Heal & Reclaim what it means to be in Business

One of my clients asked herself this question as she considered jumping with both feet into the Heart-Centered Entrepreneur Apprenticeship. Even though she is a very talented and compassionate healer, she wasn't sure she wanted to become a business owner and self-employed practitioner in order to share her gifts with the world. Does this resonate with you?

If there's a small doubting voice in the back of your mind asking if you're sure you have what it takes to open a private practice doing the heart-centered work that you feel called to do, know that you are not alone!

Starting a business can be overwhelming and non-intuitive for heart-centered individuals. In fact, most of us dislike the idea of getting involved with "business" because in the mainstream "business" often seems unhealthy, negative and focused on profit at the expense of the environment, our communities, our neighbors and our hearts.

Why would a heart-centered person with a passion in her heart to help others heal and find balance desire anything to do with that kind of negativity? Of course she wouldn't. Instead, and I am sure you have done this just as I have, she wishes someone else would do the dirty work of running the business and hire her to do the life changing, world healing work with clients without getting involved with the business aspects. If only it was that easy!

The truth is that in this economy, in current Western culture, those life-affirming, well paying jobs for healers (who work on any level of mind, body, psyche or spirit) that we hope for are rare. The truth is that we cannot leave the "dirty" work of running a business to those who don't understand what we're doing, and we simply cannot successfully guide and facilitate the healing of others without healing our own relationship with money and business.

We need to heal and reclaim the notion of what it is to be in business and to be in service.

We ~ the progressive, intuitive healers who are ushering in a new (or old depending on how you look at it) paradigm of living in harmony with mother nature and within our own human communities ~ need to transform the act of being in business into a heart-centered, relationship oriented, abundance focused enterprise.

We are on the cutting edge of this healing evolution, and it's up to us to show our clients, our students, and everyone else how to live and work in harmony.

That's a pretty big responsibility, isn't it? And yet, it wouldn't be honest or healthy if we ignored this aspect to our own healing and growth. Do you have what it takes to be in a heart-centered business for yourself? I believe you do.

If you have what it takes to be committed to your own well-being, your own spiritual development and to treating others with love and compassion, then I know in my heart that you have the kind of commitment it takes to grow a heart-centered business that provides healing and growth opportunities for those who are seeking. Not only that, you have what it takes to allow your heart-centered work to be a channel for abundance, prosperity and love in your life.

Starting a heart-centered business is simply another part of your personal healing journey, and I invite you to join me on this path if there is an urging in your heart to help others. Don't be afraid to follow your heart. You don't have to figure everything out on your own. I can show you how to be an intuitive, inspired business owner that works and lives with integrity, compassion and abundance.

Yes, you are ready! You can do this! Sign up here.

Heartfelt Questions and Answers about the Heart-Centered Entrepreneur Apprenticeship

I think what's holding me back is the thought that I don't really know if our styles will mesh. I love the principles and intent behind the apprenticeship description you wrote -- I love the mission and the structure :) -- but it's very "business-like", and I can't tell whether to expect a more impersonal, business-like mentorship over the 12 weeks, or if it's meant to be more like heart-felt counseling. It could be the latter, but simply framed in a New England style that I've grown less accustomed to!

I am so glad that you brought this up! I've been in New England my whole life, and while I know the culture here can be kind of stiff and formal - it's nice to get your perspective. My mission is to shift the paradigm of business from being impersonal to heart-centered. I do believe that you will find the program to be very heart-centered.

During the first six weeks, we delve deep into your heart to uncover the fears, doubts and limiting beliefs that are holding you back in growing your business. These six weeks also include tools and practices to help you get in touch and stay in touch with your heart for all of the decisions you need to make.

The last six weeks, we look at how to take what you know in your heart and transform it into a business that attracts clients to you because your communication / marketing / advertising resonates with their hearts. So yes, it's very heart-felt but there are some practical business practices mixed in.

Another question I have regards course materials, can they be furnished electronically? (I'm out of the country and I notice the program description mentions a workbook)

Everything in this program is available electronically. The lessons come to you via email each week which include content and sometimes recorded lectures to listen to on your own time. When we connect as a group it's via a conference call, and our private sessions can be done over Skype or telephone. All of the content in the workbook is included in the content in the emails, but it's also available at an additional price as an electronic file if you preferred to print it out to write in it.

Finally, what is the anticipated time commitment each week for the apprenticeship? (how much time would you recommend be set aside to reap its full benefits?)

For the first six weeks, I recommend giving yourself 90 minutes to listen to the class lectures and then scheduling another 90 minutes later in the week to work on the exercises. For the 2nd six weeks, I recommend spending 2-3 hours each week working on the exercises. Our group coaching masterminds are 60 minutes, once or twice a month. Then your private coaching sessions with me will be 30 minutes, once each month.

Request more info or sign up here.

Success Story: Sister Hawk Reiki

Joanna's Reiki Master program gave me the opportunity to feel confident as a Reiki Master and practitioner. I was supported, inspired, and felt the motivation to bring my heart, gift, and self forward. Joanna helped to guide my own vision for where I want to go with my practice and how I envisioning bringing Reiki into the world. I also received a thorough and thoughtful Reiki Master training, and feel that the breadth of training has given me what I need to go forward as a Reiki Master with confidence.Reiki has been one of the greatest gifts to receive, each day I'm thankful, and it's a blessing to work as a healer.

Find out more about Beth Farrell and her practice Sister Hawk Reiki.

What's your Success Story?

I spent a long time looking for someone to hire me to do the kind of coaching work my heart called me to do, almost 5 years searching to no avail.

I saw that a lot of people who went into private practice when they couldn't find a job doing their soul-work were perpetually struggling to pay their bills. It seemed like unless you were really lucky or smart, following your bliss in work didn't result in an ability to thrive in our 3-D world of bills, rent and purchases.

Eventually, I found some people in the healing arts who were able to be of service in a soul-ful and profitable way. So, I asked them a whole lot of questions, and I hired a business coach to help me fill the gaps in my knowledge. Through my experiences, I learned that there were specific skills one had to learn to have a profitable business, and it was a relief to realize that it was possible to be profitable in a way that has integrity and honors my values.

You can do it too.

I've created two different programs to give you the support, skills, and strategies to create the life you dream of living that's supported by a business doing heart-centered work.

For practitioners who need something to shift so that you are attracting clients and experiencing your business in a flow of abundance, the Heart-Centered Entrepreneur Apprenticeship is for you. I am now accepting applications for the next Heart-Centered Entrepreneur Apprenticeshipstarting on April 4th. Spots are limited so get your application in early.Request an application and more details here.

Then there's the new program Your Exit Strategy: One Year Journey from Heart-sick Employee to Heart-Centered Entrepreneur and Soul-satisfying Living. This program is for healers who are lead

ing double lives - one life in the profession that no longer calls to them and the other as a spiritual being on a path of healing and teaching, often in the closet except with a few close friends or family. I know all about this double life, as I lived it myself for years.

I wrote my own Success Story, and I've been helping my clients write theirs. Check out Dana's Success Story.

Dana Tate

Tupelo Holistic Center

1. What was your life & practice like before you started to work with Joanna?

Before I began working with Joanna, I felt scattered in my practice. I had many abilities, but no way to integrate them and create a practice that best suited my personality.

2. What did you do with Joanna & what did you learn? What did you like about this work you did together?

Working with Joanna was exciting and uplifting; not only did I see the big picture of where I wanted to take my practice, but I had the actual words and strategic steps to take to make the transition happen seamlessly. Plus, working with Joanna was always fun and inspiring.

3. What skills, mindsets, and strengths did you develop through your work with Joanna that contributed to your Success?

I found that my communication skills improved drastically, and I felt very supported as I spread my wings in a totally new field.

4. What was the most significant take-away that you got from your work with Joanna?

The most significant take-away that I got from this work was the ability to imagine my perfect practice while taking realistic steps to create exactly what I wanted.

5. How do you define your Success now? How has your life & practice changed?

My practice has completely integrated and shifted into a fulfilling career. Not only am I working full time, but I am also teaching and consulting; I am thoroughly enjoying the fullness of my heart centered career.

6. What would you advise others who want to fulfill their purpose of being of service to others in an authentic, heart centered, abundant way?

If you are not quite sure if working with a coach is a rewarding choice, I encourage you to seriously consider working with Joanna. She is fully present with her clients, and you will be amazed by the abundance you will experience in your practice as she mentors you.

Deep peace,

Dana Tate

Tupelo, MS

Create Results in your Business

A new client comes in, and the session is great.

At least you thought so, but she doesn't book a follow up appointment with you. So, as usual, you put your energy into finding as many new clients as possible with low-cost promotions, free samples at the mall or an event happening in your town, and big signage outside your office.

Let's face it. This is a never ending cycle of despair. All this work to keep your practice booked with new clients who often don't come back after the first session is frustrating, disappointing and exhausting.

There's got to be a better way!

Thank goodness there really is a better way. It happens when you design your practice around results oriented services. These services not only benefit your clients by helping them reach their goals; they also benefit you by keeping your appointment book filled with repeat clients. This means you no longer have to spend all that time and energy at street fairs trying to attract new clients with a free sample and coupon to try your services.

Take a nice big breath and let go of that cycle of despair! You are going to find this approach liberating and exciting. It will take a little pre-planning, but it's worth every second.

So let's explore this in a little bit more depth. So what are results oriented services? This is when you offer your clients a service package or program designed to help them meet their goals.

Here are some of examples:

• Instead of your usual one hour $80 massage, you offer your clients a "Relieve your Back Pain" package of 5 sessions for $350 (normally $400).
• Instead of that deeply relaxing one hour $70 Reiki or Polarity session, you offer a "Replace Chronic Stress with Chronic Relaxation" program of 6 weekly sessions for $360 (normally $420).
• Instead of a weekly drop-in yoga class for $15, you offer a "10 Weeks to a Better Body" yoga series for $125 (normally $150).
• Instead of new clients dropping in to try various services at your wellness center, you offer an "Introductory Package" that includes admission to 2 yoga classes, a 60 minute massage and 45 minute reflexology or reiki session for $140 (normally $170).

See where I'm going with this?

Results oriented services get your appointment book filled with repeat clients who pay in advance.

How awesome is that?!

While some clients are going to stop coming in at the end of the package because they have achieved their goal successfully, others will sign up again because it makes their lives that much better.

Either way, you have some happy clients on your hands who are going to tell their friends and family about how great they feel when they work with you.

Approaching your services this way is going to get you out of that promotional cycle of despair very quickly, as it fills your pipeline with happy repeat clients and the people they refer to you. 2010 is a great opportunity to introduce some results oriented services to your clients, so see how to do it below.

Your Transformational Homework:

• Look over your notes about your special gifts, talents and skills and your unique niche. Use this information to start crafting results oriented packages or programs that will let clients experience your best work.
• Ask your current repeat clients what benefits they get from seeing you regularly and use this information to craft a special results oriented program just for people like them.
• Put together a couple of results oriented packages (no more than 2 or 3 to start) and email to your list, put up on your website or on a flyer.
• Talk about them to everyone you meet. Explain the value and invite your current and potential new clients to sign up for a program.

PS. If you find these steps valuable, and you're an emerging heart-centered entrepreneur looking for the keys to transform your business into an authentic, heart-centered, profitable business, there's a workshop for you on August 24th. If you'd like to know more about how to apply these steps to transform your own emerging business, join me at Learn the Six Steps to Success here in Beverly, MA.

Find your Niche

Does this resonate?

You are so excited and passionate about the healing benefits of your techniques or products that you often describe your business 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 get involved with your business, 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 heart-centered entrepreneurs make from the heart. The truth is that we (myself included as someone who has done this) want to advertise the benefits of our business as a panacea (cure-all) for everyone because in our hearts we know our services or products 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 and customers 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 heart-centered entrepreneur looking for the keys to transform your business into an authentic, heart-centered, profitable business, there's a workshop for you on August 24th. If you'd like to know more about how to apply these steps to transform your own emerging business, join me at Learn the Six Steps to Success here in Beverly, MA.

Identify your Special, Gifts, Talents 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 give birth to their dream of starting a business by finding their gifts, identifying who they are here to serve, and teaching them how to communicate in a resonating, heart-centered way that attracts clients."

Ooh, that sounds a lot snappier doesn't it? It catches your attention. If you have a 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 iced tea 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 heart-centered entrepreneur looking for the keys to transform your business into an authentic, heart-centered, profitable business, there's a workshop for you on August 24th. If you'd like to know more about how to apply these steps to transform your own emerging business, join me at Learn the Six Steps to Success here in Beverly, MA.

Make Space for your Dream

Your dream 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 dream to grow. 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 heart-centered entrepreneurs make is to do other non-business 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 business on a regular basis in order for it to grow.The average heart-centered entrepreneur - 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 cultivated 4 regular clients despite the economic recession.

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

I'm going to leave the physical space of your business up to you, since it's pretty obvious you can't have a business unless you have a space to work in and at it. There are many options out there including a private room in your home, renting space or paying commission or rent in a 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 what I'm doing at my center,The Healing Center in Beverly

Now, there's no magic formula for tending to your business. 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 business that's important.

Ok so let's get down to the really crucial stuff that many emerging entrepreneurs don't realize. First of all, you need to set aside self-care time for yourself. Think about it - as a wellness focused heart-centered entrepreneur you are a role model for your clients and customers. 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 business 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 business 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 business, 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 business 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 business. 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 business 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 business 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 business 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 heart-centered entrepreneur looking for the keys to transform your business into an authentic, heart-centered, profitable business, there's a workshop for you on August 24th. If you'd like to know more about how to apply these steps to transform your own emerging business, join me at Learn the Six Steps to Success here in Beverly, MA.

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 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 gifts?
• 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.

Your Transformational Homework this week:

Listen to my lecture & guided meditation about how to open the flow of abundance in your life. Click here to listen.

Reflect on these questions, write in your journal and talk about them with others.

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?

Put my manifesto up somewhere you can read it every day:

I AM ENOUGH
by Joanna Scaparotti

"By virtue of being conceived, I have inherent dignity, value and worth. I am loved unconditionally, and I am provided for completely. Abundance, love, appreciation and opportunities are my birthright. It is my duty to open my heart and receive. I am receptive and joyfully receiving the gifts, opportunities, appreciation and love the Universe provides me.

I work to be of Service and fully express my joy, love and appreciation of the gifts given to me. I do not work to prove my worth, earn my keep, or to provide the means to live my life. I express my gifts by surrendering fear, control, doubt, self-criticism, and guilt. Instead I open to unconditional love and blessings.

And I ask today and every day - how can I serve? How can I express my gifts? How can I receive? How can I give?"

Still stuck?

Listen to Joanna's guided meditation for dreaming without limitations from her Lulu store here, or schedule a private breakthrough session with Joanna on the phone or in person.

When things aren't going your way: what to do when you hit a roadblock in life or business.

Last week I talked about how you don't have to be perfect to be successful. Sometimes, in fact, you do everything just right, and things still don't work out. You planned carefully, put your intentions out to the Universe, crossed all your t's and dotted all your i's, and still, life has a funny way of derailing the best laid plans at times.

When that happens, it's pretty easy to feel frustrated, impatient, angry, overwhelmed, confused, disappointed, and unsure of yourself. Even worse, I notice a lot of my clients and friends take things a step further and start being really hard on themselves for not being perfect and making the outcome work out they way they intended. So add to the original feelings a lot of guilt, self-loathing and berating.

This is a pretty rough place to be in and can start a downward spiral that takes you further and further from the success and abundance you want in your life.

When life happens to derail your best laid plans, I encourage you to take a step back and practice what the Buddhists call non-attachment. Non-attachment is letting go of your attachment to the outcome, and also letting go of your false sense of control over the situation. Release your misplaced responsibility, and approach yourself with compassion. Even if you do find that there was a true mistake of judgment that you made in the situation, you can apologize, learn your lesson and move on from it without being mean to yourself.

I learned about non-attachment over the last three years on my journey with chronic pain. I know all the tricks for managing pain, and sometimes even my best intentions don't work. Pain, like so many things in life, often has a mind and a purpose of it's own that is completely outside of my conscious control. In the beginning, I would inflict a lot of anger and self-hatred on my body for subjecting me to this misery, but I eventually realized that this wasn't getting me anywhere but more unhappy.

I realized that just like when completely unanticipated things happen, I can't always control pain. But I can control my response and actions. I can choose not to have an angry or knee-jerk reaction and instead to respond to the situation at hand in a way that feels right and aligned with my original intentions.

I came up with this simple process for dealing with a flare-up and dealing with unanticipated life situations that throw me for a loop. Step 1 ~ Stop: Take a deep breath and release the need to be in control of the situation on your exhale. Step 2 ~ Listen: Ask your Core self, Inner Voice or Intuition what do I need right now? Listen for the answer as long as you need until you are certain. Step 3 ~ Respond with a Loving Action: Choose how you want to respond to the situation from a loving place. Be kind to yourself, the other people involved and even allow yourself to laugh a bit about the predicament you are in.

If you can, thank the Universe for this lesson to slow down, reassess and get clarity. What I've discovered is that when I can approach the unexpected, unplanned interruptions with compassion, and even a bit of gratitude, another opportunity presents itself.

In fact, success is not doing things perfectly all the time, or even part of the time. Success comes when you are confident enough in yourself and your convictions to weather the ups and downs of the unexpected and jump on the opportunities that present themselves to you. Success is the result of your ability to respond in each situation in a way that's aligned with your goals and values, instead of getting lost in a self-defeating cycle of self-abuse, guilt and anger.

Practicing the three simple steps I outlined for you above can help you become successful. If you want or need more support and guidance in transforming your approach to challenges and roadblocks, Succeed Like a Diva may be for you. It'll bring you through a transformational journey within the loving, compassionate support of a mastermind group.

You'll learn new techniques for dealing with roadblocks, and you will step into the empowerment to courageously live a life of abundance and vibrancy. You will also learn how to shift into the Diva Success way of being that doesn't get stuck at roadblocks so you can live from your heart in a way that naturally and effortlessly attracts the opportunities and success that you desire. It starts May 2nd, and the early bird rates are in effect until April 25th. Check out the rest of the details here.

Want to be successful? Just be yourself!

Being successful is not about being perfect.

A student asked me this week whether it was ok to take the course to become a Reiki Master even though she wasn't perfectly healed and balanced yet.

I assured her and the rest of the class that none of us ever become perfect. We're always a work in progress.

I am far from perfect. I never find time to iron my clothes or clean out my car. Sometimes I show up late for appointments, and I'm particularly bad at returning phone calls. Yet that doesn't stop me from being fabulous at being myself and what I do with clients.

Becoming a Master, Expert, Diva, or Just Great at What You Do is more about your commitment to being your best self, giving what you do you 100% of your attention while you're doing it, willingness to always learn new skills and grow as a person, capacity for admitting your flaws, laughing and loving your imperfect self, and making your decisions from your Core self that's grounded in your values, priorities and long term vision.

Personally, one thing I think all really successful people have in common is a strong sense of self, values, and priorities and an ability to listen to their Core self to help them make decisions that expand their potential beyond limiting beliefs and fears.

I've come to learn that the Core self is that Inner Voice that empowers you when you need to be strong, gives you great advice and guidance when you need to make a decision, and comes up with fabulously creative ideas and inspiration.

Your Core self is not your mind or your emotions, I believe it's your higher self, spirit, intuition, gut wisdom or perhaps simply your potential Inner Master, Diva or Expert. What I do know about the Core self is that it's not limited by fears and beliefs, rather it visions the world from a fearless expansive viewpoint where all things are possible.

Having access to your Core self makes Success easy because decisions, choices, answers, possibilities and inspiration come from a place inside of you that's confident, courageous and optimistic. It's a great ally when you're struggling with something or unsure how to proceed, and it's an even more powerful ally when you make a decision to be successful.

The Core self never leads you down the wrong path, and I've found that the Core self always finds a way for you to manifest those secret hopes, dreams and desires in your heart.

Gaining access to and developing a relationship with your Core self is easy with the 5 step Clearing your Path for Success process I've developed. I'm offering it again as a 4 week telecourse called Succeed Like a Diva. While the course is geared towards women, it is absolutely open to men as well.

Succeed Like a Diva is for the person who is committed to living her most vibrant, abundant life and is willing to go through the process of leaving her limiting beliefs behind so she can become a gorgeous, successful Diva.

Succeed Like a Diva will bring you through a transformational journey where you will find the clarity and confidence about the life you're meant to be living, and you will step into the empowerment to courageously live a life of abundance and vibrancy. You will also learn how to shift into the Diva Success way of being so you can live from your heart in a way that naturally and effortlessly attracts the opportunities and success that you desire.

If you're ready to be successful, this course is for you. It starts May 2nd, and the early bird rates are in effect until April 25th. Check out the rest of the details here.

Success Manifestation

After a decade long self-discovery journey and becoming an Ordained Minister so I could help others to find truth and happiness, I decided to blend my self-discovery process with my know-how of the wellness industry to show emerging and established practitioners how to transform their special gifts, talents and burning desire to help others into an authentic, fulfilling, client attractive business that integrates seamlessly with their chosen lifestyles.

My experiences mentoring other women to help them find their truth and unique selves during my ministry training has lead me to develop a self-discovery process that allows you to find your inner voice and step into your most authentic, powerful, fulfilling self. I teach this process of self-discovery through one-on-one coaching, tele-courses and mypublications.

But it doesn't stop there. Once you have discovered your calling, the world needs you to get out there and do it! You need to make the decisions and take the steps to manifest it into a real practice or business. Through my years working in all aspects of the wellness industry from back office, to front desk, to treatment room as a practitioner and coach, I have learned all of the important keys needed to create a thriving wellness business. So, I can guide you through all the aspects of creating and running a focused, client attractive business based on the platform of your passions and talents. (Check out my free workbook "Six Steps Every Practitioner Needs to Take")

Hence my motto: "Be yourself and change the world!"

To date, I have helped many emerging and established practitioners shift more fully into their calling and manifest valuable practices making positive change in the world. To read about some of the people I've helped, check out the Success Stories on my website.