By Christine Kloser
There’s a silent epidemic happening for entrepreneurs world-wide. It’s not a pretty epidemic, nor is it fun… but it’s an epidemic that can be eradicated by each and every entrepreneur who has been affected by it.
I was personally impacted by this epidemic for many, many years in my business without having any conscious awareness that it was happening, that it had its hold on me. And, I’m hearing more and more about this epidemic as entrepreneurs are waking up and beginning to realize what’s really happening in their businesses.
And, the epidemic is this…. I call it the “Unconscious, Conscious Entrepreneur” syndrome. I can hear you already saying, “What?” “What does it mean to be an “unconscious, conscious entrepreneur?” Right? If you’re reading this ezine and believe in a conscious approach to business, how could you be unconsciousness?
The answer is this. There are ways of being, old habits, default patterns that you aren’t even aware of that are running your business, and your life. While you are likely working very hard (like I did) not to let these old beliefs and behaviors take over… they are so insidious, they can’t help but creep in.
Here are a two of the most common ways this epidemic shows up, and my personal experience with each:
I’m Not Good Enough
If somewhere in your psyche, you have a belief that you are not “good enough” (which is very common for us overachieving entrepreneurs), no matter how much you take action and do things in your business to feel good enough, there will always be an empty space inside of you that can never be filled no matter how much you achieve. Feeling like “enough” has to come from inside of you… it can never come from anything outside of yourself.
How this core belief showed up in me was in my ambitious drive to excel, achieve, and accomplish. While I was connected to really wanting to help people, there had been this underlying “frenetic” feeling that I always had to be doing more. At the time I wasn’t aware that my ambition and my drive to excel was being fueled by a feeling of not being “good enough.” Once I shifted away from being an “unconscious, conscious entrepreneur” and opened my eyes to what was really happening inside of myself, everything changed.
So, I invite you to simply notice if you have an underlying feeling of “not being good enough.” If you do, allow yourself to see how this belief (which is not really the truth of who you are) plays out in your life and your business. With this new awareness, now stay “awake” to it and you’ll see you can begin to make some new choices.
I’m Worried About What Others Think
This is another biggy! Be honest with yourself, and ask yourself if you’re ever done something (or not done something) because of what someone else might think? Did you launch a program you really didn’t want to do, just because your coach or a colleague told you to do it? Have you ever said “yes” to something you wanted to say “no” to because you didn’t want to let down the other person? Chances are you’ve done these things because you allow what others think about you to have an influence on you.
This was another big learning area for me. I used to worry about what others thought about me and what I did or didn’t do (in fact, to be honest, every now and then I still feel this old thought pattern creeping in). But, once I realized how much I had been sacrificing my own joy trying to fit into someone else’s idea of me – someone else’s “box” – I have been working hard within myself to not worry so much about what other people think about me. It’s a tough lesson to learn, especially when you care about others and don’t want to make waves or cause anyone to be upset. However, the most important person to not upset or make waves with is yourself!
So, beginning today, let yourself see if you have been worried about what other people think of you. And, begin to imagine what would be possible if you thought most about what you thought of you. As one of my friends likes to say, “What you think of me is none of my business.”
© 2010 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Truth About What’s Really Running Your Business
There’s a silent epidemic happening for entrepreneurs world-wide. It’s not a pretty epidemic, nor is it fun… but it’s an epidemic that can be eradicated by each and every entrepreneur who has been affected by it.
I was personally impacted by this epidemic for many, many years in my business without having any conscious awareness that it was happening, that it had its hold on me. And, I’m hearing more and more about this epidemic as entrepreneurs are waking up and beginning to realize what’s really happening in their businesses.
And, the epidemic is this…. I call it the “Unconscious, Conscious Entrepreneur” syndrome. I can hear you already saying, “What?” “What does it mean to be an “unconscious, conscious entrepreneur?” Right? If you’re reading this ezine and believe in a conscious approach to business, how could you be unconsciousness?
The answer is this. There are ways of being, old habits, default patterns that you aren’t even aware of that are running your business, and your life. While you are likely working very hard (like I did) not to let these old beliefs and behaviors take over… they are so insidious, they can’t help but creep in.
Here are a two of the most common ways this epidemic shows up, and my personal experience with each:
I’m Not Good Enough
If somewhere in your psyche, you have a belief that you are not “good enough” (which is very common for us overachieving entrepreneurs), no matter how much you take action and do things in your business to feel good enough, there will always be an empty space inside of you that can never be filled no matter how much you achieve. Feeling like “enough” has to come from inside of you… it can never come from anything outside of yourself.
How this core belief showed up in me was in my ambitious drive to excel, achieve, and accomplish. While I was connected to really wanting to help people, there had been this underlying “frenetic” feeling that I always had to be doing more. At the time I wasn’t aware that my ambition and my drive to excel was being fueled by a feeling of not being “good enough.” Once I shifted away from being an “unconscious, conscious entrepreneur” and opened my eyes to what was really happening inside of myself, everything changed.
So, I invite you to simply notice if you have an underlying feeling of “not being good enough.” If you do, allow yourself to see how this belief (which is not really the truth of who you are) plays out in your life and your business. With this new awareness, now stay “awake” to it and you’ll see you can begin to make some new choices.
I’m Worried About What Others Think
This is another biggy! Be honest with yourself, and ask yourself if you’re ever done something (or not done something) because of what someone else might think? Did you launch a program you really didn’t want to do, just because your coach or a colleague told you to do it? Have you ever said “yes” to something you wanted to say “no” to because you didn’t want to let down the other person? Chances are you’ve done these things because you allow what others think about you to have an influence on you.
This was another big learning area for me. I used to worry about what others thought about me and what I did or didn’t do (in fact, to be honest, every now and then I still feel this old thought pattern creeping in). But, once I realized how much I had been sacrificing my own joy trying to fit into someone else’s idea of me – someone else’s “box” – I have been working hard within myself to not worry so much about what other people think about me. It’s a tough lesson to learn, especially when you care about others and don’t want to make waves or cause anyone to be upset. However, the most important person to not upset or make waves with is yourself!
So, beginning today, let yourself see if you have been worried about what other people think of you. And, begin to imagine what would be possible if you thought most about what you thought of you. As one of my friends likes to say, “What you think of me is none of my business.”
© 2010 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
I was personally impacted by this epidemic for many, many years in my business without having any conscious awareness that it was happening, that it had its hold on me. And, I’m hearing more and more about this epidemic as entrepreneurs are waking up and beginning to realize what’s really happening in their businesses.
And, the epidemic is this…. I call it the “Unconscious, Conscious Entrepreneur” syndrome. I can hear you already saying, “What?” “What does it mean to be an “unconscious, conscious entrepreneur?” Right? If you’re reading this ezine and believe in a conscious approach to business, how could you be unconsciousness?
The answer is this. There are ways of being, old habits, default patterns that you aren’t even aware of that are running your business, and your life. While you are likely working very hard (like I did) not to let these old beliefs and behaviors take over… they are so insidious, they can’t help but creep in.
Here are a two of the most common ways this epidemic shows up, and my personal experience with each:
I’m Not Good Enough
If somewhere in your psyche, you have a belief that you are not “good enough” (which is very common for us overachieving entrepreneurs), no matter how much you take action and do things in your business to feel good enough, there will always be an empty space inside of you that can never be filled no matter how much you achieve. Feeling like “enough” has to come from inside of you… it can never come from anything outside of yourself.
How this core belief showed up in me was in my ambitious drive to excel, achieve, and accomplish. While I was connected to really wanting to help people, there had been this underlying “frenetic” feeling that I always had to be doing more. At the time I wasn’t aware that my ambition and my drive to excel was being fueled by a feeling of not being “good enough.” Once I shifted away from being an “unconscious, conscious entrepreneur” and opened my eyes to what was really happening inside of myself, everything changed.
So, I invite you to simply notice if you have an underlying feeling of “not being good enough.” If you do, allow yourself to see how this belief (which is not really the truth of who you are) plays out in your life and your business. With this new awareness, now stay “awake” to it and you’ll see you can begin to make some new choices.
I’m Worried About What Others Think
This is another biggy! Be honest with yourself, and ask yourself if you’re ever done something (or not done something) because of what someone else might think? Did you launch a program you really didn’t want to do, just because your coach or a colleague told you to do it? Have you ever said “yes” to something you wanted to say “no” to because you didn’t want to let down the other person? Chances are you’ve done these things because you allow what others think about you to have an influence on you.
This was another big learning area for me. I used to worry about what others thought about me and what I did or didn’t do (in fact, to be honest, every now and then I still feel this old thought pattern creeping in). But, once I realized how much I had been sacrificing my own joy trying to fit into someone else’s idea of me – someone else’s “box” – I have been working hard within myself to not worry so much about what other people think about me. It’s a tough lesson to learn, especially when you care about others and don’t want to make waves or cause anyone to be upset. However, the most important person to not upset or make waves with is yourself!
So, beginning today, let yourself see if you have been worried about what other people think of you. And, begin to imagine what would be possible if you thought most about what you thought of you. As one of my friends likes to say, “What you think of me is none of my business.”
© 2010 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Be Who You Are
By Christine Kloser
Do what you can.
Want what you have.
Be who you are.
These three simple lines were the message of the sermon I heard at church last weekend. As I heard these words, each one of them landed firmly in my heart and in my body as TRUTH.
Think for a moment about how much you try to “do, do, do.” Perhaps you often end your days feeling as if you didn’t get enough done. It’s a debilitating cycle to continually feel like you are not doing enough. And, of course this triggers a deeper rooted feeling of simply not believing YOU are enough.
It’s safe to say this is a cycle you are not interested in engaging in. So, let’s look at the first of these simple, yet profound, statements. “Do what you can.” Imagine living your life from the place of only doing what you can do. Not trying to do more than is humanly possible, not trying to overcompensate for your weakness by striving to do more and more, but instead believing you are valuable and enough for WHO YOU ARE. Right now, take a deep breath and give yourself permission to do what you can today and to feel GOOD about it. And, embrace this philosophy every day.
The next of these statements is another profound teaching… “Want what you have.” Imagine living your life from the place of wanting what you have rather than feeling the scarcity and lack that comes from wanting those things you don’t have. If you could release your desire for the things you don’t yet have, and truly embrace the feeling of wanting what you DO have… your world would shift from scarcity to abundance in a split second. You’re BEING would shift from contracted to expanded in a heartbeat.
The wanting of what you don’t have is likely tied into the same thread that’s present in doing more than you can… and this is the feeling of “not enough.” The feeling of not enough (and always wanting more) will be ever present until you stop searching outside of yourself for anything. If you’ve been on any sort of spiritual journey you are likely nodding in agreement with what you’re reading here. But, for those of you who are new to the concept of not seeking anything outside of yourSELF, I invite you simply to begin contemplating what that would look like for you. Who would you be and how would you feel if YOU were the only one you wanted anything from?
And, this leads me to the third profound statement I received at church and that is “Be who you are.” It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But, when you bring in expectations, approval seeking, not feeling like enough, trying to “fit in,” wanting to be liked, society pressure, family pressure, peer pressure, and a critical inner voice making you think you “should” be something other than who you are… you’ll soon see that the simple act of “being who you are” is not so simple.
One of the most valuable and insightful questions you can ever ask yourself is, “Who am I?” Because in answering a question of this depth and importance, you’ll begin to see that who you are has nothing to do with your career, your business or what you do. It has nothing to do with being a mother, wife, sister, son, friend or colleague. It has nothing to do with the size of your home, the make of your car or your wardrobe. Who you are is much more than any of that.
So, I ask you now to contemplate this question…. “Who are you?” Allow yourself to go beyond any material identification to get to the depths of your heart and soul where the answer to that question is always there waiting for you to remember.
© 2010 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
Do what you can.
Want what you have.
Be who you are.
These three simple lines were the message of the sermon I heard at church last weekend. As I heard these words, each one of them landed firmly in my heart and in my body as TRUTH.
Think for a moment about how much you try to “do, do, do.” Perhaps you often end your days feeling as if you didn’t get enough done. It’s a debilitating cycle to continually feel like you are not doing enough. And, of course this triggers a deeper rooted feeling of simply not believing YOU are enough.
It’s safe to say this is a cycle you are not interested in engaging in. So, let’s look at the first of these simple, yet profound, statements. “Do what you can.” Imagine living your life from the place of only doing what you can do. Not trying to do more than is humanly possible, not trying to overcompensate for your weakness by striving to do more and more, but instead believing you are valuable and enough for WHO YOU ARE. Right now, take a deep breath and give yourself permission to do what you can today and to feel GOOD about it. And, embrace this philosophy every day.
The next of these statements is another profound teaching… “Want what you have.” Imagine living your life from the place of wanting what you have rather than feeling the scarcity and lack that comes from wanting those things you don’t have. If you could release your desire for the things you don’t yet have, and truly embrace the feeling of wanting what you DO have… your world would shift from scarcity to abundance in a split second. You’re BEING would shift from contracted to expanded in a heartbeat.
The wanting of what you don’t have is likely tied into the same thread that’s present in doing more than you can… and this is the feeling of “not enough.” The feeling of not enough (and always wanting more) will be ever present until you stop searching outside of yourself for anything. If you’ve been on any sort of spiritual journey you are likely nodding in agreement with what you’re reading here. But, for those of you who are new to the concept of not seeking anything outside of yourSELF, I invite you simply to begin contemplating what that would look like for you. Who would you be and how would you feel if YOU were the only one you wanted anything from?
And, this leads me to the third profound statement I received at church and that is “Be who you are.” It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But, when you bring in expectations, approval seeking, not feeling like enough, trying to “fit in,” wanting to be liked, society pressure, family pressure, peer pressure, and a critical inner voice making you think you “should” be something other than who you are… you’ll soon see that the simple act of “being who you are” is not so simple.
One of the most valuable and insightful questions you can ever ask yourself is, “Who am I?” Because in answering a question of this depth and importance, you’ll begin to see that who you are has nothing to do with your career, your business or what you do. It has nothing to do with being a mother, wife, sister, son, friend or colleague. It has nothing to do with the size of your home, the make of your car or your wardrobe. Who you are is much more than any of that.
So, I ask you now to contemplate this question…. “Who are you?” Allow yourself to go beyond any material identification to get to the depths of your heart and soul where the answer to that question is always there waiting for you to remember.
© 2010 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
Monday, January 25, 2010
I Surrender!
By Christine Kloser
Have you ever felt like you’ve been WILLING your way forward in your business, or your life? Like you’ve been pushing a boulder up hill thinking that if you just push harder, just “did” more, just handled one more thing that suddenly the boulder would move?
If you’re nodding your head up and down right now, you’re not alone. I have spent years of my career “working hard”, sacrificing myself, thinking I had to keep “doing” more… worrying if I was moving fast enough, or falling behind. I was trying to move forward with ease and grace while simultaneously having both of my hands firmly placed on a boulder that I thought I had to push up hill.
Pushing a boulder up hill doesn’t work. In the short run, you might feel like you’re making progress because you moved an inch… but why would you keep pushing for an inch and thinking that was some great progress? You deserve much more than that!
It’s time to surrender the boulder, to completely and totally let it go… so you can breathe, relax, open, trust and allow the flow of grace to guide you. So, perhaps you’re asking yourself how you can let go of the boulder without getting crushed?
The answer is simple, but not necessarily easy. First, you must get clear on what the boulder really is that you’re truly pushing up the hill. Often times what you THINK you’re working on isn’t REALLY what you’re working on at a deeper level.
For instance, the entrepreneur who thinks the boulder is about a particular project they’re wanting to launch, may discover if they look deep enough that the boulder isn’t about the project, rather it’s about them thinking they “have to do more” in order to feel worthy.
Or, the entrepreneur who works to model other successful businesses they see out there, may discover that the boulder they’re pushing is really that they don’t feel like who they are is enough, so they try to mold themselves around what other people are doing.
This approach to business can never work. Many entrepreneurs I talk to feel like there is some boulder they are trying to push uphill… but sadly there’s not a lot of help being offered to help them look at what the boulder really is. Rather, much of the help they get is trying to help them move the boulder in a new or different way. But, hello! The boulder is still there… and just because it can move another inch because of some new technique or strategy doesn’t mean the boulder is gone.
What I encourage you to do is to look at the boulders in your business. Where are you working hard and not getting the results you want? What do you keep trying to do that just isn’t coming to fruition? What things keep happening in your business (or your life) over and over again that you do not like? These are all boulders.
Allow yourself to surrender your hold on the boulder and begin to ask yourself what the boulder is really about… and not at a surface level, but deep inside of yourself. What are you really trying to do? Prove yourself, gain attention, feel like enough, feel worthy/deserving, keep up with the “Jones’.” What is it that you are really trying to do when you push against that boulder? This is the only question that matters, and if what you’re doing isn’t serving you at the highest level, then surrender the boulder, and allow yourself to see everything that’s underneath it.
Taking this courageous step will help you discover what you need to learn about yourself so you can free yourself from ever feeling the need to push a boulder uphill again.
This is what I’ve been doing, and continue to do in my own business. And, I can tell you from experience that surrendering the boulders and going deep within myself to see what the boulders are really about has been the most freeing thing I’ve ever done for my business, and more importantly… my SELF! I encourage you to do the same!
Have you ever felt like you’ve been WILLING your way forward in your business, or your life? Like you’ve been pushing a boulder up hill thinking that if you just push harder, just “did” more, just handled one more thing that suddenly the boulder would move?
If you’re nodding your head up and down right now, you’re not alone. I have spent years of my career “working hard”, sacrificing myself, thinking I had to keep “doing” more… worrying if I was moving fast enough, or falling behind. I was trying to move forward with ease and grace while simultaneously having both of my hands firmly placed on a boulder that I thought I had to push up hill.
Pushing a boulder up hill doesn’t work. In the short run, you might feel like you’re making progress because you moved an inch… but why would you keep pushing for an inch and thinking that was some great progress? You deserve much more than that!
It’s time to surrender the boulder, to completely and totally let it go… so you can breathe, relax, open, trust and allow the flow of grace to guide you. So, perhaps you’re asking yourself how you can let go of the boulder without getting crushed?
The answer is simple, but not necessarily easy. First, you must get clear on what the boulder really is that you’re truly pushing up the hill. Often times what you THINK you’re working on isn’t REALLY what you’re working on at a deeper level.
For instance, the entrepreneur who thinks the boulder is about a particular project they’re wanting to launch, may discover if they look deep enough that the boulder isn’t about the project, rather it’s about them thinking they “have to do more” in order to feel worthy.
Or, the entrepreneur who works to model other successful businesses they see out there, may discover that the boulder they’re pushing is really that they don’t feel like who they are is enough, so they try to mold themselves around what other people are doing.
This approach to business can never work. Many entrepreneurs I talk to feel like there is some boulder they are trying to push uphill… but sadly there’s not a lot of help being offered to help them look at what the boulder really is. Rather, much of the help they get is trying to help them move the boulder in a new or different way. But, hello! The boulder is still there… and just because it can move another inch because of some new technique or strategy doesn’t mean the boulder is gone.
What I encourage you to do is to look at the boulders in your business. Where are you working hard and not getting the results you want? What do you keep trying to do that just isn’t coming to fruition? What things keep happening in your business (or your life) over and over again that you do not like? These are all boulders.
Allow yourself to surrender your hold on the boulder and begin to ask yourself what the boulder is really about… and not at a surface level, but deep inside of yourself. What are you really trying to do? Prove yourself, gain attention, feel like enough, feel worthy/deserving, keep up with the “Jones’.” What is it that you are really trying to do when you push against that boulder? This is the only question that matters, and if what you’re doing isn’t serving you at the highest level, then surrender the boulder, and allow yourself to see everything that’s underneath it.
Taking this courageous step will help you discover what you need to learn about yourself so you can free yourself from ever feeling the need to push a boulder uphill again.
This is what I’ve been doing, and continue to do in my own business. And, I can tell you from experience that surrendering the boulders and going deep within myself to see what the boulders are really about has been the most freeing thing I’ve ever done for my business, and more importantly… my SELF! I encourage you to do the same!
Friday, December 18, 2009
The ABC’s of Aligning with Your Business
by Christine Kloser
When you stepped on this path of entrepreneurship, if you’re like me, you became a sponge for knowledge. If there was a new strategy you heard about, you found a resource to become skilled in learning that strategy. If there was an event you knew you needed to be at, you figured out how to get there. You were an “eager beaver” to learn, learn, learn and implement what you learned in your business.
But chances are, nobody ever suggested you stop with all the information gathering and ask yourself the deeper questions of, “Is this right for me? Is this aligned with who I am, what my business is and what’s important to me?” Many entrepreneurs I’ve spoken with are just now stepping back to ask themselves what they’ve been doing for the past several months (or years)… and if it’s really working for them.
What several of these entrepreneurs are discovering is that they’ve been going after what they “thought” they “should” be doing based on watching and modeling someone else. It’s an honest thing to do. You’re taught to model others. But, you’ve got to be mindful of knowing where the line is between modeling in a way that serves you and modeling in a way that pulls you further away from who you are.
On that note, I want to share with you the ABC’s of aligning with your business so no matter what stage you’re in; no matter how much knowledge you have; no matter your level of success (or frustration) these three tips will help you make sure you are on track to be in total alignment with your business as you head into 2010.
Assess
In order to get from “Point A” to “Point B” in terms of aligning with your business, you’ve first got to assess where you really are. Many entrepreneurs just keep going, keep plowing through their to-do list without taking time to step back and truly assess where they’re at and what direction they’re headed.
In this phase, you’ll allow yourself to see what’s working in your business and what isn’t working in your business, and more importantly what is and isn’t working for YOU! It may be that your greatest source of income is also coming from the service that causes you the most amount of stress. This is not in alignment. Your income ought to come from your greatest joy. So, these are the things to be looking for. Where does your business FEEL right and where doesn’t it?
Be Brave
The assessment phase may uncover some things that perhaps you’d prefer not to see. I know when I went through the assessment phase in my business, I saw I was doing things that I really shouldn’t have been doing. These were some of the things others had suggested I do, so they didn’t purely come from the intent in my heart, but by what someone else thought.
So, this next phase invites you to be brave in facing what you see. Yes, it might feel temporarily easier to pretend that what you see isn’t really there. It’s natural to want to avoid that kind of pain. However, if it’s there, it will always be there and it can’t really be avoided, it can only be postponed. So, allow yourself to face whatever you see straight-on and you will be one step closer to totally aligning your Self with your business.
Co-Create
Finally, the third phase is to embrace the concept of co-creation. Co-creation happens when you are fully awake, aware and conscious of the reality that everything created through you is created in partnership with Spirit. In order to truly be aligned with your Self and your business, it’s essential to not let your human will or your ego feel like it’s the creative force behind what you do.
Alignment happens when your ego is set aside, when your intent is pure, when comparison and competition (or what you think you “should” do) aren’t part of your process. This can be the greatest growth oppor^tunity of all… to allow yourself to “let go” enough to make room for grace. So, don’t feel like you have to do everything in your business (or your life) alone, be open to seeing that when you’re in alignment you’re opening to a world of infinite possibility.
© 2009 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
When you stepped on this path of entrepreneurship, if you’re like me, you became a sponge for knowledge. If there was a new strategy you heard about, you found a resource to become skilled in learning that strategy. If there was an event you knew you needed to be at, you figured out how to get there. You were an “eager beaver” to learn, learn, learn and implement what you learned in your business.
But chances are, nobody ever suggested you stop with all the information gathering and ask yourself the deeper questions of, “Is this right for me? Is this aligned with who I am, what my business is and what’s important to me?” Many entrepreneurs I’ve spoken with are just now stepping back to ask themselves what they’ve been doing for the past several months (or years)… and if it’s really working for them.
What several of these entrepreneurs are discovering is that they’ve been going after what they “thought” they “should” be doing based on watching and modeling someone else. It’s an honest thing to do. You’re taught to model others. But, you’ve got to be mindful of knowing where the line is between modeling in a way that serves you and modeling in a way that pulls you further away from who you are.
On that note, I want to share with you the ABC’s of aligning with your business so no matter what stage you’re in; no matter how much knowledge you have; no matter your level of success (or frustration) these three tips will help you make sure you are on track to be in total alignment with your business as you head into 2010.
Assess
In order to get from “Point A” to “Point B” in terms of aligning with your business, you’ve first got to assess where you really are. Many entrepreneurs just keep going, keep plowing through their to-do list without taking time to step back and truly assess where they’re at and what direction they’re headed.
In this phase, you’ll allow yourself to see what’s working in your business and what isn’t working in your business, and more importantly what is and isn’t working for YOU! It may be that your greatest source of income is also coming from the service that causes you the most amount of stress. This is not in alignment. Your income ought to come from your greatest joy. So, these are the things to be looking for. Where does your business FEEL right and where doesn’t it?
Be Brave
The assessment phase may uncover some things that perhaps you’d prefer not to see. I know when I went through the assessment phase in my business, I saw I was doing things that I really shouldn’t have been doing. These were some of the things others had suggested I do, so they didn’t purely come from the intent in my heart, but by what someone else thought.
So, this next phase invites you to be brave in facing what you see. Yes, it might feel temporarily easier to pretend that what you see isn’t really there. It’s natural to want to avoid that kind of pain. However, if it’s there, it will always be there and it can’t really be avoided, it can only be postponed. So, allow yourself to face whatever you see straight-on and you will be one step closer to totally aligning your Self with your business.
Co-Create
Finally, the third phase is to embrace the concept of co-creation. Co-creation happens when you are fully awake, aware and conscious of the reality that everything created through you is created in partnership with Spirit. In order to truly be aligned with your Self and your business, it’s essential to not let your human will or your ego feel like it’s the creative force behind what you do.
Alignment happens when your ego is set aside, when your intent is pure, when comparison and competition (or what you think you “should” do) aren’t part of your process. This can be the greatest growth oppor^tunity of all… to allow yourself to “let go” enough to make room for grace. So, don’t feel like you have to do everything in your business (or your life) alone, be open to seeing that when you’re in alignment you’re opening to a world of infinite possibility.
© 2009 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Running Scared or Running Free
In each and every moment of your life (including this moment right now) you have an important choice to make. Will you choose to be scared, or choose to be free? In the events of the past few weeks, and the passing of my mother-in-law, I was acutely aware of the choices I had in each moment.
When my husband and I found out how suddenly the end was approaching, it was quite shocking (and untimely). There was a tiny voice in side of me that started going through all of the “what if’s.” What if she passed before David got there? What if I needed to close my business for the week… or cancel my retreat? What if I never got to say goodbye? What if…
As soon as I noticed the contractions around all of the “what if’s,” I realized they were all coming from a place of fear. They were making me feel like I was running scared. I’ve never gone through this before; I didn’t know how to BE or what to do. So, I asked myself, “is this how I want to be feeling right now?” Did I want to be feeling the fear, the frantic energy and the worry about “what if?” Well, the only answer to that question was no.
So, instead I chose to feel free within myself and make decisions from that space. Not surprisingly, grace joined me in that place and we easily got my husband on the next plane out of Baltimore with no problem. (While he didn’t make it to his mom before she passed, he made peace within himself around her passing.) I changed the date of my retreat to start one day later and the attendees adjusted to the change with such grace, as did the bed and breakfast I was holding it at… they had the exact number of rooms I needed for the new dates. My parents quickly adjusted their schedule to watch Janet while I was at the retreat so David could stay with his father in Sacramento for an extra week. And, on and on…
I stopped running scared that I wouldn’t have the time I had planned to prepare for the retreat, and chose to release my attachment to what I “thought” I “needed” to do… and the freedom within me allowed for more grace to unfold in a magical retreat. Instead of running scared about some commitment I had to break, I chose to be fr-ee within myself and not beat myself up about having to let some things go so I could be present with my husband and family.
There was so much happening in such a short period of time, each moment was a choice I had to make. Will I run “scared” or will I run “free?”
I invite you to ask yourself this same question right now with whatever is happening in your life. What are you choosing to be your experience? Are you running scared or running free?
Some of you may immediately go to a place in your mind that will quickly begin listing all of the “reasons” why you ought to be scared. Remember that this voice that causes you to feel contracted, fearful, scared, paralyzed, etc… is the voice of your ego. Simply allow yourself to acknowledge the voice. Let it feel heard.
But, as my spiritual teacher says… then turn UP the volume on the voice of your Higher Self. Listen to this voice more closely. Listen for the truth that resides deep within your soul. Your soul sings the song of freedom… no matter what circumstances may be occurring around you. It is YOU that can choose in any moment to allow fear or freedom to determine how you feel.
© 2009 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
When my husband and I found out how suddenly the end was approaching, it was quite shocking (and untimely). There was a tiny voice in side of me that started going through all of the “what if’s.” What if she passed before David got there? What if I needed to close my business for the week… or cancel my retreat? What if I never got to say goodbye? What if…
As soon as I noticed the contractions around all of the “what if’s,” I realized they were all coming from a place of fear. They were making me feel like I was running scared. I’ve never gone through this before; I didn’t know how to BE or what to do. So, I asked myself, “is this how I want to be feeling right now?” Did I want to be feeling the fear, the frantic energy and the worry about “what if?” Well, the only answer to that question was no.
So, instead I chose to feel free within myself and make decisions from that space. Not surprisingly, grace joined me in that place and we easily got my husband on the next plane out of Baltimore with no problem. (While he didn’t make it to his mom before she passed, he made peace within himself around her passing.) I changed the date of my retreat to start one day later and the attendees adjusted to the change with such grace, as did the bed and breakfast I was holding it at… they had the exact number of rooms I needed for the new dates. My parents quickly adjusted their schedule to watch Janet while I was at the retreat so David could stay with his father in Sacramento for an extra week. And, on and on…
I stopped running scared that I wouldn’t have the time I had planned to prepare for the retreat, and chose to release my attachment to what I “thought” I “needed” to do… and the freedom within me allowed for more grace to unfold in a magical retreat. Instead of running scared about some commitment I had to break, I chose to be fr-ee within myself and not beat myself up about having to let some things go so I could be present with my husband and family.
There was so much happening in such a short period of time, each moment was a choice I had to make. Will I run “scared” or will I run “free?”
I invite you to ask yourself this same question right now with whatever is happening in your life. What are you choosing to be your experience? Are you running scared or running free?
Some of you may immediately go to a place in your mind that will quickly begin listing all of the “reasons” why you ought to be scared. Remember that this voice that causes you to feel contracted, fearful, scared, paralyzed, etc… is the voice of your ego. Simply allow yourself to acknowledge the voice. Let it feel heard.
But, as my spiritual teacher says… then turn UP the volume on the voice of your Higher Self. Listen to this voice more closely. Listen for the truth that resides deep within your soul. Your soul sings the song of freedom… no matter what circumstances may be occurring around you. It is YOU that can choose in any moment to allow fear or freedom to determine how you feel.
© 2009 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Living a Spiritual Life
By Christine Kloser
What does it mean to live a spiritual life... to really, truly, deeply live from the place of ease, grace, joy and love no matter what shows up in the world around you? This is a question I’ve been pondering for a few months now, and one that is getting answered as I face some challenges and changes in my life, business and family.
Living a spiritual life isn’t about skirting along the surface of understanding; rather it’s about being willing to look for deeper meaning, understanding, lessons and gifts in every moment of your life.
Like right now, for instance. Are you fully here, in this moment reading and absorbing this article (and giving yourself the focus and time you deserve to be fully present)? Or, are you reading this article with a dozen other things running through your mind feeling stressed about how much you have to do and how little time you have to do it in.
I’m simply asking you to notice what you’re doing right now. It’s only in stopping to notice what you’re doing that you can begin to uncover the gems that are waiting in each moment for you, including this one.
This consistent “noticing,” awareness and presence in each moment is what living the spiritual life is all about. Being spiritual doesn’t mean you have to retreat to a mountain top in India for a month of meditation. And, it isn’t something you do at your convenience when you feel you need it because the “going got tough.” Living a spiritual life is as simple as choosing to not get angry when someone cuts you off on the highway… and instead choosing to bless them with love and pray for that driver’s ease and safety. It means embracing a spiritual way of being in every moment of every day (or at least noticing when you have contracted into fear, doubt, anger, lack, etc. and doing something to shift into a higher state of being).
On the flip side, it’s also important to see that living a spiritual life isn’t about how peaceful, loving and connected you feel when you are alone with yourself. Yes, it includes that, but the spiritual “rubber hits the road” when you move into aligned and integrated action in the physical realm.
This is the most critical part of the journey of living a spiritual life… that you learn how to integrate what you’re experiencing in you inner world with how you show up in the outer world. This is part of why the outer world of my business will be transforming and shifting in the coming months… because I am transforming and shifting on the inside and I’m seeing things in my business (and my life) that no longer feel aligned with who I am today.
So, in closing, I’m going to recommend that you to take five minutes right now to ask yourself how you’re doing living your spiritual life and jot down whatever comes to you. If you have questions write them down; if you think I’m crazy write that down, too. If you’re resonating with this question and yearn to live a more aligned, expanded and spiritual life in every area, including your business… then write about what that might look like for you. Please give yourself the gift of a few minutes (right now) to reflect on this question. Your freedom may very well reside in what you’ll discover.
And, please don’t hesitate to email me what you wrote, or any further questions you have about Living a Spiritual Life. You can reach me at Christine@loveyourlife.com. I would love to know what you think of today’s article and how I can further serve you on this path of conscious entrepreneurship.
~~~~~~~
Note: I hesitated to add what I’m going to share here, but then I realized that I may be doing a few of you a disservice if I didn’t share this. As of today, I have a few spaces remaining at my Freedom Retreat next month in Maryland. If you’re feeling like you need some time away from your day-to-day life to gain clarity and direction for your business, and your life (as you prepare for 2010) it would be an honor and a privilege to have you join me at the retreat. If you’re interested, please email me directly at Christine@loveyourlife.com so we can connect about the details.
© 2009 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
What does it mean to live a spiritual life... to really, truly, deeply live from the place of ease, grace, joy and love no matter what shows up in the world around you? This is a question I’ve been pondering for a few months now, and one that is getting answered as I face some challenges and changes in my life, business and family.
Living a spiritual life isn’t about skirting along the surface of understanding; rather it’s about being willing to look for deeper meaning, understanding, lessons and gifts in every moment of your life.
Like right now, for instance. Are you fully here, in this moment reading and absorbing this article (and giving yourself the focus and time you deserve to be fully present)? Or, are you reading this article with a dozen other things running through your mind feeling stressed about how much you have to do and how little time you have to do it in.
I’m simply asking you to notice what you’re doing right now. It’s only in stopping to notice what you’re doing that you can begin to uncover the gems that are waiting in each moment for you, including this one.
This consistent “noticing,” awareness and presence in each moment is what living the spiritual life is all about. Being spiritual doesn’t mean you have to retreat to a mountain top in India for a month of meditation. And, it isn’t something you do at your convenience when you feel you need it because the “going got tough.” Living a spiritual life is as simple as choosing to not get angry when someone cuts you off on the highway… and instead choosing to bless them with love and pray for that driver’s ease and safety. It means embracing a spiritual way of being in every moment of every day (or at least noticing when you have contracted into fear, doubt, anger, lack, etc. and doing something to shift into a higher state of being).
On the flip side, it’s also important to see that living a spiritual life isn’t about how peaceful, loving and connected you feel when you are alone with yourself. Yes, it includes that, but the spiritual “rubber hits the road” when you move into aligned and integrated action in the physical realm.
This is the most critical part of the journey of living a spiritual life… that you learn how to integrate what you’re experiencing in you inner world with how you show up in the outer world. This is part of why the outer world of my business will be transforming and shifting in the coming months… because I am transforming and shifting on the inside and I’m seeing things in my business (and my life) that no longer feel aligned with who I am today.
So, in closing, I’m going to recommend that you to take five minutes right now to ask yourself how you’re doing living your spiritual life and jot down whatever comes to you. If you have questions write them down; if you think I’m crazy write that down, too. If you’re resonating with this question and yearn to live a more aligned, expanded and spiritual life in every area, including your business… then write about what that might look like for you. Please give yourself the gift of a few minutes (right now) to reflect on this question. Your freedom may very well reside in what you’ll discover.
And, please don’t hesitate to email me what you wrote, or any further questions you have about Living a Spiritual Life. You can reach me at Christine@loveyourlife.com. I would love to know what you think of today’s article and how I can further serve you on this path of conscious entrepreneurship.
~~~~~~~
Note: I hesitated to add what I’m going to share here, but then I realized that I may be doing a few of you a disservice if I didn’t share this. As of today, I have a few spaces remaining at my Freedom Retreat next month in Maryland. If you’re feeling like you need some time away from your day-to-day life to gain clarity and direction for your business, and your life (as you prepare for 2010) it would be an honor and a privilege to have you join me at the retreat. If you’re interested, please email me directly at Christine@loveyourlife.com so we can connect about the details.
© 2009 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
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