Give it your all. Give it away. Your desires are being held in the hand of the cosmos with incredibly sturdy care. Life is not testing you. She is rooting for you.
Creativity + Learning
The Manifesto of Encouragement
Right now, there are Tibetan Buddhist monks in a temple in the Himalayas endlessly reciting mantras for the cessation of your suffering and for the flourishing of your happiness. Someone you haven’t met yet is already dreaming of adoring you. Someone is writing a book that you will read in the next two years that will change how you look at life…
Self doubt. Self agency. And burning your journals.
I’ve tried recapitulation and obsessive, neurotic over-attachment as a means to self-improvement. Funnily enough, it doesn’t seem to work.
Art is now a matter of urgency. #unityconsciousness
“You know what’s going to come of this moment in history?” asked Lauryn Hill. What?! Injustice, division, collusion?
“Beautiful art,” she said. “It’s happened before, and it will happen again. People’re going to make things. Artists make art from struggle.”
Her gift to everyone that night was firm Faith.
She alchemized fear into a higher vision. Like artists do.
New podcast ep! Heart + Head Leadership with Marie Forleo
I’m back in podcast mode—and I brought a friend! Marie Forleo. Forleo and I have huddled many a time about creative conundrums and opportunities. I trust her smarts. Her book, Everything is Figureoutable, entered the NYT bestseller list at #1. Because that’s how Forleo does things—impeccably. And her yearly marketing and business development program, B-School is about to roll out.
What you’re attracted to will change as you heal.
As you heal (read: apply compassion to your pain; forgive some people; turn anxiety into insight), what you’re attracted to is going to change.
“This is what I’d do if I were you,” I said…
Before I was a working author, I did one-on-one strategy sessions with (mostly female) entrepreneurs. “Fire Starter Sessions.” It was $1000 for a 90 minute session and I think, on the whole, people got what they came for and a bit more: idea clarity, a sequenced path, and pragmatic encouragement. I was very clear, “I’m not a coach, I’m a strategist.” I gave people what *I* wanted in terms of business council—straight up advice. Seasoned, sincere wisdom.
Growth phases—for conscious entrepreneurs.
Exploitative capitalism is tapping our life force. Conscious enterprise is one of the most powerful vehicles for restoring our vitality.
If you want your work to matter… If you want to get more money in the door so you can live more—and give more… Then you have to learn to leverage online tools. And connect with people who know this terrain and take its high roads.
THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT YOURSELF (partial list only, please spend the rest of your life adding to this)
Love your: Resistance desires Godliness abandonment issues fire-in-your-belly vision simple happiness preferences. And other things.
My “give it up” list. Feel free to make it yours.
It’s always a good time to let go of whatever is holding you back. Here are some micro monumental suggestions.
The Principles of Flow. And how to ride it.
When we say, “We’re going with the flow,” what we’re really saying is that we’re riding The Creative Principle. The stuff of LIFE FORCE. Flow isn’t New Age chillaxin’—it is alert relaxation. Wide awake trust. When you’re in the flow, you’re constantly responding to the subtle cues that Life is giving you.
When you can’t have a direct conversation, go for the Higher Self.
When things are brutally difficult with somebody, sometimes the healthiest thing is to have a non-verbal, encouragement convo. When you can’t safely/bravely express yourself in this material realm, then use an esoteric channel—speak to the other person’s Higher Self.
Heart-centered manifesting: plans that also serve the collective.
It’s too late in the day, and too hot, crowded, and a little too painful on the planet, to be focused solely on personal attainment. Reach for the dream job, healthy bod’, love of your life—AND incorporate other people’s wellness in your vision. This is a heart-centered how-to.
“Tyrant Time” vs. “Power Time.” What’s your paradigm?
When you’re clear on what activates your joy, time management becomes a means to self-expression, not self-policing.
Our language around “busyness.” And why it matters so much.
Whatever is on your plate got there because you said yes to it—in the fullness of ambition and desire and wanting to eat life whole.
Find your future in your present—so you can grow it.
Here’s a beautiful notion to consider: You already have a lot of what you want, in places you may have overlooked, in different packaging than you may have expected, and hidden in plain sight.
What to do after you have a breakthrough. (You’re going to shrink after you expand, so, listen closely.)
Threshold, crossed. You got there. After the grinding, the repetitive strain, the cord-cutting, the release, the bliss of relief—the training paid off. Muscle burn got you across the finish line. Soul fire resurrected you. BREAKTHROUGH.
make it happen
When you enter into the deal-making phase—from real estate to intellectual property, gigs to partnerships—it can be like heading into a dark tunnel. The Deal Tunnel. Everyone’s opinions are echoing. Time pressure is on. You reeeeally want to get to the final deal, the light, at the end of the tunnel.
What would Oprah do? 8 (fun!) strategic planning questions.
What would Oprah do? 8 (fun!) strategic planning questions. Your answers can be loose and pie in the sky—let your imagination run.
5 Q’s for a LUMINOUS new year in business
On Team D we think of September as the new January, so a few months ago we dove into business-related retrospection and visioning to get free & clear for 2019. Whenever you’re ready to start fresh, I just posted a short how-to for doing a yearly retrospective on the blog. Five laser-focused questions to prep you for a LUMINOUS 2019!
Soulful, with a side of sassy: Free greeting cards & gift tags
I like my holidays to be easy on the over-consumption, big on the real love, with plenty of laughs. In that spirit, we designed these printable greeting cards & gift tags so your holidays can match YOUR spirit. Deep, light, and looking on the bright side. Take your pick, print, trim, and give give give!
How our business gives back
When I started my own business, I made a decision to be public about our charitable giving. It was a practice I learned from Anita Roddick and the Canadian-based leaders (all women) of The Body Shop. The Body Shop was my first job-job and it baked the concept of a triple bottom line into my happily bleeding heart. The idea of sharing this is to inspire giving through business. I think we’re all gifters at heart. The flow of allowing and aiding is our natural way of being.
Hey, Fire Starter! Is your time management system starving your Soul?
When you’re clear on what activates the joy within you, time management becomes a means to self-expression, not self-policing. And “making time” becomes an act of service so that you can be your best for those around you.
If you loathe self promotion, here’s something to cheer on your shine…
RADIATE your passion + STATE THE FACTS of what that passion generates (the results it brings for you and your customers) = HAPPIER SELF PROMOTION
My favourite rituals for protection, clarity, grounding, and manifesting…
September is about rising into The New. It’s my favourite time to refresh and set goals + intentions. And that requires some ritual. Rituals to anchor and nourish your intentions.
21 promo ideas. Simple, grand, + the tried n’ true.
Promo ideas! Simple, grand, + the tried n’ true. Here’s a few…
#1. When you post client testimonials on your blog, include a reply of gratitude.
#6. Join forces with a local artist to make some beautiful stuff.
#11. Start an advice column. Make it slightly hilarious.
#15. Say thank you. Mean it…
When “pushing through it” isn’t working for you anymore. This is how to rally…
I was down for the count. Making time to heal became my Soul focus. I had to make some changes. The end of your rope may be a beautiful turning point.
A few growth pointers from Team D
Here are some field notes for growth from the two amazing women who run our business.
I made something new for you. For US.
The LIGHT WORK series will unfold over six episodes. These are girlfriend-style sermons on serving the world while staying sane, cosmic connectedness over tech addiction, self compassion and more fulfilling friendships. Poetry. Hilarity. Peeks into the personal.
Everyone on #TeamD takes these personality tests
One of our best investments of time is in understanding each other: what our strengths and talents are, how we show love + appreciation, and how we respond to stress. We’re working to be even more thoughtful and diligent around these practices in our culture, but we’ve got some great tools in hand.
