Shera R. Sever: Igniting the Spark™

Millions of Americans oppose SOPA and PIPA because these bills would censor the Internet and slow economic growth in the U.S.

Two bills before Congress, known as the Protect IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House, would censor the Web and impose harmful regulations on American business. Millions of Internet users and entrepreneurs already oppose SOPA and PIPA.

Fighting online piracy is important. The most effective way to shut down pirate websites is through targeted legislation that cuts off their funding. There’s no need to make American social networks, blogs and search engines censor the Internet or undermine the existing laws that have enabled the Web to thrive, creating millions of U.S. jobs.

The Senate will begin voting on January 24th. Please let them know how you feel. Too much is at stake. Sign this petition urging Congress to vote NO on PIPA and SOPA before it is too late.

Join the campaign – tell Congress: Don’t censor the Web

https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

It’s the new year and according to almost everybody, not just any new year ..

it’s 2012!- the long awaited for and anticipated year of great change, transformation and awakening ! 

There is so much information from various cultural/historical, and religious perspectives about what this year is going to be.  What I believe is going to most important this year is  RESILIENCE, i.e. the ability to adapt to  change quickly and with ease, the ability to be comfortable with not-knowing, while staying clearly focused on and in integrity with your intentions. Trust is a golden word for 2012.

Yes.  . .and what about GOALS?

From a neural programming standpoint, establishing a goal is different from achieving it.

To establish goals, you use the declarative, explicit part of your brain. Achieving goals, however, means changing your behavior, which involves an entirely separate brain region. Many psychologists, coaches, and facilitators familiar with NLP know that your brain becomes accustomed to certain patterns and if you don’t retrain your brain to release some of the patterns of thought (core beliefs)  that you have, you won’t be able to  release some of the behaviors that are responsible for your results. Instead,  all you’re going to do is gather more information supporting your current situation.

Fortunately, we can retrain the brain.

Here are 5 techniques that you can start TODAY to do just that:

TECHNIQUE 1:  Start by having a clear picture in your head of the biggest, boldest, most fulfilling life that you can imagine living. IMAGINE THIS:
YOU: A healthy, vibrant, joyful abundant being living in full integrity with your deepest desires, values, and soul purpose. Positively contributing to the well-being of your friends, family, communities, and our world!
What does this look like? How do you feel? Who are your co-creators, players, and collaborators? WHERE are you?

Now, write about who you are and what you’re doing in glorious detail, because you are there!

TECHINQUE 2:  Imagine it is December 31, 2012. Imagine you are looking back over the year 2012 and reflecting on all the wonderful, successful outcomes you had. See them. Touch them. Feel them. (It is through the power of emotion that we manifest our heart’s true desires.)

Now take pen (or computer) in hand and write yourself a letter describing everything that happened in 2012.

What do you have in your life on December 31, 2012, that you are grateful for?  Maybe a new job or career; your book published and on the best seller list,  you soul partner? Or  you may have a new home, a more stable financial situation, better health, a changed lifestyle where you spend are doing the things you really want to do. Whatever it is, write it down. Be specific. For instance, if it’s increased income say how much.

Now, take a look at each item and see decide what action steps you took during the year 2012 and when you took them that produced the wonderful outcomes you are enjoying. Write those actions in your 2012 calendar, indicating when they took place.  Examples: Final draft of book and publishing plan in hands of publisher August 1, 2012. Closed escrow on new home, April 30, 2012.

Now, put the letter away, and review it only when you feel you are off track, need to re-focus and be re-inspired.

TECHINQUE 3: Build Your Vision-Create a Vision Board
To force your brain to change, you’ve got to “create a bigger vision than you’ve got right now. ” You’ve got to BLOW it OUT! Setting goals is just one strategy in helping us focus. Intention and attention are the most powerful elements of manifestation

Having a daily visual reminder assists in reprogramming your brain.  Vision Boards keep you on track and on purpose with your dreams and declarations  by adding fuel to the flame of your deepest longings and desires.  I’ve been creating vision boards now for 7 years and leading Ignite Your Vision Board workshops in my community.  By utilizing Technique 1 or 2  above, you will have laid the groundwork for finding the visuals for your vision board (from magazines, old calendars, postcards, photos). There are many ways to lay out a Vision Board, all of which I teach in  my workshop.  Waking up every morning and looking at your Vision Board retrains the brain for what is possible! 

TECHNIQUE 4: Commit to your “inner-cise” every single day of every single week, no matter what by giving attention to  Self Care with daily meditation, yoga or  prayer.

Move your beautiful body with daily aeorbics, walks, marital arts, swimming, biking  ( the sky really is the limit).  And raise your own bar with  conscious nutrition. Keep your diet  akaline  and buy local, organic produce as much as possible. Start a community garden. Work to stop  GMO’s. Help others do the same.

Technique 5: To be happy, be with Happy People who Dare to Dream Together!

I believe we are all being called upon in  2012  to allow a new dream for ourselves and the world to emerge. It’s not enough to write out a short vision or list a particular goal. In order to step into the next greatest expression of your soul’s highest desires, we must dare to dream. We must allow a dream that already exists   deep in our souls to come to the front of your conscious awareness. So  ASK, LISTEN, and RECEIVE.

Happy New Era!

Anytime we go into a situation, no matter what our external equipment/resources, we must be clear about who we are and why we are here. You disconnect from the aspect of your power, when you don’t know your history. Information is power.

Evolution is life producing and life sustaining. A system that is maladapted for survival will either die or change. For an ethical human being, money is important, but it is not the bottom line. Being a being a person of integrity, character, and values is.

As Martin Luther King stated, “If you have not yet found a cause worth dying for, you have not yet found a life worth living.”

The Occupy Movement is bigger than ” I want my job. It is, “I want my country.”  Listen to Marianne Williamson speak on why the Occupy Movement emerged.

Start a conversation today! We are here to create a life worth living. We are stewards of American Democracy.

Enough IS Enough!

Like you, I  have  been receiving many wishes for this new year, with suggestions and encouragement for settings goals, intentions, and making resolutions for change.

As we said farewell to 2010, we may have reflected upon where we are and where we are going. .  .how satisfied we are with our lives, our relationships, our communities, the condition of our planet, and what we are committed to changing.

We also may have asked ourselves:

How well have I loved? What small part have I played in making the lives of other people better?

What were your 2010 highlights? Holding gratitude for all that has occurred in the past year allows us to move forward open and ready to receive.

And now it’s 2011

As you are conjuring your new year, ask yourself what is it that you want to create, personally and collectively? A new career or business? New daily rituals that uplift your spirit and honor your health? A new home? How can you simplify your life? And how can you contribute to the sustainability of your community and our fragile planet? How much more can you love?

Hold this vision. What are you doing? Where? Describe the environment (sounds, colors, temperature). What activities and people are involved in this vision? How do you feel at the end of the day or week?

Now, imagine it’s Dec. 31, 2011. You are sharing with a friend how magnificient 2011 has been for you, your business, your family and community. What will you say? What “miracles” did you create? Be specific, give dates.*

If it’s humanly possible, you can do it!

I believe that 2011 is the Time to get our of our Comfort Zones and take a huge LEAP. Reach out and connect with your spiritual tribe of kindred souls; those that have the same yearnings and concerns that you do. Engage in dialog. Discover the deeper purpose that unites us. It’s a year of engagement. Above all let love guide the way.

If you feel fear, experience  resistance, or a block in doing the above exercise ask yourself:  What is preventing me  from claiming my vision and playing a bigger (or new) game?

As your coach, I am here to help you move through your resistance, excavate a clear, exciting vision.

What would it be like to live in alignment with your purpose and truly experience a year unlike any other?  What would it feel like to jump out of bed every morning, ignited with passion for your life, your work , and the unique contributions you are making in the world.

Curious? .. .Ready to make that change?  Contact me to discover more.

You may have heard this true story from several years ago:

THE SITUATION
In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes.  During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing.  He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule. 

About 4 minutes later : The violinist received his first dollar.  A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

At 10 minutes :
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly.  The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time.  This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent – without exception – forced their children to move on quickly.

At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously.  Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while.  About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.  The man collected a total of $32.

After one hour :
He finished playing and silence took over.  No one noticed and no one applauded.  There was no recognition at all.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world.  He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.  Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.

Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.

How many things are you missing this holiday season, as you rush through your days to get it all done?  Just like nature in her stillness of the approaching solstice, take some time to slow down and appreciate the beauty and miracle of the moment.

Our purpose is the foundation of our life. Our mission is an expression of our purpose. Real success is to do more for the world than the world does for you.

When coaching business owners and professionals, I help my clients excavate their purpose and mission, release limiting beliefs, and develop  compelling, inspiring congruent messages that exude the value of doing business with (or hiring) them, and DELIVER on that value.

Some of the initial questions to consider in this process include:

• How clear are you on your purpose?
• What is your personal mission statement?
• What is your business mission statement?
• Who are you people and what do they come to you for?
• What is your unique promise of value?
• How clear, consistent, and constant is your message?
• How do you communicate this to your audience/potential clients?
• How well are you leveraging social networking: FaceBook, Linked-In, Twitter, and YouTube?
• Do you have a Blog and E-Zine?
• Are you writing articles, offering teleseminars, courses, or workshops?
• What systems do you have in place to make your business work for YOU?
• Who’s Got Your Back?  (Who are your Tribes, Mentors & Referral Sources).
• Who is on your Dream Team and your personal Board of Directors?

I’d love to help you have a truly abundant harvest season, personally and professionally.  Curious?  Lets talk. Please contact me  by e-mail. (Complimentary session to the first five that respond. (Offer valid through Oct. 15- new clients only)

Imagine living with inner peace- what would that look like in your personal life, in your business, your family, your relationships, in your community, on our planet?

“Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to inner peace, and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions.

This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.“

I recently received this from an anonymous source.  Just learned today, that the author,  Saskia Davis, wrote this back in 1984.  What a visionary she is! It uplifted my spirits, and I want to share with you! Wonderful reminders for our daily lives.

Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:

* A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.

* An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment. * A loss of interest in judging other people.

* A loss of interest in judging oneself. * A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
* A loss of interest in conflict. * A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)
* Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation. * Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
* Frequent attacks of smiling. * An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than (try to) make them happen.

* An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

WARNING:

If you have some or all of the above symptoms, please be advised that your condition of inner peace may be so far advanced as

to not be curable. * author: Saskia Davis, www.symptomsofinnerpeace.net

Success Principles start with taking 100% total responsibility for everything in your life. It’s mid-year, 2010.

Take a look at the goals you set for yourself, your family, community, your business, your employees and clients at the beginning of the year. Where are you in your achievement and level of fulfillment and satisfaction?

All success starts with 100% personal responsibility and accountability.

Here is a great little exercise, that when completed, is a powerful jump start for goal refinement, redefining your direction, taking new action.

This can  be used for personal assessment,  as well as in pair and small group discussions around community building, team building, employee engagement, and more.

I
If I were to take just 10% more responsibility for my life, I would. . .(state action)
If I were to take just 10% more responsibility for my happiness,  I would. . .

If I were to take just 10% more responsibility for my health and fitness, I would. . .
If I were to take just 10% more responsibility for  the quality of my relationships, I would. . .

If I were to take just 10% more responsibility for the effectiveness of my business, I would. . .
If I were to take just 10% more responsibility for the development of my employees, I would. . .

If I were to take just 10% more responsibility for quality of life in my community, I would. . .

If I were to take just 10% more responsibility for the health of this planet, I would. . .

Just think if BP could honestly answer these questions.

Thanks to Jack Canfield for inspiring this exercise

The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come…We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” ~Joseph Campbell

Change is profoundly in the air this summer.  I have a had a number of past coaching clients contact me in the past few weeks,either seeking a tune-up or in a total melt down. It’s permeating everything and everybody,  and the next turn (personally and collectively) is,  at best, unknown.

Not-knowing is one of the more evolved practices of personal leadership.

Can you trust and allow?  Do you have the courage to simply say “ I don’t know.”

When dancing with change, what’s important is that you are willing to let go of everything that has felt comfortable, familiar- this includes all those habits and plans that your ego is clinging to for it’s own survival.

Yes, it is a death . . . it is transformation.

Breathe into and accept this.
Exhale the doubt, fear, and uncertainty.
Become naked in your own truth.
Imagine, feel, see, smell and hear the new life (business, career, home, etc) waiting for you.

Stay curious
Share your truth  compassionately, consciously and wisely.
Trust and be open to receive.

For the past almost 7 years, I have been going through what I call a ‘slow death” letting go of the family members and friends that have passed over, recovering from a serious auto-accident, leaving the spiritual community I was a member of for over 22 years, along with two beautiful homes,  and so much more.

As an entrepreneur, teacher, writer, coach, these experiences have deepened my ability to guide others through intense change (personally and professionally.  As I reflect upon what seemed insurmountable at the time, I am now grateful for the experiences that allow me to serve you even more fully with a complimentary coaching session through July 15.

For more information on the practice of Not-Knowing

http://traffic.libsyn.com/amberstar/Zencast102.mp3

I’m sure many of you are familiar with  Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone, and his most recent book, Who’s Got Your Back.

Ferazzi believes leadership, at its essence, is a spiritual journey- it takes courage, motivation, discipline, and commitment. Strongly grounded in many years of Vipassana practice, Ferazzi’s weaves his spiritual practice into his leadership style, sharing life-changing strategies for anyone committed to building a lifeline team.

In order to continue to be the best we can, I believe it’s vitally important, especially in these times, to create our own Personal Board of Directors- a small committed group who are not going to let each other fail, ever!

REBUILDING TRUST in A WORLD of GREED & FEAR

According to Ferrazzi, successful networking (our abilities to “connect”) is not about the size of our “rolodex”. Rather success is more readily available to those who can pick up the phone and say, ” I need help”.

Particularly in these times, Ferazzi encourages us to focus on *Relationship Capital* by building a Personal Board of Directors or what he calls *Lifeline Relationships*- the ones that help us rebuild TRUST in a world of fear and greed.

BUILDING Your PERSONAL BOARD of DIRECTORS:

* Identify at 3 people you know who can change your life.

* Call them and share this idea about LifeLine Relationships. Ask them if they will be on board with you.

* Lifeline Relationships lead with generosity. Who bends over backwards for you?  Who do you bend over backwards for?

* Lifeline Relationships are transparent: Who can you let your guard down with and have it be okay?

* Lifeline Relationships hold each other accountable. Who can kick you in the butt when necessary? Which of your peers can you depend upon to TELL the TRUTH and help you face the brutal facts

* Lifeline relationships agree to forgive in advance when we slip up. Sparring is okay (even encouraged!).

* Lifeline relationships have a RELATIONSHIP ACTION PLAN. (R.A.P.) which is rigorous, routine, strategic, and systematic.

Your Personal Board of Directors can come in many forms: Mastermind Groups, Learning or Coaching Communities, Wisdom Councils, Women’s or Men’s circles, or Spiritual Communities.

Rather than changing who we are, enlist others to help us become the best we can be. This is where the true strength of any team, organization or initiative lies. For more information on Ferrazi’s model, check out  Greenlight Community.

How many of you have this lifeline team in place? I’ve had several “lifeline” teams over the years (work groups, learning communities, friends, spiritual sanghas, performance groups) that were extremely beneficial for their duration.

And now, I am looking at creating the strongest, most sustainable  one yet!  Will you help me?

I am eager to partner with an organizational leadership team that needs a powerful provocateur, collaborator, and communications maven/ director to weave it all together: vision, strategy, marketing, communications, engagement, and human capital. Let’s start the conversation!