Figure out your Niche

Does this resonate?

You are so excited and passionate about the healing benefits of your techniques that you often describe your practice by listing all of them to anyone who will listen. You are certain in your heart that anyone and everyone will get amazing results if they would just come for a session, so you make sure your marketing materials are inclusive for everyone.

How is that working for you?

It's probably not working super well, and that's because it is one of the marketing mistakes that practitioners make from the heart. The truth is that we (myself included as someone who has done this) want to advertise the benefits of our modalities as a panacea (cure-all) for everyone because in our hearts we know our services can help others, and we want to help as many people as possible feel better as fast as possible. We really do. We sincerely care about everyone feeling well, and it's hard to wrap our minds around the idea that this kind of marketing does not help us attract the clients that we need to make our practice financially viable.

This is a really crucial step, so I want you to stay with me here. Please pause for a moment and take a deep breath and allow yourself to be open to this information I am going to share. If resistance comes up, don't judge yourself or this information. Keep breathing, and keep an open mind. Ok, ready? Put down your sincere passions (but it really can help anyone!) for a few minutes and come with me to explore the kind of heart-centered marketing that will attract the clients that your practice needs to float financially.

Bring to mind a product or a service that you purchased recently and think about what motivated you to invest your money in this way. It was either because you needed it to help you feel better in some way or because you wanted it to treat yourself in some way. In addition to your reason, I'm supposing that the product or service that you chose over other products and services resonated in your heart as the right product or service for you. It was right for you - that's why you purchased it. It spoke to you and you recognized that it would fulfill your need or desire. Let that sink in for a minute.

The marketing and advertising that gets the sale is the marketing and advertising that speaks to people so clearly that they easily recognize that it will solve their problem, meet their need or fulfill their desire.

Now how does that apply to you? Well, it's not your job to solve everyone's problems, meet everyone's needs or fulfill everyone's desires. It's your job to do what you do best, and do it for the people whose needs and problems are resolved through your best work. When you look at it that way, it's actually a relief not to have to be everything to everyone. You can just be the best you can be for the people who will appreciate it the most. Talk about fulfilling and satisfying work!

So how do you do this?

Last week's step in identifying your special skills, talents and gifts brought you part of the way to this type of resonant marketing. It helped you figure out what you do best. So now all you have to figure out is who your best work serves in the most successful way. This is called identifying your ideal client. It's honing in on the type of person who will resonate with the results you produce when you do your best work. These are the people who will become your best clients and biggest fans who rave about you to others because you give them what they need or desire so well that they can hardly believe their luck in finding you.

Once you know who you serve with your best work, you combine it with your special gifts, talents and skills to craft marketing materials that make it easy for your ideal client to recognize and resonate with how your services solve their problems, meets their needs, or fulfills their self-care desires.

Your Transformational Homework this week:
Honestly assess your current marketing materials and the way you describe your practice to others. Have a good friend go over these with you to let you know, gently, if what you're saying hones in on a specific group of people or tries to be a panacea to everyone. Take some time to do a walk through of a session with you. Identify what you do that's special and what results you produce that are exceptional.With a picture of your best work in mind, spend some time envisioning the type of person who will benefit the most from it. Really jot down some specifics that include what she needs & how she feels when she chooses a session with you, what she values, how your exceptional results resonate for her, and how she wants to feel when she leaves.Write up some marketing content that speaks to your ideal client directly, and then run it by one of your current clients who fits the profile. Get an honest opinion about whether your words speak to her from the heart or not and tweak until they do.

PS. If you find these steps valuable, and you're an emerging practitioner who needs so support in working through the steps so that you can transform your practice into an authentic, heart-centered, profitable practice, there's a workshop for you on January 10th. If you'd like to know more about how to apply these steps to transform your own emerging practice, join me at Learn the Ropes: Transforming your practice so it's profitable! here in Beverly, MA. Start off 2010 with all the keys you need for your practice to thrive

Identify your Talents, Gifts and Skills.

How do you answer when someone asks "what do you do?" Do you say something boring like "I'm a massage therapist" or "I'm a yoga teacher" or "I'm a practitioner"? If you answer that way, you're not alone. Many many holistic health and wellness professionals respond in conversation this way. It's a very easy and convenient way to label yourself.

But, it really doesn't leave room for you to shine as the superstar "stress buster", diva of "deep relaxation and peace of mind" or yogi of "flowing body and spirit", does it? It doesn't tell anyone what you really do with your clients.

Here's a secret that new practitioners don't always realize at first. Clients come to see you to spend time with you. I'll say it again - clients come to see you to spend time with you. They really do. They don't come for what you were trained to do in the consultation room or on the treatment table.

Oh sure, a potential client might decide tonight that she is going to try Reiki, so she Googles "Reiki" and emails the first practitioner that pops up in the search engine. Which might be you. The truth is, though, this is not how you are going to connect with most of your clients. And it's certainly not how you are going to keep your clients coming back.

I mean it. Clients will book with you again and again because they like to spend time with you. They like how they feel when they are with you. They enjoy the subtle, magical, superstar healing or growth you facilitate for them when they are there. There are thousands, perhaps millions of holistic health and wellness professionals. But it's you they want. They really do. They want you.

So what you have to do is figure out how to make it easy for your clients and potential clients to know who you really are and what it's like to spend time with you. When you are able to answer the question "What do you do?" with an authentic, heart-centered answer about the real you, the people you're talking with will know right away if they (or someone they know) resonates with your message and wants to spend more time with you.

Let's use me as an example. When I answer the question "What do you do?" with "I mentor other practitioners", it's pretty dull, right? You might scratch your head and wonder what that means. I am nowhere close to perfect, and the truth is that this is sometimes the answer that comes out when I am networking or talking to potential clients. However, I do try to remember to turn on the superstar and answer with something more like "What I do is help practitioners find the courage, determination, and tools they need to live the authentic lives they dream about."

Ooh, that sounds a lot snappier doesn't it? It catches your attention. If you have a secret dream in your heart of hearts about the life you really want to live and the difference you want to make in the world and in the lives of others but you're too scared, worried, or unsure about how to make it happen, your heart takes notice. You resonate with what I've said. You want to find out more.

It's time for you to figure out how your talents, skills and gifts translate into a sizzling answer to "What do you do?" and to start telling your clients and everyone you meet about it.


Your Transformational Homework this week:

Carve out some time alone with your hot chocolate and journal and answer the following questions to get some clarity about what you really do:

• What are my special gifts in working with clients?
• What stands out about how I work with clients?
• What are some adjectives that describe what it feels like in the consultation or treatment room?
• What emotional state are your clients in when they arrive? How has that changed by the time they leave?

What compliments or feedback do your clients give you?

Ask a trusted client, colleague or friend about what they think your special kind of mojo is like?

Start answering "What do you do?" differently. Try out a variety of responses until you come across the one that sizzles.

PS. If you find these steps valuable, and you're an emerging practitioner looking for the keys to transform your practice into an authentic, heart-centered, profitable practice, there's a workshop for you on January 10th. If you'd like to know more about how to apply these steps to transform your own emerging practice, join me at Learn the Ropes: Transforming your practice so it's profitable! here in Beverly, MA. Start off 2010 with all the keys you need for your practice to thrive!

Joanna Scaparotti helps wellness professionals thrive in life and business. She can be reached at www.joannascaparotti.com. Be yourself and change the world!

Make space to grow your practice.

Your practice is like a garden. It needs certain ingredients and tending in order to grow, blossom and yield a harvest. The very first thing you need to do, just like with a garden, is make space for your practice. Not only do you need to designate a physical space for your client work to take place, you also need to make space in your schedule to tend to it.

One mistake emerging practitioners make is to do other non-practice related things with their time when they don't have a client booked. While the occasional "mental health", self-care day at the beach, or coffee with friends are very important, you need to work on (and in) your practice on a regular basis in order for it to grow.

The average practitioner - who relies on word of mouth advertising and generic marketing methods like putting up flyers in a coffee shop - is lucky if she ends up with 6 regular clients by the end of her first year. (By regular clients, I mean those clients that come back week after week or on some other set schedule and become the backbone revenue of your practice.) In fact, I heard a statistic from a massage school teacher that the average new massage therapist makes less than $8,000 in their first year. Pretty scary, huh?

It doesn't have to be that way, though. Let me give you an example. One of the practitioners that I mentor has yielded much better results in the practice she is launching on the side of her full-time job. She made a decision to be profitable and fulfilled by her practice, made a commitment to show up and work on it, designated a space for her practice, and picked regular office hours to work in her practice each week. In less than four months, she has cultivated 4 regular clients despite the economic recession.

That's a significant improvement over the results an average practitioner can expect without a strategy that involves making space for your practice to grow and tending to the seeds you plant.

I'm going to leave the physical space of your practice up to you, since it's pretty obvious you can't have a practice unless you have a space to see clients. There are many options out there including a private room in your home, renting space or paying commission in a wellness center, spa, gym, salon, etc... or working in a collaborative or private office. If you are looking for a space with support system built in, you may want to check out the On-Site Apprenticeship program that I have at my office in Beverly.

Now, there's no magic formula for tending to your practice. In fact, the magic formula for you is going to be what works in your life. If you're launching on the side, it might just be a few hours a week. If you're in a position to work at it full time, then you may want to put in many more hours per week. It's the regular showing up for your practice that's important.

Ok so let's get down to the really crucial stuff that many emerging practitioners don't realize. First of all, you need to set aside self-care time for yourself. Think about it - as a wellness practitioner you are a role model for your clients. So it's essential, pretty much non-negotiable, to have fantastic habits so that you are feeling great whenever your clients spend time with you. Besides, you can't care for others in an effective and optimal way if you're depleted. So build however much self-care time you need to feel nourished and energized into your schedule first.

Then it's time to choose how much time you want to work IN your practice, and how much time you want to work ON your practice. Working in your practice is the fun part - this is where you work with clients. We all want to spend 100% of our time working with clients, but that's only possible if you find someone to hire you to do just that. Most likely, you are launching this practice on your own in this economy, so you'll actually need less hours for working IN your practice. Even so, it is important to designate certain hours to show up in the office, booked clients or not, to make it clear to yourself and others that you are available to see clients during this time.

It's crucial to look at making time to work ON your practice. The reality is that in the first year most of the time you devote to your practice is working ON building and growing it. Client attraction experts actually recommend that you spend as much as 90% of your time working ON attracting clients.

When you're working ON your practice, you're doing all the things that help bring new clients through the door. So these are things like learning strategies and techniques for attracting clients, designing business cards & brochures, writing a newsletter, using social media, working on your website, networking, promotional events, free consultations, referral alliances with more established practitioners & businesses etc... We'll get more into some of this in a later step.

So let's review: you need to make space for your practice and tend to it for it to grow, blossom and yield results. First you need to decide where you are going to see clients. Then you need to sit down with your calendar and block off some time to tend to your practice. First, block off all the self-care you need. Then, with the remaining hours you have to dedicate to your practice, pick 10-50% of them to be office hours where you are going to be seeing clients (even if you aren't booking clients regularly yet). Last, block off the remaining 50-90% of hours for working exclusively ON attracting clients and building your business.

Your Transformational Homework this week:

· Re-read this article a couple of times and really let it sink in that you have to dedicate more time to tending to your practice and attracting clients than you probably want.

· You might want to take a few minutes to figure out your scheduling style. If you're more of a go-with-the-flow type, you might want to give yourself the freedom of blocking off time for your practice at the beginning of each week so you don't feel trapped by a rigid schedule. This is what I do, and it works really well. If you're a real planner though, go right ahead and decide how you're allocating your time this month, this quarter, or even for the year!

· Once you've accepted that you have to work ON your business, pull out your calendar and block off self-care time, office hours, and a lot of working ON the practice hours.

· Do your self-care.

· Show up for your office hours even if nobody has booked a session yet. However, don't spend the time working ON the business. This is a bad habit that can make it hard later for you to balance seeing clients with projects, so keep them separate. If nobody's coming in during your office hours, spend the time meditating and envisioning your ideal client.

· Use your hours working ON the business to start thinking about your niche and ideal client, as well as planning some promotional activities.

PS. If you find these steps valuable, and you're an emerging practitioner looking for the keys to transform your practice into an authentic, heart-centered, profitable practice, there's a workshop for you on January 10th. If you'd like to know more about how to apply these steps to transform your own emerging practice, join me at Learn the Ropes: Transforming your practice so it's profitable! here in Beverly, MA. Start off 2010 with all the keys you need for your practice to thrive!

Joanna Scaparotti helps wellness professionals thrive in life and business. She can be reached at joannascaparotti.com. Be yourself and change the world!

Are your holiday promotions falling flat?

Are you feeling frustrated about the low response to your holiday promotion emails to clients? Are your gift certificate sales lagging? Are you unsure how to connect with your clients during the busy holiday season?

Listen to this free mini-class about Using Technology to Care for your Clients during the Holidays and then find out how to get through to your clients by getting your copy of Joanna's Heart Centered Holiday Promotion mini-class for only $3.

This is the information you need to get through to your clients. Joanna explains how to use a personal touch and technology to transform your holiday promotions into client loyalty and referrals.

If your holiday promotions are falling flat, you need to know this information!

Get your copy of Heart Centered Holiday Promotions mini-class instantly right here.

Transform your practice into a profitable one.

With the new year just around the corner and many of us with high hopes for a better 2010, I'm inspired to share with you the important steps every practitioner needs to take to shift from being a student or volunteer into a professional, profitable practitioner.
As I've mentioned before, there's a transformation process that needs to happen after you finish your training and begin to step into the role of professional practitioner. You need to become someone who not only feels assured of your therapeutic skills but also has confidence that your practice can be filled with clients who pay what your time and expertise is worth.

Some schools are getting better at incorporating business concepts into their curriculums, but it's not enough. Any practitioner who steps out on his or her own into private practice has to learn the ropes of being an entrepreneur as well as a healer. I've seen too many practitioners struggle to start a practice, only to give up in frustration with a belief that it's not possible to earn a living doing this heart-centered, important work.

It is possible though, and over the next six weeks we'll take a look in depth at the key steps every emerging practitioner needs to take to avoid the frustrating pitfalls and roadblocks that keep them from success!

Transform your Practice - Step 1
Make a Decision

I reached a crossroads in 2007 where I had to make a choice - there simply was not enough time in the day to balance marriage & family, full-time volunteering and full-time work. The balance between how much I was giving and how much I was receiving was just not working out. Something had to give. I had been dabbling at having a private practice, for free, for a very long time, and it was time for me to take the leap to really become a profitable, professional practitioner. I had to make a serious Decision to stop dabbling and start doing this for real.

Making a Decision meant that I was making a commitment to doing what it takes to make it happen. A Decision like this is so important because hanging out a shingle as a practitioner opens you up to face all of your fears, limiting beliefs, doubts, and self-worth issues you didn't know you have. The only thing that's going to get you through the yucky and scary stuff is a commitment to see it through to the other side.

Making a Decision also meant that I had faith in myself and that things could and would work out. The Decision meant adopting an optimistic frame of mind that allowed me to perceive the inevitable roadblocks as temporary challenges and opportunities for growth instead of feeling frustrated and helpless about the things I didn't know yet.

Making a Decision motivated me to learn as much as possible about how the business aspect of my practice needed to work in order to be profitable. It gave me the drive to seek out experts and mentors who could show me the ropes and guide me through the things I didn't know.

Making a Decision helped me create momentum around my practice because I had come out of the closet about it. What I mean is that since I wanted to find clients to work with, I had to start talking about it! Nobody's going to know you're available and willing to help unless you tell them. It can be really scary at first to own what you're doing and proudly say to friends, family and the general public: "I'm a Practitioner".

Making a Decision also forced me to work out my issues around asking for payment for my services. If I was going to have a profitable practice, I had to learn how to get comfortable asking for and receiving payment. Hiding behind volunteer work doesn't truly serve anyone, least not you and your bank account!

Making a Decision to be a profitable practitioner is the most important step you need to take. It's essential to make this commitment to do what it takes, face your fears, come out of the closet (or wear the T-shirt ,as one of my Clearing your Path for Success clients joked about this week), adopt a positive, optimistic attitude and be open to learning new things about yourself and how to manage your practice.

Your Transformational Homework this week:

Write in your journal 100 times "I am a profitable practitioner" or some other affirmation that speaks to you. Well, ok you don't have to write it 100 times, but spend some time writing in your journal about how important it is to you to be a practitioner and make a living at it.

Say your affirmation out loud. Invite a friend who doesn't know yet about your intention out for coffee and tell her all about it.

Talk about it as if it were already happening. There's nothing wrong with "faking it till you make it", which really means pretending you have confidence until you do have confidence.

Cultivate an optimistic attitude that sees roadblocks as opportunities and be open to learning new things. Pick one thing you know you need to learn more about and take a step towards learning it like signing up for a free class at the Enterprise Center or checking a book out of the library.

Decide that your dreams are important enough to do what it takes to make it happen. Write your decision in your journal or keep it in your wallet as a reminder.

Do you know an emerging practitioner who needs to know these steps? Invite her to register here so she won't miss any of the articles: http://tinyurl.com/joinjoannaslist

How to Thrive during the holiday season.

It's that time of year again where our bodies want to slow down and sleep more, but our schedules and to-do lists get bigger and bigger. Here are my top ten tips for surviving the holiday season in your best physical, emotional and mental shape possible.
Enjoy and be well!
Eat a Balanced Breakfast every day during the busy holiday season to manage your appetite and keep your energy up.
Sleep Enough each night so you'll be sure to make good decisions about what you're eating and how you're spending your time and money.
Put Your Well-being First by making self-care a priority. Make time daily to relax and rejuvenate so you look and feel your best.
Say No to commitments, events (and foods) that don't nourish you or enrich your life.
Go With The Flow when things don't turn out how you expect. Don't let hassles become roadblocks.
Cherish The Moment. Remember when you were a child and delighted in small and unexpected magical moments?
Smile Freely at everyone you encounter. Never underestimate the power you have to change a situation with warmth and friendliness.
Take A Break. There are only so many hours in the day, so put non-essentials on hold while you ramp up for the festivities.
Ask For Help when you need it, and return the favor when you can. That's what friends and family are for.
Indulge A Little. The holidays only come once a year, so give yourself permission to be joyful and have fun instead of letting old resentments get to you or letting yourself feel bogged down with details and commitments.

Clear your path to success

I spent many years observing and working in the wellness industry before I wound up enough courage to launch my own practice helping others. For a long time, I found it more comfortable to help others on a volunteer basis and to be the support person in a wellness office instead of stepping into the confident shoes of a practitioner who trusts in his or her own knowledge and skills to help others in exchange for money.

For years, since the mid-1990's, I had volunteered as a mentor for other women with non-profit organizations, and on the side, I offered holistic health coaching and Reiki healing to friends and family. This was in addition to working, often full-time for others in the health and wellness industry. This volunteer practice was no hobby. I devoted many hours per week to helping, guiding and facilitating healing and growth of others to the point where my "real" job became an impediment to the very important healing work I was doing.

I reached a crossroads in 2007 where I had to make a choice - there simply was not enough time in my life to balance marriage & family, full-time volunteering and full-time work. Nobody in my household was happy with how overbooked I was, so with the support of my husband (at the time), I left my full-time job to launch a practice that both served others and brought in the income that my household needed. I didn't consciously know it at the time, but hanging up a shingle as a real mentor, practitioner or coach meant that I had to face and clean out societal conditioning and self-worth issues.

With each step I took towards "legitimizing" my practice, another fear, limiting belief, or doubt would pop up. The first six months were mostly full of trial and error, facing fears and limiting beliefs and my own personal growth into the role of practitioner. In addition to the inner work that I had to go through in order to confidently offer my services to others, I had to learn how to run a business too.

There are so many authorities on how to run a business out there - it was confusing and overwhelming. I listened to what the experts said, and I tried this or that technique, bought client attraction and marketing systems from "experts", and doubted that I really had what it takes to practice in a way that served others and myself. I was able to build my practice quickly in comparison to statistics about how many clients practitioners usually line up the first year. But, after injuring myself towards the end of the first year with overwork and poor body mechanics at the Reiki table, I realized that the only way this business was going to really work for me and support my life was if it was built on my values and aligned with what was healthy for me.

With the help of my mentor, I was able to go within to find my own Inner Voice of Authority and start making decisions and taking actions that truly aligned my practice with my beliefs and values. When some of my Reiki students were ready to start practices of their own, I found a deeper calling than I had heard before. I realized that I could assist them in the process of becoming a practitioner and business owner by showing them how to listen to their Inner Voice of Authority and make each decision along the way from a place of personal health and empowerment instead of spending months, maybe years, listening to all the experts about what they should be doing to become a successful practitioner.

As I've described about my own journey to become a practitioner, there's a transformation process that every practitioner has to go through, like a caterpiller becoming a butterfly. Most practitioners are motivated to do this good work out of an altruistic desire to help others, and it is very easy to find people willing to let you help them for free. The transformation from volunteer work to paid, professional work requires a shift in perspective and understanding on the deepest level so that her energy as a practitioner attracts paying clients who love to work with her.

My new program Clearing your Path for Success takes new practitioners as well as established practitioners who are stuck or blocked in some way through a step by step process to identify their true calling, find their Inner Voice of Authority, identify the Roadblocks (fears, limiting beliefs, external pressure) and work through them to Clear their Path for Success. I want my clients to have the courage and confidence to do the work they love and feel called to do in a way that not only serves others but supports their own lives as well.

In the first run of this program over the summer, we uncovered some very deep insights into how to make decisions from your Core authentic self and be in business from a heart and soul centered place. In addition, we've experienced the incredible power of shared creativity to break through limiting beliefs and habits via the collaborative model of the mastermind.

One of the most powerful aspects we explored and shifted was the prevalent limiting belief about wellness practitioners from all modalities - that being of service to others in a beautiful, spirit centered way is only possible if you sacrifice your financial wellbeing or rely on someone else or a "real job" to take care of your financial responsibilities. This belief does not serve practitioners, and it does not serve their clients. Hiding behind volunteer work prevents practitioners from truly blossoming into their fully empowered powerful selves. I'm working with my clients and my mentor to create a new model of working from your authentic self that allows you to be of service to others and to yourself.

The teleclass Clearing Your Path for Success, will take you step by step through this transformation so that you can start building momentum and attracting energy and clientele you need in your practice. The best part about the program, in my opinion, is that it empowers you to find and overcome your Roadblocks, access your Inner Voice, and make Decisions from your heart.

We've extended the registration for this class for an additional week. It will begin on November 17, 2009 at 7pm. If you are struggling with your practice, I urge you to take this class. All the details and link to the registration form are here: Clearing your Path for Success.

Who is supporting you?

Yesterday, I met with a supporter of mine so we could work on some strategy for growing our businesses and find new ways to deal with obstacles that keep popping up. With my help, she clarified the mission and vision for her business, and with her help, I uncovered a crucial characteristic of my ideal client that I hadn't noticed before. By the end of the afternoon, we both felt excited and ready to get back to our businesses with fresh perspective and ideas on how to better serve our clients and help them achieve their goals.

When you're undertaking a venture, whether it's a business, a spiritual path, having a baby or graduate school, having supporters is crucial to getting you through the tough times and having people cheering with you during the good times doesn't hurt. Images of your mom or your best friend might come to mind when you think about who supports you, but when it comes a business or a career, having professional supporters can make a significant difference. Friends and family love you, and they want the best for you. The thing is that they may not understand the ins and outs of what's important to your career, especially if you are self-employed.

This is where trusted professional supporters come into play. A mentor who's been through it before can help you navigate tricky situations or give you a perspective that you hadn't considered before. My mentor's help has been invaluable in re-visioning my life and business, and with her support I've been able to accomplish things much faster and more gracefully than I would have on my own.

A mentor isn't the only kind of professional supporter out there though. Colleagues can serve as supporters too, especially if you both share a spirit of collaboration instead of competition. Who can know better what challenges you are facing than someone who's right there in it with you? Especially when you're self-employed, finding others like yourself to brainstorm, creatively collaborate, and share techniques with can keep you inspired and motivated, even on the most trying of days.

Supporters can become trusted resources that you can turn to for help dealing with a difficult client, ideas for moving forward when you're stuck, and simply forming a community that will celebrate your successes with you and rally around you when times are tough.

Who are your supporters? Take a moment now and see if there's anyone in your network who could become a supporter. Don't be shy about asking, I bet that most people you approach would be flattered rather than put off by a sincere offer to reciprocate support.

If you're a practitioner in a wellness or mind-body-spirit field in Eastern MA, the Heart Centered Practitioner's Meetup in Salem is a place where collaborative community is being built. You're welcome to join us!

And no matter where you're located, if you're feeling stuck about getting your wellness or mind-body-spirit practice to the next level, the Clearing your Path for Success Virtual Mastermind starting on November 10th may be just what you need to get through those Roadblocks and back on the path to Success.

Who do you serve?

As I sat this morning preparing to write to you and let you in on how the new services I'm offering can help you get more fulfillment and success from your wellness practice, a timely email arrived in my inbox from Mark Silver (the author of Heart of Business). He wrote today about how a heart centered business is not so much about what you DO but about WHO YOU SERVE.

We talked about this topic back in August, about how clients choose practitioners based more on how they feel when they interact with their practitioner rather than their technique or modality alone. (Check out my article: Do you know what your gifts are?)

Personality, passion, and your message are the significant factors in attracting and keeping clients. They aren't searching so much for Reiki, Massage or Yoga as they are searching for someone who is enthusiastic and supportive about their goals for relief, elaxation, emotional healing, a feeling of being cared for and listened to, or increased well-being and peace.

Getting the clarity about WHAT your gifts are and WHO you serve with them, and then finding the inner COURAGE and CONFIDENCE to take the steps to bring your gifts to the world and help the people you are here to help is what Clearing your Path for Successis all about. This program shows you how to hone in on how and who you help best so that you can convey this to potential and current clients as you communicate with them in the office and with your marketing materials.

I think that you will benefit so much from this program, that I am giving a free workshop at my Grand Opening Celebration on November 3rd so you can get a taste for it without making a commitment. If you like what you experience at the freeworkshop, you may be ready for the 6 week Virtual Mastermind (fancy way of saying teleclass & online forum) that will follow!

You don't have to take my word for how beneficial this program can be, listen to what one of my clients has to say about her experiences:

Are you ready to check it out? Register here for the Grand Opening Celebration and Workshop on November 3rd. Please feel free to bring a friend! The party will start at 5:30pm, and the workshop will kick off at 6pm.

I want you to find the confidence, clarity and courage you need to practice from your heart! Check out the resources and free guided meditation available at the online Grand Opening Party on my website.

Grand Opening Party!

The online Grand Opening Party for my new website and new programs for wellness practitioners starts today! Please join us in celebration and enjoy your free gift!

The Soul of Money

I just want to send you a quick clarification about the author of The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of our Inner Resources. Her name is Lynne Twist, and you can learn more about her and her mission at the Soul of Money Institute.

Have a great day!

Joanna Scaparotti Reiki & Wellness Master/Teacher & Coach
617-429-1793
joannascaparotti@gmail.com

Joanna's Website

Be yourself and change the world! Helping wellness practitioners thrive in life and business.

A you-and-me kind of world

Hello! How are you?

If you didn't get a chance to make it to my presentation Clearing your Path for Success at the Natural Living Expo two weekends ago, I'll be offering it again on the North Shore very soon. Stay tuned!

The Expo was fabulous, not only were the people who came through wonderful, I was blessed to be located in a wonderful corner of the Grand Ballroom with some genuinely positive and friendly individuals. I learned a lot from being in their presence all weekend. Their generosity with advice, support, and enthusiasm reminded me about the you-and-me kind of world where there is enough to go around that Lynne Swift talks about in her book The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of our Inner Resources.

Ms. Twist suggests approaching life from a you-and-me perspective instead of seeing it as a you-vs-me world.In this spirit of collaboration instead of competition, please join me and other heart-centered bodywork & wellness practitioners like yourself at the Tavern in the gorgeous Hawthorne Hotel this Weds at 7pm for mingling, support and encouragement. Bring your business cards, brochures, and any challenges or questions that are blocking you from thriving in an authentic flowing practice. Come meet other heart centered practitioners in the area to give and receive and be a part of our creative collaboration!


This networking/community event is free of charge and a fantastic opportunity to meet others walking a similar path and get answers to your most pressing questions about starting and growing your authentic practice. Bring a friend! The details are here: Heart Centered Practitioner's Meetup.

Be well!
Joanna Scaparotti Reiki & Wellness Master/Teacher & Coach
617-429-1793
joannascaparotti@gmail.com

Joanna's Website

Be yourself and change the world! Helping wellness practitioners thrive in life and business.

How do you start your day?

Recently, I was asked what I think the single most important thing someone can do to maintain sanity, keep stress at a minimum and increase productivity when launching a business. While those starting a business have a unique set of stressors, we all have complicated lives in our own way, so my answer applies to everyone.

In my opinion, the single most important thing a person can do is to take some quiet "me" time every morning. This means not starting the day with checking your email, watching the news or yelling at your kids to hurry up. It means setting aside a few minutes just for you to relax before you start your morning routine or finding a way to incorporate it into your current routine such as listening to soothing music on your commute to work. Whether you play with your pet, just sit with your favorite beverage savoring the flavors, meditate, do yoga, go for a walk, look out over your garden, play music you enjoy, or reflect in a journal, making the time every morning to just be is a very simple way to maintain sanity and keep stress at bay.

First of all, these special moments just for yourself allow you to be fully present in your day so you can truly own and appreciate it. By making "me" time first thing, you claim your day, rather than it being claimed by the rat race or your obligations to everyone else day after day. In addition, this quiet time sets the tone for your day. If you start out peaceful and focused, chances are the rest of your day will follow suit. Whereas, if you start the day in a rush, frantic and running late, chances are the rest of the day is going to be fairly stressful too.

There is another benefit of spending time being every morning before you start doing all the things that need to be done in your day. The quiet time gives you the opportunity to let creative ideas gestate, solutions to be discovered, and inspiration to happen because your mind is open and receptive instead of preoccupied like when you are busy the rest of the day.

Joanna Scaparotti helps wellness professionals thrive in life and business. She can be reached at joannascaparotti.com. Be yourself and change the world!

Do you know what your gifts are?

As a wellness practitioner (as a Massage therapist, Yoga teacher/trainer, Reiki practitioner, Shiatsu practitioner, Polarity therapist, Reflexologist, etc...), YOU are the product that you are selling. However, practitioners just starting out often hide behind their modality (or modalities) as if the technique(s) were the product they are selling. It's an easy thing to get confused about because you spend so much time during your training learning and practicing techniques. But the truth is that most clients are going to choose to see you vs someone else, not so much for your techniques, as for how comfortable, safe, and welcomed you make him or her feel and how much you help them emotionally as well as physically. You really are the aspect of your practice that makes a difference to your clients. And in order to really stand out to your clients, you need to know what your gifts are and who will benefit from them.

I've been in the wellness industry for the last decade, and I've seen a lot of companies come and go. I've learned first hand that the successful practitioners I know from yoga teachers to Reiki Masters to Massage therapists to Acupuncturists and Spiritual advisors have this one thing in common: authenticity. Those who book clients over and over again are consistently authentic in their client interactions and ways of conducting business. They are clear about the purpose of their practice, what they do best, what they can do for their clients and who they do it for. It’s true – being a successful practitioner boils down to one thing only. It doesn’t matter whether you are organized or sloppy, technologically saavy or not, working from home or associated with a center, maintain business systems or fly by the seat of your pants. A thriving, successful, practice that is full of clients whom you love to work with requires a much deeper understanding and knowledge – and a commitment that you stay true to yourself in every way.

What I've seen happen time and time again to practitioners when they begin their practice – and I am no exception - is that they focus on generalities in the benefits of their service and try to make their services accessible and pleasing to as many people as possible. Unfortunately this approach results in a struggle to book clients and develop long-term clientele relationships. Until you are clear on who you are, what you want to do, and who you want to do it with – the message you put out will be muddled. And it will be difficult for the people who will benefit most from your service to recognize themselves and the benefits available to them in your marketing. There are a lot of reasons why you might be unclear about your practice. Perhaps you’re just starting out, or maybe you simply haven’t taken the time to listen to your heart and inner guidance from your Core self. Perhaps there are fears holding you back, or you’re so focused on trying to grow the external aspects of your practice that you don’t have the time or know how to go within to listen to your Core self for advice.

I’ve learned and now teach that the real secret to attracting clients and having a thriving practice is really about your confidence, clarity and courage to just be YOU – in every way – and allowing yourself to operate, market and grow your business in this way. And in the next couple of weeks you'll be seeing some new programs from me to assist wellness practitioners like you in figuring out what your gifts are and who you're here to help so you can really shine and thrive in your practice.

How do you follow your bliss when life is hard?

It's pretty easy to follow your bliss and experience the flow of love, abundance, and peace when everything in your life is going well. During times like those, it seems like everything just falls into place magically - one opportunity and great experience after another. Some people seem to experience this flow of bliss more than others, and it's something we all wish we had more of in our lives.

And yet, sometimes life is difficult. Bad things happen to people who don't deserve it. People get laid off, have accidents, become injured, have illnesses and diseases, lose loved ones, lose money on the stock market, become depressed or debilitated. This stuff happens all the time, and it's not always something that can be prevented. And it's really hard to follow your bliss and be in the flow when difficult stuff is happening in your life. And yet, it's possible.

Mark Silver, author of Unveiling the Heart of Business, writes that what we consider being in the flow or following your bliss is really a connection and openness to experiencing one of the inherent Qualities of the the Source (Divine, God, or whatever you call it). These Qualities include peace, bliss, love, and abundance, and Mr. Silver teaches that while we don't always feel connected to these Qualities - they are always available to us when we return to the Source. He even suggests that the times when we don't feel these Qualities are when we are needy, and as humans, we are inherently needy. We need love and acceptance most of all, as these bring us into the Qualities of peace and abundance that let us feel like we're in that magical flow of opportunity and joy that we all wish for.

Mr. Silver recommends a practice from Sufism called Remembrance. It's when you take a few moments every day to invite yourself into the presence of the Source (Universe, Divine, etc..) and surrender your neediness. He recommends Remembering by chanting, but this can be done in any way that feels right to you - dancing, doing yoga, mindfulness meditation, walking in nature, swimming with dolphins, gardening, playing with a child - whatever it is that gets you out of your head and inside your heart, into your Spirit, that piece of you that connects with everyone else in the Universe (or Divine, depending on how you see it).

Mr. Silver suggests that by Remembering daily, or even more often when things are difficult, can create a profound transformation in your life (or in your business) as you start being able to stay in the flow and make decisions from a place that does not struggle, is not fearful, and has no doubts. Even if you don't have such lofty aspirations of wanting to be in the flow of bliss all the time or an interest in having a spiritual connection, this practice of being in the moment, surrendering your emotions, and letting your heart open can simply dissolve your stress, release tension in your body and bring you an overall sense of well-being.

What if you are already good enough?

In preparation for the creative retreat I attended last weekend, my mentor had all of the participants read The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of our Inner Resources by Lynne Twist. Ms. Twist, a long time fundraiser and activist for The Hunger Project who has worked closely with some of the most resource rich and resource poor individuals and communities in the world, puts forth some revolutionary ideas about our capacity to experience abundance no matter where we are in the world and what our access to money is like. She actually challenges us to let go of the money myths that have become the foundations of our Western capitalist culture ("there isn't enough to go around so stockpile as much as you can for you and yours") and replace them with a liberating, and ancient, myth of abundance ("there is enough for all of us").

At this creative retreat, we explored how to weave the myth of abundance into our businesses, lifestyle and even spirituality. As we explored how to integrate our passions and businesses with our chosen lifestyle, we were actually exploring how the paradigm of enough could liberate, not just our relationship with money, but our relationship with ourselves, our families, our clients, and all the other people in our communities. A series of "what if" questions started popping into my mind as the possible ramifications of the myth of abundance began to sink into my consciousness.

What if individuals started to realize that they are good enough just as they are? What if communities began to see that there are enough resources for everyone if they work together? What if there is always enough love and support to nourish me and everyone else? What if none of us has to earn dignity, worth, value, love, abundance, opportunities, appreciation, gifts, income and anything else our hearts desire? What if we are all inherently good enough to receive these things? What if it's just a matter of being open to revealing this abundance inside of ourselves and our communities?

Though my mentor has been trying to teach me this for a while, it wasn't until I came home from the retreat did I start to really understand how my entire life and my business could be different if I approached it from this lens of abundance.

What if you are already good enough? How would that change your life and work? What if your gifts are enough? What if following your bliss is enough?

Practicing from a heart and soul centered place

I've been passionately working on some new programs for wellness practitioners (and those who want to be) such as Reiki practitioners, massage therapists, bodyworkers and yoga teachers to help them really hone in on their gifts and specialties as a practitioner and then design (or redesign) the business aspects of their practice to be in alignment with their authentic selves, values and goals.

The ladies in the Clearing your Path: Finding your Inner Roadmap to Success mastermind that we've been holding at the Hawthorne Hotel this summer has allowed me to hone these new offerings to really meet the needs of current (and aspiring) practitioners who want to be of service from their hearts and souls in an authentic, yet financially abundant way.

We've uncovered some very deep insights into how to make decisions from your Core authentic self and be in business from a heart and soul centered place. In addition, we've experienced the incredible power of shared creativity to break through limiting beliefs and habits via the collaborative model of the mastermind.

One of the most powerful aspects we're exploring and shifting is the prevalent limiting belief about wellness practitioners from all modalities - that being of service to others in a beautiful, spirit centered way is only possible if you sacrifice your financial wellbeing or rely on someone else or a "real job" to take care of your financial responsibilities. I don't think this belief actually serves anyone, so I'm working with my clients and my mentor to create a new model of working from your authentic self that allows you to be of service to others AND to yourself.

According to Lynne Twist, author of The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of our Inner Resources, this perspective of scarcity and that only certain types of work are worthy of creating wealth is part of the mythology of money that we uphold in our modern culture. Ms. Twist shares her years of experience as a fundraiser with The Hunger Project and her work with some of the worlds most resource poor and resource rich people in the world. She discovered that spiritual wealth is totally unrelated to how much money someone has, and that reclaiming the spiritual connection to money as a resource to invest in our dreams and values is the path to true abundance. If you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend that you do.

This is amazing and exciting stuff, and I'm looking forward to sharing more with you in the near future!

Would you like to register for a Reiki certification class or find out how my new services and programs can help you create a heart-centered, authentic, abundant practice? Email me at joannascaparotti@gmail.com.

The power of procrastination

For several weeks, I had been struggling with procrastination, especially when it came to getting myself out the door and to an appointment on time. Usually I'd get to client appointments in the nick of time, but when it came to appointments I had made with other professionals to receive services I could be as much as 20 minutes late. And this kept happening week after week until it reached a point where I was incredibly embarassed by my repeated behavior and frustrated at myself for pushing the envelope with my beloved service providers. So, I asked my coach to help me confront the situation and figure out what was going on below the surface because inevitably when things like procrastination and perfectionism pop up - there is something deeper going on.

So we unraveled it layer by layer.

Procrastinating and leaving late for appointments because I just wanted to do one more thing online or on the phone before I went to bed or left the house in the morning filled me with stress about rushing and being late. And yet, I was doing it over and over again, so clearly the negative experience belied some other satisfaction from the experience or I would have cut it out long ago. I would spend the whole trip feeling bad about being late, rushing as much as I could while my body was vibrating with tension from the race not to be too late. Yuck! This is not a state of being that I prefer to be in, and it's really not conducive to relaxation! And you may be wondering, like I did, what on earth was this self-induced punishment doing for me?

So, we broke it down even further. By making myself late, and by beating myself up mentally for being late - I was totally unable to enjoy, relax into, or really benefit from the service I was receiving. I was sabotaging the self-care I scheduled for myself. Ironic that even me, someone who swears by and teaches self-care, could catch myself sabotaging my own efforts! When I thought more about it, I noticed that I was doing the same thing when it came to going to the gym or fitting in yoga workouts - I was too tired in the morning from staying up late to do just one more thing, or too busy with this or that work thing during the day to carve out relaxing, plentiful self-care sessions like I had over much of the last year.

And why was I sabotaging my self-care sessions? Because I was prioritizing doing one (or 10) more thing(s) on my business late at night, first thing in the morning, and anytime I could sneak it in during the day! And it turns out this is a very old self-sabotaging pattern of mind where I become a work-a-holic. Someone even noticed and commented anonymously about me working more than living on Facebook! Here I was with a preoccupation about spreading the word about self-care, relaxation and wellness while totally not practicing what I was preaching. Truly this revelation made me giggle at the irony, and also wonder what was truly motivating me.

Where was all this procrastination, work-a-holic self-care sabotage coming from?

It turned out that since my pelvis/hip thing has become much less of an issue, some old inner limiting beliefs about needing to work hard all the time to be a "good girl" and not deserving R&R, self-care, and recreation until I'd achieved X, Y, or Z was popping up for me. Here I thought I was beyond all this conditioning, and it turns out this old baggage needed another spin through the cycle for it to be released! I learned the hard way through a debilitating repetitive strain injury that working long, hard hours without enough self-care is not actually "good" for me, or anyone, so it's back to self-care for me! And by the way, as soon as this shift in awareness happened, the overworking, procrastination, and rushing all went away.

What does your procrastination do for you?

Women don't ask

A couple of years ago I found the book Women Don't Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation - and Positive Strategies for Change by Linda Babcock and Sarah Laschever in the small business section of a bookstore.

This book changed my life.

It opened my eyes to how men and women are raised differently in this culture. Men are taught by their elders how to negotiate because in their worldview everything is negotiable; whereas women are taught to be good girls and follow the rules - still! The authors pointed out how this discrepancy in cultural conditioning from an early age continues to fuel the income and career success discrepancy between men and women. Especially since the idea that women should be "good" and follow the rules is often perpetuated by men as well as other women.

Can you just imagine how many opportunities are lost each day by women playing by the rules and waiting to be recognized and rewarded for their creativity and hard work? Meanwhile their male counterparts are asking for opportunities and recognition without any of the heart-wrenching agony that most women go through as they try find the courage to break the rules and mention that they want or need something.

As soon as I put this book down, I was determined to start asking for opportunities and situations that benefitted me. And even with the strategies outlined in the book - boy was it hard to do! I had to grapple with my conditioning, all those fears and doubts about how my requests would be received and how that would affect people's opinions of me. Especially when sometimes my fears did come true from men and women who still followed the old rules. All that good girl conditioning really rose to the surface, but instead of giving in to my fears or giving up when my requests weren't received well I just kept asking. And to my surprise and delight, the easier it got for me to ask, the more I found that people responded positively. In the overall picture, very few people responded negatively to my requests for something I wanted or needed - instead most people were pleased to help!

I discovered that rules, policies and pricetags are negotiable in almost every situation.

It was a powerful revelation for me to see how much more flexibility and how many more opportunities there actually are in the world. I was able to release the yoke of cultural conditioning. It was liberating and exhilirating - I started asking for everything that came to mind because - well why not? I had wasted so many years being a good girl and settling for what I was given.

While this newfound skill was helpful in my personal life, I found it particularly effective in leveraging my practice because it helped me negotiate professional development opportunities, business collaborations, and especially with rebooking clients. If you have not read this book, I suggest you pick it up immediately! With the current economy the way it is, as has been true in other recessions, there are more opportunities than ever for negotiation as people strive to keep their businesses thriving. Creative and flexible solutions are being sought after, and maybe your idea is the answer to someone's problem!

Knowing how to ask for something you want or need is a powerful skill, and I want you to start practicing if you don't flex this muscle often. I see so many of you going through transitions in your personal life and careers right now, and I don't want you to sell yourself short or settle while you wait for someone else to offer you what you want or need. It turns out that most people are delighted to hear what you want or need because they wouldn't know what to offer you or think that you're already content because you didn't say anything. Just ask and see what kind of doors open for you!

And while I'm on this subject here's a door you might want to open! There are just a few seats left in the mastermind group for getting clear on your dream practice, identifying strategies to get around or through your roadblocks and creating your Inner Roadmap for Success that I put together for wellness practitioners (or those aspiring to be). So many of you shared fantastic feedback that the program sounds fabulous, but it just wasn't the right timing or investment for you at this time.

So, I invite you - those of you who really wish you could be there with us making breakthroughs and taking steps to bring your dreams to life - to identify what you need to make this program just right for you and ask me about it. I really want you to have this powerful opportunity for support, inspiration and forward motion with your vision, but I can't help you experience this groundbreaking mastermind unless you open the door and start a conversation about what's going to get you there. The program starts Sunday, July 12th, so pick up the book, pick up the phone or send me and email and flex your asking muscles!

What's your masterpiece?

The idea of masterpiece has been on my mind today as I've worked on the innovative mastermind program I'm offering this summer. Often the word masterpiece is associated with famous artists, architects or writers through history, but as I suspected dictionary.com gives this as the first definition of the word masterpiece: "a person's greatest piece of work".

Anyone working could produce masterpiece after masterpiece.

Those of us who practice creating or teaching wellness, health and well-being can create masterpieces just like any artist. There is certainly an art to this kind of practice. The more mindfully we practice, the more our skills, techniques and innate understanding of our craft grows - providing opportunity for a masterpiece session each time we provide our service for a client. I certainly strive to make each service and session I provide my best yet, what about you?

The groundbreaking mastermind program I'm introducing this month is my greatest program yet. It may just be a masterpiece!

In this three part program, I will be guiding aspiring and established practitioners on how to create a thriving practice that supports their ideal lifestyle with ease from the inside out. I'll be sharing all the lessons I've learned about launching and running a practice and teaching the real secrets to success. In particular, I'll be sharing specific masterpiece techniques that I've developed and use. And what's so amazing about this program is that the whole group will be supporting and encouraging each of the practitioners present to create their own masterpieces.

There is going to be some amazing synergy and breakthroughs going on!

Are you a wellness professional (or aspiring to be) who is passionate about being of service and helping people change their lives so they feel better? And who wants to grow a successful, thriving practice that helps as many people as possible? And is determined to work for yourself and make a comfortable living doing so? If you’re committed to growing your practice and experiencing what it’s like to have a successful practice, this mastermind program could be perfect for you.

If you'd like to know more, send me an email at joannascaparotti@gmail.com.

Do you have an inner perfectionist?

Recently, it's come to my attention that I have an inner perfectionist. This discovery came as a shock to me, but when I mentioned it to close friends and family, they all nodded and agreed. How strange it was to meet this part of my personality, and yet it was so powerful to become aware of how these subconscious influences affect my life.

I suspect that each inner perfectionist has her own characteristics and job to do. In my case, my inner perfectionist is the driving force behind me striving to give 100% or better much of the time. And she is the little voice in my head that cautions me against trying something new if she's not 100% certain I can succeed, do a great job, or do whatever it is without upsetting anyone.

In fact, my inner perfectionist is behind a lot of the procrastinating in my life.

She holds me back from speaking up when things aren't working for me and asking for a change that better meets my needs because she doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. She puts the brakes on unproven, innovative new ideas that might really serve my clients because she doesn't want to make a mistake. And she tries to keep me from walking through open doors of opportunity discovered by my intuition when life is too busy to verify the spark of inspiration with a thorough logical analysis.

While I suspect that my inner perfectionist came into being in my younger years to protect me from doing things that might seriously injure me or get me into a lot of trouble because I can recall several incidents in my childhood where she would have come in handy, her strict rules seem to keep me stuck in unhealthy and uninspiring situations as an adult. And while she provides excellent customer service to my clients, her unwavering standards lead to exhaustion.

In fact, psychologists have discovered that giving these inner perfectionists free reign to strive for 100% all the time lead to many challenges like fatigue, depression, anxiety and the physical symptoms of chronic stress. Many of us are trained culturally or driven internally to be perfectionists all of the time, and despite our best efforts, we often fall short of our expectations and end up exhausted and disappointed in ourselves. I don't know about you, but this is certainly a pattern in my life.

An inner perfectionist can be hard to spot, but there are some signs that give her away. For example, inner perfectionists are much harder on themselves than they are on anyone else. If you find that you give yourself a hard time about something that you would forgive or not even blink an eye about if someone else did it - you may have an inner perfectionist. Another sign: procrastination! If you find yourself putting off doing something because you don't have exactly the right tools or skills to do it just right and you're afraid of making a fool out of yourself or because you're afraid of upsetting someone else by making a change or being successful - you may have an inner perfectionist.

If you do discover that, like me, you have an inner perfectionist - don't do what I did when I discovered it. I gave myself a hard time about it in true perfectionist form. Instead, give yourself permission to not be perfect all the time and relax. Whether that means giving yourself space to to be average, adventerous, willing to disappoint others some of the time, or to make a fool out of yourself - give yourself permission to try things without worrying about getting it right. And give your inner perfectionist a lot of compassion because she's working overtime to keep you safe - perhaps it's time to send her on vacation for a while.

If your inner perfectionist was on vacation, what would you do differently in your relationships, at home, at work?

Lessons from labor

I am writing this week's article from the hospital with a friend who has been laboring with her first child for over 48 hours. It's been an emotional journey the last couple of days for all of us. It's been powerful watching my friend balance her willpower, stamina and desire to meet her son with the surrender required by the birthing process.

One of the most poignant lessons has been the reminder that even when you do everything in your power to encourage something to happen, there are times that you just have to wait and let things take their natural course.

That's a potent lesson in this day and age, not only for expectant mothers, but for all of us.

How often do we pick our goals and decide exactly how we are going to achieve them? It can be so comforting to predict how we're going to act, what we're going to do, who we're going to do it with and what will happen. We often get so caught up in doing things the way we predetermined to do them that we miss the wonderful opportunities to do things differently, perhaps even more delightfully, that present themselves as we journey through life.

Watching my friend labor has been a reminder that most of the time we truly do not have power over the mysterious ways of the universe. It's also been a nice reminder about what we ALWAYS have power over: how we respond to circumstances beyond our control. We can get caught up in what we wanted to happen and be unhappy when things don't go the way we hope or expect, or, like my friend, we can stay fully present in the moment and make choices that honor the natural process.

My friends have really been an inspiration in how they've handled this laboring journey - they have become skilled at making choices in the best interest of mom and baby based on the factors available at each different point in time that the path forks.

In fact, my coach calls this type of decision making process "dancing with spirit" - it's when you keep your end goal in mind yet make decisions based on what's the best option, what's healthiest, what your heart feels is right based on what you know right NOW while letting go of all expectations of how things should go.

We can all benefit from my friends example. While you may have a vision in your mind of what you desire in your life, whether it's a new baby or a new business or even the outcome of a project - instead of getting hung up on HOW you expect to achieve your end goal, in my friends' case meeting their new son, you can release all expectations of HOW your goal will be achieved and focus instead on being in the moment and giving yourself the freedom to be open to choices and opportunities that you hadn't originally imagined were possible.

Your turn: practice courage and self-care

During our work together, some of my clients recently made a 5 month investment in themselves - they put self-care first and took risks by trying things they'd never considered doing before. (See this week's article here.) As a result of practicing courage and self-love each week, they became empowered and began to let themselves dream bigger visions for their futures. They naturally started to take steps to bring these dreams to life. If you're feeling stuck or scared - make an investment in yourself. Take the best care of yourself as you possibly can and practice courage by trying things out of your comfort zone. That way you can dream bigger too.

What an investment in yourself can do

In the very near future, my Reiki Master students will be graduating from the 5 month intensive training program with their Reiki Master certification. You might think that a Reiki Master program is all about learning the Reiki System of Natural Healing techniques and how to use them on others. That doesn't really cover it though. Reiki Master training is so much more - it's an investment in yourself. Working with energy is working with emotions, mental habits and behavioral patterns, especially your own. If you aren't clear about your own inner stuff, you're not going to be able to facilitate healing on a Reiki Master level for someone else.

Reiki Master training is truly mastery of yourself. (If you're interested in studying with me, look here.)

It's been amazing to watch these perservering students focus on self-care in the face of much homework practicing techniques on volunteers over the last five months. It's been empowering to witness them discover inside themselves the capacity to do things they had never considered before. Even more powerful than their courageous acts of facing their doubts and fears has been hearing them begin to share the dreams they've held quietly in their hearts for a long while.

I remember back to when I first graduated with my Masters Degree in Natural Health and then later with my Reiki Master certification. I was burning with passion and ready to launch myself out into the world as a wellness practitioner to help others on their healing journeys. This was years ago before the wellness industry became a hot topic, and I had no idea how to start a practice. It was many years of attempts with other jobs to pay the bills in between before I finally figured out what it takes to be a successful self-employed service professional.

It's not what you might think.

It's not being the best in your field or even knowing all the special business systems that self-employed entrepreneurs use! It's really all about your inner stuff.

Where you are emotionally, psychologically and spiritually and your clarity of outer vision - how you want to be of service in the world - and clarity of inner vision - knowing and trusting yourself and being open to inspiration - is what it takes to succeed as a service professional with dreams to change the world.

Without this clarity of vision, your inner fears, doubts and subconcious patterns are going to put up roadblocks and hold you back from moving forward.

And there is nothing better for getting really deep perspective on yourself than working with a group of like-minded individuals. The energy of a group of motivated, passionate, compassionate individuals who are ready to clear away the blocks in their path to success can create powerful healing and bigger dreams. This type of a group is called a mastermind, and it can be intense but very rewarding. (Read about whether a mastermind is for you in Christine Kane's blog.)

As a gift to my graduating students, I am pulling together a mastermind of service minded professionals who are passionate, determined, positive, and ready to dig deep to uncover road blocks to their success. These individuals are ready to move forward with their dreams to be of service and change the world from a place of clarity and confidence. I want my students to have what I missed out on when I graduated so they can move forward supported, encouraged and focused.

I'm also offering a program this summer for Reiki practitioners who are ready to invest in themselves. It's called Change Your Life with Reiki, and it's similar to a mastermind - we'll be using the energy of group Reiki when we're together and self-Reiki and self exploration at home to change your life in a positive way.

As I've mentioned before my practice is shifting to serve those who are innovating to heal themselves and the world, so stay tuned for new programs via teleclass and internet for those of you who live in other parts of the country (or the world) and need support, motivation and affirmation to move your dreams forward! Private one-on-one programs are coming up too.

Calm at the center of the storm

Sometimes life has a comfortable familiar rhythm day in and day out that's easy to follow. Other times when big life changes are happening like the birth of a new baby, a move, an illness, the loss of a loved one or a job, or even starting your own business, the natural rhythm that sustains you can get lost. What do you do when that happens?

Do you float adrift in a stormy sea of changes or do you become the calm at the center of the storm?

For years, I was that person on a lifeboat in the middle of the storm trying not to drown and to just hang on until the storm finally passed. Each big life change felt like a force outside my control, and I felt like a victim of circumstance. Sometimes I could make the best of the situations, but often I complained, grumbled and resisted the changes the whole time.

Eventually though, I realized that there was another way to get through big life changes that was more empowering.

Instead of losing the rhythm of my self-care routines to the chaos of change - I made this my priority.

It was counterintuitive at first - how do you keep up with self-care habits like yoga, meditation, and exercise while you're tending to a newborn, sleeping on someone's couch, at the career center or in a hospital waiting room? But the more I practiced - in any and every environment I found myself in - the easier it became to do.

And the benefits were immeasurable.

Instead of anxious, I felt calm. Instead of a mind filled with worry, I felt focused and clear about what I needed to do next and where my priorities were. Instead of being tense and exhausted, I was peaceful, energized and relaxed. Amazingly, I felt able to respond in each changing moment to what came next instead of reacting from a place of fear. I felt empowered and confident. I had found the calm at the center of any storm that might hit my life and jolt me out of my comfortable place.

What do you do when big life changes interrupt the flow of your comfortable life?

Do you put off self-care until things "settle" down, or do you make it a priority, letting it nourish and sustain you through the changes and challenges?

Even if you feel too busy, too flustered, too overwhelmed to make self-care a priority today, I encourage you to do it anyways. At the very least, take 5 minutes and breath slowly. I'm positive you can find five minutes in your day to connect with your breath and your body and relax for a few moments. And do it again tomorrow and the day after.

Wondering how you can slip self-care into your day? Read this article about starting your day with self-care.

Change Your Life

Have you noticed that since you've been attuned to Reiki that there are things you can't ignore anymore?

Have you noticed that there are things in your life that need to change? Some situations (and relationships) no longer feel right?

If you get really honest with yourself, are you living the life you really want?

Do you have dreams you've never fulfilled or are not even sure what would make your life fulfilling?

If you answered any of these questions with a yes, and you want to change your life but aren't sure how, this group may be for you!

The Change Your Life Group meets:
Tuesdays 6:30-8pm
June 16, 23, 30
July 7, 14, 21, 28

The program covers:

• Going Deeper with CKR* Emotional Healing with SHK
• Manifest Intentions with Reiki
• Deeper self Awareness and How to make changes using Reiki
• How to use positive thinking, affirmations, and visualization
  

Find out more on my website here!

Do you believe it?

One of my intentions at the New Year was to overcome the limitations of my particular chronic pain and get back to the gym and doing yoga. I've accomplished my goal, and I am looking forward to yoga classes and workouts for the rest of the year!

For a while though, it was really a struggle to believe it could happen for me - that I could get over the mental blocks and fears that come with chronic pain and get myself into the gym. My limiting thoughts were something like this: "It's just going to hurt more if I exercise." "I'll be too exhausted to do anything else." "What if I injure myself?"

Isn't it frustrating how how we sometimes get in our own way while we are trying to achieve our goals? You can set intentions and goals, be as positive as a cheerleader about them, doing affirmations and visualizations, but if deep down you don't believe that they can become reality for you - they won't, will they?

For example: you set a goal to go to the gym 3 times a week after work, or an intention to attract new clients to fill out the empty spots in your schedule or dream of taking your practice to the next level, and within a couple of weeks you stop working towards it because deep down you don't really believe you can achieve it anyways.

How many times has this happened to you? It sure has happened to me more times than I'd like to admit to myself. This is a pretty frustrating phenomenon.

How do you prevent it from happening?

I believe the key to working through these deep seated beliefs is to face them head on. Spend some time trying to understand them. Do you believe you can't succeed with your intention because deep down you know it's not realistic? (such as wanting to lose 50 lbs in just a few weeks). Or maybe you believe you can't achieve your goals because you don't believe you deserve to achieve them or you're afraid of what it means to your life and relationships if you are successful?

Whatever the reason, with knowledge of the limiting beliefs holding you back, you become empowered to work with yourself instead of against yourself.

It might mean giving yourself a realistic timeline to achieve your long-term goals, and setting bite-sized milestones to celebrate along the way. It might mean confronting some fears about yourself and deciding you deserve success and moving forward anyways. Or, it might mean taking a closer look at your life and relationships and rallying the people around you to become your cheerleading team.

You might also realize, as a result of your time reflecting, that the goal you didn't believe in wasn't something YOU really wanted to do for yourself anyways. It might have been motivated by cultural or peer pressure or be something someone else encouraged you to do.

With this new knowledge of yourself, you can set goals that feel right deep down and know that you can and will succeed.

Of course, it can be really hard to identify limiting beliefs - I mean if you knew what they were you'd have changed them by now, right?

That's where having an unbiased supporter comes in. Someone who can see and hear you from an objective, impartial perspective to help you get to the root of what's holding you back from the success, abundance, health, and happiness that you desire.

If you are a wellness professional having trouble maintaining a healthy balance between life and work and bringing in the clients you want - stay tuned for a new program I'm designing with exactly you in mind. It will help you move past the blocks holding you back so you can shift into abundance and balance.