Reconnect and Reclaim Your Authentic Power

Making the shift from Powerless to POWERFUL!

By Giselle P. Hudson

Preface Introduction A seed is planted Are you an Extra in your own Movie? The Triangle of Transformation The 3 Missing Pieces to the Puzzle A Simple Guide to Determine Where you are on your Journey Starting Right Where You Are A White Horse Riders Story Making the Shift from Powerless to POWERFUL! The Programs

**The content image is taken from the Project Gutenberg e-book of My Lady Nicotine by J.M.Barrie. Preface logo from www.active-mysticism.com**

Celebrate YOUR WONDERFUL LIFE! On March 15 2013 I was meeting up with Elspeth Duncan to do a casual interview about her journey to FINDING HER VOICE. You can almost always tell when someone has found their voice. Theres a quiet confidence about them. To paraphrase Pema Chdrn, they no longer take refuge in small, self-satisfied actions, speech and mind but leap and go beyond their zone of safety. Elspeth had definitely found hers. She had recently moved to Tobago, was teaching yoga (at Kariwak Hotel and privately) and started a lovely service called Table for Two. Made For You At the end of our interview, Elspeth held out a paper bag. Before you choose one of whats inside this bag, you have to be willing to say YES BEFORE you know what it is. I hesitated and then said what the heckYES! In went my hand and out came the note Are you ready to celebrate your wonderful life? Id already given the Universe my answer. I needed that note in more ways than one. First off I needed to acknowledge that my life WAS wonderful and next I needed to accept that it was worth celebrating. How often do we trudge through life, mud boots on, slugging away at it, one dirty trail after another, outing fires, swatting mosquitoes doing but not REALLY enjoying? Hardly noticing too much of whats going on let alone deciding to celebrate??? But I said YES! and that commitment shifted something inside of me. It made me acutely aware that what I wanted to do was not just celebrate MY wonderful life but help YOU to celebrate yours! As far back as I can remember these are the truths that have been recurring for me and Ive shared with others regardless of the country I was in, the group I was speaking to or the class I was teaching:
That we are in charge of our lives; that we need not numb ourselves to our lives with food, drugs, alcohol, or having too much of a good time; that ALL things work for our good if we dont run away and stay for the lesson; that we each have something to offer in our own way and that when we begin to live within the context of our contribution that we would be content and live abundantly; that our brain is more powerful than we could ever imagine; that we must learn to THINK (really THINK) for ourselves and not let others dictate how we should live, what we should feel, what we should do; that where we are is where were supposed to be and we need to do our best in that place; that we cannot do it alone and we need help, not in the instruction, but for the duration of the journey because on our own, well give up once were bored or not getting results fast enough, and we need someone to help us through that difficult passage and usher us into our light.

This note is proof that the Universe ALWAYS gives us EXACTLY what need at the RIGHT TIME

Introduction
A seed is planted In 2009 I was invited to join a Master Mind group to study the book *Think and Grow Rich* by Napoleon Hill. I had read this book a long time ago and I was uncertain about the studying of it. Yet something inside of me said say yes and I did! During one of the master mind meetings I had an aha moment. An idea unfolded3 simple steps that anyone could use to change the direction of their businesses and lives if they so desired positively, profitably and permanently. And as fast as that idea manifested, so did another - that I should share my aha moment with other business owners and individuals in Trinidad and Tobago, who might be struggling with unfulfilled lives and business and life goals never attained or even attempted. The first thing I did was to write a piece for the Business Newsday, an excerpt of which you can read herethe title the Business Editor aptly gave it was

Brain vs. brawn [Article published in the Business Newsday Thursday, May 14 2009 by Giselle
P. Hudson] Never in the history of America has there been so great an opportunity for practical dreamers as now exists. The hardships of these recent tough and unsettled economic times have put many people back at square one. A new race is about to be run. The stakes represent huge fortunes which will be accumulated within the next few years. We who are in this race for riches should be encouraged to know that this changed world in which we live is demanding new ideas, new ways of doing things, new leaders, new inventions, new methods of teaching, new methods of marketing, new books, new literature, new features for the mass media, new ideas for entertainment. The paragraphs above could well have been written today, yet they were written way back in 1937 (70 plus years ago) in Napoleon Hills classic Think and Grow Rich in the first chapter titled DESIRE. The unsettling time that Hill made reference to, was the Great Depression and one that can be used as an example of how far the worlds economy can fall. Yet amidst all this devastation in virtually every country rich and poor, Napoleon Hill offered these encouraging words making Think and Grow Rich (a bestseller selling over 30 million copies) a possible good guide for navigating todays rocky times. Regardless of the economy, some will succeed and others will fail and the main reason will perhaps

seem trite in the eyes of those wanting a larger, deeper explanation. But Ill share it anyway. The person who is going to succeed will be that person who: 1. Knows precisely what she wants 2. Has a plan and belief in her ability to get it 3. And devotes a major portion of her time [daily] to acquiring it Not my blueprint, but Hills. However lets put this simple formula to the test. How many of us can say we know precisely what we want? If you ask 100 people what is their definite purpose in life, 98 of them will answer with something like, Id like to make a good living and become as successful as I can. Sounds good to you? My friends, this is vague and if this is how youre thinking then you are just going to get the leftovers of the truly successful folks who know exactly what their goal is and have laid out the steps by which they intend to reach it. The person who acts with purpose and a plan attracts opportunities.

How can life give you anything if you dont know what you want yourself?

Are you an Extra in your own Movie?

Pamela Perkins author of *The Art and Science of Communication* asks us to consider Have you ever thought about the cast of characters in your life - those that can be labeled as the significant others in your life? How much control do they have over the movie that is your life? Who is starring in your movie? Many of us wake up daily to find that they have been living everyone else's life! Are you an extra in your own movie? Is someone else (or multiple characters) starring in your movie while you don't have a clue what role you're playing in the daily movie called My Life?

And this is not being selfish! It starts with you tapping into your own internal GPS, discovering who you are, what you want, and how you have been created to use EVERYTHING you got to contribute AND make a difference.
Its an inside out job. Its about reconnecting and reclaiming your power. Remember the idea that came to me during the mastermind session the 3 simple steps that anyone could use to change the direction of their businesses and lives if they so desired positively, profitably and permanently? At the time I thought I had all I needed and began to apply it to my own life. I got some great results but continued to feel not like myself. I was trying to be like so many others who shared similar ideas. I was envious whenever I saw another practitioner embark on a project, have their work recognized, or speak at yet another event. I would be furious when I was trying to change lives and would only get 8 likes for my Facebook status while someone who announced that they were going to play in Tribe next year got 53 likes. Many times I felt like a fraud. Even when I was making good money I didnt think that I was actually worth it. And so my life would basically resemble a rollercoaster ride and my money followed this ride closely. One day I was in great spirits, on top of the world, and the next I would be down in the dumps. Some days I was organized, but most days I felt overwhelmed to the point of immobility. I believed myself to be a chronic underachiever and had trouble staying motivated. And boy did I have a tendency to procrastinate especially if I knew that whatever I was delaying would take my life and business forward. I was determined though to find out why I felt the way I did. After all I was blessed with so many talents. Id seen people succeed with less. Why wasnt I making the progress I thought Id be making? And so I decided to observe myself. I became more aware of myself, my emotions and my actions and thankfully I found the missing piece to the puzzle! But first lets take a brief look at the 3 steps which I call The Triangle of Transformation.

The Triangle of Transformation

Step One: Develop a Possibilities Mindset

Critically think through the impact of your words and actions and what effect they have on your ability to achieve your goals. Many of the circumstances that seem to block us in our daily lives, may only appear to do so, based on a framework of assumptions we carry with us. Draw a different frame around the same set of circumstances and new pathways come into view. Find the right framework and extraordinary accomplishment becomes an everyday experience. Its all about bringing possibilities to life! Take some time right now to visualize what your best year yet will look like? Do you remember Napoleon Hills words? If you dont know WHAT you want, how can life give you anything else? This knowing WHAT you want only stems from knowing WHO YOU ARE and Ill tell you at the end how you can start this process. But for now complete the following sentences in your journal: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Id like to change Id like more I keep thinking the most important things in my life right now are The qualities in the people I admire most are

Step two: Self Mastery

Understanding and believing in yourself You have a bedrock a core identity of purpose (why you exist) and values (your guiding principles) that provide stability and continuity as all else changes over time. There is a youness that never changes a core that will remain no matter how much and how well you adapt.
Gain clarity on where you are and where youd like to be How are things looking for you in your life or business right now? Every morning are you waking up to more and more bad news? Do you feel most days as if you could just head back under the covers instead of heading into work? Have you run out of ideas and approaches and hoping at this point for a miracle?

Write a paragraph or two in your journal about the parts of your life where you feel stuck or powerless - where you might be just going through the motions. Really describe your feelings in detail. The more you can bring those feelings into awareness the more you will open the doors for answers, opportunities and insights.

What happens when we dont know/arent aware of WHO we are? Guy Finley, Director of the Life and Learning Foundation explains this beautifully: Anxiety, self-doubt, and a host of other despairing inner states rush into the spotlight and take over the stage when we live without the knowledge of our true identity. Once this high selfunderstanding is restored to us, the painful problems that are caused by its absence effortlessly disappear. Nervous fears about ourselves are replaced with calm self-command. Step three: Contribution Once you discover your uniqueness then discipline yourself to develop and share it. What are the traits you possess that are indicative of your personality? What are your strengths and weaknesses, your passions, your weirdnesses and eccentricities? Perhaps you receive flack or condemnation for certain aspects of your personality. Bask in these qualities today and realize that it is THESE very things that SET YOU APART FROM OTHERS that can be turned into contribution. Poet and critic Samuel Johnson observed, Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he did not possess. In the short e-book *Mind over Money*, author Ilya Alexi says in order for you to be happy, regardless of the amount of money you possess, you must feel that you are contributing constructively in some manner. Contribution gives your life meaning, whether it is to your friends, your family, your community, your country or the entire world. It is up to you to find the best way to use your individuality to contribute to the lives of others. Remember it is the things that set you apart from others that can be turned into contribution.

The 3 Missing Pieces to the Puzzle

To find out why my life felt like I was riding a rollercoaster I asked myself the following 3 questions: 1. First what worked? I examined those things that had been going right, working right, and feeling right. What generated the desired results and did I excel in a particular area? 2. Second I identified what DIDNT work. What didnt play off as I expected even though I was sure going in, that it would pay me back in spades? What exactly went wrong? Were there any intentions left unfulfilled?
F IGURE 1 I MAGE FROM W WW . EVALUCO NSULTORES . COM

3. Third what could I have done differently? Most of us can usually dream of a future we would like to be in. Developing a possibilities mindset, at least in theory is fairly easy. We have all experienced what if moments. Most of us understand that our thoughts, the words we string together, have an impact on our lives. We get that we become what we believe but its still kind of abstract. We know but we dont really KNOW because we havent experienced it in our own lives. And so at very best, we know its true for everyone else except us. Im no different. What I found however was that I was skimming over my emotions. Either that or I was trying to outrun them. I labeled them either good or bad. If I thought what I was feeling at a particular moment was good then I stayed there. If the emotions were bad I ran. How? By going to Brooklyn Bar, or All Out, watching mindless TV, talking on the phone, foraging for a snack or sleeping. Authors of the program Bring Your Life into Balance Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., with Melinda Smith, M.A. and Lawrence Robinson tell us that stress or mood swings rock everyone's balance from time to time. However, when too much stress, anxiety, depression, or worry interferes with your health, career or personal relationships, its time to make a change. No matter how difficult things seem, by learning how to harness overwhelming stress and manage your emotions, you can become healthier and happier, and have a more positive effect on those around you. Missing Piece #1: No one teaches us why our emotions matter, how to avoid becoming overwhelmed by stress, how to harness the energy of our emotions and make them work for us, and how to become more emotionally aware of ourselves and others in the process. This is why traditional self-help that relies on using plans, strategies, or other reasoning

processes doesn't work because when we are overwhelmed by stress were left with only three choices: fight, flight, or freeze. In order to remain calm, energized, and focused in the face of our daily challenges, (and theyre sometimes numerous) we have to prevent our nervous system from becoming overwhelmed. When you are aware and in control of your emotions, you can think clearly and creatively; manage stress and challenges; communicate well with others; and display trust, empathy, and confidence. But lose control of your emotions, and youll spin into confusion, isolation, and negativity. By recognizing and harnessing your emotions you can gain control over the way you react to challenges, improve your communication skills, and enjoy more fulfilling relationships. This is the power you tap into when you develop emotional awareness. Bring Your Life into Balance is an integral and important part of my two programs 1. You Defined. You Refined - a program for entrepreneurial experts and 2. Plan B Beyond Hopelessness a program for business owners and their teams.
*At the end of the e-guide you can click to get more information on the programs

Missing Piece #2 Whenever we go through a period of darkness like I had experienced, we usually conclude that perhaps we are not on the right path, or that we need a bush bath, or that we are just destined to be failures. This part of the journey is usually omitted because most of the people who write self-help books dont want to discourage us; they dont want to depress us and tell us about the dark night of the soul lest we abort the journey. And in this omission we begin to further ostracize ourselves by believing that the darkness we are experiencing is unique to us and no one else. Something is wrong with mewhy cant I get it together like this well dressed author has? I must confess, in previous versions of this free e-guide I omitted it too. I might have glossed over it but I didnt really describe it. I wanted to be optimistic. I wanted you to think that you could change in an instant. But if you think that youre immune to it, this will be a big mistake. Gail Hudson (no relation) reviewed a book by Parker J. Palmer called *Let your Life Speak* Many people, and Palmer is no exception, she says go through a period of darkness, despair, and depression before reaching a clear understanding of the vocation to which they are called. It requires courage. It requires diligence. It requires the understanding that this will take 'time, many years and places'. It requires patience.
May Sarton sums it up in the first part of the poem *Now I Become Myself*

Now I become myself. It's taken Time, many years and places;

I have been dissolved and shaken, Worn other people's faces, Run madly, as if Time were there, Terribly old, crying a warning, "Hurry, you will be dead before--" We almost always give up prematurely. We have also forgotten the basic cyclical nature of things the many seasons in our lives. We see growth as good in some cases but try to resist our own growth in times when it is most sorely needed. Theres a time for everything. A door closes and we try to reopen it. We feel some resistance and we take it as a stop sign instead of a growth sign. We need to learn how to stay the course through the darkness and have faith until we begin to see light. Missing Piece #3 We are taught that we need to find our purpose, understand our strengths maximize them while minimizing our weaknesses, and use our talents. I see young folks confused. Not sure what to do. Looking first at how much money theyre going to make before even considering a career. Others automatically become whatever the thing to become is in their family: store owner, shop keeper, doctor, car salesman, engineer Still some look at what careers are trending now and try to hitch themselves to the one that most seems like its a fit. Finding our purpose is approached as an external journey and it is VERY frustrating to many folks because while they may understand their strengths and talents, they find themselves in jobs, positions, and life situations that feel uncomfortable and not them but theres not much that they can do. At the very least, although theyre unhappy, they think they should be GRATEFUL. And to add insult to injury, it seems as if everyone else, except them, has found their purpose. Obsessive Comparison Disorder is the smallpox of our generation. So why are so many people STILL unhappy - even those of us making tons of money? Parker J. Palmer shares some insight Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening. I must listen to my life and try to understand what it is truly about - quite apart from what I would like it to be about or my life will never represent anything real in the world, no matter how earnest my intentions.

The very word vocation implies both voice and calling . Crucial to this understanding is that one must be present and attentive to hear that voice, that call . Our talents are more easily identifiable but it is our gifts that take our talents to a whole new level and combine them in ways that are more powerful and satisfying. We need to learn how to slow down enough to let our lives speak offer up our unique gifts. Sometimes when were moving too fast to hear, life throws us a curve ball. We get fired from a job or laid off and we think wow I thought I was good doing that. I thought I was going to get a promotion soon. Only through reflection might you be able to discern that perhaps you were not fired from that job because you thought you were good but you were really bad at it, but rather because it had little to do with your true vocation, and your heart would never be in it, no matter the promotion or how much more money you made! Only when we understand and accept who we truly are, and reflect do we see our gifts and use them in a way that makes us feel as if were finally on the right track.

A Simple Guide to determine where you are on your journey

The illustration depicts the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse described in Revelations 6. No coincidence, Im sure I recently came across author of *Sermon on the Mount*, Emmet Foxs analysis and understanding of the four horses which has helped me to better understand why we often lose our way even with the best of intentions. We need to pay attention to the Horse were riding to understand where we are and what we need to do next.

F IGURE 2 WWW . GREATDREAMS . COM / REVELATION /F OURHORSEMEN

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse stand for the four parts or elements of our human nature as we find it today. As we know ourselves we seem to be made up of four parts: There is, first of all, the physical bodythe thing that you see when you look in the mirror. The first horse the Pale Horse is the physical body. If you are this kind of horseman, you live for the body: - eating, drinking, sensuality. But it also includes not just the physical body but the physical aspects of life - living for money, position, material things. Other people do not care for money, but they do crave worldly honor and distinction. They want to be important or special. They want to be looked up to. They are not thinking of how much good they can do in the world, but how much attention they can get. They are riding the Pale Horse. Then there is your feeling nature or emotions. This is an extremely important part of you, and although you cannot see your feelings, you are tremendously conscious of them. The Red Horse is your emotional nature, your feelings. If you are not master of your emotions, your emotions will control you and wreck you. This does not mean that emotion or feeling is a bad thing in itself. It means that uncontrolled emotion is a bad thing. A strong emotional nature is a splendid endowment if you are the master, but if it is mastering you, you are riding the Red Horse; and if you are riding the Red Horse you had better get off as soon as possible. How do you know if you are riding the Red Horse? Well, if you get excited over nothing at all, if you get angry and indignant about trifles, particularly when it happens to be none of your business; if you are trying to run other people's lives and getting excited about that, then you are riding the Red Horse. Once you

learn to manage your feelings you will begin to feel more powerful in your life. There is your intellect. You cannot see this either, but you are quite aware of its existence, because it contains every bit of knowledge, important or unimportant, that you possess. The Black Horse stands for the intellect. To ride the Black Horse does not mean having a good intellect is a bad thing at all. Riding the Black Horse is letting your intellect dominate you to the exclusion of your emotional and spiritual nature. It is a good thing to have the intellect well trained and polished by use, but it is a misfortune to let it be the master. Finally, there is your spiritual nature, or your real eternal Self; the true you, the I Am, the Divine Spark, or whatever you want to call it. This is your real identity, which is eternal. Almost everyone believes in its existence, but for the most part people are very little conscious of it as an actuality. The White Horse is the Spiritual Nature, and the man or woman who rides the White Horse gets power, freedom, and joy, and ultimate happiness and harmony; because the White Horse is the realization of the Presence of Buddha, God, Allah, Jehovah, Lord Shiva, the Universe, a Power greater than you, Life Force, - whatever you choose to call it in YOU! We are told two very interesting things about the Horseman on the White Horse: He has a bow and arrow and he wears a crown. The bow and arrow is an ancient symbol of the spoken Word. The spoken Word brings things to pass. When you speak the Word you shoot an arrow. It goes where you aim it and it cannot be recalled, nor can it return void. Note that the Word does not have to be spoken audibly. Silent prayer is usually more powerful than audible prayer. The Horseman on the White Horse speaks the Word. The crown has always been the symbol of victory. Whoever wins in a struggle gets the crown. The Greeks used to give a crown of palms to the winner of a race, and all through history kings have been crowned. The crown is the symbol of victory, and the rider on the White Horse is always the victor. When you put this life giving Source first in your life, when you refuse to limit whats possible , when you will no longer say that something that has been put in your heart is impossible, when you trust that still small voice with your whole heart, you are riding the White Horse, and it is only a question of time until you shall be freewhen the day will break and the shadows fly away. The White Horse will carry you to health, freedom, self-expression, fulfillment, abundance and happiness.

Starting Right Where You Are

Using the information shared so far, do you understand a little bit better where you are? In his book *Good to Great*, Jim Collins studies what drives average companies to take a quantum leap and become extraordinary. He concludes that a crucial component of greatness is a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. He called them Level 5 leaders those leaders able to channel their ego ambition away from themselves into the larger goal of building a great company. When however asked HOW to develop Level 5 leadership he responded I would LOVE to be able to give you a list of steps for becoming Level 5 but we have no solid research data that would support a credible list. The inner development of a person remains a black box. John C. Maxwell, in his book *The 5 Levels of Leadership* says Rare is the leader who reaches Level 5 The Pinnacle. He talks about the upside and the downside of this Pinnacle level and describes the best behaviors required at this level. Yet steps to the inner development of a level 5 leader are absent. This is why Ive included Emmet Foxs interpretation of the four horses of the Apocalypse, because in the Triangle of Transformation - Self Mastery the second step is the most challenging! My goal is to provide you with the guidance and tools to help shine a light on your inner black box, so that you can see yourself more clearly and start making strides toward reclaiming your authentic power. When we deeply understanding who we are and why we do what we do, we wont be swept away by instincts and habits that may not serve us. We will pursue goals that are conducive to our health and happiness and we wont act in ways that we later regret, producing results that hurt us and those we care about.

Possibility thinking

A White Horse Riders Story

In war-battered Birmingham, during 1940s Britain, Stuart led a poverty-stricken existence; but it didnt stop him from dreaming of a better life. Images of angelic music with voices, choirs, and a great orchestra swept through his mind, and inspired the 10-year old to create his own backyard orchestra However, the traumatic bullying which he experienced at school quickly extinguished his grandiose ideas, which became all but forgotten. Many years later, those dreams were re-ignited in a monumental way, following the tragic death of his son. Grief-stricken, he held onto the music which seemed to be coming directly from angels. While it was difficult for this hard-drinking pub cook to understand its meaning, his vision gave him comfort in his days of desolation. In the ensuing years, his mind became so flooded with majestic orchestral pieces; that he made a desperate decision to follow the journey which he saw before him. Despite no musical training, he attempted to propel himself into a new world; and transform the music in his mind into reality. However, convincing his wife and family was the first hurdle and, at the point of no return, he walked out of his job and home. Spiritual nature When living in his car became unsustainable; the streets of London, which he had thought of as paved with gold, became his home; and reality struck hard. He was a penniless, destitute, non-musical pariah, excommunicated from his family. Nevertheless, he saw these new circumstances as part of a life-script, which he would eventually turn into a film. Through sheer determination, and decades of hard work, Stuart rose from the ashes and became a successful businessman; finally able to afford the astronomical costs of hiring the worlds greatest orchestras and musicians to record the heaven-sent Angeli Symphony Stuart's compelling and heartfelt autobiography 'The Angels', tells how his impossible vision turned tragedy into triumph. Find more of Stuarts story here The spoken Word brings things to pass. When you speak the Word you shoot an arrow.

Success: the thing that ensues after youve surrendered to who you REALLY are, have listened to the directions of your heart, followed those directions and acted to the best of your ability and knowledge, letting Divine Providence do the rest.

Chances are you have already been exposed to the seed that was planted in my mind during the master mind session and study of Think and Grow Rich back in 2009. Your reading this e-guide (or re-reading it in some cases) is no coincidence. Before wrapping up however, there are two things that I want you to consider: One - I remember hearing years ago at an Amway seminar, one of the speakers saying - to know and not to do, is not to know. That stood out for me and stayed in my memory from that day onwards. Now every time I get cocky and say I know, I know I hear the speakers voice, and it humbles me, because if I am not ACTING on what I know then I DONT KNOW! Two Whenever something is simple, we have a habit of glossing over it. Take my Triangle of Transformation for example. Its really a simple process BUT I wasnt getting the consistent results that I was after. This was not for the lack of understanding of the process but because of the few missing pieces that I identified earlier, that only revealed themselves to me when I became more conscious, dug a little deeper and started paying attention to my own inner guidance and direction.

Making the Shift from Powerless to POWERFUL!

There are two paths to making this Power Shift. The first path is the Triangle of Transformation. This is the path that leads you to understand WHO you are (your brand) from the inside out. You begin to listen to and follow the directions of your conscience or soul. In her book *Entering the Castle*, author Carolyn Myss sums up what happens when we betray WHO we are. Although we cannot avoid pain in life, much of the pain we experience is self-inflicted. Specifically when we do not act honorably or we fail to follow the direction of our conscience or our soul, we cause ourselves the pain of self-betrayal. Often we do this out of fear of what others will think in other words, we fear humiliating ourselves. Self betrayal can include anything great or small, from missing an opportunity to speak with someone who might become a lifelong friend, to speaking up for someone who needed help, to sharing a creative idea at a business meeting or making a good business investment. If you continue to fear listening to your soul, you will be one of those people who recognizes soul guidance only after the fact. I knew that would happen, is a common mantra for people who lack the courage to be present and receive guidance. Many people, in order to live with themselves after betraying their soul, blame others parents, siblings, false friends, teachers, ex-lovers for who they are today and what theyve become.

In order to claim innocence and blame something or someone else for our present circumstances is to relinquish our power. Transformation is all about in depth understanding and alignment. As you begin your own journey you have to be willing to follow all three steps: Step One: Think Possibility: Approach the process with an open mind. Dont let previous beliefs or a word turn you off. Open yourself up to the possibility that your life could grow in another direction one with less complaining, irrational fears, misplaced truths, doing things that you know in your gut you probably shouldnt be doing, and repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Step Two: Do the work necessary to understand yourself. This involves learning to LISTEN to yourself and RESPECTING the guidance that youre receiving. Become more self aware. Discover your emotional triggers, ways youve been hindering your growth; understand why your emotions matter and how to manage them so that they help you rather than hurt you. Step Three: What you NEED to be doing in the world will surface as a result of the work you do in step 2. This would be your contribution your signature service that only you can deliver in the way that you are delivering it. Do you see how this process is different from what youve probably been doing all your life? Trying to work from the outside in? Attempting to FIT INTO a space that just doesnt hold you well? Doing things you dont enjoy or have zero passion for despite making good money? Creating an image for yourself that looks pretty much as if youve succeeded, at least to the outside world, but inside you feel shallow and worthless? The essence of rediscovering and understanding WHO you are your brand - from the inside out is that you LEAD your life from within. Lolly Daskal who Huffington Post calls One of the most inspiring women in the world is very passionate about the power of heart-based leadership and the value of personal integrity. She says: People, who lead from within, are leaders who want nothing more than to live their lives according to their own truths and on their own terms. They lead from a core level that resides deep within their heart in a deeply-rooted space where their values speak of what is best within them. Understanding YOUR BRAND means: understanding YOU from the inside out and leading from that place. When you lead from inside, you:

Live a life of commitment and fulfillment of your hearts desires. Listen to your inner self and follow your internal compass. Know what is important to you. Learn from your mistakes. Are humble. Truly listen not just to your own heart but the hearts of others Trust and engage in your unique contribution to your life and the lives of others.

And so I encourage you to take a leap of faith and act on that thing your conscience keeps needling you to act upon. The way will open for you but it will be revealed moment by moment. Dont be stressed by time. Whatever is supposed to happen will happen for you in due season. If you say that you want freedom, happiness, success, harmony and abundance in your life then its your time NOW!

The second path is about how you CHOOSE to operate in your world: with your family, in your community, and of course where you work. You have to understand that there is always something that you can do that you have a choice. Once you adopt this approach you can begin to fortify your power base and build power back into your life. The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse Don Juan, Yaqui Shaman Your mindset needs to be: Life is not always fair, but I can choose to dig deep to find security from within. I can identify my own personal resources and declare independence from the inequities imposed upon me by the arbitrary changes that occur in my life over which I have no control. There is no security in a job Any loss or change does not make me a victim

 Others can shake me, surprise me or disappoint me but they cant prevent me from acting, from taking the situation I m presented with and finding a way to move on No matter where I am in life, no matter what my situation, I can ALWAYS DO SOMETHING. I ALWAYS have a choice and that choice is to be POWERFUL! Below is a brief self-assessment from *The Power Principle* by Blaine Lee designed to help you determine where you are in your personal journey to increasing your own power. Consider each question carefully. Reflect on the answers that come to mind and write the answers down in the journal that will accompany you on your journey to self rediscovery and powerfulness. Most of all - be honest with yourself. Under what circumstances are you likely to become immobilized by doubt or lack of faith? What triggers this reaction in you? Can you describe your doubts? In these situations, what better alternatives have you not chosen that seem at first unlikely or improbable? What is the one thing you could do that would challenge the irrational thought that the best thing to do is nothing? Is there another way? What is another alternative?

The Programs Based on my research and my own experience I have developed two programs to help you reconnect and reclaim true power in your life You Defined. You Refined - Living the Truth of Who You Are - is the program Ive designed for entrepreneurial experts anyone who wants to make a difference and help others succeed by sharing their life story, their unique message or their knowledge and expertise. The program has been designed in a do-it-yourself format so you can work at your own pace. Ive worked one-on-one with many solo professionals, helping them to reconnect with who they are and develop their businesses around their brand. Ive taken all the exercises, questions and examples the entire process that I used when I worked one-on-one with clients and put it all into one easy-to-use work book. Plan B Beyond Hopelessness - Building a new foundation for leadership - is the program that Ive designed for business owners and their team leaders/supervisors. To better understand why Ive created a program that includes ALL the leaders within the business, take a look at the Organizational Map, taken from *Conscious Business* by Fred Kofman:

This is a convenient summary but it obscures an important fact. These are neither independent columns put side by side, nor three independent rows stacked on top of each other. THEY ARE A SYSTEM. Each

element relates to every other element, each one influences and is influenced by the others. Now it is possible to influence the system starting from ANY element but the critical question is: Where is the BEST PLACE to focus improvement efforts? The highest leverage can be gained by focusing on culture and the strongest determinant of an effective healthy culture is leaders who not only understand themselves but learn to influence others with an uncommon approach to power through understanding the Power Principle. When you understand the Power Principle coupled with leading consciously: 1. You become more careful about what you ask of others (this happens because you are more likely to check your own motive before you ask someone to do something) 2. You can be more confident when dealing with others, because you stop trying to control them and instead ask them to act according to their conscience 3. When you understand the relationship between this type of power and influence you will be able to influence others without forcing them 4. This principle centered power encourages self-control and ethical, proactive behavior By increasing our awareness of HOW we interact with others and by believing that this kind of leadership is valuable AND achievable, we can learn to recognize our true power and greatness and express it at work in ways that matter most! One thing I know for sure: Whatever brought you to where you are now, is perhaps no longer working. For more information on the do-it-yourself program click here If you would like to explore co-creating a leadership solution for your team click here
It took me 19 years to figure out why we struggle so much and endure so much pain, making some progress and getting some results only to slip right back to where we started. Whether we call it feast or famine, ebb and flow or rollercoaster no description is comforting. The Triangle of Transformation helped me understand what I had to do in order to act more powerfully and get better results in my life. I want to help you recognize your

true greatness and express it in your life!

Chief Possibilities Officer Planting Possibility Seeds