide; instead, I used to believe I should only show my joys and successes. But I didn’t want to do that anymore. I wanted to be real and honest and go through my fear of failure. I wanted to look at my failure head-on and see what I could learn from it: how I could stand back up after being thrown down. I wanted to feel the joy in learning how to pick myself up rather than focus on the devastation and perceived personal fault of falling down. And so, I changed my perspective and saw my failure as a chance, an opportunity, to learn more about myself and how I could achieve my goal rather than allow the failure to crush my dream.

If that woman did not come into my life, I would not have learned the necessary lesson to believe in myself and my inner voice beyond all other external things. I also realized how important it was for me to fail and fall down that day because otherwise I would not have discovered my strength, which was hiding inside my fear of failure the whole time. This inner strength allowed me to pick myself up, listen to my intuition and apply to grad schools, receive my letters of acceptance, and begin my journey of achieving my dream. This same strength has been guiding me ever since. So the next time you find yourself failing, instead of getting down on yourself and feeling worthless, try and find the opportunity in it which may allow you to grow and the lesson waiting to be found through the experience. We all fail, it’s a necessary part of life – wouldn’t it be great if we begin to value the failures as much as the successes because, the way I see it, some of the truest successes are actually hidden opportunities in the failures.

Sheila passionately believes in everyone’s ability to open their hearts and heal their hurts in order to discover and share love. She follows this passion as a psychospiritual therapist and welcomes any contact at prakash.sheila@gmail.com.

This month, in my coaching group, THE CIRCLE OF POWER, the topic was called, “It’s Time to Leave the Masquerade.” We’re discussing each week the masks we wear to protect the TRUTH of why we do what we do.  We’re digging deeper to know our authentic selves. This is a great find that touches on just that from one of favorite blogs, Tiny Buddha. Check out this article for more….

Own Your Power,

Simone

“Don’t think you’re on the right road just because it’s a well-beaten path.” ~Unknow

Growing up in Appalachia, women always had grace, class, and sweet iced tea in the refrigerator for unexpected visitors. They smiled when called ma’am or darling and kept an immaculate home.

Many Appalachian women also abided by two rules: It’s impolite to say no, and (my mother’s favorite adage), be as nice as you possibly can and everyone will realize you’re the better person.

For me, this translated as always say yes and play nice. I thought this equated to being compassionate and sensitive.

You’re stranded on the side of the road four hours away during an ice storm? I’ll get you. You want to be intimate on the first date? I don’t want you to dislike me, so okay. You think I’m hateful, unworthy, and a crybaby? You’re probably right.

Yet, I played nice for so long that laughter turned to appeasement, confidence turned to harassment and verbal abuse, kindness turned to obligation. 

As I allowed others to treat me unkindly and without respect, somewhere living soulfully became nonexistent. I always thought that I kept everyone at arm’s length with a smile on my face because I didn’t want to be hurt.

In reality, I was so angry at myself for those specific moments of being run over that I willingly began playing the victim.

It became easier to sabotage myself and continue down that road than to work hard and become a strong, outspoken, and vivacious woman again, which wouldn’t unfold until years later when I spent the night in the middle of nowhere.

In 2009, I left my Appalachian roots behind and hightailed it to the West Coast. But there was an unexpected pit stop in Marfa, Texas, population 2,000, where I changed courses forever.

Splitting the long drives cross-country, my fiancé slept as I descended onto this plateau of immeasurable prairie grass hemmed by stately mountains.

The sunset was hypnotic—a brilliant rust so unfamiliar as it slipped off the horizon. There was nowhere to hide.  I was breathless and exposed.

Sitting by the motel pool in the dead of winter, the urge to cry was unbearable, but I didn’t know what to tell my fiancé, so I fought it. I was enraged, and diverted my attention to blogging, drinking, eating, and sleeping, but in a one-horse town on a Monday night, the only people for miles are nuns.

I had to look at me.

I couldn’t remember the last time that I was truly happy and laughed genuinely. Once again, I was angry that I had deprived myself of that. Then a flood of memories came back when I was strong, truthful, confident, and beautiful.

Those traits were still there. I may have disappeared into my own twilight hour, but I finally heard myself, standing alone watching the Marfa mystery lights with a thermos of bourbon, amidst tumbleweeds and dust devils. Never in my life had the physical moment connected so intensely with the spiritual.

I left the next morning exhausted.

Once the cross-country journey ended in San Francisco, I didn’t know how to be nice to my fiancé for two months because my only thought was, “Who am I?” I was paralyzed. I spent every day huddled on the floor between the bed and the wall pouring over job ads, trying to find anything that would give me a role to fill. I had no idea how to be myself.

That moment of clarity in the desert ultimately led to rediscovery, which was uncomfortable. I wasn’t leaving the apartment because all I had was myself, and I didn’t know or trust that person. And one day, I rode a bus and ate alone for the first time in my life…terrified.

My year in San Francisco became the most humble year of my life. My clothes didn’t even fill one dresser. I went from corporate guru to stocking the fridge in a law office.

As cliché as it sounds, taking the unpaved back road on this journey and abandoning the familiar was liberating.

My clothes fit better. I was glowing. My fiancé and I scraped by, but we were living in a gorgeous Edwardian apartment, eating amazing yet simple meals.

Indulgence was a scoop of ice cream or a good beer. Date nights were no longer extravagant dinners in ties and dresses but walks to the park after work to find my fiancé on a blanket reading. Then, we would wander across the city for hours until we decided to call it a night.

Nothing was judged or expected that year, and everything was appreciated.

I knew that it would be hard for me not to fall into old habits once I moved back to Virginia. I am a yes man again, and the anger toward myself builds each day. I feel as though I scattered pieces of myself across the country, my heart in San Francisco, my freedom in Marfa, but that’s not true.

I know that I am capable of practicing kindness toward myself and others while being authentic. I wrote to a friend that I met in Marfa after reading Baron Baptiste’s Journey into Power:

“I’ve been reading this book for a yoga workshop, and there was a passage about releasing yourself from the lies of everyday life that define you, and that you may not like who you…

READ FULL STORY HERE…

Taking Care of Yourself in Today’s World By Dr. Harry Henshaw

Living in our world today can be very stressful. While some of the stress that we experience is actually useful for motivating us, a point can be reached where it becomes very harmful, physically, emotionally and even spiritually. Knowing how to manage and even reduce the harmful effects of stress on a daily basis, of staying balanced and centered as we encounter the many stressors of everyday living, is crucial to our well being. Among other things, taking care of ourselves will necessarily involve us nurturing our physical body, of eating healthy foods, of exercising. Learning how to take care of ourselves in this respect is also very important for everyone as our experience of stress can and does affect others as well.

Learning how to take care of ourselves also involves making appropriate distinctions about ourselves, others and life in general. One distinction that is crucial for our well being is realizing how and from where much of our stress is primarily generated. While some of the stressors that we face are apart of what it is to be a human being, much of the stress that we experience is of our own creation. A great deal of the stress that we experience has its origin in our own personal story and the meaning we make about life, in the thoughts that we think. Once we understand that we are truly the cause in the matter, that we are responsible for the thoughts that we create or invent and that it is from these thoughts that much of our stress is generated, then and only then will we begin to be able to truly manage our stress and have the power to live the life that we want and love. Blaming others or situations for that which we experience will only limit our power, lead to frustration and eventually a great deal of stress.

Becoming present to the fact that we have a tendency to constantly evaluate, judge and even blame others, and especially ourselves, is very important. How we conceive of others and ourselves in this respect will make a huge difference in our experience of life. For example, for some much of their life is spent attempting to make others and themselves wrong, wrong for what they think and do, wrong for what we think and do. Once we make another wrong, especially ourselves, anger, anxiety, guilt, frustration and even sadness will eventually follow and with it a great deal of stress. A simple truth is that as human beings we are all doing the best that we can at any given moment. If we or others knew differently we would behave differently.

Another simple truth is that we are perfect, whole and complete just as we are. It is our story about ourselves that does not allow us to truly experience our own completeness. Making mistakes in life does not make us wrong or flawed in some way but only presents us with feedback and valuable opportunities for growth. Becoming present to how we make ourselves wrong, of how we put ourselves down, allows us an opening to realize that we are not what we do or think. Our true self is something much different. Becoming present to our attempts to make others and ourselves wrong in some manner will also create a cleaning for us to begin to think, feel and behave differently. Once we fully realize that we are perfect, whole and complete just as are, we will bring forth into our lives experiences that will truly empower us and others. It will be at this point that we will begin to authentically take care of ourselves. Taking care of ourselves in this respect will also involve taking care of our true self, of unconditionally loving ourselves completely. It is only when we truly love and accept ourselves, as we are, in the present moment that we will be able to do so with others. We always think, feel and behave towards others as we think, feel and act towards ourselves.

One manner in which we can practice being who we truly are is beginning to become aware of the thoughts and beliefs that exist within us including and especially those that are self-limiting. Meditation and other holistic, self-enhancement techniques of this nature allow us this ability and opportunity to watch, monitor and become present to our inner world, to the very thoughts that generate our life and experiences. Such a process will eventually allow us to truly understand that we are not our thoughts and beliefs, that we are something different from, that we are much more. Our thoughts are merely apart of the machinery of being human.

Once present to the thoughts and beliefs that quickly, if not instantly, move through our mind also allows us the opportunity to reframe from impulsively acting upon them and as a result to become free from their constraints and potential harm to us and others. Such a meditative process, especially as it applies to the thoughts and beliefs that we have about ourselves, is the key to truly taking care of yourself. Such awareness will eventually allow us to truly experience the fact that we are good enough, just as we are, one that deserves to have a wonderful and powerful life, that we truly are perfect, whole and complete. Once we fully understand this for ourselves it will allow us to get it about others, for those that we work with and for those in our lives that we love. The end result of such a meditative process is that much of the stress that we experience, especially that which we create, will simply not exist, allowing us to create or invent the life that we truly want and love and to live it powerfully.

About the Author:

Dr. Harry Henshaw earned his doctoral degree in Human Development and Counseling from Boston University and has designed and implemented mental health and substance abuse programs in outpatient, residential and hospital settings in Illinois, Massachusetts and Florida. Dr. Henshaw is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of Florida, a certified Clinical Supervisor and a member of the American Counseling Association & American Psychological Association. Trained in neuro-linguistic programming and hypnosis, Dr. Henshaw is also certified to practice and teach hypnotherapy in the State of Florida.

In addition to his full time work at Enhanced Healing, Dr Henshaw is also employed as a psychotherapist at a drug and alcohol rehab treatment program in Miami. Dr Henshaw conducts individual and group counseling sessions to individuals that are suffering from a dependency on drugs and alcohol. Dr Henshaw utilizes transformational counseling and utilizes the products that he has created for Enhanced Healing in his counseling work. Dr Henshaw is also in private practice in the Miami area.

http://www.enhancedhealing.com

The Own Your Power Resource Directory Wants To Promote YOUR Biz!

DIDN’T GET YOUR LISTING YET? They are on sale now for as low as $39! $19 for an additional listing.

www.ownyourpower.biz/directory

There is finally one place you can go to get connected with the lifestyle and business connections that you crave! We always encourage our members to “KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY” by using our network.   Now, all you have to do is go to the OYP Resource Directory online to see if any of our members in there can help you with their services or products!

 This is THE Resource Directory  where your business can be positioned alongside the movers and shakers of the Own Your Power Community!

Need help in building up your power network?

As a visitor of the directory, you can get easy access to meet our partners, favorite experts, holistic businesses, printers, designers, coaches, lawyers,  business leads and much more!

Category Sponsorship– Limited Opportunities You Can Take Advantage of NOW!

And if you really want to get noticed, you can stand out from the crowd by sponsoring any Category Section Tab for only $199 a year.  The categories include, but are not limited to: Consultants, Marketing, Design, Finance, Nutrition, Yoga. And, if you don’t see your category listed, just ask!

What’s Included As Category Sponsor?

1. Your Business Listing at the very TOP of your category. Get seen FIRST!* (yellow company highlighted as example) No MORE THAN 5 PER CATEGORY!
SEE OUR FULL SELECTION OF CATEGORIES HERE!

•    An image of your company logo or your head shot (125×125)

•    Up to 250 words to describe your business, service or product

•    Main Contact Name

•    Phone

•    Contact Email Address

•    Web Address

* Available on a first come, first served basis.

2. One  30 second  mention from hosts or 30 second commercial (you provide) on the Own Your Power  radio during the year of your listing.

3. Easy-to-find listings that are searchable by keywords and zip code!

4. We’ll promote these listings to our members, our email database, and through our prestigious partner’s emails/websites which, in total, covers a reach of well over 500,000 potential customers and partner contacts!

5. All paid directory listings  received before August 1, 2012 will automatically be included in our PRINT VERSION, as well as the PDF version available online, which will be distributed to all Directory Members!

What’s Included in  a General Listing?

•    An image of your company logo or your head shot (125×125)

•    Up to 150 words  to describe your business, service or product

•    Main Contact Name

•    Phone

•    Contact Email Address

•    Web Address

1. Easy-to-find listings that are searchable by keywords and zip code!

2. We’ll promote these listings to our members, our email database, and through our prestigious partner’s emails/websites which, in total, covers a reach of well over 500,000 potential customers and partner contacts!

3. All paid directory listings  received before August 1, 2012 will automatically be included in our PRINT VERSION. All paid directory listings  received before August 1, 2011 will automatically be included in our PRINT VERSION, as well as the PDF version available online, which will be distributed to all Directory Members!

How Much Is It?

It will be FREE to view, but to be featured just sign up today for only $39 for an individual listing for an entire year!

Note: Any additional listings are only $19.00. A great way to expand your personal branding if you have more than one business!

You’ll be billed via Paypal.com as a subscriber that will automatically renew yearly. You’re free to unsubscribe at any time!

SIGN UP NOW!

Category Listing: $199 Yearly

General Listing: $39 Yearly

Additional listings: $19

Once your payment is processed email your submission to directory@ownyourpower.biz.

•    An image of your company logo or your head shot (125×125)

•    Up to  250 words (GENERAL) and 400 words (CATEGORY SPONSOR)  to describe your business, service or product

•    Main Contact Name

•    Phone

•    Contact Email Address

•    Web Address

SPECS: Include 125×125  imaged cropped to size. SEND YOUR IMAGE ALREADY SIZED PLEASE.

Stay within your assigned word limit please.  If not we’ll have to send back for your edits.

If you’re a  Category SPONSOR please include: Your 30 second spot in Mp3 format or provide general copy you’d like us to say on the show about your company. Include web address and/or number.

Once your listing is complete you’ll be alerted via email that it is live.

WELCOME TO THE OWN YOUR POWER FAMILY!

Have questions? Call us! 877-545-7352

This is one of my favorite quotes I heard a few years back from my friend, Vannis. She said it during a time when I was going through a lot of challenges before my first big retreat. It was one of my biggest and longest events (4 days) and although it was a huge undertaking and stressful, it was turned out to be an event that helped so many people awaken to their greatness and claim their God-given power!  It was an experience that let me know just how much I was able to accomplish when I focused on my passion and my vision.  It was truly  life-changing.

So, when you are going through something, although it may be tough, painful, and even frustrating; recognize and stop yourself from getting stuck in ‘pity party’ sulking complaints like these:

• Why me?
• I have the worst luck!
• No one loves me!
• They all hope I fail!
• I can never catch a break!

CHECK YOURSELF  by diving  deep into what the message is in the experience and what you can learn from it. No matter how murky the waters may seem. I know when you are knee-deep in the swamp of your stress or sorrow, the last thing you want to think about is the lesson. But, your setback is an opportunity for you to take a different view of what went wrong and you’re involvement.

• Your setback can allow you to consciously shift how you react to things, so that you don’t spiral down into depression.
• Your setback can spark new and innovative solutions to change things for the better!
• Your setback can remind you about how much love you have in your circle of friends and family who support you.

Complaining doesn’t create change, it only prolongs the problem!

So, when you are going through whatever it is, trust and believe that it won’t last forever. There’s a higher power involved and it’s all about “this classroom” called LIFE. The dust will clear and you will pick yourself back up.

However, it’s up to you to muster up the personal courage and the belief to make  your JAW DROPPIN’ COME BACK happen! And believe me, we will all be cheering, rooting, and applauding  when you do!

Keep your mind and heart focused on manifesting your victorious triumph.

Remember, “Every setback is a set up for a comeback!”

… And after every stormy setback, let your light shine brightly through and create your own rainbow for others to behold.

Step proudly into your greatness and OWN IT!

Certified Law of Attraction Master Life Coach & Holistic Business Coach, Simone Kelly is the passionate visionary behind Own Your Power Communications. She encourages you to own your business and pursue a holistic lifestyle. Check out the Own Your Power community out and connect with like-minds here: ownyourpowerlifestyle.com

The Power of Coincidence by Jill Neimark

Targ and colleagues at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco published a double-blind study in the Western Journal of Medicine that rocketed her to fame in the field of complementary and alternative medicine: Forty healers around the U.S. were recruited to pray for the health of patients with advanced AIDS. The prayed-for group had significantly fewer opportunistic illnesses than the control group, and Targ instantly became the poster child for a fledgling new field exploring prayer and healing. “Elisabeth is our hero,” wrote Mitchell Krucoff, a Duke University Medical Center cardiologist who has pioneered complementary therapies in patients with heart disease.

Two months later, Targ, who was 40, began fertility treatments: she and her fiance, physicist Mark Comings, wanted a family. That spring, however, she began finding it difficult to pronounce words with the letter “b,” and one morning the left side of her face sagged. A high-resolution MRI revealed that she was suffering from a rapidly growing grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor. Word of the horrific diagnosis spread, and healers began calling, visiting and praying from a distance—in a truly eerie echo of her newly funded study. But they could not save her. Targ died at 11:11 p.m., 111 days after her diagnosis.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE!

Okay, okay…so I admit it. I have a guilty pleasure from time to time during my lunch break in the day, it’s The Maury Povich Show. It’s one of those things that you know is absolutely ridiculous, but it can be so entertaining that you just can’t turn away!

Now granted, many of the stories Maury covers are pretty much the same. There’s the shows with the lie detector tests asking questions like,  ‘did he sleep with my Grandma, did she cheat with my daughter, or is he having sex with my Aunt?  Then of course you have Maury’s claim to fame… the Paternity tests. Oh man…the Paternity tests. SMH.

We gotta do better raising our kids people! For the scope of this article, I’ll just focus on the lie detector tests, since if you have to test over 10 men to find out who your baby’s Daddy is, you’ve got a much bigger problem that I can’t cover here! LOL

~a-hem~ Now…what intrigues me the most about this show are the results of the lie detector tests. Not the results that Maury reads after his dramatic pause to build up suspense, but the reactions of the person on the receiving end. Wow! These people really get into it when they get their 99.9% proof that the one they loved lied. Jumping, screaming, catching the Holy Ghost, dramatic dropping and rolling are some of the hysterical reactions that are displayed on stage. But my favorite is when they run off the stage in a mad dash (as if they think the cameras won’t follow them).  I just have one question. REALLY?

Is this the same woman that just told us a few minutes ago that she found a dirty bra under the bed that WASN’T HERS. Or better yet, the same woman that watched along with us as her husband was caught ON CAMERA kissing a  cute Blonde backstage in the green room the day of the show!  Now, call me crazy, but I don’t think we need a team of CSI detectives, Columbo or Monk to come a work on this puzzling case.

I just find it amazing of what people will put up with and also what ‘interesting’ rationalizations they’ll create to protect themselves from the truth that is waving a big bright NEON FLAG right before their eyes. Oh and let me be clear…I’m not just talking about the women either. There are plenty of men out there with a big G stamped on their foreheads for  GULLIBLE. Men, who settle for less in a relationship and become doormats just as well.

So, why bring this up, you ask? We’ll although many of us will never go on Maury to make fools of ourselves, there are many who are in relationships  RIGHT NOW that treat us like doormats and we still want to hang on or find out is he/she cheating, lying, etc…when the signs are in your face.

It comes down to SELF-LOVE AND SELF-RESPECT.  When you deeply love yourself for all of your gifts and your flaws, you know better. You know what Prince or Princess deserves your company, your time, and your love.

You will NOT accept being:

• Lied to constantly
• Cheated on
• Abused verbally, mentally, emotionally, or phsyichally
• You won’t make EXCUSES for someone who is using you in anyway.
• MOST OF ALL…You’ll be AWARE that it is even happening! (Some people think they are in love and not even clear on what love looks and feels life because of their upbringing or past experiences.)

YOUR INNER LIE DETECTOR

Yup, we all have one. It’s free and you don’t have to put all your business on National T.V. to get it. It’s your INTUITION!  When people SHOW you themselves…pay attention and don’t wait until it too late to make your exit as you moonwalk off the stage or RUN in some cases. Actions always speak louder than words. What actions are being shown to you right now in your relationship?

If you feel you need to play detective…it’s not even worth it. You will find something you probably don’t want to find and you already knew, didn’t you?  Learn how to trust your gut and get clear on what you TRULY deserve. Most of all start to cherish and love yourself again so, that your self-esteem is high and you’ll be a MAGNET for the right person to come along and sweep  you off  your feet.

SELF-LOVE IS REAL WORK…GET STARTED TODAY:

1. Spend time getting to know YOU. Know Thyself is my number one rule of life! Get clear on what you truly want and deserve.   Pray/meditate, and journal daily to remember who you are again!  Make appointments with yourself at least once a day to nurture your spirit.

2. Check out these articles I wrote that can help you (Don’t skip the exercises in them. Do them in your journal):

• The Gut Never Lies part 1
• The Gut Never Lies part 2
• Self Love vs. Self Destruction

3. Now here are some great books to help you in your relationships:

• Are You The One For Me by Dr. Barbara DeAngelis
• Tune Into Love (Attract Romance Through the Power of Vibrational Matching) by Dr. Margaret McCraw (one of my teachers!)

Certified Law of Attraction Master Life Coach & Holistic Business Coach, Simone Kelly is the passionate visionary behind Own Your Power Communications. She encourages you to own your business and pursue a holistic lifestyle. Check out the Own Your Power community out and connect with like-minds here: ownyourpowerlifestyle.com

Created by Simone Kelly, Holistic Business Coach/Master Life Coach

11. Embrace Your Mistakes

There are no accidents. There are no mistakes. There are no coincidences. Look at life’s mishaps as lessons. No matter how it turns out, you can rest assured, it will make you stronger and wiser — as long as you pay attention, step back, and dig deep to uncover the message that the incident has brought to your door.

12. Remember How To Play And Have Fun

Remember the games you played as a child?  Find time for activities that spark your creativity, challenge your mind, and develop healthy competition with others; and you’ll never grow old!

13. Dare to Be Remarkable

Never, ever … dim your Light for ANYONE. Don’t apologize for who you are. Stand strong in your power. Be proud of your accomplishments. It takes strength to shine. Step into your greatness and OWN IT!

14. Laugh Yourself to Life 

The best medicine is a good hearty laugh. Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. A comic on the television, your talented son, or your best friend can be the ‘doctor’ to bring it on. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, keeps you balanced, and reminds you to enjoy life again. Aside from improving our moods, laughter can reduce stress, help fight infection, and reduce pain. Turn your frown upside down today!

15. The Art of Appreciation

Tell someone thank you, especially those who wouldn’t be expecting it.

16. Move Your Body  

Dance, walk, run, do yoga, rollerblade, Kickbox, Zumba … Just MOVE! Moving your body improves your circulation, vitality, health, and your life overall.

17. Take Action

Always be creating something new and incredible that will help you explore your full potential and will touch others lives.

18. Release Your Inhibitions  

Try something different, something you’ve never done before. Shock your taste buds with a tantalizing dish. Go on a blind date. Get on a rollercoaster. Change your hair color.  Role-play with your mate.  Life is too short to be stuck in the same old routine ways. It’s fun to live on the wild side every now and then.

19. Be Yourself, Since Everyone Else is Taken

Revel in your uniqueness and authenticity. Don’t be afraid to be YOU in all of your greatness, and even your flaws. Take off the masks of protection and what you think other people want to see, and be yourself. Don’t worry about keeping up with the Joneses, since they are probably just as tired of trying to keep up with you!

20. Master Your Mind, Master Your Universe

Masters vibrate on an entirely different realm than everyone else. Masters are not bill -paying robots, just floating through life. They know who they are and they are CRYSTAL CLEAR on what they want. Become a master of self and rule your world.

Certified Law of Attraction Master Life Coach & Holistic Business Coach, Simone Kelly is the passionate visionary behind Own Your Power Communications. She encourages you to own your business and pursue a holistic lifestyle. Check out the Own Your Power community out and connect with like-minds here: ownyourpowerlifestyle.com