Delays, Detours & Re-routings: Go with the Flow
April 24, 2010 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
In light of the recent Icelandic ash incident and all the news about stranded travelers; it reminds me that we have little control over what happens to us. It’s what we do about what happens to us that really makes the difference. The news was filled with irate travelers who were ‘stuck’ in Vegas for a few extra days. Hmmmm, millions dream of being here, yet some were outraged they had to spend some extra time here. Maybe they were out of money. It’s all about managing your expectations.
Being a seasoned traveler as a Professional Speaker and former Outdoor Adventure Director in Europe, I was on the road or in the air 3-8 times per month every single month for over 20 years. I’ve had my share of delays and detours. As an experienced entrepreneur for about 14 years, I’ve had my share of re-routings in that arena as well.
The best advice I can give comes from a couple friends. One said to me, if I was planning on traveling to Rome, had my heart set on it, packed for it, learned some Italian phrases and bought the guidebooks. And my flight was re-routed to Paris and I ended up spending the trip in France instead, what would I do.
Would I spend the entire time in Paris lamenting that I wasn’t in Rome, or would I re-group, assess the situation and remind myself I’m in a wonderful place on a wonderful adventure and then start enjoying Paris on the fly and be more spontaneous and figure it out as I went, asking for help, directions and recommendations as I went along.
It’s the same way with being an entrepreneur, we can’t have every single flight path planned out before we even start. We need to loosen our grip, go with the flow, enjoy Paris if that’s where our path leads us, even though we may have had our sites set on Rome. Enjoy the journey, make course corrections when we can, have a plan, but scrap it if it isn’t working. Delays and detours are bound to happen, we need to just be fluid to them and keep moving forward.
Another friend once said she saddles the horse in the direction it’s going. It’s much easier to work with what is moving in that direction, preferably forward. As a former horse owner, I also know it’s much easier to put the saddle on correctly and sit facing forward – the views are much better.
So the next time your path takes you off course, ask for directions, be spontaneous enough to figure it out and enjoy the views while you’re there. You just may discover something new and exciting that you were supposed to learn.
Service & Self Care First, Clients Second
March 23, 2010 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
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I know the saying is usually the customer comes first. But I have to take issue with that. Just like the oxygen masks from the ceiling, put your mask on first before you can help others.
If we serve and take care of ourselves first, taking care of our health, wealth and vitality, then it will resonate with others who are feeling the same way. If we are feeling burned out, rusted out and about to give out; what kind of clients do you think will resonate with that? If we are starving and struggling, how can we be feeding and leading? We must serve ourselves first in order to be strong, healthy and vital before we can show others the way.
Do we want to attract the low vibrational folk? Maybe we do, if our service is to help them raise their vibration. But the deal is, it’s not just clients you attract when you’re at a certain vibration, it’s everybody and everything.
We may have learned early on that taking care of ourselves first is selfish. I shout from the rooftops that we need to take care of ourselves and guard our energy fiercely, or else we won’t have any to give away. You can’t give what you don’t have. So we must have our vitality and energy first, then give it away to others and help them find their own.
For instance, creating is like breathing for me – it’s so reflexive. If I can’t be creating something, anything (articles, sewing, cooking, decorating, art, programs), I get antsy. That is why it’s critical for me to guard my morning time as fiercely as I guard a meeting with a VIP, by the way, that’s ANYBODY.
I know if I don’t get ‘me time’ to create, I’m cranky and I can’t rebuild my energy stores. I know my body rhythms and I’m the most creative in the morning and brain dead
Balance & Boundaries for Energized Entrepreneurs
March 19, 2010 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
We do it to ourselves. We are our own task masters and sometimes work ourselves harder than any boss would ever dare to do. It begins with our out-dated thought process that we have to get all our work done before we can play. Here’s the first clue – we will never get all our work done. There will always be more.
It starts with a DECSION. A decision that we set boundaries on our time, boundaries for when others can contact us, boundaries on when we start and stop work each day and how we want to live our daily life.
I live in the Pacific time zone and used to be at the computer by 6am because the East coast was up and working and I didn’t want to miss a sale. The problem was I also worked until 6pm for the West coast folks. I didn’t have time for myself and didn’t have balance because I didn’t have boundaries.
Once I DECIDED to not allow others into my life before 10am, or Monday mornings and Friday afternoons; I found more balance with more boundaries. Instead of me moving my schedule around to meet other people’s schedules, I just stated my schedule and allowed them to meet my criteria for connecting. I now have Me Mondays – I can do anything I darn well please that morning so I can ease into my week. It can be personal or professional development or a pedicure.
Often it’s when I create my content, create and send greeting cards to connect with others via mail (it puts me in a good mood to send positive energy to others), dream my big dreams and visualize what I want to do with my work to serve others better. My mornings are my creative time and I need to honor my own bio-rhythms to capture that most important time of the day. Otherwise I’m too brain-dead in the evening to be creative and the dreaming and creating won’t get done. What works best for you? When are you most creative and when are you brain dead – work around those boundaries for more balance.
Fun Fridays are currently just the afternoon, but it will be moving into a full-blown day to reconnect and socialize with friends or just have fun and be creative, explore, discover and meet new people and try new things to expand my world. We cannot be Energized Entrepreneurs, if our energy tank is on E. We must fill up our tanks before we can have it to give out.
Guard your energy as fiercely as you would an appointment with anybody else. You can’t give what you don’t have. You need to take care of you so you can give out the best you possible and serve your clients to the best of your ability. You can’t do that if you’re tired, cranky, feel overwhelmed, stressed out and burnt out. Decide how you want to live your life and work your business and then do it. You are your own boss.
For our readers, I’m offering a free Special Report on Energizing Your Work, Wealth, Workplace & Well-being. Send me an email toGail@GailHahn.comand put Special Report in your subject. Grab other free articles atwww.Funcilitators.com.
Becoming an Energized Entrepreneur/Executive
November 18, 2009 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully, Wealthy Woman | By Gaia Hart
It’s time for some new mojo for 2010. I took a self-battical in the fall to re-energize and revitalize how I wanted to inspire, educate and encourage others to enable their dreams and potential. As a Certified Speaking Professional and Author, it’s easy for me to take the stage or take to the keyboards. Speaking to Fortune 500 Corporations, Associations, Private and Public Organizations for over 13 years with Fun*cilitators has given me many insights into the energy of an organization.
Organizations are made up of people and the organization cannot be revitalized if the people are not energized – from the executives to the employees. Entrepeneurs are the same. For many entrepreneurs, they ARE their business – they are the product or service, so how can any of us serve others if we don’t have it to give out.
If we don’t take care of ourselves and recharge our energy stores, then we can’t give what we don’t have. My years of coaching entrepreneurs in the network marketing industry has taught me over and over again that not only can we not motivate others, we cannot give them energy – both are inside jobs. But we can offer ways to create an energized and motivating environment. We can tap into their WHY, their style, their nature and how they naturally show up for life and then offer systems, tips, tactics, strategies and ways of being that will work with each individual’s preferences. Be it organizational, image, space, right/left brain integration, bio-rhythms and type of work, outcome and lifestyle they desire.
I’ve been creating a series of tele-classes to pin-point the different areas we can energize in our lives so we can revitalize our whole lives by finding the drains, plugging them and then plugging into something greater to lead us to our most fully expressed and energized selves. Energized entrepreneurs and executives effuse energy into their work and their organizations and that is precisely what this economy needs is creative leaders, movers, shakers and thought leaders who have the energy to take others with them. It’s all an upward spiral breeding success.
Announcing the Energized Entrepreneur/Energized Exec tele-class series. I am offering a series of tele-classes throughout the year on topics to energize your work, wealth and well-being. Some classes will be hosted by moi and others will have guest experts from different areas so all aspects of your life from your space, stuff, time, goals, wealth, relationships, health, image, shadow self, marketing,business, and organizational preferences.
Each series is 6 tele-classes over 3 weeks. Each series will cover a variety of the areas mentioned above depending on the guest speakers. Starting dates are in February, details to follow. I will be setting up an Energized Entrepreneur/Exec Facebook group as well.
I will be hosting Energy Escapes – small group revitalization retreats for 2.5 days at a resort in Vegas for a select group of women entrepreneurs and executives to take their lives to the next level and discovering and uncovering your true Energy Identity and how to move through the world with your Energy Elements to be successful and energized in all areas of your life. Limited to 12 members. Specific dates to follow.
I’m offering personal VIP programs (exclusive 2-day personal coaching at a resort in Vegas) for just you or you and a few friends who are serious about getting a total Energy Makeover to improve your work, wealth and well-being. All VIP programs are customized to your needs within the framework of the Energy Identity Program. VIP programs are for individuals or up to 3 of their friends to ensure the most customized attention.
Energized Entrepreneur/Exec Coaching Circle is a 90-day coaching program that includes the tele-class series as well as a monthly group coaching call plus a bonus call for group members. This coaching circle is limited to 8 members.
Call me at 866.Fun.at.Work or email me at Gail@GailHahn.com for more details on these new programs to revitalize lives. I am offering limited-time introductory rates and pay plans on all inaugural programs.
Looking forward to helping your make 2010 a 10!
Are You Having a ‘Worth Quake’?
August 18, 2009 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully, Wealthy Woman | By Gaia Hart
I don’t know anybody who isn’t somewhat affected by the economic times, no matter where they live. And it takes courage, foresight, insight, hind-sight and sometimes outta-sight thinking to rise above the noise and keep moving forward to make it better.
In tough times we are being called to cultivate qualities that weren’t there before. Our soul can now develop qualities that couldn’t have unfolded without such times as this. Remember that it takes tons of pressure to make diamonds. We all react differently under pressure – how are you reacting? How are you pro-acting? How are you acting in the face of some large or small adversity?
Yep, we may have to dial things down, take stock, look around for opportunities and then take action. Take massive action. Action is what produces change and I believe it’s us entrepreneurs who are going to get this economy going again. It also adds to your feelings of worth and energizes you when you can do good and do well and help others do the same.
It’s during these times when mind-shifts happen and when we learn the way of making the universe bigger for all is in giving, it’s when we can give thanks for the qualities that have emerged during the pressure. It’s not always fun, welcomed or enjoyed. Sometimes it sucks….badly….. but often our opportunities come disguised as adversity…. how are you going to look at your circumstances and how are you going to change them for the better? And remember that our net worth is not equal to our self worth – we’ve all lost some of our net worth lately and thank goodness we didn’t lose our self worth!
Recession, Schmecession – We’re in Transition, Baby!
August 14, 2009 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully, Wealthy Woman | By Gaia Hart
There are a couple different ways to look at what the economy and most Americans are going through right now – a recession or a transition. I’ve always chosen to see what we can learn from a situation and the more positive outcomes of a not-so-positive- at- first-glance situation.
As my mentor, Million Dollar Wealth Acceleration Coach, David Neagle explained to us one day, it’s merely the winter season in the life of the economy. We’ve had our excesses, our Spring and our harvest and now is merely a time to re-group and transition the way we do our life, the way we do our business in order to thrive. Some won’t make it through the winter and some will thrive as they adapt to it. You can catch a part of his teachings through his complimentary 4-part audio series The Art of Success. It will whet your appetite for more learning on the new way of doing business in today’s economy.
I figure it’s similar to the ‘mid-life crisis’ – you can either look at it as a crisis or as a mid-life metamorphosis and a transition into something different and yes, even better complete with all the wisdom you hopefully gained in the earlier years. So crisis, schmisis, I say let’s look forward to change and transition and making us pay attention and shake things up. It’s a time in your life where you get permission to go crazy, do things out of character, try something new and different, be who you want to be regardless of what anybody else things. Age gives us that permission.
Having moved 26 times in the past 30 years in Europe and the US, I’ve experienced a few transitions. My advice would be to travel light, be flexible, keep an open mind to learning and how to adapt to your new environment. Look around at your new space and only keep what serves you best. If it doesn’t serve who you are currently or who you are becoming, jettison it immediately. The same in business, if it isn’t working, then move on to something new that still stays true to your authentic self and your higher purpose. All the other stuff is just noise and distraction and holding you back.
How are you doing your life differently now? How is your business or marketing changing to fit the new times? How are you thinking differently to adjust? Times have changed and we need to change with them if we expect to embrace the new economy. Cash is still flowing – I see it in Vegas every day. High-end products are still being sold and bought and those with the right perspective and insight will see their way to the next season. Stay tuned for future teleclasses, VIP Sessions and Energy Escapes I’ll be hosting on how to Energize Your Life at Every Level.
Are Your Working Out of Inspiration or Desperation?
July 29, 2009 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully, Wealthy Woman | By Gaia Hart
Here’s the thing – if you’re working out of desperation, it drains your energy, wears down your psyche and saps your soul. If you’re only working for the money, it won’t work for you. It’s not fulfilling. Work was never meant to do just for money. Work was something performed so we could fully express whatever it was we needed to fully express and the pay was the by-product of sharing our knowledge, skills, abilities, gifts and talents. Working out of inspiration builds our resilience to what the world throws our way. Working out of desperation drains our resilience reserves.
If you’re working out of inspiration, your energy soars, your soul sings, you feel fulfilled and you share your gifts and blessing with the world and give value and in return you get value back in many different forms. Yes, that includes money.
Money is currency and currency is energy so when you give out lots of energy, you receive it back, because energy never goes away, it just changes form. It’s about giving of ourselves, giving our inspired energy and giving value, then let the energy flow back as it may.
I’ve found I need to be working out of inspiration and have chosen to align myself with companies that inspire me and that offer a way to make a living through GIVING vs. GETTING. That’s why my heart work (not hard work) is through www.BizBuilderCards.com because I get to do my art, be creative and fully express my message and feelings to make people’s days and help make their dreams come true.
What do you get out of the relationship with your job? Why do you show up each day and what do you want to accomplish? Do you have a master plan for showing up for life, or are you just clocking in and clocking out? I’m sure you know of colleagues who have retired years ago, but they just keep showing up for work each day to collect a paycheck.
What can you do to get inspired about your work? Make a list of what you do and don’t like about the different qualities and characteristics of your profession or your job. What can you change about it to make it more inspiring? What can you do to inspire others. As Zig Ziglar, the famous grandfather of motivation speaking so eloquently states: If you help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want.
What are you doing to help other people get what they want and get where they want to go? Are you embracing empathy and kindness into your day? What would you do in emergency situations and how far would you go to do the right thing?
Are you working out of inspiration or desperation? What would it take to be inspired? Are you inspiring those you work with and work for? Are you inspired by them? Are you filling up your resilience reserves by keeping inspired and finding more ways to be inspired? Or are you phoning it in, waiting to clock out and retire? What would need to change for you to be living an inspired life?
Organize to Energize: Making Room for Abundance
December 4, 2008 | Posted in Living Hartfully, Wealthy Woman | By Gaia Hart
I’m thrilled to be interviewed on the radio talk show Dollars and Sense on 94.9 FM WXRJ or wxrj.org in the mid-west hosted by my good friend, colleague and Professional Speaker, David Lewis and his co-host Cranston Sparks on the topic of Organizing and Energizing Your Life to Make Room for Abundance.
David and Cranston, both successful businessmen, host a weekly show on the topic of finance, success and living a prosperous life by sharing their insights and interviewing thought leaders in their fields. Making sense of making dollars and all the ways to bring success into your life is what they bring to listeners near Chicago and around the country. More details can be found at the radio station site or at DavidGLewis.com.
We discussed how our outside world reflects our inside world and if there’s a mess in our space, there’s likely a mess in our minds. We need to get clarity inside before we see clarity and cleared closets, desks and spaces outside.
The universe doesn’t bring abundance to chaos and if you can’t handle what you already have, then the universe will not be bringing you any more. So get going and get organized and systematized according to your style and preferences. What works for you.
How do you know when you need to get more organized or that you need to make more room for abundance?
1. You are frustrated with bottlenecks in your life
2. Your office, desk, closets, drawers, bedroom, kitchen and car are overflowing with stuff you trip over or dust around and it creates some anxiety
3. You keep losing things, misplacing items and can’t seem to find what you need in a timely manner – you waste time looking for stuff.
4. You are getting feedback from your partner, colleagues, friends or those you live with that your stuff is getting out of control.
So clean up your space, clean up your act and clear the way to make room for abundance. It doesn’t hurt that you can jumpstart your abundance by finding cash in your closets and selling things online or at yard sales etc.
What is overflowing in your life? If everything is overflowing outward, prosperity can’t flow inward – create a space for things to flow into your life on every level. It can start with changing your mind, cleaning off your desk, your calendar or clearing out your closet.
